New-York tribune., 1884-01-27

they fooled him to the top or MS bcnt.' lhey
represented themselves "a a peaceful, inOficn-
sivc loyal patriotic people VINO only desired
to lead quiet and well-regulated lives, and who,
barring the triiing gccccntricity called OlySamy,
were distinguished from the rest OF the Amer-
can people solely by their superior virtues and
industry. The picture drawn Of them by this
crcdulous and simple member Of Parliament is
truly Arcadian, while their history is 50 trans
figured under his hand that one wonders how
50 pure and good and harmless a people should
ever have incurred the dislike of their neigh
bors. Mr. Barclay was evidently careful TO
abstain from seeking information outside of the
Mormon fold, for he ingcnuOusy observes that
"it isnOt easy todiscovcrthe grounds of the hos
"tility-I might say antipathy the
"MormOns manifested by Americans in the
eastern States; and then he glances casually
atapossblc origin of this feeling thus "Storics
care related Of attacks by the MOmons on
"cmigrant trains to California in the carly
days and of deeds of bloodshed, but such
"storics have not so far as am aware, been
"fuly authenticated"
When traveller undertakes to instruct his
countrymen, and especially when he under
takes tO present "ncw view Of n subject on
which the general mind has long since been
made up, he ought at least to know something
about his theme. But Mr.. Barclay does not
know anything about it except what the Nor
mons have told him, and it is plain that they
have not told him the interesting history of the
Mountain Meadows massacre, nor of the trial,
conviction and execution of John ID. Lee and
Porter Rockwell for their participation in that
terrible crime; nor of the many murders and
assassnatiOns pcrpetratcd by the Dantes in the
early history of the Utah settlement; nor Of the
immortality which caused the MOrmOns to be
driven on. of Illinois and Missouri. But the color
of the whole article is Mormon, as may be seen
by the absurd statement that the people of the
"Unitcd States are indebted to Brigham Young
"and the Mormons for the assistance they rem
"dered in constructing the railway and tele-
graph lines over very difficult portion Of the
"router The truth is that Brigham Young
and the Momons simply took contracts to do
grading over some of the very easiest parts Of
tie road, and made money out of it. The work
would of course have been done all the same if
they had not been there.
Another piece of wild and preposterous nom
sense grayely advanced by Mr.. Barclay
is the expression Of a belief that Z" thc
"animosity to MOrmOnsm is principally
" due to the efforts Of the host of
"hungry ollicc-scclcrs who would find lucra-
" tive posts in Utah were the MormonS disfran
" chised, and by the missionaries from the
" Eastern States who come to turn the 4lOrmOns
" from the error Of their ways, and whose in
"comc depends on the strength Of the feelings
" they can excite in their supporters As Mr.
Squcers remarked on a celebrated occasion,
- Here's rlchncssr We doubt whether any
thing quite equal to Mr.. Barclays "ncW view !
has appeared since Jules Janin undertook to !
write his famous criticism upon Nicholas /
NicIcby" from the peculiarly advantageous |
point of view of absolute ignorance of the Eng |
lish language. AIr. Barclays supposititi0us |
,ilicc-Scckcrs and Eastern missionaries certainly |
Justify the tide Of his article, but we are in
lined to think that he did not get this informa-
ion from the MOrmons. 1t Is so essentially cX-
,tic that we suspect him of having evolved the
dca from his own inner consciousness. Next
II originality 10 this brilliant conception is Mr..
Barclays suggestion that pOlygamy may have
originated from " the drafting of 800 men to
Orm the Mexican battalion from the small
at Council Bluffs" But the en-
ire article abounds with gems of this kind In
act they are so thick that we should think even
he wicked MOrmOns who "stuied " the Brit
sh legislator must experience remorse when
hey see how trustfully he has accepted their
most colossal lctiOns.