The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1872-02-06
REFORMER ON UTAH AFFAIRS.

lite Readers at Salt Lake., has pub
lished an interesting letter relative
to admission of Utah as a State, tax
ing a position in opposition to 1t.
The views of these old Mormon lead
ers. who entered the Church fired
with the enthusiasm of youth, but
who have outlived their faith and are
now in open rebellion to the powers
of the hierarchy, are of greater value
than those of either the Mormon
leaders or the Gentilcs. They have
been baptized in the innersanctuary,
imbibed by contact and faith the
spirit of their order, and better than
all other men comprehend the real
life and objects of the Latter Day
Saints. Among these MT. Kelsey
has held a prominent place. He
says:
The casual observer, one who has
! never Iltl EN- per ItIl't - lIlC li4IItI 44IG
of MOrmoniSIn, is almost Il to come
to the conclusion that the marital re-
lations of the Nornons are especially
dangerous to the peace, good crter
and virtue of the nation. blind to the
fact that the Church. as now consti-
tuted, under the dominant impress of
Brigham Young, is far more political
than religious in construction. The
political phase OF Mormonism is done
of any real interest to the nation. and
that. like JeSuiti>pa. is essentially a
political organization. lis religious
organization is but a shell, for it has
been pUrged of all its spirituality. In
proof of this would state a we'll
known fact: 1t is dead, or dying. al its
eXtreuitieS-the missionary fields.
There was greater increase from the
! PROSECUTING efforts OF a few elders
when the whole Church could be con
gregated in a country school house
than there is ut the present time.
POlygany i not practiced 10y o
than II eighth OF the Mormon male
population OF the Territory. And the
greater portion OF the men having
more than one wife, are beyond fifty
wears of aye. The young MOrIaOn>
are. as a rule, bitterly opposed 10 the
system; therefore, when Congress
consumes time aud eXPends its tiun-
der on a ~polygany bill it Is guilty Of
loading a cOluRbIad to Kill Il mosquito.
10 build up a literal Kingdom Of
God upon the earth, that shall in its
march to power, crush and destroy
every other government. 18th highest
aspiration of every SINGER re and really
honest Mormon. To admit Utah into
the Union a. a State, armed with all
the powers OF Statehood, atthe present
time. would be fatal to the MOrmOns
tt emselves. 1t would deprive the
government of the power to keep pat
ernal check upon the daring assump-
tons of the priesthood, and violent
collisions between the Mormon and
the Gentle population would be in
evitable.
His remedy for the ills OF tab
life are indicated in the following
extract 1t Will come from the steady
influx of a population from the sur
rounding States, melted by mining
inducements. But while the Elder
would encourage thisimmigration as
affording a substantial reformation,
and the foundation Of a e and
better condition of affairs hereafter,
he does not approve the lawless raid
of the Federal officials on the exist
ing institutions of the Territory.
Relief viii be of slow growth, and
is not to be sought in prosecutions
He says:
The vast mineral wealth of the Ter
ritory has already attracted a tide of
immigration hither. Who shall be
able to say to this migrating army of
free men, '.Stop!' No one! And
stop it will not. \ civil war would
result from the conflict of social an
tagoniSms, and the MOrnIOns in con-
flict with a force backed by.forty mil
lions of people, would be scattered
like sheep upon the mountains. As a
friend of the Mormon people l contend
against the admission of Utah as a
state. The only safe curse for the
nation to pursue towards Ctah IS to
maintain within her borders a strong
and reliable Territorial Government,
backed by a registry law with the
ballet-boX in the hands of the Regis
ter and his deputies, and the abolish
ment of the spy system of marking
the ballot; then the Mormon problem
Will solve itself in time.
lam grieved that the officials Of the
Government suffered themselves to be
deceived into the trial of q lawyers
trick, by prosecuting men fora adultery
| ~ llE,yyIn1e no lalTta-@1 ,T-Ifl tho ~
p~Olygamous wives under Territorial
statutes, by turning and twisting the
letters of the law so as to cOntravene
| their plain spirit and intent, am for