Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-10-27
Mr.. COlfax and the MOrmOns.

We trust that no one having the opp0rtu-
nifty, has neglected to read the rank and
earnest denunciation of Mormon institutions
and practices which the Vice President de-
livered in the stronghold of Mormonism.
The act was dangerous milder language
has been heretofore punished with death at
the hands Of the fanatics, whose absurd and
wicked religion ought to be driven from the
face of the earth. Mr.. Colfax, speaking as a
public man, very truly told them that the peo-
pie OF the United States had no right and no
care to interfere 10 the least with their be-
culiar views, 50 far as those notions related
only to their inner life and belief. When
by pretended revelation they hallow one af-
ter another practices and modes of life ut
terly at variance with the opinions of every
other civilized nation, and become a stencil
to surrounding people, it is time that the an
thOrity of those who make, and those who
execute the laws should interfere. We have
no desire TO discuss the question of poly
gamy. The world is pretty much settled in
its views on that subject, and is not likely to
encourage a special reservation in favor of
Localities where women are 50 few as in our
western territories. As an offence against
good morals and policy, that matter may
successfully be dealt with when the people
shall make the proper demand for it's sup
preston. There is another aspect of the
Mormon question which seems to be of great
Importance. Within a few years affairs have
so shaped themselves, that we are fond of
claiming that at last every man has equal
rights and privileges, free ingress and egress
to and from the different parts of the land,
with no involuntary servitude save for
crime. Does this ideal condition of things
hold good in Utah? Unless there is a com
mon conspiracy among travellers to deceive
the rest OF the world, most truly it does not.
Not the Vice President, Hepworth Dixon, |
and Anna Dickinson only tell the story
every temporary sojourner agrees with them
that the mass of poor, ignorant Mormons
are held in serfdom as abiect and hopeless as
any in history. They are separated by long
leagues of ocean and desert from the associa-
tions of better times, and were escape from
their narrow valley possible, still it would be
no escape for them. A few demagogues,
~ GU Win lC LlLAC VI ulEIdTCUE. DOlQ |
the resources and fates Of an industrious
community in their strong grippe everything
that a willing soil or skillful hands can pro
duce, is practically theirs impartial law is
an impOssibility where fresh revelations can
o~verturn the decisions Of courts faster than
the most industrious judges can produce
them. Stately temples and palaces have !
sprung Xix magic from the deserts, that the !
tyrants may feast every sense. Vast sums of
money flow into the Golfers of the Church I
and are rapidly transferred to the hands Of
the prophets, until Brigham Young has be-
come the third largest depositer in.the Bank
of England. a corps Of janissaries as cruel {
as any that ever oppressed the poor ayahs
of the East, is ever at hand to raise the
strong arm against discomfort or revolt. The
constituted authority of the central l
government is despised it's civil officers have I
more than once been maltreated and driven -
while its small military garrison re- r
on sufferance. a
If Mormon morals were pure a. they j
are vicious, if their people were free and :
protected as they are really enslaved or op- C
pressed, a decent regard for the dignity and Z
honor of the United States should call on its a
legislators and officers to interfere with, and {
more than protest against the saucy assump- I
tions of the B~righamites. Much more then, !
regard to cost or or expodiency, does
the present condition of affairs call loudly
for a reformation. 1t is not alone this pecu-
liar community, who in one sense have put
their own heads unwittingly under the yoke,
suffer. Lying in the center of the conti j
nent, THE natural resting place in the journey
the great national route, the valley of {
Salt Lake is, and must be still more, a resort t
for pleasure and business. Rapidly grow 7
ing all around are the territories, whose d
natural depot is the city of the Saints, but a
the Gentiles who seek to pursue their affairs d
there, are hindered by SO many restrictions 0
that free traffic is impossible. Hateful sump-
tuary regulations SO hamper and tax COM Y
nerce that it languishes and dies, while our il
citizens suffer that a few prophets may grow u
rich. We believe that we have given no ex- h
aggerated sketch of the condition of things 81
in Utah to-day, and the evils complained of o
IRE all the time increasing. The spirit of S
our institutions does not care for retributive u
persecution like that at Nauvoo in the early Il
history Of Mormonism, but our people are L
awakening to the idea that this nest of n