COL. KANE AND THE MORMONS.
It is very hard to get at the truth of the re-ports from Utah. Gov. CUMMING'S dispatches, and Gen. JOHNSTON's dispatches, and Col. KANE'S statement, have all been made public. The Gov-ornor it is alleged, was imposed upon by the Mormons. The General is charged with desiring hostilities, and being unwilling to give credence to anything that tends to peace. And Col. KANE, to whom the credit of inducing the Saints to lay down their arms, belongs, is branded as a traitor to his country ; and the Tribune corres-pondent avers that Col. K. was baptized anew into the Mormon church while in Salt Lake City, and received what are called the endowments, or higher degrees of Mormonism. The Washington Union made a similar statement some months ago, and has endeavored from the beginning to throw odium on Col. KANE'S labors.
The fact remains, and is not disputed, that the Visit of Col. KANE produced a marked change in the policy of BRIGHAM YOUNG. Whereas pre-viously there were only threats against any Gov-ernor of federal appointment, afterwards Gov. CUMMING was received unaccompanied into the city, and the records and the keys of office were freely transferred to him. The war which was imminent was prevented; and to-day instead of the threatened bloodshed and rapine in the valleys of Utah reign industry and comparative quiet This is not the work of a traitor ; it is one of the highest triumphs of a patriot. Col. KANE may be a Mormon; he has lived among them and commands their confidence. If a Mor-mon, he knows the determination of our Govern-ment and of the country generally to insist upon the recognition of federal laws in Utah ; and doubly greater would be his guilt were he to seek only the deferral of hostilities to increase the animosities and magnify the evils which surely would fall most heavily on that isolated community.
Col. KANE is not a traitor. He has acted on the same noble impulses which carried his broth-er over the floes and ice mountains of the far North, and added the open Polar Sea to our sys-tem. The heroic example of the deceased navi-gator was calculated to inspire his near relative with a desire to emulate him. Like the Arctic martyr the Mormon pacificator sought to win a triumph of peace. It called for promptness, en-ergy and address. It promised no immediate re-ward, but a high place in the hearts of men when acts are seen in their true light. And what mo-tives for treason could Col. KANE have? His family and his interests are not with the Mor-mons. His patriotism binds him to the States. He could get no honor and no emolument by serving a despised sect against his own country. He must see too that the Mormons could not pos-sibly make head against our Government. Utter subjection could be the only result of war ; sub-mission or removal are the only alternatives left them. All this Col. KANE of course understands, and the suspicion of treason on his part is as ri-diculous as it is mean.
It is stated, and probably truly, that after Gov. CUMMING had delivered his address at Salt Lake, BRIGHAM YOUNG, when CUMMING was not pres-ent, made a harangue, in the course of which he said, "You heard what CUMMING said to you this morning. I thought then that he wag a liar. I tell you now he is a damned liar." This indi-cates that the Mormons in submitting, yield only to the force of circumstances, and are compelled to waive their only feelings. But this statement is far from proving that the profane high-priest designs to continue to uphold the standard of re-bellion. Fortunately for a good many, swearing at Governors or even Presidents is not treason.
While the indications are so clear that the Mormons will refrain from hostilities, and chiefly on account of the mission of the adventurous KANE, the Government pursues a judicious policy in retaining the Army in Utah. At the outset, it would have been more prudent in every sense to have made trial of argument to recall the sect from rebellion. But the Army having been sent out. it should be left on the ground until all pros-pect that it can be needed, is removed.
