The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-12-03

Vtah AMI the Morrons
Different II ,hts give different aspects to every
picture: There are two sides to every case in
law, and Just now, while popular opinion in
the States is SO bitterly incensed against the
followers of Brigham Young, the reverse OF !
the picture may be turned to view and some
thing i'll defense of that people not be in ap-
proprate. When We remember tile many tri- |
ais, tolls and difficulties that have besat the
path Of the Mormons, as people: and conSd- |
CT how earnestly and bravcly they have met
and encountered them, we cannot fail to admire
their fortitule and tireless endeavor, however
much we may daprecate their religious faith.
While we read them lesson Oh n,modern eth
les, they teach lis the practical results of Il
combination OF energy and will they demon
strate the di(kcaE problam Of turaing orr
waste places int, fertile gardens, and prove to
lis that or puerile cadeavors are Il laz5, irony
OH natures bequest. Stimulated by desire 70
enjoy, unmolestcd, the doctrines OF therrellglolts
faith, they voluntarily quilted the busy haunts
Of men AVID turning their faces towards the
then arid desert of Utah. essayed to force from
the stubborn soil an honest Livelihood. and to
praise God as they might list. AS year after
year passed by, the barren Sahara gra tt'auy
assumed the appearance OF a broad Oasis, the
beautiful city of Salt Lake rose in perspective
and the handful of pilgrims, that little over a
quarter of century before, had rested their
tired feet OH the biistering surface of the terri
tory, stood fdfth id the just proportions of a
nation. Agriculture poured out the rich
contents OF her eernucopis; manufactures
sounded the glad notes Of Their operation, For
tune bestowed her afiuence with lavish hand;
Peace and plenty found their homes with the
despised Mormons contentnent lowered like
| halo around the abode of the followers of the
| prophet, AMI the reward Of ceaseless toll re-
spondcd in no meager. terms to the efforts OF
the laborers. Then it was that the eyes of the
covctous rested upon the fair possessions of
the inhabitants of Utah, and we suddenly dis
covered that we had been nursing moral rep
| tile to our bosoms. The virtuols States lifted
| their hands in holy horror, and a howl of i'll
| dignation resounded from Mime to Texas.
We do not presume to. defend the MoYmons
| in the religion they hold SO dear, as we believe
the crime of which they stand confessed, to be
a violation of law, both human and divine. but
in Judging their actions we should not lose
sight of the fact, that they have been governed
by what they believed to be right, and accord
to them that leniency which is the due jim ,ev-
cry case in which the fault proceeds from an
erroneous judgment. And rs we study their
imperfections and weaknesses, we can find
some Interesting truths which it would be well
for It's to carefully examine. In the career Of
that strange people we are pointed to the key
which ,snlocks the closed doors OF natures
treasury, the 'sopcn sesame which disclosas a
wealth more wonderous and magnificent than
that which blinded the eyes of the shipwrecked
convict IS he .eutered the cave on the Isle OF
Monte Christie. We who have been the favor
ties of fortune have eisuerly awaited the distri-
button of her gifts, and are constantly gruln-
bling at the limit OF her generosity, whilst all
around the fertile soil, uninproved water pow
er and hidden resources, invited Il utilization of
their money creating properties, and bear tes-
tinony to or incXcusable inactivity. The ell
ements OF wealth in Virginia are ten fold grca-
ter than those of Utah, and the same deterni-
nation .anl effort that has made that territory
to blossom rs the rose, il put forth in own
State would place her in the van of the nation.
Let our people but enter into the spirit of i'm
provenent and spare not their own sweet in
the accomplishment of their object, and, in
spite OF adverse legislation. an era of abun-
dance will dawn upon this Commonwealth, and
Il rich harvest of blessings reward the faithful
lAborsrs. 1t has not been so much the mis-
management of our public affairs, Though we
all know tlE1t that has been bad eaouyD that has
so much retarded the advancement Of Virginia
in the last decade as it has been the absence OF
Individual effort and wisdom. The people are
the real Lawmakers themselves. The rcpresei-
tatives arc only intended to act as opponents
Of the popular wishes, and when they fail to
| defend or advance the interests of their con-
stituents they should no longer be entrusted
with the framing of the statutes. To the
masses is committed the custodianship of the
laws They are responsible for their faithful
f.,ltilncnt, and in The discharge of the duty
thus imposed upon them, they should examine
their. own workings before they condemn tAe ac-
tions of their legislators, and in doing this they
will discover, that reform, like charity, begins
at home, aud that so long as they neglect their
in6lividua! affairs, just SO long will statutory
enactment be powerless to afford relief. We
depend too much on legislative action and too
little OH our personal efforts, and until we are
made to understand that every great move
mcnt must find a working advocate in our
selves and in our neighbors we may expect to
ioitcr along in the rear rank of improvement
and practice our worn out tune of >'hard
times"
| The Richmond Enquirer favors, i'll a well
written article, the appointment OF State &C.
ologist. Under ordinary circumstances, any
step taken looking to the development of the
material interests of the State. would be COM
mcndabfe. But VIC eau see ne good to result
from any such action, so long as the policy OF
the State tends to bar the entrance of capital:
The partizan bgotry that controls tile conserv-
alive party revolts the popular instincts of the
people of other States, and instead of coming
4 to Virginia, they seek other more liberal COM
munitics. The recent vote on the Amend
lnents to the Constitution is severely criticised
by intelligent gentlemen, with whom we have