The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-29
The Thugs OF the Western World

During the British administration Of
the affairs of India, over fifty years
ago, the authorities were perpleXed and
alarmed at the commission of secret and
oftentmes wholesale murders, by which
not only individuals, but all the members
of households. and often the populations
Of entire villages. We're sacrificed. At
length the government instituted secret
investigation into the cause OF these mys-
FERROUS occurrences. 1t resulted in the
discovery Of an organized body of assas-
sins, called Thugs. who held murder to
be religious duty, We're trained to kill
without any other motive than to concii-
ate their gods and spared neither age nor
sex The fraternity was wide spread.
we'll organized. secret and deadly. The
report made hy Lord William Bentinck,
then Governor of India. sent a thrill of
horror through the world, and the Eng
fish government resolved to uproot the
curse BY a simultaneous movement,
every known Thug. and every relative of
Thug was arrested, the prisoners num-
bering thousands These We're all col
oniZed in a secure place, and kept there,
reservations that if they murdered
at adj they must kill each other. The
result was that the mysterious asSassina-
lions ceased
1t is a curious fact that the first known
revival of the Thug practice should be
within the jurisdiction of the enlightened
government of the United States, and
that justification should be sought lUr
its horrors in the plea of religious duty.
Let the incredulous reader. if there be
one. turn to the first page OF this sheet
and read the confession Of the Mormon
Bishop John ID. Lee, whose Ou-stained
and guilty life was taken last week in eA-
piation Of his iendish crimes. Ii the
words OF this man are true tins man
trembling on the borders Of eternity "a
band OF worse than Thugs Tell upon an
emigrant train, that Wa peacefully Ioul
neying across the plains twenty years
ago. and, aided by Indian allies PREACHER
children. Ii is almost loo horrible L. be
believed, but ii is undoubtedly true.
The confession Of Lee accuses Brigham
Young. the head Of the Mormon church
OF completely III this crime Of being in
fact its inStigator This accords with the
known history Of the church. 1t has been
held, by those neighborS outside the on
9anlZatlon, who have had the best oppor
tunities TO know about it, TO be composed
OF desperate, cunning and hardened Jana
ties who are capable o1 any crime o1 ANY
degree OF atlocity, II the command Of
their leauelS-hlltrs Of The government
Of the country, and OF everybody and
everything outside Of their church. Ma
caulaV somewhere expresses the fear hat
the most enlightened nations are not ~
cure against rrtrogrcssi0n towards the
greatest dangers to civilized life, and that
4 barbarsm may spring even from the
bosom OF civilization. 1t is Il fear that
finds warrant in the Slums of great cities
and something like Justification in this
great CRIME
What course the government and PEG
pie ui the nittd States may take in re
gard to Mormonisln and its crimes. can
not be tOreseen. 1t is difficult to dead
with them under our form Of government
The religious belief of a people, however
absurd. cannot be interirred With: but
the crimes that result from its teachings
can be, rs the fate Of Lee proves. Prob
ably Mormomism can best be controlled
by the pressure of right minded people
who may settle that region in increasing
numbers, aided by the vigilance OF the
general government within its sphere
until the inevitable fate of all ianaJcislns
ovcrtakes it, and the community breaks
up and melts away.
An Irish delegation called on the President 10
day. assured him of their endorsement Of his peace