Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-05-06
WHAT SHALL BE DONE WITH THE
MORMONS.

was brought 10 close in the last number of
the Atlantic Monthly. Their author is evil
IDENTIFY one who knows what he is talking
about He considers it proved that the Nor
mons cannot be trusted TO administer re-
publican government, and he declares tat
prediction of Brigham Youn, in 1855, that
though he might not be governor. his power
would not be diminished particle by any
man or men the United States Government
might send there. The territorial statute
books show that the transfer of executive
power from Brigham Young has long been
anticipated. Acts exist allowing the Nor
mon church to hold property to any extent,
free Of taxation, and in effect investing it
with absolute and perpetual sovereignty.
Indian and negro slavery is legalized by STA
tute, and fifty or sixty negroes, and several
hundred Pyide Indians are now held as
slaves in the territory Other acts rob the
U. s. Judges of their jurisdiction, civil and
criminal, and confer it on the Probate Courts
Others authorize the invasion OF domiciles on
the simple order of o judicial officer, legal
i.e verdicts in civil cases upon the concur.
renee oftwo thirds of the Jurors, and abolish
the freedom Of the ballot-box by providing
that each vote shall be numbered and re-
cord kept of the voters, with the number OF
his ballot attached to each voters name,
which record, with the ballots, is preserved
for reference. There is also an extraordi-
nary series Of acts regarding the primary dis
posal of the soil, with which subject the ter
rtorial legislatures is expressly forbidden to
NEEDLE by the Organic Act, which acts con-
fer on Brigham Young and other church dig
nitarics almost all the lands in Eastern
Utah that are valuable for immediate occu-
patton, and which thus vest in those digni-
taries the virtual control of the settlement
OF the territory.
to the domestic life and habits Of the Nor
mons, coincide with other well authenticated
accounts. Utah is pagan plague-spot,
where the grossest vices of the lowest forms
OF paganism prevail, sanctioned by what they
call their religion, and by the commands of
potentate whose will Is as that of Heaven
for the degraded people he has 80 long con-
trolled.
The Utah Expedition, in the writer's view,
has been for the most part, a failure. Mill
tary control Of the Territory, he believes will
be enormously expensive, comparatively inef-
fective, and altogether inexredient. The
remedy he recommends is, to buy The Nor
mons out Of Utah, and to transport them to
Papua, large island Of the East Indies, a
little north of Australia.
The Mormons are almost all foreigners, and
have no local attachment to the soil. The
idea of another exodus is familiar to them,
and will, as the writer believes, be favored by
was communicated to President Buchanan
BY Mr.. Bernheisel, the Mormon delegate in
Congress, in order to ascertain II the cooper
alton Of the National Government in such Il
measure could be expected; but that Mr..
Buchanan discountenanced the plan as a
wild dream. Nevertheless, it is argued that
the idea of emigration to Papua is no more
Quixotc now than was that of the movement
to Utah in 1916. The island of Papua is
declared to be very suitable in soil and cli-
mate for such population. Transplanted
thither, they would cease to be a nuisance to
America. and would become benefactors to
the world, by opening to commerce region
now valueless to Christendom, but OF as great
natural capacities rs any portion of the
globe" Tho expense of the migration, the
writer states, need not exceed the amount
already expended on the Army of Utah, to-
gether with that necessary to maintain it
there FIVE years, and an intelligent, christian,
and republican State, of settlers from the
valley of the Mississippi, will then take the
place of the Mormon abomination.
Tho same view is taken by David II. Burr.
ESQ. the Surveyor General of Utah, in a
recent letter 10 the Department of the lnteri-
or, which has just been published Mr..
Burr says:
"My position as Surveyor General of Utah gave
me peculiar advantage for observing the Mormon.
and learning much of their character and dspo-
sition, and firmly believe tt at it is an impossi-
biity for them ever to assimilate v it'll any other
people, or to reconcile Mormonsm with the insti-
buttons Of the St ties 1t is falacious TO suppose
that they can DO induced to abandon their singu.
lar tonets.
Instead Of fighting them. cannot We induce them
to leave the country, and thereby avoid the hor-
ror and odium Of religious war?
I have often conversed with intelligent Nor
mCns about their antagonism TO the United States
authorities; they have generally expresseda wish
TO be at psaoe with the United States. and desire
to obey tho laws whom they did not conflict with
their religion and peculiar institutions. But as
their rsli son and peculiar institutions emanated
from higher power, they could never reinquish
them, and II force was used, they would repel it
or leave the country.
They never xprsssed any objection to leaving.
provided they could DO paid fair compensation
for their property in Utah, and could find q suita.
BILE place TO remove to. At one time they
tn ught Of the British possessions on the north,
but tho British government refused them per-
mission. Mexico, Central as we'll as some parts Of
South America, have been spoken of, aud q ents
sent to examine, without favorable result. They
often speak Of the Islands of the sea- as place Of
refuge. If an island or islands could be found to
accom- 1odate them. where they would not be in.
terfsrsd with, | think they might be induced to
emigrate Nso, by extending facilities to them,
we shold avouid the horrors and expense Of civil
war, We should, II is true, by 90 doing, transfer
the moral pestilsnce' to another land instead of
ersdicatingi 1t, but If that other land was an is.
land OF the Pacific, trade would spring up between
them and other people, breaking up their seclu-
sion, and their peculiar religion and practice could
not stand long gtinst the light Of civilization
and Intelligence that always follows the footstep,
of commerce"
Whatever conclusion may be reached on
the subjec. to which such views relate, they
are at least worthy of a careful considera.
ton. The late accounts OF serious troubles
IN Utah show us that the Mormon question
is no more settled now than it was when Mr.
Buchanan came into the Presidency. Deeper