Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-03-24
SPEECH OF HON. W. w. B0YCE,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA,


OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
In the House of Representatives,, March IL,
1858, the Army bill being under consideration
Mr.. BOYCE. Mr.. Chairman, consider the
question of coercing the Mormons OF Utah, IN;
rolved in the bill to increase the Army, Us one
of the sravest nature. This singular people,
the wonder aud the opprobrium OF the age, huve
established themselves in the heart OF TINS con.
t;nent. at 4 vast distance from the civilized
world, and separated from it BY vast deserts aIu
mountains. Their voluntary exodus from the
Christian world, their selection OF the great GEN.
tral basis for the seat OF their power, their Pc
culiar system of religion, their domestic insttu'
tions, so opposed TO the spirit OF the age, their
singular unanimity of action-all excite our
astonishmeut Whatever else We may think,
there is one thing we must all perceive, that
they are actuatcd by the tercest tanatclsm.
They are, what we have not recently seen IN the
civilized world, all entire community OF fanatics.
1t has been apprchended, from their hrst deveI' i
opmeut in Utah, that We would have trouble with
them, aud the apprehension IS now beng real
lied. Mr.. Fillmore has been good deal cen
sured for permitting their great leader, brigham
Young, to act as Governor OF the IerritoTy'
This was not the wish of Mr.. Fillmore but the
result of supposed political necessity. Fer
haps it would have been wiser to have met the
Question then, for it has only been postponed,
md Games up for solution now, when they are
far stronger than they were then. The same
considerations of political necessity acting ON
Mr. Fillmore acted also on Mr.. Pierce, and Brig
ham Young was permitted to remuin in oitice as
Governor The public mind Of the United States,
during the administration of Mr.. Pierce, seemed
to become fixed in opposition to the retention OF
BRIGHAM Young in power by the Federal Gov
ernment. One of the political parties OF the
country, in the recent presidential election, made
onnos;tion to the Mormons one of the panks in
their political platform. Influenced, perhaps,
in some degree, by the laudible desire OF meet
;np the wishes of the country, and, also, have
NO doubt, upon general views. OF public policy,
the Observation-Disclosures determined to super,
,sede Brigham Young as Goyarnor, and appointed
Mr.. Cumming to the position, .a-gentleman well
fitted for the place.
During the period that Brigham Young had
heen allowed to act as Governor, though We had
some cause of complaint, yet there was no gen.
eral revolt against the authority of the United
States. Having things pretty much their own
vnv the MormOns seemed formally to submit to
onr authority. Individual Gentiles complained
of had treatment; some of the Government otii-
cials in the Territory also complained but
formal obedience was kept up. ne emiSraht
trains to California passed through Utah, as a
General rule, undisturbed. But recently matters
have changed. The effort upon the part OF our
Government to put Governor Cumming III all'
thor;ty has been resisted By force, and We appear
% ha IN the eve of war with the Mormons A
norton of the army, with Governor Cumming,
ara in the mountains of Utah waiting for rein
fnrcaments with which to begin their march,
and nut the question to the arbitrament OF the
sword. This is sad spectacle in Republic,
and demands our serious consideration.
The question is before US now, what Shall We
do with the Mormons? We must decide upon
it; we cannot postpone II we wouii: for'uh'
otelv i Is question with which nothing of Sec
t;onaI;sm minples. The laws of Utah, it is true,
rscocn;ze and provide for slavery, but there are
M slaves there. Utah, while it is technically q
slave community, is actually free community.
The President Of the United States has simply
undertaken to perform his duty in seeing that
tho laws are executed in Utah. He has no
mower to institute policy, though he may sug,
rest one; no can ouly enforce the laws as they
exist 1t is for Congress to determine the policy
n he pursued in refereucc to these people.
Whatever that policy may be, have no doubt
the President viii carry it out, as far as 1t de-
pends upon him, and is possible.
War even with foreign nation, is grave
matter not to be gone into inconslderately.
But domestic war, war upon portion OF our
own people, even if they be' fanatics, mad!nen,
fools, rebels, traitors, IS matter OF tar Graver
importance The genius OF our Government in
its internal relations, is peace. IT Is presumed
that the laws will enforce themselves; that the
pcople will submit to the laws Though force
is not excluded from our system, yet 1t IS con
sidered a sad alternative, only to be resorted to
in the last extremity. Such q condition of affairs
as exists in Utah was, apprehend, never con.
sidersd as possible by the trainers of the Consti-
tnt;on. That whole people should rise in arms
and defy the central Government in the exercise
= of its undoubted authority, without even plau.
chic nr.text. never entered into their minds.
'Cbey had no conception that an American Mo-
bammcd would rise up in the United States in
the middle of the nineteeth century and pro.
mulpate q new dispensation, made up of Chris
tianity and Oriental sensuality, which should
f.ec;nate mul,itndes. and establish distinct ia.
tiopal;ty in the bosom of the Rocky Mountains.
The condition of Utah, then, is one which, while
It has no precedent in our history, will, trust
for the sake of humanity, have no imitation.
Before we undertake to determine what we
should do in reference to the Mormons, it is ne
cessary that we should understand precisely
what We wish to accomplish, the benefit to be
attained, or the evil to be averted. Utah is set
tied almost exclusively by Mormons; there is
scarcely handful Of Gentiles.as those are
called who do not adopt their faith-there. So
far as good government. order, and obedience to
law is concerned in Utah among the Mormons,
it is matter of very small Importance to us.
except from the general desire we have that
even the Mormons should prosper But as that
region of country is not now wanted for settle
ment By our citizens generally other than Nor.
mons, and is not likely to be wanted for an in
definite period, we would have no special motive
to exert our power to restore order, so far as
the interests Of the inhabitants of that region
may be concerned. If therefore, Utah, instead
Of being in the center Of the sSntseat con on the
in some other portion of our dominion not ira
yeryed by emigrant5, we might feel under no