Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-02-28
,onaRrss AND rHr moRMoNs

Early during the present session OF
Congress, Senator Wade introduced .
bill defining the duties Of Judges OF
United States Courts 10 Utah, the real
intent of which was undoubtedly to
strike at polygamy in that Territory,
and which has slept in the drawer OF
some committee ever since. The bill
desiguates who shall perform the mar
riage ceremony, and provides for the
prevention of double marriages. Un-
Outstanding so well the situation OF
affairs in that Territory, made more
familiar by recent bloody transactions
there, it was to be hoped that prompt
action would be taken, and while the
subject of reconstruction was being
matured in the committee rooms of that
body. 8
1t is well known that the Mormons
themselves do not pretend to establish,
on strict Bible authority, that portion
Of their creed which allows plurality OF
wives, and less than o%ue-fourth of the
church are believers in it, but simply
claim it as a right endowed BY special
revelation from Divine power. There
fore no excuse can be offered that it
would be interference with the religious
convictions Of that sect, as the simple
theory Of avowed religious belief does
not determine the true basis Of action
with any party Of believers, and the
mere assertion that such crude ideas are
sufficient to sanction the practice OF po-
lygamy cannot be admitted.
We do not believe that delay necessa-
rily strengthens the Mormon organiza-
ton, for the tide Of westward emigration
will Ultimately drive the adherents Of
this sbominable~ practice to a more re-
tired location, unless our laws guaran.
tee them protection. Yet why is this
Internal institution permitted to exist
with the implied recognition Of our
Government Is duplicate marriage any
the less polygamy in Utah than in Ohio
or California? Are the frequent muir.
ders committed under the immediate
notice, if not at the instigation Of Brig.
ham Young, to be passed by as unwor.
thy of Investigations Why is not he
held accountable, or if that cannot be
done, let our Government establish a
national police system throughout their
Territory, to be under the control Of
United States Judges, selected for their
antagonism to Mormon misrule.
The most valuable section of our
country between the Mississippi and the
Pacifc-vsluable by virtue Of its posi-.
tion-is held and controlled by the enc.
mics Of our Government and the adhe-
rents of a principle most dstestable.' In
telligent visitors from the Old World
gaze with surprise at this obnoxious in
terpolation in q boasted christian com.
munity, and cannot but wonder at its
successful growth. The whole system
is degrading and deteriorating in its eft.
fects on society, and is a barrier to NOR
al elevation wherever it exists. The
Mormon assertion that society is purer,
and intelligence Of a higher standard
under their guardianship, is too palpa-
bly, false to admit Of argument. HCon-
gress intends to acknowledge the Con-
st~itutionsl right Of tbis debasing doc
trine, let it assign some remote portion
of our territory to its uses, and abolish
this pest spot Of immortality and shame
from the beautiful valley of Salt Lake.
Let it no longer acknowledge that the
garden Of our central possessions is dis
tinguished throughout the world as the
abiding place of vice and treason.