New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-14
THE WAR ON POLYGAMY.
THE MORMON LEADER ON THE CRISIS

WITH sELF-sEEKING AND ImMoRALIrY-HE
WILL NOT BREAK THE PEACE.
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 4.-The telegraph has
informed you that your obtained an inter
view with Brigham Young last evening for the purpose
Of elcitinG any information which he might FEEL willing
to ipart concerning his and the determined a
tude OF the United States oicials stalwart man at
the gate intercepted the progress OF the reporter
demanded his business The open sesame Of TIE TRIB
UKE being given, admission was granted without delay.
Brigham in his private office, wrapped IN shavls,
and surrounded by his Sons, Brigham, jr and Joseph A.
Young George A. Smith, Second Presidents Col
Winder, and Franklin d. Richards The private
secretary, David Mckenzie, had evidently been
interrupted In reading this circle OF admrtng listeners
The Ereaing Ners, the Church organ as AFTER my
entrance at signal from the chief, ne began In inc
middle Of leading article, and read aloud the account
OF the arrest Of Brigham Young on charge OF asc'iouS
cohataon and the subsequent proceedings IN the case
before Judge McKean This finished, he proceeded TO
read every item Of interest In the sheet No comments
were elected until O paragraph from Harpers weekly
was read concerning the visit OF exPresden Flmore
his friends In NewY0rk. In this Brigham seemed much
interested, entering into an animated conVersauon
concerning the venerable Statesman. He expressed
the wish that he could once more occupy
the Presidential chair, but presumed the politicians
would refuse to take up they could not use him
to carry their base purposes 1t s evident that Brig
ham not forget his friends and that among the
great and good Of the outer world In bis esumaton
eI President Fillmore-who once appointed Brigham
Goyernor-stands first. All this occupied considerable
time but length your correspondent was enabled TO
interpose inquiry after Brigham's health He SAID
that 1t was slowly improvng that the attack OF darrhea
from which he had suffered was not more severe than
usual but that for the first time In his hfe he mad ost
his appetite this loss had rapidly weakened him. On
being informed that your correspondent had called 10
talk over the situation with him, as there was owl
| .Iofnx OF
and reports which had out and that trouble
was evidently feared, he laughed and asked what
reason there for thinking 3d. The reply was tha'
several dispatches had been received from Eastern
cities some from merchants desiring to know II they
should stop shipping goods which had been ordered
others from wives whose husbands here In the Mines
and still others from the principal newspapers to their
correspondents demanding full reports by telegraph
All this indicated excitement and fear. and it seemed
| desirable TO telegraph the facts in the case.
| Brigham seemed good deal amused, and asked II q
queer or orderly place could be found or people
who would bear much insult and abuse from the men
who were supposed to be placed over them TO govern
them For his part he had felt the slightest un
easness or excitement since these proceedings be gan
These judges and other officers wanted TO make reputa
| ton They would succeed and the reputation which
they would acquire In this unhoy warfare would stick
to them time These officials were Boosting pub
cy he learned that President Grant was authorizing
this crusade He felt panied when he was told that the
President OF the United States had permitted self
confessed and riotous lberne TO assume the posi-
ton OF Acting United States Attorney. to institute
criminal proceedings against tho members OF the
church for the crime OF raising up honest
and respectable families and supporting them.
But he understood 1t, he thought 1t was simply the
power Of the Methodist Church. which, having signay
failed various missionary enterprises to the SAINTS
now proposed to destroy them with Methodist Governors
and Judges and packed juries. The campmeeting OF
Brother nskp tried Its hand at the conversion OF the
Saints or In other words sought to draw them back into
the misty darkness tradition from which, through the
essng Of God, they had emerged and had failed to
induce single member Of the flock Of Zion to return Ike
the TO her walowing in the uire the Methodist
parson had had every facility Afforded him mere
and had done pretty well In business point
Of vew but had MT converted any heather, so
far as he had heard. SO now they hoped to make
up for their failure by prosecuting in the courts
They proposed prosecute him first for ascyious CO.
habtaon under the laws OF the Territory, then to try
him under the Congress act Of 1862 for bigamy or
poly gay and finally to put him on trial for the various
murders committed by Bill Hickman and other outlaws
They were thoughtful begin gently with him. 1t
reminded him OF the servant who announced to his
master that OF his oxen was dead and tother too
and who thoughtfuy RETAINED from telling him about
both at once lest might make him unhappy go far as
ne and his people concerned he feared nothing He
was content legal measures Instituted because he
believed In laws when they were wise and just. He
knew that every law which prohibited freedom OF rei-
gous belief would I've decided unconstitutional and
invalid The result OF the ourages now perpe-
trated in the sacred name Of justice would
be the complete discontinue OF the bad men VINO thus
sought TO nIure his people because OF their religious
views he knew that the conduct OF the officials was
doing great injury TO business here. He did not think
il ought to- but said that il seemed to be their plan to
accompany their acts, however insignifcant or unn-
portant with grand flourish Of trumpets and saVo OF
small artillery Therefore they must have their sensa-
tlonal kilograms magnify their deeds of valor II tie
after fame and steangs could only induce
the nation to believe that these irritating and iudged
acts OF the Government officials were meeting with OPP
postou from the Mormons aud that these insults were
resented "a they deserved to be, 1t would add 10 thtr
glory But said Brigham. II they make them
selves famous from this business 1t will have TO he
;,bor my assistance II there is any trouble they will
have 70 hatch H. Heretofore when they have sent bad
Governors and Judges among us they have served out
brief term injured all they could, lived ourageousy
immoral lives while here and left VA with the best wishes
OF all good men that they wouldn't hurry Dack Ihey
have failed to destroy and have gone away bitter en-
emies Of course dropping into obscurtS az we Knew
,bv rou,d under Gods eternal law. Armies have been
ent ss,ust u.s. and have failed to nure US In the least
Az Il has been the past will be In the future Inc
right will triumph and wicked men and unjust judges
will 20 away in shame and sorrow al then iony anu
crime. . - .
conrts. and although every member Of the present |
court was his open and svowed enemy.
although every person not an outspoien hater OF the
rwons vas eIcuded from the grand jury; although 1t
vas evident that the trial jtes would be as carefully
hacked be should go into court ON whatever charge thsy
IN @ 70 see that something like justice done him
and his people he was happy to know that there was
which and urs. and not pomPoTs 0G
nc ~ ana In Eastern and Western cities who
sens ~. IN dsyeopnE the mines Of Utah and