National Republican., 1883-02-19
Judge Hacks Arpum.n, for Utah.

~ 81 "''NA N''' NA'Ni "a " uuiig pdpoi' iNt bho
theme is of such present interest and mighty
importance that the impulse to say some-
thing is well nigh irresistible.
The popular notion of the Utah question is
that religious sect has arisen which has q
pretended revelation from God to Joseph
Smith directing the practice of po-
lygamy. The world believes the founders Of
this sect to have been imposters, and
those who follow it TO be divided into
knavcs and dupes Their loathsome pecu-
liarity made their presence intolerable among
other people, md they were driven forth to
practice their barbarous rites in the wilder
ness. They are charged with having there
INDUCED in most bloody and lawless revonges
against their foes, under the very admin
istraion of which Judge Black was the at
tomcy general, and a military expedition, un-
der Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, was sent to
Utah to pre-, mt the outbreak of an incipient
rebellion against the authority of tho United
States.
Twcnty.scyen years ago the party which
was four years afterward voted into power
in the nation, and which has ever since been
sustained therein in the executive branch,
and generally in all, pledged itself to pro-
hibit poygamy and slavery in the territories
of the United States. For twenty-one years
a law forbdding polygamy has been on tho
federal statute book. 1t has not been exc
cutcd. Tho general government has ap-
pointed governors and judges, United States
attorneys and marshals, but tho Mormons
have controlled the legislature, the delegate
in congress- Tho jury box, and the witness
stand. For ten years there has been some
effort by the government to assert authority
in Utah. 1t has been rather feeble and wholly
Intellectual The Mormons plead religious
scrupes again It abstaining from their polyga-
nous practices. This plea the United States
supreme court decided to be invalid.
The latest legislation took the Mormon bull
by the horns, and undertook to exclude the
criminal from the jury in the trial of his own
case, and TO prevent the continuance of his
political power. OF this act the Mormons,
through their attorney, Judge Black, COM
plain.
And such complaint! The old lion comes
forward from his resting place and roars with
a fe{ocious power that sets us to thinking
whd dthcr he is not more moved by the wrongs
of Apygamy'i twin relic of barbarism-
slaveiy-no in its grave, and anger toward
the PATTY which first made war on that, than
he is b the woes of its harlOt sister which
1885, His modes of expression are
o with which in times past he
the opponents of slavery. In
ygamy he evidently thinks he
ose whom he then encountered.
all the splendors Of rhetoric, the
nunciation, the serpent-stings of
feathery shafts of ridcule, aud
ammer blows of athletic hatred,
Mt of Judge Black is we think,
in the following:
nited States has no legislative
a territory beyond that it has in
use none is granted in the con.
ople Of territory have equal
eIeignty with state in all mat
dGd to congress by tho constitu
crs not granted to congress beinl
lc states, respectively, and to thu
people" in territory have al
cescrved to q state and to til,
:
ss,cannot legislate against crime
,cpt such as are recognized il
ION as ofIenses against the nation
legislate in territory in an!
Gtlon.
rlment Of a territory Is free /
mot be restrained by the Unitet
o main features of the Judge
does not shrink from the logi
'ares IL to be "concedod" tina
"crime" which ought to b
the sword of tho civil magis
Insists that the territory people,
ltors Of the crime can alon
il magistrate who is to deO
declares that polygamy
relation and a purel.
He can find no warrant in tn
any interference by congress
wer with the people Of tor
ire free community, an,
not leave them to their owl
have been tory had h
time of our revolution
cation on the part Of thei
rovide for the punishment O
nd. The Mormons may ad
ing ordinance Of faith, an
ng Of human saerillcesi the
nifty by law to all who choos
lurder the hated Gentil
upon the domain sacre
abOmination, and may eve
ks of the overland railroa
lins down the precipices pas
vel, and yet Judge Blac
gress with the warning wit
udes his argument: "Br
ca civil government of the
,,.,ounbao1nd fl,a