The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-09-21

DOOmcds
Chief Justice Mexican, of Utah, has taken
the bull by the horns, to use familiar colo.
quial expression, in his initial movement
against the Mormon polygamists and aduter-
ers. He said, in charging the Grand Jury at
Salt Lake City :-"You are to say what
criminal cases shall be presented for trial. In
the discharge of this duty you will be governed
by the same principles of law which govern
Grand Juries in Maine and Montana, in
Georgia and Arizona /; principles of law every
where applicable throughout the republic.
| The crimes Of murder, arson, larceny, bigamy
and adultery and riot in Utah are the same
cSimes elsewhere throughout Christendom. I"
1t appears, too, that in empaneling the Grand
Jury all polygamists were excused, and this
| has created wall of apprehension in Brig
ham Young's kingdom. The Mormon jour-
nails, our telegram says, ''are very bitter on
| the United States law officers in consequence"
This being excused from tho Grand Jury
panel is mild term, we suppose, for being
excluded. At least the Ire of the Mormon
newspapers indicates that what action the
Grand Jury may take remains to be seen, but
looking at the snti-Mormon character of that
body and the charge ofthe Judge there seems
to be no doubt that In order to bring the ques-
ton to an issue some of the Mormons, and,
probably, some of the chiefs, will be indicted
for polygamy or adultery. After this it will
remain for the petit jury to convict. OF course
the same care will be taken in composing this
jury as in that Of the Grand Jury. No doubt
there ore difficulties in the way of getting such
| petit jury as to give an impartial trial, on
one hand, and on the 9th e. to prevent
the criminals from escaping. Whatever may
be the immediate result, we regard this action
of Judge Mexican as the entering wedge which
is to break up polygamy in Utah and to re-
move this disgrace to the United States and
| our Christian civilization.
Eleven years ago the republican party took
the ground that the ''twin relics of barbarism,
slavery and polygamy," must be swept away
from our country. This was the most en-
phatic resolution in the platform of the Ma
tional Convention of that party in 1860. Upon
this platform and in consequence of the divi-
sions and stupid immobility Of the old Bour-
bons of the democratic party the republicans
elected Mr.. Lincoln as President. Aud they
did sweep away one Of those twin relics Of
barbarism-slavery-m sooner than most
people expected, through the rebellion of the
South, and at fearful cost of life and money.
The other has remained. The republican party,
having attained its object in securing the
government became Indifferent about the
existence of that 1t acted much the same
as the reform parties that rise up successfully
and at intervals in this city act, making
great noise and loud pretence of virtue until
political power is attained and then subsding
into Indifference. We always see the same
political claptrap in those who are struggling
for power and like abandonment of their
noisy pretences when they get power.
The Mormon question has been trouble
some one and very costly to the government.
After the Mormons were driven from Illinois
and other places further West by an indignant
people they intrenched themselves in the
Rocky Mountains, far away from the confines
Of civilization. They thought to grow up
there, become power in the world and TO
perpetuate their lascivious and semi-religious
ideas. Mormonism was but an imitation of
Mohammedanism and was based on the gratii-
cation of the lusts Of men, the subsection of
the women and species of religious
fanaticlsm to capture the ignorant
and to bind its members together.
Brigham Young, the chief Of this ignorant
nd for IL IL ~ ~
turbed so soon in the mountain recesses where
he had established himself. And he might
not have been disturbed until his so-caled
''Church of the Latter Day Saints had num-
bered hundreds of thousands and become
formidable power, had it not been for the war
and the construction Of the Pacific Railroad
He had the presumption to defy even the
United States government at one time. Most
of our readers will remember the military ex-
petition which was sent out at an enormous
cost, under General Albert Sidney Johnston,
by President Buchanan, to subdue the rebel
lious Mormons. Though the Mormons sue
cumbed then from necessity, they have never
ceased to defy, directly or indirectly, the
authority of the government. At last the
rapid settlement Of California and the mining
regions around Utah and the compile
ton Of the Pacific Railroad have brought
these Mormons into more immediate
contact with the rest of the people of the
United States aud our Christian civilization,
and the old conflict has been renewed The
American people are determined not to tole-
rate slch n mOnstrOua anOma1v al Mornoniayvc
among them. Although the government had
failed to grapple with the evil, notwithstand-
ing the declaration of the republican platform
of 1860, the progress Of events has brought it
to an ISSUE The action of Chief Justice
Mexican is the beginning Of the end. The
Mormons must either abandon their infa-
nous system of polygamy and adultery or
remove beyond the boundary Of the United
States.