Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-12
A MORMON GATHERING.
The Protest Before the House Com
mittee
From the Ye,o York Tribune.

From the Nelo York Tribune.
WASHINGTON, May THE gathering
OF Mormons before the House Committee
on the Judiciary to protest against the
passage of the new Edmunds bill has been
one OF the most interesting incidents OF
the week. 1t brought out clearly the
fact that MOrmonism, ''that wretched
compost of lust and blasphemy," as some
one has called it, with all its uncleau
social system, its ignorance, fanaticism,
imposture and charlatanry, is doomed TO
speedy decay and disappearance. Against
the simple and straightforward recital OF
Mormon brutality ana intolerance, pre-
sented by Judge Baskin, the specious
pleading OF Mormon counsel awaited but
little. Mr.. Baskin appeared single
handed, in behalf OF the anti Mormon
element in Utah. He had no one to
assist bin. 1 even hear that he gave his
services free of charge. The MormOns,
on the other hand, mad not only able law
yers among their own number to repre-
sent them, but they procured among the
members of the Washington bar the best
counsel mouey could get, as we'll. Among
the latter | will only mention eX-Gov.
Boutwell,, of Massachusetts, and JEFF.
Chandler, who both argued at great
length the constitutional questions in
volved in the consideration Of tue Ed
munds bill. The arguments of each
Sudge Baskin answered successfully.
Still more successful was he when it
came to discussion OF that dark stain in
the annals OF border history, the Noun
tain Meadow Massacre.
1t certainly was curious that that trag-
edy, nearly thirty years after it's occur
renee, should lead to heated discussion
in the Judiciary Committee Of the House.
Judge Baskin and Delegate Game must
have been young men when that slaughter
took place. Ten years ago Baskin was
instrumental, while holding the office Of
Prosecuting Attorney, III unraveling part
OF the mystery by which that awful crime
was surrounded. 1t led to the conviction
and execution OF John d. Lee, the gloomy
fanatic and subservient tool of Brigham
| Young, who had been the leader in
the attack on the defenseless emf
grants. But there it stopped. None
OF Lees associates in crime was ever
brought to justice. 1t was impossible
after the lapse of 20 years to convict the
guilty and avenge the blood of the inno-
cent. Judge BGskin has always claimed,
and did so again before the committee the
other day, that Brigham Young was cogni-
Zant of the murders about to be comm tied.
Delegate Game denied this, but had no
evidence to controvert the duplicating
statements contained in John ID. Lees
confession" printed the day after his
execution. On the contrary, he did not
hesitate to revamp the old story about the
emigrants poisoning well and mourning
by this act the wrath Of the Indians. Judge
Baskin showed that the spring was sc
large and rapid that barrel Of arsenic
would not have poisoned it; and, besides
what object could the emigrants have
had to poison a we'll which might be used
by hundreds of their friends following
them? Mr.. Caine tried to create false
impression by stating that the jury which
convicted Lee was COMPOSED entirely Of
Mormons, who found against the accused
irrespective of the fact that he belonged
to their faith. That may be true, nut it is
equally true that escape from the damnine
facts presented against Lee was impossi.
BILE and that he was offered up by the
"Church" and Brigham Young as a
victim to shield higher officials implicated
in the crime.