Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-07-09

OHlllu anu DllEnulu lOuht. lutIt Nun Dt nO
doubt that the general government has the
constitutional right to egislatc for the terrific
ries-though such is one of the Federal and
Wing doctrines that the slave party, sustained
by the Democracy, have always strcnuousy op-
posed. As the population Of Utah consists of
foreigners and American damagogues who CAN
not govern themselves, there is no doubt that
the United States which is bound to insure
the Republican form of government to the
states and territories, could, constitutionally,
take the government into its own hands but
nasmuch as out of Difference to the fundamcn-
tai principle of our institutions, which is popu-
lar sovereignty, the territories have beenallowed
to govern themselves Just as the son is allowed
by his father to have his own way to n very
considerable extent, it is desirable that that
course should still be observed. For there is
no need of surrcndcring even legitimate power
into the hands of the general government 80
long as the people can WELD it themselves.
Among all our Territories during period of
some eighty years Utah is the only one which
has shown an inability to govern itself; and
the reason is simply, as we have said, because
its people consist chiefly of foreigners who
know nothing of elf-government. But ought
we therefore to change the whole, time -honored
policy of our government respecting the terri
tories, because such an excresence as Mormon
ism has made its appearance upon the over
vigorous trunk of our free institutions Be-
cause u few shameless Mormons cannot govern
themselves should we therefore adopt measures
that would imply that the whole people have
lost the power of governing themselves? No;
the proper remedy is to 20 at once to tGe
source of the mischief and withhold the privi-
lege of voting from those who do not know
how to use that privilege, from those whose
political freedom consists in being led by dem
agogues, and with whom the exercise Of the
political franchise-not being understood by
thenl-can result only to the endangcring Of
our common liberty.
June lst. The road between here and Fort
Bridger is now represented as being thronged
with seeding Mormons who are on their way
to the States and Major Lynle of the 7th In
fantry expects to leave in few days with an
escort in charge of another large party which
are making ready to go to California Had
the army taken up its position in the principal
towns year ago and given these people secu-
rity OF life and property, many OF them would
have probably remained, and, with their skill
in irrigation have been OF some
use in opening up the country but as it is they
have been fairly driven out by our crooked, un-
reliable policy.
If the initiation of this affair had been left to
the wisdom of the pcople-to congress, instead
of being decided as if by Il Louis Napoleon.
Congress being merely called on to cover the
expense, corruption and all, b, deficiency bill,
the result would have been much more salutary,
the people would have been spared the un-
necessary ofiensiyeness OF contcmptuous i'm =
patience ON the part of thcr servants, and a
vast amount of protuse expenditure and reck-
less Generalization would have been spared as
an example and precedent to future times.
You will doubtless observe what an incon-
gruity Of official statement there is involved in
the fact of this emigration of the Mormons to
California. They are provided with an escort,
and for whatP Why, for protection against
the saints. Or in plain words at time when
the civil officers of Utah are said to be in the
peaceful performance of their duties in quiet,
iaw-abiding community, All escort Of American
soldiers is ordered out, for the protection Of
American citizens on American soil against
their own fellow citizens
Judge Craddlebaugh has just returned from
Mountain Meadows, the scene of the massacre
OF Arkanas emigrants which has recently been
brought TO the knowledge of the public 1t
will be remembered that upwards of a hundred
persons from Arkansas, men, women and chill
dren, were assailed and murdered while on
their way to California in the fall of 1857, the
period Of time when our troops arrived at Fort
Bridger. The Mormons have charged it upon
the Indians; but the Judge, it is said, has
CLEANED evidence sufficient TO implicatc con-
siderable number OF the Saints themselves
The scene of this massacre is some two hun
dred miles or more from here on the southern
route to California. 1t is represented by one
who has recently visited it as the most dolefu
spectacle that he ever witnessed. Skeletons Of
women and children strewed the ground
bleaching in the wind and half eaten by the
wolves, while locks of their hair and portions
of their dress were hanging to the wild sage of
the desert.
When political sentiment becomes so de-
praved as to fail to have its attention arrested
by such massacre as this, what may we expect
to follow next? The fact is, the power-thc
laye-spreading influence that is trying to gov
ern us is too weak and passionate, and founded
on a too narrow basis to give a proper security
to the general interests of the country. In a
desperate conflict to maintain its illegitimate,
untenable position, it has become blinded to
every thing else except looking after its own
selt-preservation and to that end it grasps at
any thing, fair Or fowl.