The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-27
CONGRESS AND THE MORMONS.

Time is essential to wise deberation. Time for
reflection is necessary to prudent legislation. But
procrastnation often defeats the counses of wis
dom patient thought ripens and pertects them
1t would augur unpropitously to deliberative
body rushing into hasy legislation but yet there
are often cases in which it is Of the most urgent inn
porance that these bodies should think with rapidity
and act with promptitude. Such case is now pre-
sented to Congress in the proposition for adequate
and speedy provision for reinforcing the army in
Utah.
Congress has been well-nigh two months in SEES
sion and, except to pass some joint resolutions IN
regard to the pay of members before the Christmas
holidays in company with the bill to authorize an
issue of treasury notes. believe positive meas
ure of legislation has been enacted, any definite
line of policy indicated by that body any subject.
Time is rapidly flying, and the exigencies Of the
country pressing.
1t should be borne in mind by the administration
party in Congress that the opposition is large united
perfectly organized and, with very few exceptions,
animated by spirit of fierce, INSCRIPTIONS OPP
position to every measure of the government what
ever its object however disconnected with part-
san polemics, however urgent or necessary. The
question is no longer asked what will promote the
welfare of the country, or vindicate its interests and
honor? 1t is enough for them to knew that a
measure meets the appreciation of the democracy
and engages the solictude of their administration
to insure the bitter and formidable resistance
Of almost the whole phaanx of black-republicans in
Congress and their allies and coadj Tutors of every
name and complexion
The people of the country, the conservative
of every section of the confederacy, who value the
Union and our free constitutional government, de-
administration in an honest effort to carry out the
principles announced by the President in his inau
gural and his messages according to the policy he
has indicated as the best of efecting his pur-
poses And it ought to be remembered that procras-
tnation and delay the part of Congress may prove
as fatal to the interests of the country, to the policy
of the administration and to the ascendancy Of the
democratic party, as could the welldirected efforts
of the opposition
Two months have nearly elapsed since Congress
assembled and no action has yet been taken to-
wards secondng the efforts already made by the adj
minisraton to repress the open, fragrant defiant re-
bellion in Utah That rebellion is aggravated by
every circumstance which could possibly add to the
Nervousness of crime in the estimation of
al, Christian, and aw-oving people. The Mormons
of Utah have rebeed against the government estab-
lsbed there by Congress- not from any violation of
civil rights or constitutional franchises and guaran
tees by the government; not from any pretended OPP
nression from the constituted authorities of the
land They rebel because the President will not al
low the overthrow of the government which Congress-
has extended over them--a government obnoxious to
them because morally opposed to the unseemly prac
tees they choose to indulge in-practUes of rapine
secret and open murder, and sort of ndiscrminatc
concubinage at which justice, humanity, religion,
and decency shudder and revolt. Here is a
most formidable and powerful association hume
rous, thoroughly provided and armed, tramp
ling under foot the authority Of Congress and
the Union, resisting the march of American
army on American soil, pundering and destroy
inc vast amounts of public property, avowng their
purpose of destroying our army by cold and
starvation--all because their monstrous religion
and disgusting modes of life are not sanctioned and
seconded by the government which Congress has
ordained for their territory This is the gnqucstiona
be state of facts known TO Congress and the coun-
trv and vet no measure has been adopted which
looks TO suppression of the rebellion.
More than all this, it is known that these people
are armed and mbodied in large numbers and
threaten the existence Of our little army, which is
more than thousand miles from succor and rein