Year: 1867

| Cengress and the Mormons.


Early during the present session of Congress
Senator Wade introduced bill defining the du-
ties Of Judges of United States Courts in Utah,
the real intent of which was undoubtedly to
strike at polygamy in that Territory, and which
| has slept in the drawer of some committee ever
since The bill desgnates who shall perform the
marriage ceremony, and provides for the preven-
ton of double marriages. Understanding SO we'll
the situation of affairs in that Territory, made
more familiar by recent bloody transactions there,
it was to be hoped that prompt action would be
taken, and while the subject of reconstruction
was being matured in the committee rooms of
that body.


1t is we'll known that the Mormons themselves
do not pretend to establish, on strict Bible au-
thority, that portion of their creed which allows
plurality of wives, and less than one-fourth Of
the church are believers in it, but simply claim


it as a right endowed by special revelation from
Divine power. Therefore no excuse can be Of
fered that it would be interference with the re-
ligious convictions of that sect, as the simple
theory of avowed religious belief does not deter
mine the true basis of action with any party Of
believers, and the mere assertion that such crude


ideas are sufficient to sanction the practice of po-
lygamy cannot be admitted.


We do not believe that delay necessarily
strengthens the Mormon organization, for the
tide of westward emigration will ultimately drive
the adherents of this abominable practice to
more retired location, unless our laws guarantee
them protection. Yet why is this Internal in
stitution permitted to exist with the implied rec
ogniton of our Government? Is duplicate mar
riage any the less polygamy in Utah than in Ohio
or California ? Are the frequent murders COM
mitted under the immediate notice, if not at the
instigation of Brigham Young, to be passed by
rs unworthy of investigation Why is not he
held accountable, or if that cannot be done, let
our Government establish national police sys-
tenn throughout their territory to be under the
control of United States Judges selected for their
antagonsm to Mormon msrule.


The most valuable section of our country be-
tween the Mississippi and the ihc,-valuable
by virtue of its position,-is held and controlled
bv the enemies of our Government and the adj
herents of principle most detestable. Intelli-
gent visitors from the Old World gaze with sur
prise ct this obnoxious Interpolation in q boast
ed christian community, and cannot but wonder
at its successful growth. The whole system is
degrading and deteriorating in its effects on So
ciety, and is n barrier to moral elevation wherev-
er it exists. The Mormon assertion that society
is purer, and intelligence of higher standard
under their guardianship, is too palpably false
to admit of argument. If Congress intends to
acknowledge the constitutional al right of this de-
basing dc ,trine, let it assign some remote por-
ton of our territory to its uses and abolish this
pest spot of immortality and shame from the beau
tifu valley of Salt Lake. Let it no longer be
acknowledged that the garden of our central pos
sessions is distinguished throughout the world
as the abiding place of vice and treason.


New MINING DISCOVERIES Within the past
few months we have received information from
several reliable parties that good-paying placer
diggings had been found in the extensive scope
of country lying between Hay Fork Valley and
the South Fork of Trinity river, as well as on
that stream and its tributaries. A gentleman
living on Salt Creek, and in whose assertions we
have the greatest confidence, says and believes
that within two miles of his residence there is
mining territory sufficient to employ three or
four hundred men. Water can be easily OBJ
| tanned, and he thinks these diggings would, at
a moderate estimate yield 81 to Sc day. There
is an immense extent of unprospected and unin-
habited country lying between the range which
divides Trinity and Shasta counties and Trinity
river, and bounded on the east and west by HAY
Fork Valley and the South Fork of Trinity river.
Throughout most of this territory gold has been
found, ard in some instances good pay has been
obtained, yet to-day there probably not more
than score of miners employed within the limits
named. Recently number of miners have To-
Gated the South Fork aad the tributaries
emptying into it from the west, which induces
us to publish the following extract from letter
written by old friend who is now resident of
Humboldt county. The writer says:


"Placer diggings are known to exist on several
| streams that empty into the Trinity along that
space where the river is the boundary between
your county and ours. These streams are Will
low creek, Indian creek, Grouse creek and Mad
ison creek. Ours is not mining population,
and consequently but little has been done to-
wards prospecting those sections. An old prac-
tical miner (now a soldier) who has been station
ed at Fort CASTOR and 1uqua, assures me that
good $40 diggings have been found and that
miners are actually making that amount. He
further tells me that miners have purchased
goods at Arcata for which they made payment
in gold dust, and that they had an abundance of
it. Great benefit would result to both Humboldt
and Trinity counties if these mines were fully
developed


EMIsESTLY SoUSD.-In a recent letter to
friend in San Francisco, Hon. John Bidwell uses
the following language =" The war was un-
paralleled, for the very life of our country was
staked on the result but the principle of the
contest has remained unchanged, and will endure
forever. liz il riuht q defand o,,x xa.;e.a1