Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-01-30
From the New York Evening Post.
THE WAY TO END THE MORMON WAR

There is something altogether anomalous in the
relations which subsist between the inhabitants of
Utah and the General government. To man, the
people oil that territory are averse to the kind OF
government provided for them att W ashington. 1t
nterferes with their tbeoretic principles, and is
obstruction to what they conceive to be the true
destiny of the Saints. The Mormons find it as
impossible to transfer their allegiance from Brig
ham YouDg and Elder Pratt and the Mormon Bible
to Gentle governors, like Steptoe or Cummings
and the American constitution, as it would have
been for the children of Israel to have surrendered
Moses or Joshua nd the Decalogue for the idola
trous rule of Pharoah or of Amalek. Against
this community, forming an integral portion Of
our population, and protected by government eus
tained mainly at our own expense, we find our
selves involved in deadly and expensive war
For the first time in the history of our government
it is in open conflict with one of its constituent
|sovereigntiee. In prosecuting this war, we have
already incurred an expense which cannot fax
short of $50, 900, and if we go on upon the
principle and to tie end marked out by the Ad-
ministraton it will cost over $50 000 000 besides
multiplying to a fearful extent the sect which it
aims to extirpate.
In view of the facts, ought we not to pause and
consider whether we are acting wisely, whether
we are acting prudently. whether we are acting in
harmony with the principles of popular sovereign
upon which this government is based? We will
not say that we are not; we will not say that the
Mormon heresy ought not to be extirpafed or that
their rebellious leaders ought not to receive exem
plary punishment; but Is it not barely possible
that are taking precisely the course best cacu-
lated to aggravate the fanaticism we depore, and
do not the principles npon which this government
was founded, and the precedents by which it has
been conducted indicate different policy2 Let
US see:
I. AS nation, we profess to recognize the prin-
ciple that the government is made for man, and
not man for the government; that the people have
q righ. to govern themselves in their own way, and
that tho forms and restrictions preferred by a ma
jority best adapted to the comfort and prosper
ity of the whole.
II. Utah is occupied exclusively by Mormons
and Indians Besides them there is, believe,
no permanent population. certainly not enough to
entitle item to territorial government.
III. The Indians desire no government, and the
Mormons have all eady one of the most perfect or
ganizations for their political purposes in the
in the world. In no country is life and property
better, if as we'll protected. rs at Salt Lake in
none does the government harmonize so entirely
with the tastes and necessities of the people. This
is the unanimous opinion of all who have the best
means of studying their organization.
". The government imposed upon them by the
United States, though much wiser in the eyes of
most Americans, and better suited to enlight
ened community, does not suit these people. They
prefer Saint for their governor to any Gentle in
Christendom; they prefer judiciary of Divine
appointment to a judiciary of Mr.. Buchanan's ap-
pointment; they prefer inspired Legislation, to the
they think are secured to them under the admins
tration Of Brigham Young. They feel they
would be denied them all under the rule of Governor
Cummings. Now the question is, whether We have
any right, and if we have right, whether we have
any inducement to compel these people to submit to
rule which is not only not to their choice but
which their religion condemns. 1t is not clear to
us that we have either. Here, in the East, We in
sist upon making our own laws and selecting our
rulers Why should not the Mormons do the same
so long as the indulgence of their whims fanat-
cism does not circumscribe any of rights p
and we do not see that they do. in the least.
Why should we be at the expense of furnishing
a government for Utah, and of sustaining it with
an army at an anual expense Of millions, if it is,
after all, not only such government as is accept.
able to the people of that territory, but on that
very accout isnot such government as We have al
ways claimed the privilege of enjoying for our
seIves? If the people of Utah prefer to take care
of themselves if they do not ask or need pro.
lection if they are prevented by their religion
from submitting to the officers we put upon them
why should we be at the expense of furnishing
them protection and public officers? We gain
nothing by il unless an excuse for enlarging our
army and running the nation in debt twenty or
thirty millions Of dollars be regarded, as it doubt
less will be, by some, as gain. The nation at
large. however, will hardly look upon such results
with favor, especially when they come to reflect
that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the pa
gan as we'll as Of the Christian church, and that
every drop OF Mormon blood spilled in defence Of
their religion and rights of selfgovernment. will
make the soil on which it falls swarm with Mormons,
and in another year whore they now number hun
dreds, they will number thousands.
i In view Of oil these circumstances, is not the
n wisest and most statesman course we can pur-
sue, tc withdraw troops, to repeal the Terrific