Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-10-28
T. :. B. b. o Spgsh' Editors and rrop'rs.
FRosTBURG, OCTOBER 90, 1871.


aictment of Brigham Young and 9th
er prominent officials of the Mormon
hierarchy is a movement in the right
direction. Considering the prompt
I ,dc with which the government has
t;itherto acted in the suppression of
disorders of probably less hagrancy,
It is matter Of wonder it has not
..ar.icr taken in hand the subject of
Utah polygamy.
But as it has finally introduced le-
AL action in the premises, il is pleas
ing to note how the arrogance of
n religious monetrosity is offset by
the energy displayed by the prose
ecution and the bench in suhjecting
it to the sevcrest test. The assump-
ton, on the part of the defence, that
a plurality of wives, being the fun
damcntal doctrine Of the Mormon
church, is, therefore, legitimate in
practice and not amcnablc to CLOVER
law" is not unexpected. Advan-
tagc is thus ingeniously sought to be
taken OF the protection which the
Constitution affords to religious be
lief, but the sophistry of the pretext
Is SO transparent that Judge Mex can
ut once and effectively demolishcs
the enormous subterGuge.
Questions. respecting the instltu-
ton of marriage, are, of course. fully
introduced and ventilated. On the
one side polygamy is represented as
~mong the latter day" revelations,
wherein the universally admitted
blessedn-ss incident to marriage with
unc wife may be doubled, trebled,
auadruplcd, ad intinitum, by plurali-
ty, and in the same ratio, all other
temporal blessings must, necessarily,
accrue. Spiritually, obedience to
this "higher law" logically implies
merit of greater immunities, and he
who most accepts the use of the priv
ileges conferred, is entitled to the
highest places in the synagogue.
On the other hand, the weighty
principles Of ecclesiastical and COM
mon law, united with the suggestions
of common sense, present arguments
against plural marriage at once in
vulnerable and invincible. The 60
lidity of the social compact, the de-
tendencies of civil liberty and law.
the purity of the race and the pres
ervation and perpetuation of pedi-
gree,-all combine to make phalanx
Of argument, the overthrow Of which
would subvert the foundations of
all that makes life endurable, if it
did not uproot the basis of the
church.
The American mind, it is thought
by many good people, is too we'll i'm
bedded in the idea that the marriage
compact, like the Scriptures, is too
sacred for the slightest innovation
that elf nothing should be taken
away, neither should there be any
thing added thereto US to real
~ fear the establishment of fanati-
cism so destructive of public virtue
as polygamy. But the laxity of SEN
timent, and even law, in some of the
States shows that while Brigham
Young, if we mistake not, is impla-
cably averse to divorce-that man
once married is always so-it is not
a hard matter to obtain release from
obligations approved and sanctioned
hy entire Christendom. And when
the case of a member of Congress is
terminated in conviction of bigamy,
the verdict OF the jury which con-
signs him to punishment is answered
by flash from the Executive Chair
of the Nation, decreeing his uncon-
ditional pardon, what are we to think
Of the stability of the institution OF
legitimate marriage? To say moth,
ing of the manifest inconsistency OF
this action, as compared with the
treatment of Brigham, it establishes
a painful prccedent-one, taken in
connection with other social disor
ders, that may we'll excite apprchcn,
sion.
TO those who fervently desire the
cessation of the impious reign Of po
lygamy in heather Utah, it will be
c"mmendable, also, if they wish fol
more rigid dealing with kindred
r:imes nearer home.
4 MARKED DIsrINcrloN.-An Eng
li.,l, I,l,, 1s,.l, = Al,