The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-16

Lecture Last Might at Warrington
Hall, by Hon, Schuyler COlGax--An
Overland Tour Across tlse Continent.
Washington Hall WINS wei filed last
evening with very intelligent and ap-
preciatiYe assemblage of our people.
brought together to hear the lecture Of
Mr.. colfax, on his famous trip .aacross
the continent" The honorable eentle-
man was briefly introduced by A. ".
Campbell, as the late Speaker Of the
last Congress and as ona of the ELOQUENT
and conspicuous friends of West Vir-
ginia in the days of her struggle for
admission into the Union as a new State.
The large audience gave 8Lr. Colfax a,
hearty indication of the welcome with
which they greeted him, amer the sub
sidenca Of which he proceeded with q
cursory outline of the lengthy and haz-
ardous tour which he had made through
the EXTREMIST limits of our Western
Possessions. Sc
AlarBs portion Of the lecture consisted
Of highly interesting and racy sketch
Ofhis travels, Astounding with geographic
Ical and historical facts and incidents,
and constantly interBpersed with the
most vivid and eloquent descriptions Of
the many localities visited during his
long journey. l@ rl
He spoke Of having long cherished a
desire TO visit the old world, but he final
ly concluded that as an American It
would be wiser first to see more of his
own native land and learn from OBSERVE
ton something of its vast extent and
resources. The Termination Ofthe strug-
gle that preserved this great country a
unit, seemed a fitting opportunity
The trip began with stage ride of
1000 miles across the mountains and
plains almost uninterrupted, and ended
with an aggregate of IL, coo miles.
In closing his account of the MOrmOns,
Mr.. COlhlx spoke of his plain talk with
Brigham Young on Polygnmy. That
worthy acknowledged that their special
church creed prohibited pOlygamy, and
it's only sanction was a direct revelation
to Joseph Smith, and direct command
to himself Mr.. Colfax replied that
Polygamy was the weak point in their
faith; that II arranged civilization and
Christianity against them ; was Illegal,
and that II was now time for counter
revelation prohibiting IL. Young sur
prised him by saying that he desired
such a revelation, but asked II they
would not also BIO required to give up
the Mormon Bible. Mr.. Colfax replied
that the American people believed In
civil and religious liberty, and would
not interfere with their form ofecclesiRs-
teal organization.
The tone OF the conversation impress
sed the party with the belief that the
Bity, and that Brigham Young felt and
knew 1t; but the street and newspaper
comment ON this conversation w1s Bit
tsIly and dedantly q gafusSany abandon
ment oftho plurality system. . t}s
Whether Mormon wives were happy
or not, Mr.. ColIax could learn only
from Gentle sources; but ladies of re-
spectRbility, who had social intercourse
with Mormon families, found beneath
tho lined veil Of religious faith, deep
discomfort, painful regrets for the har-
mony OF mOnogamiC marriage, and
fearful forsbOdings lest ielIlousies or
new attachments should rob them of
the respect ind love due from their hus-
bands. What was the remedy. TOIer-
alton encouraged polygamy. The
church. controlling the Territorial Leg
stature, shields It, and the problem Of
extirpating it Is difficult OF solution.
Obedience TO the laws alone will secure
its abolition; trenching not on theiF. re-
ligiOus faith or church Organization, but
ON their practice of what civilization
and the laws define to be q crime, the
MOrmons must learn that there Ii a
limit to assumed revelations; that the
Government cannot tolerate a TevelR-
ton to commit murder, arson, big1my,
or treason, in defiance Of It's laws. This
clear line Of distinction between tolera-
tinn of religious faith and liberation of
crime must be drawn. It Is now being
drawn by the MOrmons themselves,
and seceders in large numbera are leaV-
ing Utah.
The speaker passed over their embry-
otto State Government, and their arm
ing and drilling, ostensthly to fight the |
Indians, as likely to result in reY0lu-
tIOnaFy defiance, II the Government
maintained an ample military force on
the overland route. He closed this |
branch Of his lecture by saying. that the
plain and palpable duty OF the Govern
ment Is to repeal the entire polygamy |
law, and tolerate plurality in ali fSrri-
tory subject TO Government authority,
or enforce the law and tolerate It no.
where. Leading United States ohicersll
In Utah practice polygamy. No man
should hold an office under the Govern
lnent whose laws he violates. NOpolyg-
amist should be Government cOntfRC-
tor, Mining, which Is under the Nor
mon ban, should be encouraged, for the |
mineral wealth OF Utah is immense, and
the minors are anti-poly gamists. As
the speaker loosely said Mt Salt Lake, |
that was tho first place where he had |
found the saints all sinners and the Jews |
all Geutiles.
Evangelical Churches should be es-
tablished and sustained there. The |
members OF the Territorial Legislature |
should be required to take an oath OF |
ObOdience TO the anti-polygamy law, as |
test OF their eligibility TO act as such. |
The Homestead law should BIO omen |
only TO those who obey all the laws OF |
the Republic. These earnest measures |
taken, and the Pacific Railroad built, |
carrying q tide Of Immigration into
NtIa tho f6RIra
of the locomotive would sound tho re-
QUEEN Of polygamy and the pickaxe of
the miner dig It's grave. Utah with its |
Immense advantages would be, re-
deemed, and Salt Lake City become the /
greAt city OF the interior.
The route travelled by Mr.. Colfax to /
California lay ON the contemplated line /
of the Pacific Railroad, and of course
he could not but reflect on the GeaSibfli-
" and utility OF such q road. Always
an advocate OF the enterprise, he was
more convinced than ever of its incal- |
cnlRble necessity as n bond of union
and strength between. the broad ex-
tromea Of our vast country n Is a ma.
tionnl necessity to have adequate means
of safe and speedy transit between its
different sections, AS Il Is now, pas
sengoFs aud ffeight arc compelled TO
journey as far as from Boston TO Liver
pool aud back across q foreign country;
through unhealthy ATTITUDES and ut en-
ormoIs expense. Il Is = political ne
cessity In order to preserve harmony
and unity Of interest; II Is military
necessity, for Il this country ever be-
or France, the whole Pacific shores
would become the easy prey of the
enemy Il Is a eOmmerci1l necessity,
without which the vast extent and re-
snuFces OF the far West can never be
developed and made to enrich and exc