The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-28

On Io+tor- sbeet may be optaiheu az Jul COUNTING
room.
Three weeks ago the House of Representatives
,,,ssed A Bill for the prevention and punishment
IF polvgamy in Utah. By that Bill, Polygamy is
made a penal offence and subjects those who are
found guilty of practising it to fine not exceeding
five hundred dollars, and to imprisonment for not
less than two and not more than five years. By
another clause. the Bill annuls the Territorial
ordinance incorporating the Church of Latter
Dav Saints and all other acts emanatng from
or which hereafter be adopted for the purpose of
protecting or countenancing Poygamy. In the
course of the discussion that took place, while the
Rill was before the House, its utter worthessness
os 4 remedial measure was repeatedly pointed out
The execution of the proposed law being left to
the Mormons themselves it was not to be ex-
pected that they would suffer it to 60 into prac-
teal operation, or that they would recognize, in
any way, the right of Congress to establish
penal code in an organized territory. In view
of these objections, and also to get rid of what
might hereafter become a dangerous precedent,
Mr.. BRANCH, of North Carolina, proposed to
amend the Bill by Withdrawing all legislative
power from the Mormons and concentrating it in
n Governor and Territorial Council, to consist
of thirteen persons to be appointed by the PRE-
sIpENT. by and with the advice of the Senate
But this amendment, although it went a step
further in the right direction, scarcely less
practical in its character than the Bill for which
it was offered as a substitute, as it would have
required the presence of a standing army to
enforce the submission of the Mormons, and to
carry out the DEGREES Of the Legislative Council
1t was looked upon as nothing less than the pre-
Indie to a declaration of martial law, and the large
vote by which it was rejected, either showed that
the members of the House reluctant to sanction
anv innovation upon the Territorial policy of the
Government as at present established, or that
they preferred to temporse with question which
involved in its solution other issues that were of
still graver complexion. 1t is only upon the latter
theory that the rejection of a second amendment.
which was offered by Mr.. MCCLERNAND of Illinois.
can be satisfactorily explained. He proposed to
break up the power of the Mormons by large
infusion Of the Gentle clement This was 10 be
accomplished by dividing Utah into two separate
would embrace the large mining population now
collecting at Pixies Peak; whilst the other would
take within its limits the rapidly increasing popu
lation which is clustering around the Washoe sill
yer mines 1t is true that the Mormon settlements,
being chiefly confined to the valley of the Salt
Lake would still be remote from the two great CEN
tres of recent immigration; but the prospective pres
sure would not be the less alarming nor could the
Mormons be any longer certain of securing, through
legislative action and by the power exercised by
their own fInctiOnaries, that immunity from the
consequences Of their crimes and evil practices
which, as the territory is now constituted, they
undeniaby possess. Yet the House, as we have
above stated, refused 10 accept the only means by
which Poygamy could be eflectually suppressed
and the Mormon organization broken up
After spending three days in eloquent denuncia-
tons of the evils ofPolygamy, it passed the Bill as
originally reported from tue Committee whereby
Polygamy was declared TO be crime and those
who committed it were authorized to sit in iudg-
ment upon their own offence, and punish them
selves with fines and incarceration AS the law pro-
vides. A more lame and impotent conclusion
never was reached. 1t was q papable Sinking
of a question which either ought not TO have been
raised at all, or, if raised, should have been met
in such spirit would have settled the question
forever rs to whether a community of knaves,
rutfans, and fanatics, shall be permitted to
take undsputed possession of a part of the Fed
eral territory, and under the assumed sanctity of
new religious creed not only outrage all those
rules of social decorum which are observed by a
Christian people, but battle all the efforts of the
Federal authorities to render them amenabe to any
laws but those of their own making To resort to
temporizing eXpedients with such people is TO
make their leaders still more insolent and contu.
macious, and to strengthen that malign influence
which they already exert to so great an extern
over their deluded followers. Yet, in addition tC
constituting them the judges of their own acts o.
crinlnaiitY, it is now gravely proposed that We
shall treat with them as if they were the innocent
victims Of grinding despotsm, instead of being
AS they really area hive of rebels, hypocrites
and assassins. On Wednesday last Mr. MORRIS,
of Illinois, asked and received consent of the
House to bring in resolution, providing for
the appointment of n Commission to negotiate with
the Mormons for the purchase of their possessions,
with the express understanding that when the
bargain has been consummated, they shall remove
beyond the limits and jurisdiction of the Ameri-
can Republic. We trust that no such reso-
luton will be entertained. The Mormons
have no claim whatever upon the Government,
or upon popular sympathy Mr.. NORRIS himself,
declares, in the resolution to which we refer
THAT the Government of the UNITED STATES has
1.-THE power, and it is It's bounden duty to protect
itself from internal, as well as external foes"
that the Mormons are "a band or association of
'alIen enemies iii our midst and that they have
long since declared themselves by their acts,
'both moral and governmental outlaws" Yet,
strange to say, it is with these rebels and crimi-
halS he would obtain the authority to treat as
II they constituted an independent State, which
II was impossible 10 bring under subsection.
The passage of such an act as this would be one
OF the most humiliating spectaces to witness that
ever dlsgraced the annals of nation The reso-
luton Of Mr.. NORRIS acknowledges that it is
the bounden duty of the Government to pro-
tect itself against internal foes and that it DOS
SeSses the power to do so. Let, then, the Govern
ment assert that power; let it exhaust the treasu-
ry II 1t he necessary, in enforcing obedience to its
authority; but do not let it be put to the open
suzanne OF yng off band of outlaws who or
cordmg to Mr.. MORRIS own statement. share
'been guilty of every conceivable species q
''crme."