Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-04-16
MORMON CIVILIZATION
UTAH, February 26th, 1859.

aspect from time to time, but ultimately direct
ed to the colonization of Utah, with the view
of making money. The political Importance
which it has assumed within the last few years
is rather due to the degeneracy Of political sci
ence among our own people than to any thing
Of inherent value within itself. And as a col
onization scheme it is worth as little as it is on
any political score. Instead Of being an adj
vantage to the United States il is an absolute
drawback, being a cause of great expenditures
which go into the pockets of Mormon leaders,
and subscribing no other purpose than as an OBJ
stacle in the way of opening up the country.
Mormonism and the development of the in
terests of new colony so remote from the civ
ilized world as this is, are in fact incompatible
for while Mormonism is based upon poverty,
ignorance, vice, and implicit Subsection to few
demagogic leaders, the interests of remote
and liberal, honest intention to promote the
welfare of the people. Not q few of the colo
nists are men who have been entced away from
European workshops by the Misrepresentation
of Mormon missionaries, ana are hence skillful
in various branches of manufacture; but as
they are ignorant, vicious, and lack capital
their skill cannot be turned t. much account
Nothing could better show thu backward state
of Utah as colony than the ruling prices Of
the articles of prime necessity. We will there
fore subjoin short list, as follows:
Nails, 90 cents per pound. Glass, Sx1O %
cents per pane. Glass tumblers, rs cents to
Sl,00 each. Soap, bar 65 cents per pound
Stearine Candles, 10 cents per pound. Writ
ing paper, 80 cents per quirc.
Yet all the articles could be easily produced
within the territory; for potash, fine white ST.
lex or sandstone lime, iron, and btuminous
coal can all be found in abundance within two
or three hundred miles of Salt Lake CITY, at
furthest and as for the materials for making
paper, flax grows wild in the valley in any guam
titles, and there is water-power sufficient for
turning the machinery.
1t is now about ten years since the coloniza-
ton of Utah commenced, period within which
unoccupied territory in other parts of the In
ion has grown up into entire States, but still,
not only the useful arts but even the agricultu-
raj interests of Utah, which numbers some thir-
ty thousand or more inhabitants, are COMPARE
lively in rude, undeveoped condition This
is owing to the character of the emigrants bv
whom 1t is settled-a servile race of foreigners
who, although from the freest countries of Eu
rope, have neither the aspirations nor the ener-
gies Of free people. 1t is useless to give
them the forms Of free government, for they
have already chosen that form which is better
suited to their condtion-viz: a despotc the
ocracy. To give them territorial legislature
is to invest them with power of no use TO
themselves, and which they can only exercise in
opposition to the rights and interests of the
emlgrants from the United States. 1t were in
vain to secure the passage of any measure of
utiilty to christian community through the
legislature assembly of Utah, when that body
is composed as it nov is, wholly of Mormons
with single exrapiio- -,UL-, rr.-L ----
erected into Territory, our legislators undoubt-
eddy presumed that it would grow up as all our
other territories had done, by the natural influx
of the people whose habits instincts and inter-
ests were those of freedom, law, order and NOR
atty; but such is not the fact with regard to
the actual population of the country, and why,
therefore, continue form of government that
was instituted under a wrong supposition p
Why should our general government counte-
nance and maintain in a state of organised re-
belion people whose interests are so wholly
and ~
people?
1t is not for immediate settlement alone that
the soil of Utah has become necessary to our
people; it is needed for facilitating the land
communication between the Atlantic, and Pac-
ic coasts, just as sea-ports are necessary to our
national vessels in various parts of the world
for refttng and repairing The agricultural
resources are needed not only for its own pop
ulation, but also for travelling and for the con-
tiguous portions of country as they become
opened up either by gold discoveries or other
wise. The valley of Salt Lake is directly on
the route which all our poorest class of travel
lers between the Atlantic and Pacific must pur-
sue, for they are not able to meet the expenses
vi sea Voyage.
One of the most recent schemes of improve
ment that we have heard of is the planting of
Salt Lake with oysters. The scheme is proba-
bly, practicable one if the legislature of the
territory should not stand in the way, for the
one who thus plants it must have some guaran-
tied rights, and he might not be willing to re-
ceive or seek them from Mormon aw-givers.-
Why do not marine productions occur naturally
in salt lakesP Has a salt water animal ever
been found in fossil state? There is no fish
or living thing in the Great Salt Lake of Utah.
For The Vermont Phenix.l
Mr.. EDITOR Il have just received a letter
from correspondent in Lawrence, Kansas Ter
rtory, dated March 27th, from which will
I'll, Al. 1