INTERESTING FROM UTAH.
Sketches of Sermons by Brigham Young, Heber Kimball, George A, Smith, Bishops Hardy and Raleigh, and Elder Byrd.
Intense Hostility to the Government.
The Mormons Drilling and Procuring Arms and Ammunition.
They Declare They Will Fight for Polygamy.
How Federal Offices Are Pilled and the Internal Revenue Collected.
DEFIANCE OF THE NATIONAL AUTHORITY,
[Correspondence New York Tribune.]
GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH,
Sunday, October 8,1865.}
I have spent seventeen days here for the purpose of studying the anomalous condition of affairs in Utah.
CHANGE OF TONE IN THE MORMON LEADERS.
Last June, in Brigham's long conference with the Colfax party, he professed a desire that the conver-sation should be entirely frank on both sides. He assured us that polygamy was not an original, vital feature of their faith, but a later revelation, and to most, a privilege, not an obligation. And without distinctly saying so, he left the clear impression upon the minds of all of us that the Mormons saw it must succumb to contact with advancing settlement and civilization, and would ere long find some excuse to abandon it. I do not say that he willfully deceived us; but he certainly gave us this idea. James M. Ashley, of Ohio, Chairman of the House Committee on Territories, here a few days later, had two inter-views with Brigham, and if the San Francisco papers report him faithfully, he left with the same belief J. Ross Browne, the well-known tourist, and author, who was here still later, formed the same opinion.
In this faith, I endeavored to write of the people and leaders with the utmost kindness; to say nothing of their disloyalty in the past; nothing of the grave crimes alleged to have been committed in the name of the church ; nothing of the revolting de-tails of polygamy, which all the Gentiles poured into my ears. If they were willing to abandon the one illegal and obnoxious feature of their social life, which they call a part of their religion, it seemed wise not to reopen any old issues, or hold them to strict accountability for any thing done while they were smarting under supposed religious persecu-tion.
But Brigham simply deluded us. Within a few hours after the interview with Mr. Colfax and his friends, he solemnized three polygamous marriages. One of the bridegrooms was Mr. John Myers, keeper of Myers' Stage Station, at Bear Lake. The other par-ties will be named if the statement is authoritatively denied.
The public tone of all the leaders has radically changed. They preach that Polygamy is their re-ligion, that they will adhere to it, living or dying, even by force of arms, if necessary; that the people and Government of the United States are their bit-terest enemies, and desire to destroy them, but must be resisted to the death, if they adopt violent measures. I have heard sermons here so disloyal that they brought the blood to my cheeks; but first let me quote from two which I did not hear:
ONE OF "THE TWELVE" ON THE NATIONAL GOV-ERNMENT.
At Toole City, Sunday, August 28, several of the leaders addressed a congregation. Portions of their remarks are thus reported by James W. Gibson, a soldier in the United States service. He is ready to make affidavit to the literal accuracy of the report; and Colonel Milo George, of 1st Nevada Volunteers, commandant of this post, vouches fully for his veracity. George A. Smith is one of the Twelve Apostles—the highest authorities of the Church af-ter Brigham and Heber Kimball. Among other things he said:
"The Lincoln Administration did not want peace with the South, but wanted to destroy and devastate all the good Southern people. In order to do so, the party in power had laid aside the Constitution entirely, and were the main ones who rebelled, and the South was right. The Northern army burned and destroyed every thing in the South, and abused, by force, all their women. They would be here some day to treat the fair women of Utah in like manner, and all, both old and young, should have plenty of arms. When they approached, God would fight the battles, and the Saints would be victorious! He said our Government was not at peace; and he damned it, and hoped to see the day when it would sink to hell. Nothing in the shape of a free Govern-ment could ever stand on North American soil that was opposed to Mormonism and polygamy!"
BRIGHAM YOUNG INSTRUCTING HIS FOLLOWERS
The following sentences are from the "sermon" of Brigham Young:
"Our Constitution has been violated and misused; the whole nation and the whole world had been ar-rayed against the Latter Day Saints; our Govern-ment had tampered with the Mormons when it had no right to; he had told the Government often that he was willing to be tried here by the law for any accu-sation brought against him, and nothing could be done with him. The Mormons had the law in their own hands and would do as they pleased."
The Congregation—"Amen!"
Brigham—"If they undertook to try him in a Gentile court he would see the Government in hell first, and was ready to fight the Government the rub. He had his soldiers, and rifles, and pistols, and ammunition, and plenty of it, and cannon, too, and would use them. He was 'on it!' The Governor of this Territory was useless, and could do nothing. He (Brigham) was the real Governor of this people, and by the powers of the Most High he would be Gov-ernor of this Territory forever and ever. If the Gen-tiles did not like this they could leave and go to hell. Nine-tenths of the people of the Territory were Southern sympathizers; the North was wrong, and this people sympathized with the South."
A SUNDAY AT THE BOWERY.
On Sunday, September 24, there were regular church services at the Bowery in this city, where the summer worship is conducted, and the congre-gation ranges from 3,000 to 6,000. Brigham was ab-sent on a Southern tour, and Heber Kimball pre-sided. I did not attend the morning services, but five gentlemen from New York who were present as-sured me that Heber's remarks were intensely dis-loyal. Among other excuses for his bitterness, he said to his hearers: "Colfax told us that they had wiped out one National cancer, and were now about to remove the other; that we should not be per-mitted to stay here more than three years longer.'' This was a deliberate, unmitigated falsehood; Mr. Colfax never said any thing of the kind, but such statements serve to embitter the people, who re-ceive as Gospel truth whatever their leaders tell them.
In the afternoon I found the Bowery densely crowded. Upon the platform sat Heber (wearing his hat, which he seldom lays aside) and several other church leaders. The preaching, as it invaria-bly is, was extemporaneous. Heber called up speaker after speaker, and all responded without hesitancy or preparation. I believe it is their theory that the Spirit of God inspires them. The method has made all the prominent "brethren" fluent speakers, and developed their capacity for thinking on their legs. Whenever Heber thought one had talked long enough, he checked him ; whenever he thought one venturing on dangerous ground, he cautioned him. When Brigham presides, he often checks Heber.
A RETURNED MISSIONARY.
Nearly all Mormons of capacity are sent, sooner or later, to some foreign country, to preach the Gospel, of the Latter-Day Saints. The first speaker this af-ternoon was Elder J. W. Byrd, with bald fore-head long, flowing hair, and long beard which swept his breast. He appeared in sable broadcloth and black kid gloves. He had just came back from a mission of three years and a half.
"He was glad to return to their mountain home. He had tried to do his duty faithfully, and had led some into the kingdom though he found about nine-tenths of the people infidels, disbelievers in the bible. It was not pleasant preaching abroad in the open air, where he was liable at any moment to have a buckshot thrown at his head ; but God had kept all the promises He made to him at the outset. At first every one asked him about the great American war, which had now ended, or rather, ceased for a time. He told them all that it would last while he stayed abroad. On the very day before he left Eng-land they received news that an assassin or some-body had killed President Lincoln; and on the day before that, intelligence of Lee's surrender. The war had ceased only for a time. Thirty years ago Brother Joseph Smith predicted that war would be-gin in South Carolina and spread throughout the world as a punishment for its wickedness. All over Europe now the most stupend-i-ous preparations ev-er witnessed were being made for war."
NO WORSE OFF THAN CHRIST AND STEPHEN.
Bishop L. W. Hardy, a native of Massachusetts, who is the husband of four wives, was next called upon. Tall, closely shaven, with thin face, heaven-ward nose, and straight brown hair, he also appeared in black. His brief exhortation was made with some clearness and force. As all the leaders do, he dwelt much upon the wonderful growth and prosperity of the Mormons, as evidence that they are specially protected by the Almighty. He said:
"Brother Byrd has alluded to their persecutions ; he might have had a brick-bat thrown at him. Sup-pose he had; he would have been no worse on't than Christ was, when he was persecuted. It would not have hurt him any more than it hurt Stephen, when he was stoned to death. God would carry them through. The longer he lived the more he marveled at what God had done for them ; the pros-pect looked brighter and brighter; religion seemed bitter and better."
DISLOYALTY UNDER A VERY THIN VAIL.
The next speaker was Bishop A. H. Raleigh, in a suit of brown linen, a medium-sized, smooth-faced nan, evidently popular with the congregation. He Said:
"I see I have got myself into a scrape. [Laugh-ter.] You don't know what I am going to say. I don't. But if I keep on speaking I shall probably say something. I usually do. I am helping in every possible way to build up the Kingdom of God. That's the job I have on hand—to work in the domestic af-fairs of God's Kingdom. We can't all be teachers and prophets; but we can all serve Him by doing our duty, wherever it lies.
"I was born m this country. So was my father. He fought in the revolution for its liberties, and to build up the Constitution and its laws. I am in favor of the Constitution; but it has been departed from. We will bring the country back to it. I have never feared the result in the little brushes we have had with Uncle Sam, or rather he with us. I knew we (should come out all right. We mean to have our rights. Let them talk about this 'twin relic.' If they attempt to deprive us of our rights, we have the tools and know how to use them. [Murmurs of approbation.]
"We left the East because there our enemies had the power. But the time is coming when we shall ask no odds of them. We don't ask any now—here. Let them come to overpower us if they want to. We will show them when they get here—or, rather, a little before they get here. Only don't let us go to bring them; let us stay here and mind our own business.
"A little while ago I met a Government Colonel at a blacksmith's shop. He asked me, 'where do you get your iron?' I replied, 'Uncle Sam was good enough to send it out in the Camp Lloyd Expedi-tion.* And no doubt he will do it again by the time this is gone.' Yes, the very force sent out here to overthrow us brought us iron, wagons, mules, and the money to buy them. So it will continue to be. If we are wise and keep our plates turned up, the porridge will run into them.
"True, we are a territory. They pretend to rule us. They send out Governors for us. As long as they suit us, we keep them ; when they don't, they soon get a ticket of leave. We shall discomfit our enemies. We shall see our Church—the Kingdom of God—spread over the whole land. I expect to live to see that. Our children will see it spread over the whole earth. That is my prophesy. It is God's truth. May God bless us all." Congregation—"Amen."
HEBER KIMBALL IN THE PULPIT.
Mr. David O'Calder was next called up, and made a brief, Christian address, upon the practical duties of life. He was followed by Heber himself—who was formed in a coarser mold than Brigham, and with far less caution. Once he said to a Gentile in this city: "I always pray for my enemies. I pray that they may go to Hell across lots!" He is a large man, with oily, sensual face, and a bald head, which he protects by wearing his hat on nearly all occasions. To-day he arose without it. His "sermon" was a remarkable jumble; one-third Adminidab Sleek, and one-third John C. Calhoun (in disloyalty, not ability), one-third circus-clown. The following report some-what softens its ruggedness and coarseness. He said:
"Anybody who feels sleepy had better wake up. [Laughter], I mean, make himself comfortable. I am a little jovial; it is my way; mv fathers were. But, bless you! a man may be jovial and yet be good. And I tell the truth, and everybody who hears me knows it. Do you think God will associate with any-body who lies?
"There were several strangers here this morning; some from Missouri, and some from Illinois; some from the North, and some from the South. They thought what I said was foolishness. They think what the brethern have said this afternoon is foolish- ness. But so it always is. The things of God must be foolishness to those out of the kingdom.
"(Putting on his hat). We believe the Bible. (To the Gentiles present). You don't. We believe this Book of Mormon. It was written on plates, and its place of burial revealed to Joseph Smith by the Angel Moroni, the only angel who has appeared on this continent, and of which the Indian tribes are relics.
"Our kingdom is true. God revealed it to me thirty-three years ago. We were instructed to teach to this generation only repentance, remission of sins, laying on of hands and baptism, Not sprinkling—there is no such word as sprinkle in the Bible; but immersion—to be buried in the liquid, as John was buried. How could he be buried if he was only sprinkled. The burial is typical of death, and the coming out typical of the resurrection.
"We believe what Christ taught, the commandments he gave. He said: 'Thou shalt not interfere with thy neighbor's wife, nor his daughter, his house, nor his man servant nor his maid servant.' Christ said this, but our enemies don't believe it. That was the trouble between the North and the South. The Abolition-ists of the North stole our niggers and caused it all. The niggers was well off and happy. How do you know this, brother Heber? Why, God bless your soul, I used to live in the South, and I know. Now they have set the nigger free, and a beautiful thing they have done for him, haven't they?
"I am what you might call a son of the veterans. My father bled in the revolution for our liberties. I, his son, have been five times robbed and driven out by Gentile persecutors, I and my brothers, Charles and Samuel. They threaten to come here and destroy us, Let them come. I am the boy that will resist them.
"I first went abroad to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to the nations of the earth. There are 50,000 or 75,000 people in this valley, to whom I have preached it in other lands. That's the reason you are here. We had been driven out from Kirtland (O). Joseph Smith said 'Go,' and I went. I preach-ed God's truth. Any man who is not willing to be saved as I have been, will be damned. "I baptized by the authority of Jesus Christ. I first baptized two sick women. They had to be car-ried in beds from the carriages to the water. The doctors had given them up. But when I baptized them, both recovered, from that hour. One was brother George Watt's mother; the other was sister Wormsley. Many were healed by touching the hem of my garments. I did not know it, but they was.
“Property? Why, as I told you this morning, I have got property enough. I didn't steal it. I worked for it. I am a working feller. If you don't believe it, come up to my house and see; come and help me a little, I will start the sweat on you. I will raise the dander on your jacket. Come and grind wheat with me I am a miller. I am a blacksmith-learned the trade of my father. Come up and I will show you. I am a potter. I learned that trade. You don't believe it? Then come up and see if I don't mold you into something. [Laughter.] And as for chopping, I can chop with any one of you. I have chopped cord-wood all day, day after day, with Joseph Smith, Samuel Smith, John Smith and James Smith, and it was just nip and tuck between us. And I am as good a carpenter as there is in this Territory.
"Many strangers come through here now. They are a great deal more plenty than they used to be. They are disgusted with the corruption and oppres-sion of the United States. (To the Gentile hearers:) Ain't that so? Some, who settle here, want to steal our wives and daughters. Before they came, we were at peace. We never had a lawsuit till the Judges came. And as for the stinking lawyers—why a lawyer is the damndest thing in the world! He is even worse than a priest. Officials are sent among us. All of them but two or three are hostile, and Want to destroy us. Does it make much difference? Let's see; have we a Governor now, or is there one coming? A VOICE—"There is one coming."
"HEBER—Well, he is just like the Governor we have—no worse—no better. All the Governor has to do is to pay the Legislature and administer justice. Are the Governors our masters? No, sir; not for me; they are our servants. We have our Apostolic Government. Brigham Young is our lender, our President, our Governor. I am Lieutenant Governor. Ain't I a terrible feller? Why, it has taken the hair all off my head. [Laughter.] At least it would, if I hadn't lost it before. I lost it in my hardships while going out to preach the kingdom of God, with-out purse or srip.
“(To the Gentiles.) Oh, don't be scart at me! Come up to my house arid see me. I will give you some peaches, and make you happy. I have two sons abroad preaching the Kingdom of God. Brother Byrd says they are good boys. It makes me proud to hear it. I want the time to come when I can send out fifty of my sons to preach, all at one lick. Come up and see me. I will give you some peaches. I will give some apples. I would give you some meat it I had it, but I am about out. I don't hate you be-cause you are strangers. May God bless all good men and women; that is my blessing. May God bless the strangers."
Congregation—Amen. And so ended the Sunday "religious" services. I am assured that they are fair specimens of the Mor-mon preaching, though less hostile to the Govern-ment than the average. Though it was not stated in so many words, the plain, direct, only inference from the language was that if any possible attempt should be made to render the Anti-Polygamy law operative they would resist it by force of arms.
THE MORMONS ARMING AND DRILLING.
According to statements published in the Mormon papers, and the concurrent testimony of all Gentiles whether in civil life or connected with the army, the Mormons are perfecting their military organization which extends throughout the Territory, drilling the people, and of late, with peculiar earnestness and zeal, obtaining all the arms and ammunition they can purchase from discharged soldiers, miners and others.
THE ANTI-POLYGAMY LAW A DEAD LETTER.
By the act of Congress of 1862, polygamy is a crime, punishable with imprisonment not to exceed five years, and a fine of $500 or less. But the act is utterly inoperative. Judges Titus, Drake and McCurdy, who represent the United States Govern-ment, and form the District aand Supreme Courts, though sworn to enforce the laws, are powerless. The selection of jurors is in the hands of Mormon officials. The one-man power is supreme. Brigham young is the Church and the Territory. Of course, the masses here, as every-where else, are sincere: but they yield absolute and unquestioning obedience
*True. That expedition, from the abandoned wagons and arms it left behind, supplied the Mormons with iron and guns, in addition to enriching them by the money paid tor wheat and other supplies. Financially, it was a Godsend to them; and its result greatly in-creased the power and prestige of their leaders among the masses.
to the mandates of the Church. They have no free schools. They read no newspapers, except those of their own faith.
The Church of Rome, in its palmiest days, never expected and received more perfect allegiance from its followers than is rendered to Brigham. No Mor-mon jury could be impaneled which would convict of polygamy—indeed, of any thing—contrary to the mandate of Brigham. Hence the law is not only a dead letter, but a scoff and a by-word. The Mor-mons profess to believe it unconstitutional. But if they were sincere in that belief, their remedy would be very easy. The Government officials have offered to agree upon a case, and furnished every facility for taking it up to the Supreme Court of the United States. If Brigham is loyal, as he claims, let him concur in this—test the law, and abide by the result. There is no escaping this issue.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING.
The original design was to station 2,500 troops for the coming winter, and the supplies for them are al-ready stored, at Camp Douglas, three miles from this city. But, within the last few days, notice has been given to the commandant that only 1,000 sol-diers will winter here, and the Commissary has re-ceived orders to sell the surplus supplies. They have cost a million of dollars, and the officers assure me that their sale will involve a loss of from twenty to fifty per cent, upon their cost. Of course, there are Major Generals and editors who will demonstrate beyond all question, that this withholding of troops when more needed than ever before, and this sacri-fice of from a quarter to a half million dollars of Government property, is a fresh proof of the inscru-table wisdom and grand organizing powers of Edwin M. Stanton.
But here is a graver fact. The Governor appoints, and keeps in most important and responsible posi-tions of civil trust and honor, men who openly and systematically violate the laws. The following offi-cers, appointed by the National Government, are all Polygamists:
T. B. H. Stenhouse, Postmaster of Salt Lake City. J. C. Little, Assessor of the Internal Revenue for the Territory.
Robert T. Burton, Collector of Internal Revenue for the Territory.
Hosea Stout, United States District Attorney for the Territory.
Many of their deputies, and a large number of the one hundred postmasters throughout Utah. Some of these officers have only two wives; some have eight. The Salt Lake Postmaster is, practically, Postmaster General for the Territory. The present incumbent has held the position for five years, and has taken an additional wife since the act of 1862 was passed. So have many of the others.
I know nothing to indicate that the Post-office is not honestly and faithfully conducted; that is not the question. An efficient and experienced agent of the Post-office Department, Mr. Albert G. Lawrence, is now looking into its affairs through several of these Territories, and will report at Washington the general condition of postal affairs.
COLLECTION OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE.
Brigham claims for Utah a population of 100,000; it can not be less than 60,000. The Territory has been settled eighteen years, and much property ac-cumulated. Yet the Internal Revenue for this year is assessed at less than 540,000, and, of course, that will be reduced in collecting. Colorado has much less wealth than Utah. After being settled but six years, with a population of about 20,000, last year she paid $100,000 of Internal Revenue. This year, Mon-tana, which has less than 12,000 people, and has been settled only two or three years, pays over 580,000. It is alleged that the policy of extreme concilia-tion, which induced the appointment of Polygamists to these responsible positions, originated with Mr. Seward. I know nothing of the truth of the state-ment, but all who think the policy wise should study the above figures. Moreover, it causes wholesale perjury. Every one of these officials has taken the oath to support the Constitution and laws of the United States.
REMEDIES PROPOSED.
If there is any truth in the old maxim of the law-yers, that for every legal wrong there is a lecal rem-edy, this is the place to demonstrate it. The very existence of a constitutional law presupposes some method of enforcing it. For the condition of things here, these three Congressional remedies are sug-gested among the Gentiles:
I. Authorizing a change of venue from one terri-tory to another; but this would remove the case further from the vicinage than the Constitution con-templates. Beside, the venue may be changed to protect the defendant, even to protect the Govern-ment.
II. Abrogating the territorial organization of Utah, and dividing her area between Montane, Ne-vada, Arizona and Colorado. But the people of this valley are homogeneous in pursuits, interests and character, and the present division of Territories is natural and convenient.
III. Vesting the impanneling of jurors in the Governor and two or four of the other Federal of-ficers. At present, all jurors in a Polygamy case would be Mormons; then they would all be Gentiles. Each is bitterly hostile to the other. Would such a mode be "jury-trial" in its original and proper sense?
BRIGHAM'S REAL INTENTIONS.
Some explain the military preparations on the theory of possible Indian troubles, and the determin-ation of the Saints to watch the savages.
"The river Rhine is well known,
Doth wash the City of Cologne;
But tell me, nymphs, what power divine,
Shall henceforth wash the river Rhine!"
The Mormons were already aufficiently armed and organized to annihilate all the Indians upon the Con-tinent; hence the theory has not the least plausi-bility. Some Gentiles firmly believe that Brigham is de-termined to provoke real, earnest war with the Gov-ernment. He could do this without the least diffi-culty, so far as his people are concerned. If he so ordered them, they would fight a world in arms, with perfect faith that God would give them victory. But Brigham is quite too sagacious to desire actual war.
His power, always so imperious, is becoming a little weakened. Contact with the world has already relaxed, in many instances, the hitherto iron bonds of the Church. Families persist in taking Gentiles to board, despite all the thunders of the Bowery. In one case, a most reputable lady persists in doing this, though a Mormon preacher, Bishop Woolley, in one of their Sunday meetings, publicly denounced her by name, with the most offensive epithet that can be applied to a woman.
Daughters of the Saints often show a preference for Gentiles, and associate with young men of "the world," notwithstanding expostulations and threats of bishops and elders. Some Morman wives, dis-gusted at polygamy, leave their husbands, to seek and find the protection of Camp Douglas. And sev-eral wealthy men have already apostatized from the church. Moreover, the influence of Gentile litera-ture is irresistible. In the Bowery, a few Sundays ago, Heber complained that his wives and daughters would read the Atlantic Monthly and Harper's Monthly, and hide them from him when he attempt-ed to take them away! At the Territorial Confer-ence, last Friday, he urged very earnestly that they must all render to Brigham implicit allegiance, and obey unquestionably his every mandate.
In short the bonds give signs, few but unmistak-able that they are slowly loosening, and that unless something is done, the One- man Power must ulti-mately succumb. I think it is chiefly as a remedy for this that Brigham is industriously giving the im-pression of persecution, to produce an outside press-ure, and compact his people. He knows, too, the despotism of military machinery, and is perfecting it as another means of holding his followers well in hand.
I am fully persuaded that he desires a show of collision; a little bloodshed. If some hot-headed officer of the Government could be irritated into the use of force, and kill half a dozen Mormons, it would strengthen Brigham immeasurably, and do more to enthuse his present followers, and procure new converts, all over the World, than years of pa-tient labor. The Church would live and thrive for half a century on a little martyrdom like this. After careful observation and reflection, this is, to me, the only plausible theory of Brigham's conduct.
THE NEW GOVERNOR.
Therefore, the leading Federal officers in Utah need the utmost wisdom and judgment, the rarest blending of moderation and firmness, the most spot-less private lives, and thorough knowledge of hu-man nature. It is absolutely necessary, and yet very difficult, to, make the people understand that the Government has no hostility to them; that it appre-ciates their frugality and productive industry; that it would, by no means, drive them from the com-fortable homes they have wrested from the desert, unless they are mad enough to resist its legitimate authority; that it would protect them in every one of their rights as American citizens; that it makes no sort of war against their religion, recognizing their right to be Mormons, as readily as it would their right to be Presbyterians or Unitarians; that it only wars against their practice, in disobeying a law, whose constitutionality their leaders dare not test, and one which only prohibits what the whole civilized world has punished as a crime, for many generations.
The new Governor, Charles Durkee, of Wisconsin, has just arrived, and assumed the duties of his office. He affords a gratifying contrast to the broken-down politicians, without talents, dignity or character, sometimes sent here in years past. His creditable antecedents, throughout a long public life, give reason to believe that he will fill this most difficult position faithfully and wisely, if properly supported by the Government.
A RECAPITULATION.
I have written thus at length because the subject is one of grave importance, and ought to be minutely understood. If the condition of things in Utah was thoroughly comprehended by every household in the land, it would produce an over-whelming public sentiment which would force Congress and the administration into new and effec-tive measures. Indeed it would excite so much indignation that we should be very likely to act with undue harshness and severity, without wise consid-eration for the sincerity and honest intentions of those misguided masses, and even may of their nominal leaders. Let us recapitulate:
I. Brigham and his associates are living in open, defiant violation of the laws of the United States.
II. They are teaching to their followers intense hostility to our Government and people, and the ne-cessity and duty of resisting by force of arms any attempt to make the law operative.
III. They are drilling and arming the entire people into a compact and efficient military organi-zation.
IV. The Government places and keeps in import-ant Federal offices men who flagrantly violate the law and systematically perjure themselves in taking the oath of office. Not only does the public interest suffer financially, not only are the ends of justice frustrated, but our highest law-making authority has solemnly enacted that polygamy is a crime, and the Government makes itself an accessory to that crime.
ACTION BY CONGRESS IMPERATIVELY DEMANDED.
Some action by Congress and the President is im-peratively demanded. Two courses are open. If Utah is let alone, great natural laws—travel, com-merce, and the influx of a mining population—will slowly but surely destroy polygamy. Within five years at furthest, practically the power of the church will be shattered. If we are willing to act upon the great truth that "the world is governed too much," and let the evil correct itself by the inevitable pres-sure of time, the remedy will prove effectual. But in that event let the law be repealed. It is not seemly or right that it should stand on the statute book, only to be despised and broken.
On the contrary, if it is determined to enforce it, the necessary amendments should be made with great caution and deliberation and at the very least 5,000 troops should be stationed permanently at Camp Douglas.
One course or the other should be adopted. We have had something too much of this. It is time to stop this open, flagrant, contemptuous defiance of the National authority. A. D. R.