Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-11-13
NJ is G Z L L A N Y.
LETTER FROM UTAH.

Correspondence Of The Vermont Phoenix.
UTAH, 10th Sept 1858.
Mr.. EDITOR In a political point of view
Utah may be regarded as "A kind of epitome of
the United States. Its population consists of
foreigners-chiehy British and Scandinayians
led and directed by American demagogues.
The Bishops, presidents, priests, and, in fine,
all the hierarchy of the Mormon Church are
generally of American origin while the rank
and file are from other countries. This is not
the precise condition of the United States at
the present moment but it is fast becoming so
The honester portion Of the foreign emigrants
are deceived into membership with the Nor
mon Church and residence in Utah. They
are persons, generally, who have felt the OPP
preston arising from an oyercrowded popula-
| ton and who have become fixed in the convic-
ton that the inequalities of condition which ex-
hibit themselves in such striking contrasts in
the old world must arise from some defect in
our system of civilization, or in short from our
religion. This conviction with them Is us non
est in many cases was that which was enter
tanned in the face of an old, proud, but worn
out civilization by the fishermen of Galilee
and il has been seized hold of by that intensely
shrewd mongrel spirit of half religion and half
money getting which characterizes New Eng
land, and which is here represented by the mem
orv of Joe Smith, the living Brigham Young.
Hcber c. Kimball, Daniel Ii. Wells, and other
such dgnitaries of the Church of Jesus Christ
of the Latter Day Saints, with the end OF max
ing a handsome speculation, partly politico-re-
ligious and partly pecunary. The laboring
Englshman, or Weshman, who perhaps may
seldom have seen the world outside of a coal
mine iron foundry, or cotton factory, but who
has seen the carriages of the lordly and
wealthy flash by him while his hardest labor
would scarcely keep family of interesting chill
dren from starving, is charmed with the Nor
mon missionaries promise of land in beautiful.
new and peaceful region of the globe, together
with perfect equality of condition-a perfect
fraternity of intercourse with his his fellow men.
With this bait he is led into Salt Lake Valley,
as it were into a trap, from which, owing to the
remoteness, the barrenness of the surrounding
country. the SHOWS of winter, his own poverty
self-pride, and other causes, it is very difficult
for him to make his escape, and he thus becomes
a helpless prey to the demagogues who have
beset and mised him.
But what is true of the foreign emigrant who
comes to Utah, is also true to very considcra-
BILE extent of the emigrant who stops in the
Stats his honest democratic feelings are
seized upon and directed to an injurious end by
dishonest demagogues.
Plurality of wives is tenet of the Mormon
faith which has become added in course of time
|
order to confirm the wavering and attract new
conyeits. The popular argument by which its
propriety is proved is-that there is no express
provision in the Bible against it. The Mormon
will advance this argument to you with an air
t of triumph that is but little abated by your an
swering him that neither is arson or forgery ex-
pressly prohibited by the Bible. He, himself,
is implicated, his Iside of opinion, his passions
and his interests are at stake and hence reason
or argument can be of but little avail. He is
led to think, too, that the compromise of 1850,
which. establishes the principle that the people
of territory can do as they please about slaves,
secures to the Latter Day Saints the same right
with respect to polygamy.
1t would seem, in some points of view, that
. Mormonism had been coyertly fostered by the
English government, with the object of render
ing popular institutions odous. There is, on
the other hand, much to disprove this view OF
the case, since our own political extravagancies
are quite sufficient to shake the faith of the peo-
pie of Canada and Europe in the stability and
- desrableness of popular government. From
the year 1910 to the year 1906, period OF nj
i teen years, about twenty-one thousand Mormon
emigrants were brought to the United States
through the agency of Mormon missionaries
and they were chiefly from Great Britain.
!. There are but very few Germans among the
Mormons; for while the Germans care but lit
tie about any kind of religion, they have nc
taste for paying tithes or taxes, which is theil
only source of dissatisfaction at home. 1t il
- not natural, therefore, that while they fight. al
they did in 1913, against paying taxes in Ger
r' many they should come here willingly to pa,
the enormous tax of the Mormon tithe, TO sa!
nothing of the tyranny to which the Saints mus
10 submit.
Since the majority of the Mormons of Utal
are from Great Britain, the land by excellence
of the common ld,o, and since the common Law
in is also the law of the proprietary sovereign O
u, the territory of Utah, viz: the United States
~ there can be no reasonable doubt as to whethe
d. there is any law, of binding force, in Utah, o
p as to what that lawis Communities of English
men and Americans carry their law with then
wherever they go it is enshrined in the man
ners and customs of freemen; it bears the sam