The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-07-08
THE MORMONS:

THE MORMONS:
In no other civilized country of the
world docs such a blot upon civiliza-
ton exist as in the United States.
slavery u relic of barbarism, but many
races of barbarians in the past, while
they held their fellow men in bondage,
neither believed in nor practiced poly
gamy, and prided themselves as much
upon the virtue of their women as
upon the valor of their men. From
those races of barbarians who fought
tho Roman legions in the forests of
Germany, and on the plains of Gaul,
and opposed their naked bodies to
sword and spear son the coast of
Britain, most of the inhabitants of this
country are descended, and, like their
ancestors, polygamy is totally abhor-
rent to them.
1t is strange, in view of the unani-
nous feeling in regard to polygamy in
have been permitted to exist in Utah.
Being a Terriotry of the United States,
it is certainly amenable to the laws OF
the United States, and these laws forbid
bigamy. And yet the courts have not
enforced the law, which Furnishes big
amists with fine and Imprisonment,
nor has Congress taken any action in
the matter. There has been an indis-
position to touch the Utah question,
and the idea has prevailed with many
that to do so would in some way be
interfering with the rights of citizens
of that Territory. Certainly they have
no right to defy the law of the land.
And yet this is what the Mormons
have done repeatedly.
The year after the reorganization ofthc
Territory of Utah, of which Brigham
Young was appointed Governor by
President Fillmore, the Federal
Judges were forced by threats of
violence from Young himself to quit
the Territory, and the laws of the
United States were openly detied and
subverted. This led to the removal of
Brigham Young, and the appoint
ment of Colonel Steptoe, of tho United
States Army, as Governor. Colonel
Steptoe arrived in Utah in August,
1854, accompanied by battalion OF
soldiers, but did not deem it prudent
to assume the Office Of Governor in the
face Of the prevailing excitement.
After remaining in Salt Lake City
awhile he reresigned, and went with
his troops to California. This was fol-
| ..
In February, 1856, mob of armed
Mormons, instigated by sermons from
the heads Of the church, broke into the
United States District Court, and at
the point of the bowie knife compelled
the judge to adjourn his court sine die.
Soon afterwards all the United States
officers, with the exception of the In
dian Agent, fled the territory. These
outrages led to force of 500 men be-
ing sent to Utah, under command of
Col. Albert Sidney Johnston, to pro-
tect the newly appointed officers, Gov
ernor Cummings, and Chief Justice
Eckel, in the discharge of their duties.
The expedition resulted in the submits
sion of the Mormons to the Federal
Authority.
The same defiant spirit exists among
| the Mormons of the present as existed
sent by the Government to inspect af-
fairs in Utah and the Mormon country
reports that the s'sSaints," as they call
| themselves, are making every prepare
ton against tho Government whose
| laws they violate daily, and that the
bitterest hostility is shown to the
United States authority on every hand.
| Tho Mormons have also intrigued with
all the Indian tribes in their roach,
and Il Mormon war against the Gov
eminent would he also general In
dian war.
II perhaps will be for the best in the
end if tho Mormons carry out their
mad idea. 1t will give the United
States Government an opportunity, of
which we trust it will avail itself, of
sweeping their "Church'' out of cXis-
tencc, and of putting an end to their
! "peculiar institution" Crime and
bloodshed, lawlessness and scnsuality,
| have had free course too long in Utah.
The downfall OF the monstrOus social
fabric cannot long be avcrted. 1t will
perhaps be accelerated by the madness
of the Mormons themseivcs.-N,5iI
Register.
TIL JIIRV SYSTEM