The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-09
SPIRIT or xzu PRESS.
Kditsrial Opinions eG tho Leading Journals
Upon Current Tepics- Complied Rvory
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
THE DANGER OF WAR IN UTAH.

THE DANGER OF WAR IN UTAH.
Prom the NJ Y. World.
The excitement in Utah over Mr.. Culloms
bill for the suppression of polygamy will be
greatly intensified when the Mormons dis
cover the actual provisions OF the bill, as it
has been amended by the Committee on Ter
ritories. After describing and declaring
polyRamy to be a crime, the amended bill
provides that, for the enforcement of this
law, the President shall send a sufficient body
of troops to Utah; and, to this end, he is
authorized to employ the regular army, and
also 10 raise twenty-five thousand militia in
the Territory. II is further provided that the
property of any Mormons who may leave
Utah on account of this law, or who may be
imprisoned for resistance thereto, shall be
taken and used for the benefit of the families
of such Mormons.
This bill means war It's terms and its pro-
visions are in the nature of preparations for
war. It's execution will assuredly be fol-
lowed by war. Not only is the regular army
to be ordered to Utah, but volunteers are to
be called for; and these forces are to be
placed under command of the experienced
military officer General Shaefer) whom
Grant has just appointed Governor OF tne
Territory.
As preliminary to operations, Utah must
of course, be placed under martial law. No
Jury that could be found there would ever
pronounce any Mormon guilty of the crime
of polygamy.. No jury, in fact, could be OBJ
tanned fitted to serve as body for the en-
forcement of this law Either the President
or Congress has the power of putting the
Territory of Utah under martial law; and If
Grant signs this bill there need be no doubt
that he will be prepared to exercise that
power.
Those who may be declared guilty of poly
gamy are to be imprisoned, and their pro-
perty is to be confiscated. We estimate that
the enforcement of these provisions would
involve the imprisonment of over five thou
sand persons, and the confscation OF over
fifty millions of dollars worth of property.
This confiscation is to be carried out under the
pretext of affording support to the wives and
families of the polygamic offenders; and 1t is
to be carried out, whether they are inearce-
rated in prison or fly beyond the authority
of she United States. We pronounce it o
mere pretext to say that the eonfiscated pro-
perty will be used for the benefit of Mormon
wives and children. If the polygamic hus-
bands fly from Utah. their families will un-
doubteaiy accompany them; if the polygamic
husbands are imprisoned (Which is an absur-
dity), society will be utterly broken up and
DESTROYED. In either case, the confiscated
property would fall into the hands of the Gen
tiles; and this is doubtless the purpose of the
bill.
Will the Mormons fight? Will they fly {?
Will they give up polygamy.? =,
Fifteen years ago, when the Mormons had
less than quarter of their present strength,
they showed their entire readiness to fight for
their system. They met General Johnston's
army in the mountains, harassed his advance
on their strongholds, and, though matters
soon came to point at which warlike opera
tions were stopped, they gave proof of their
power to offer formidable resistance, as well
as of their willingness to confront any enemy.
Previous to that time, when in Nauvoo, they
frequently displayed a similar spirit and pur-
pose-having their troops always organized,
and standing always in the attitude of "saints
militant and belligerent." In fact, the Nor
mon Church and army have been zone and
jndivisibls" from the time that they were
both organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
We do not believe that any one who CON-
prehends the system and spirit of Brigham
Young, as he has kept them up for the last
quarter of a century, can doubt that the Nor
mons are prepared to assume belligerent at
titude if the principles of Cullom's bill are
enforced against them by military power.
They will not give up polygamy, for they
hold il to be as much matter of divine reve-
lation as any other doctrine of Mormonism.
They will not resort to flight in the direction
of Mexico or elsewhere-not, at least, until
they have made an effort to hold their ground
in Utah.
Congress should understand this, and the
country should be warned of these things
before the passage of Cullom's BILL There
is danger that, after the circumstances of the
case are developed, the Government will be
compelled either to back down from Cullom's
ground or to undertake "bigger job than
most people have any idea Of If we force
them INTO hostile attitude, the Mormons car
give us a very disagreeable, very wearisome,
and tremendously expensive war. Cullomf
bill provides for the employment of abou
forty thousand troops, partly regulars ant
partly volunteers. The Mormons could give
such force two or three years fighting, a
an annual expense to us Of not less than tw,
hundred millions of dollars.
The Government should not forcibly inter
fere with polygamy or Mormonism at all
The pacific forces are now in action that vii
make it impossible for polygamy to exist an
great length Of time.