The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-24
THE MORMON MuDDLE.


Arrests for sIurIer---Dr. Newman aud Orse
Pratt---1ientiie Opinion of the Situations
The Effect OF the Trouble.--Reiiaion an
Politics.
SAT- Lake City, Oct. 3I.--All is quiet o
the Jordan, Notwithstanding sensations
reports to the contrary which may fin
their way east. The latest move made b
the crusaders was the arrest on last Satur
day afternoon of d. III. Wells, mayor q
the city and vice-president Of the Mormon
church Hosea Stout, lawyer; and w
A. kimball, ranchman, on the charge O
murder. The indictments against thes
parties were found sometime since, as tn
grand jury has not been in session for tw,
weeks, but why arrests were not mad,
upon the adjournment of the jury is know
only to the managing members of the ring
1t is generally understood, and even as
serted by those in the confidence of the in.
quisitors, that these indictments, as well as
many others not yet made public. and
many more yet to be made (or the grand
jury bids fair to be in session for six
months) are founded principally upon the
testimony of the notorious Bill Hickman,
who is under arrest for murder, and seeks to
save his own neck by duplicating in the same
crime any individuals against whom the
ring entertains a feeling Of hatred or ami
mostly. No preliminary examinations are
made in any of these cases of arrest. and
hence the parties arrested will be compelled
to stand their trials without knowing the
character of the evidence against them.
Bill Hickman is the perpetrator of score
of murders, and of robberies innumerable.
and has been denounced for his crimes bv
Brigham Young himself in the pulpit of the
tabernacle. In addition to this hope of saw
ing himself by turning States evidence. he
has mortal hatred for all of the more
prominent Mormons, and it is natural that
they should feel uneasy at having their lib
critics and property placed by the court in
the power of such man. 1t is hardly
possibly that conviction and punishment
will result from many of these prosecutions
either for adultery or murder but the par
ties prosecuted will be put to great trouble
and expense, and in many instances. if the
wholesale programme of the courts is car
ried out, will be ruined in their business,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CONTROVERSY
Nobody suspects the Federal officials of
the Territory of being actuated, as they pre-
tend to be, by any lofty motives of moral
ity in prosecuting this crusade against the
Mormons. Their motives are pecuniary
gain and political preferment but to helm
them attain these ends they call to their
aid the anti-polygamic sentiment of other
creeds and chGrchcs--a sentiment which in
this Instances is used to cloak the malicious !
enmity, under which, too often. the zealots
Of one faith regard the success of another
and different faith. DIR. Newman of Wash
ington Grants pastor), came here a wear |
ago, and challenged any of the Mormon
priesthood to "a public discussion of the
question, Is polygamy justified by the
Old Bible t? lie evidently thought. as
many persons mistakenly do. that the
priests of the Norman church were a
set Of ignorant fanatics. But he met his
superior in theological and literary attain
ments and in natural ability in the person
of Orson Pratt-was vanouished in the
and left full of rage and morti-
iication. To avenge himself, upon his re-
turn East he commenced crusade ostensi-
bly, against polygamy, but in reality against
Mormonism aside from its polygamic char
acter, thus endeavoring to bring to the as
slstance of the Federal politicians of the
Territory the sectarian influence of the
country. For a long time the Federal
officials of Utah had importuned the gov
to invest them with supreme au-
thority, backed by bayonets, over the per-
sons and property of the citizens of the
Territory, but failed in securing their wish
until Dr. Newman and company allied
Iorces with them, and then President Grant
'uccumbed, authorized the Inauguration of
me present crusade, and sent hither rein
orcements OF troops to,support it.
GENTLE FEELING AS TO THE sITUA-
TION.
A large majority of the Gentiles residing !
lere, irrespective Of political opinion.
trongly disapproye of the conduct of the ,
,ourts in annulling all Territorial laws ex- :
ept those which may serve their purposes. ,
md in prosecuting yindictiye warfare ,
galnst Mormonism. They believe the /.
'bject of these prosecutions to be political.
lashed with spice of sectarian intoler-
nee. All of the prominent Federal Off
lals OF the Territory are candidates for the
United States Senate or for some State Of
ice, but they know that none of them can
ucceed in their aspirations unless the Nor
mons are by some means DISTINGUISHED. and
erein lies the secret of these prosecutions.
THE EFFECT Ole THE IMBRoGLIo
n the mineral development of the Terrific
y has been TO retard it, by frightening cap
al from investing in our mines. do not
mink that there is any danger of the pres
mt difficulties eliminating in forcible resist r
nee by the Mormons, because the present
ldications are that the crusaders viii either q
e stopped in their reckless career or be re-
loved by the administration. Senator
lorton, who was here two weeks ago, and :
ho inquired into the merits of the contro- 1
srsy, evidently disapproves of the course
our Judiciary. A revolt of the Nor
IONS would not be the trivial matter which
lie crusaders suppose. The final result q
ould be that they would be subdued, but
the meantime they could, and would, do F
nmense damage to the business interests
the country. The overland railway and q
legraph would be destroyed for long :
stance, and the bullion supply which sup
'rts the credit Of the country would be Il
rlously diminished. The Mormons could :
silly muster a force of 10000 men, and
ould have for their allies the In
ans of the plains. TO subdue this
rec, fighting under the inspiration of re- %
,ious enthusiasm, would cost a great .
any lives and large amount of money. =
nd what would be the motive of the con-
ct? Simply to enable few politicians l.