MICHIGAN.
The Legislature— License Law— Railroad Con-spirators— King Strong of Beaver Island- Politics, &c.
Correspondence of the Tribune.
DETROIT, Tuesday, July 1, 1851. The Extra Session of our Legislature has just closed. By an express section of the new Constitution the members of the Legisla-ture are allowed their $3 per diem for 20 days only. The consequence is that their business is finished the moment "the supplies are cut off." We hardly know yet what they have done.
They have passed a stringent law in reference to the sale of Ardent Spirits, making the seller responsi-ble for all evil results which may follow the sale of liquor. With good and efficient officers we may hope for a good result to the community.
The trial of the Railroad conspirators is yet pro-gressing in our State Courts. This is probably the most extensive conspiracy, and shows the most heart-less depravity of those who are guilty, of any thing that has ever been developed in the United States.— The plans of the conspirators as shadowed forth by the testimony are astounding,— almost beyond belief, and seems to belong to the department of fiction rather than of reality.
There seems to have been lately an extraordinary accession to the criminal portion of our community. A number of counterfeiters have been arrested, and are now under indictment in the U. S. Court. And but a few nights ago a Revenue officer while search-ing a vessel he supposed to be engaged in smuggling was knocked over board with a stave. The officer caught the rascal as he fell, and both came near being drowned. The smuggler is now awaiting trial under indictment.
King! James J. Strang, of Beaver Island, where is located the band of Mormons, is also on trial with about a dozen of his associates for obstructing the United States mail, and assaulting mail carriers, &c. &c. The testimony in the case goes to show that they would attempt the complete overthrow of all the laws of the United States and of this State, and the determination of Strang to be as he terms himself " Imperial Primate." I give you below a copy of the covenant which is administered to the Mormons of Beaver Island. I took it in the United States Court from the lips of a witness who was once high in au-thority in the Church on the Island and who, as he swore, had administered it to some thirty individuals. He says—"The candidate was first instructed that the covenant was ”entirely separate" and distinct from the Church— that it was purely temporal and pre-paratory to the setting up of "The Kingdom."
(Covenant.) "I do solemnly covenant promise and swear by the true, self existent, and ever living God, that I renounce all Kings, Potentates, Gover-nors and Rulers on earth.
I do furthermore covenant, promise, and swear, that I renounce all laws, decrees, obligations on earth whatsoever.
I do furthermore, covenant, promise, and swear that I will obey James J. Strang and his successors, if any he has, each and his time as Imperial Primate, actual Sovereign, King on earth and the laws and de- crees he shall make, as above and superseding all other laws on earth whatsoever.
I solemnly covenant, promise and swear that I will recognize a Grand Council of Nobles and Princes." Here the witness stated the substance,— more than 100 as General- in- Chief,— Commander of the Forces, &c. &c.
Here followed a section with regard to rulers and obedience to them, and integrety, &c. with a recapitu-lation of the laws passed by King James.
Here follows an article with regard to carrying out the decrees and laws throughout the world, &c.
"But should I be so wicked and unholy as to ever break this covenant, this day made, may God the Eter-nal Father turn from me,— may Jesus Christ the Re-deemer, remember his loving kindness towards me no more,— may the gates of Heaven be forever closed against me,— may evil men and worms distroy me,— with desires insatiate may I behold bliss but feel per-dition ever more."
Then follow the grips, secret signs, &c., for recog-nizing each other anywhere in the world. This whole Mormon establishment is another of the strange developements that human nature is continually presenting— showing well the power that mind can obtain over mind by appeals to the religious sentiments and instincts which find a bodiment in the soul of man. Well does Byron in his Corsair say,
"What is that spell that thus his lawless train
"Confess and envy yet oppose in vain?
"What should it be that thus their faith can bind?
"— The power of thought— the magic of the mind."
The political world is here very quiet. A small portion of the Whigs express a preference for Gen. Scott for the Presidency. The general feeling is, that it is better to await the decision of the National Convention.
The boats for Mackinaw and Saut Ste. Marie are now going up crowded with those seeking the cool refreshing breezes, and health-giving atmosphere of the upper Lakes. And in a few weeks we shall see on the returning boats, the warm rich glow of health and happiness on cheeks now pallied with care and disease. Oh! how beautiful our Lakes are with their bright and sparkling water from "the snow clad hills of Superior. J. S. N.
