New-York tribune., 1886-05-09
A MORMON GATHERING.
THE PROTEST BEFORE THE HOUSE COM
MITTEE.

| IrRoM REGULAR CoRREsr"SDEST or 1HR TRIb'NiJ
| WASHINGTON, Nay 1.-THE gathering OF
Mormons before the House Committee on the Judiciary
protest the passage OF the new Edmnnds pi
has been of the interesting incidents OF 'he
week II brought ont clearly the fact that Mornonism
| that wretched COMPOST OF lust ami blasphem' no
some one has called with all its unclean soc" SYSTEM
It's Ignorance f,nacism impostpre and charla"nry IL
doomed to speedy decay and disappearancs Aga nst
the simple AMI STRAIGHTFORWARD recital OF mormon
brutality and intolerance. presented by Judge baSAih
the specious pleading OF Mormon counsel av"ieh bu
little Mr. Baskin appeared, sinsehanded. in behalf OF
the anti Mormon element In Utah. He had no one 10
assist him. even hear that he gave his services free
of charge The Mormons the OF er hand had not
only alb Lawyers their nu "bcr to represent
them. but they procured among the members OF the
ton bar the best counsel money could get, AS
we'll Among the latter viii only mention ex Governor
Boutwell, of Massachusetts. and Jeh. Chandler, who
both argued length the constitutional questions
involved in the consideration OF the Edmunds bill The
arguments OF each Judge Baskin answered Fuccesfuy
still successful was he when 1t came to discus
sion OF dark stain the annals Of border history
the Mountain Meadow Massacre.
1t certainly was curions that that tragedy. nearly
thirty years after should lea to heated
dlsrus sion in judiciary Committee Of the House.
Judge Baskin and Delegate Caine have young
men when that slaughter took place. Ten years ago
B,skin Instrumental. while holding the Office OF
Prosecuting Att rney in unravens part OF the mystery
by which that awful crime was surrounded. Ii led TO
the and execution Of John ID. Lee. the gloomy
fanatic and sabservient tool OF Brigham Young. who had
been the leader attack the defenceless emf
grants. But there it stopped None of Lees associates
in crime brought to JUSTICE 1t WAS impossible
fer lapse of wenty years to convict the guilty and
avenge the blood of the inDOcent. Judge Baskin has
always claimed and did again before the committee
the other day. that Brigham Young cognzant OF the
about be committed. Delegate Game denied
this Int had evionre to controvert the duplicating
statements contained In John d. Lees confession"
printed da after his execution On the contrary he
did hesitate to revamp the old story about the emil
grants poisoning well and iDcurrng by this act the
wrath of the Indians Judge BasKin showed that the
spring large and rapid that barrel OF arse'c
would have poisoned it, AMI, besides, what object
could tue e.nlgrants have hal to poison we'll winch
might be used by hundreds of their friends following
theml Mr. Game ripd TO croate "a false IMPRESSION by
stating the Try which convicted Lee was composed
entirely of MOrmons VINO found against the accused
Irrespective of fact that belonged to their faith
That be but il equally true that escape from
the damnlng facts preSeueG Anst Lee impossible
and that Offered up by tle Church" and
Brigham Young as victim TO shield higher officials
implicated in the crime.
There Is "a curious incident connected with the
meDt which erected near the Mountain Meadows to
CONNIE the death of 40 women and children
there on the 18Th If September 1857 II recalled
me by a gentleman who had l'tely visited the spot.
The monument the remains of the victims was
orgiua y erected United States soldiers in 1853 and
bore The inscriptions Vengeance is mne; Will repay,
saith the Lord" 1t did not stand long; Mormon fanatics
tore 1t down. The Church ordered to it,
eh they did, but changed the inscription to: Ven
geauce mime: have repaid. saith ;he Lord" This
inscription, however was not allo ~ed to remain long
company OF soldiers took IL down and restored the
ORIGINAL text The spot nov bears no cross, but Is
marked by heap of stone. gathered from the hills
about the meadow. 1t ia irregular pie the highest
point in the rentre the top soping toward the sides.
like the 1t is only three four feet
high. and has Inscription other marx t. denote
Its significance. This changing OF the text has always
been by Gentes in Utah to demonstrate the belief
of Mormons iU the doctrine of bl Dod at atpnement.
The Mormon women who attended the hearings before
the commit ee were probably chief object Df
ton to the casual who dropped into tho to
see what going There wrro generally threo OF
them: Mrs Wells. Mrs. Ferguson and Mrs Richards
Day after day they occupied the same sofa in the
corner Of the They were attentive listeners.
especially Mrs, Wells. VINO followed the proceedings
note book in hand. She is the editor OF The Wondns
ErponenL a paIer which is devoted to the task OF
whipping refractory young women who might
think polygamy q nuisance into line. She Is
one OF the five wives of Elder Wells who just
considers climate Of Europe preferable to that OF
Utah on account of some difference OF opinion which
exists between MIN and United States officials
subject OF celestial marriages" Her two companions
Mrs. Ferguson AMI Mrs Richards-are the only ana
lawful wives their respective husbands and they look
It quite able TO take Of themselves and
prevent their lords from falling into the OF
practical poygany. Ibid discover about either OF
them anything particularly feminine. except perhaps
"A love Tor bonncts, In respentent and gorgeous
of which they appeared the second day of
the hearing after having spent several hours OF the
previous day IN critically examining the hea gear OF
their hated rivals the Gentle These under the
aegis OF Miss Kate Field sat in opposite OF
truck revealing in these Mormons
istc OF their after all It the day when
discussion TO which side should have the
closing argument. Mr. Csne Claimed the privilege tor
his side while Judge Baskin contended with some |
warmth that ricnt close should he accorded 10
him. While he arg Iine that .ry course |
would I'D unjust to him aud give undue advantage TO his
opponents the trio OF Mormon women gathered around
the table and heard one remark 10 the other: The
poor manl pity ABOUT hnl He Is Away. abused. the
poor old thmg." Ii seemed like toucn OF nature;
natural In fact, as II had heard The exclamation:
You are too mean for anything or had seen The words
or the Mormon men-and there were a number OF item
present whr the curnittee sat- can say but httle
in their manner and oni appearances they struck
one rather favorabiy Mr.. RI hards. especially who
delivered ong speech before The committee. created
good i'm pressi,n He spoKe well tho point and save
be touched upon matters connected with his faith
In "a rational manner. Nh West. another Mormon. TO
Keys" Of something or another, spoke at some length
bni less effectively perhaps than Mr. Richards. uud r
stand that he il of tho present pillars OF tho
Church." Delegate Caine, though a moderately good
speaker. has he misfortune Of having unpreossing
exterior. He suggests the pictures OF Oily Cannon
Uah Heep. lean and laDs Is he, with bis nsinuhting
smile whch makes shiver with apprehension, and
lis blinking coOrless eyes. To hear MIN read
" hat he has said Is we'll enough, but u look him il
sufficient create lcou t. the sincerity of his
convictions One would dislike meeting him in dark
alley. stl ! IN v bo unjust 10 him. He IL said
Az excellent father what is pOt ularly known AS
good prOvider." Among the TEST of the MOrmons
,i esent rromnent enough to deserve speril
mention. remark whcn I heard some ono make |
haracterizes them fairly well: rhoy look like people
'ou meet at SpIritual-tic seaDccs"
SOCIAL FRFf LUNCHiNG
WashingfOn Correspondence N,,oOrtedns Pfcdyins.