The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1859-12-03
TIN MOTNTAINRRl.
cnIlr tnr un ti1n
s4TURD1Y DkcxMBER ). 1859
OUR KKIIGION AND OUR
POLITICS.

At ~ very ElulculOus huceS Jss Ss'S |
that seems 70 have gained considerable
predcminance IN the world, and has se-
cured many advocates, that scurrility III
argument, and that low blackguardisml
ii good logic. II an honest man
should SEQ : wrong done, and Try ID
fair play % resent Or correct il, the
dishonest man, whose interests are In
terWoyen with the continuation 81 that
wrong, when he fails in his researcher 10
End even ! weak argument, resorts 10
villihcation Of character, and cares not
% what low depths IL slang, borrowed
On Original, he eondeseends
We hsye been highly complimenied,
eSsn q this early period Of our edi-
torial career, with ) numerous list Of
exchanges from III parts Of tho United
StAtes. including the leading journals
Of the east and west. We are thank
fnl for them. Though but the kind
interpretations Of fayors, yet even those
are something ii these days of dimes
and sixpences Hence We repeat our
thanks.
In looking over our exchanges We
have not yet observed any serious
fault found With our rudimental efforts.
The comments have been rather Lean
ing 70 the side Of aattery. With q
few, however, there seems TO be one
great stumbling block. We are twit-5
led By these or being ssthe political
organ Of Brigham Young. The name
Of this man seems to have become d
great rock Of offence among our en-
iightened countrymen. Failing to es-
tAblish against him the simplest sub
stAntial charge, his maligners have
manufactured lies to propagate their
venom. AsslAnder accumulates in its
progress, 80 the croaking Of these poi
sonous toads has mulhplicd itself into
fhA lond bellOwing Of thunderbolts Of
slander; YET al have failed. We make
no bombastic pretentions Of courage;
and never make point Of hitting .
friend that respects US too much to
resent il but We are neither afraid nor
ashamed to acknowledge our sentiments
and convictions, religious or political.
We have mutually made choice Of d
religion that suited our eonsciences,
and our IDEAS Of divinity and salvation.
In die exercise Of that religion and the
rights appertaining thereto, We have
selected b. our voices, and BY our mp
lifted right hands to heaven, Brigham
Young as our spiritual guide and adj
visor Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment Of reli-
gion, Or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof, z was one of the first and
most prominent Features Of the Consti-
tuition that attracted our attention. II
d had any meaning or virtue, we were
enthusiastically right, and nnmistake.
ably loyal in our selection. I'VE are,
good readers, what are, generally
termed Mormons. We have a consti-
Iu6onal right to DO such; and all
America has not the power to prevent
US being 50. TO be sure, the despotic
bayOnets Of moboeracy might pierce
our hearts and close our eyes indeath;
but the holy right to follow our own
conscientious dictates Is as immortal as
therule Of heaven; and our disembodied
spirits would maintain ii, as they
lowered and watched over the cold
ashes in our graves.
This may be- correct, it Is sometimes
said, 50 Gar as our religion IS concern
ed; but what right have We to select our
religious adviser as our political guides
Our answer is, simply, that We have i
right to select whom We please for our
leader. Brigham Young never asked
ssithers Of US to vote for him, q, .r,r IA
adept his peculiar views Of politics.
And YET, without an invitation, We have
adopted his very politics, so far IS We
have learned them. II we did not be-
,lieve them to be right, we would not;
nor has there ever bssn cOmpalsiOn
FUSED to that effect upon any man in
Utah. But, placing religion in its own