The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-12
UTAH

The Administration has been greatly magnl-
fed by its pensioned organs, during the past
year, for its dextrous management OF the Utah
difficulties. The late Washington Union, the
Nep York Herald, and the lesser lights of the
party, persuaded themselves, and would have
persuaded the country, that the profound
wisdom and craftsmanship of Mr.. Buchanan
had restored peace and order to that distracted
Territory and were rapidly undermining its
heathenish custom of polygamy. But unluckily
these fine dreams of peace and progress have
been dissolved into nothingness by the stern
realities revealed in the latest news from that
quarter The Governors Judges, and military
chiefs, sent out by the President, have not only
failed to restore peace to the Mormons, but they
have fallen to wrangling among themselves.
No Administration could be more unfortunate
In the selection of Territorial officers indeed
than the present; almost without an exception,
the Territorial appointees of the President and
of his predecessor have been unfortunate, if
not grossly incompetent If a man of ability
and vigor has occasionally been selected, he
has been thrown aside for that very reason, as
was the case with several of the Kansas Gov
Pre.fdent rs enrtfedto a charitable Judgment
1t was with much difficulty that he could per-
suade any respectable man to take the place
and it would be surprising, if, under such cir
cumstances, the selection-if the dernier resort
may be called seleeton-had turned out to
be the most fitting. His judges, we believe
have been appointed under similar embarrass
ments In the appointment of a military com
mander, he has less excuse for failure, as the
officers of the army have no discretion but to
obey orders. But, from whatever cause, the
result is utter failure. Anarchy reigns in Utah.
The detestable polygamists are perpetratinp
the most horrid crimes with impunity, and the
Government officials, instead of combining
their varied powers to restore peace and order,
are quarrelling and checkmating each other.
Governor Cumming and General Johnston
have a misunderstanding. So far from sustain
ing, they are counteracting each other. The
Governor, in like manner, has a bitter feud
with the judges, and so far from aiding them in
bringing the ubiquitous polygamists to justice,
ne ndS eSpOuscO tnSli Sduse.
But we are free to confess that the best off.
Gers in the world, cordially cooperating with
each other, could not restore peace and law to
Utah. Mormonism is a monstrous combina.
tion of sensuality and religious enthusiasm or
fanaticism Its leaders are willy, reckless. and
INSCRIPTIONS. They mean to use the power
they have over the popular heart for the graft
6cation of their passions, at any sacrifice of
Justice and decency. The case of Mormon bar.
barity which we record in our news department
is Legitimate fruit of this system. So long as
the Mormons are permitted to make their own
laws, without revision by the Federal Govern
ment, this state of things will continue to exist
popular sovereignty" is at the root of the
evil. If the Federal Government stultifes itself
and permits the first handful of settlers in a
Territory as large as France or Austria to fix
forever its laws and institutions, there is no
heather abomination that may not take root in
our soil Polygamy, with its train of immoral
ity and degeneracy, even Cannibalsm and
Thugism, may be legalized in our Territories
under the plausible theory which demagogues
invented for the extension of our own form OF
heathenism. The Federal Government should
at once wipe out the Internal system of polyga-
my by Congressional prohibition; and every
man found with more than one wife should be
brought to condign punishment under the com
mon law. Polygamy should be outlawed. Nc
polygamist should be treated as q citizen, OF
permitted to vote or sit on jury. Infamous
crimes usually carry with them this depriva
ton of civil rights, and Government is called
upon by the highest obligations of Christian
civilization to place polygamy in the category
of crimes which render its perpetrators unworthy
of citizenship.
Ksye the American people forgotten that
polyRamy, and even bigamy, is felony al
common law? And cannot Congress prohibit
and punish crimes ~ the Territories which are
crimes in the States? In North Carolina, big
amy is punished with death, In all the States
it is punished as felony. Is no. the marriage
relation State institution which Congress may
protect in the Territories? Or is Slavery the
only domestic institution which is entitled to
that distinction ?
Our readers viii recollect that, while we sus
tanned the coercive policy recommended by the
President, we took the ground that there could
be no compromise made with Mormonism. In
itself, it was a rebellion against the Federal
Government. 1t mith pretend submission,