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Show 8T1T.Ii BLt'KDERIXG. It is astonishing how journalists-, otherwise well-informed, commence blundering whenever they touch the ''Morrnoa problem," or refer to Utah matters. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Neicspaptr, of this morning's date, has an article with the very classic heading "The Mormon Bull Taken by the Honrs," in which the usual style of mixing up and muddling is well illustrated, il-lustrated, without the use of any woodcut. wood-cut. It gravely says that "the national na-tional law of 1862 forbade military organizations or-ganizations outside of the legal militia system; yet the Mormons have ever since continued their warlike preparations." prepara-tions." There's news ! Wilt Mr. Leslie, or somebody for him, who is better informed, tell us where that law is to be found, what "warlike preparations" prepara-tions" have been continued, aud what military organizations are in Utah outside out-side "the legal militia system?" The fact is, the article had to assume all this, if the writer knew any better, to make a show of earfse for the issuing a certain gubernatorial proclamation, of which more than considerable has been heard within the past few months. The article says: "Governor Shaffer issued a proclamation calling attention to that law, (the national law of 1802?) and declaring that punishment must follow any further disregard of its provisions." pro-visions." That's more news! Evidently Evi-dently that proclamation must have been issued very quietly, as nobody in this region ever heard of it before. The actual proclamation waB so glaringly glar-ingly illegal that it seems a fictitious groundwork must be manufactured for it, and so Frank Leslie, at this late date, rushes forward, invents a law, invents certain illegal military organizations in Utah, and invents an entirely new proclamation all for the express purpose pur-pose of showing to his numerous readers read-ers how much necessity there exists for "national legislation energetically administered" hert away in these nountain valleys. It is always a bad cause that has to be propped up in chis fashion. But the point admitted by the late produouon of these inventions is, that such a proclamation would have been out of place, unjust and illegal, if directed di-rected against "the legal militia system sys-tem ;" and as that is the system against which it was directed, Frauk Leslie unwittingly sustains the position maintained all along by the Herald. We are much obliged to him fur the unintended concession. We have no desire to trayel further over oft-trodden ground, and will merely add, that the reference in the article to the refusal to naturalize aliens in this Territory, is a blundering effort about equal to that with regard to the proclamation. These are rather stale topics to be dwelt upon in a "newspaper" bearing date January 7th, 1871. And we would recommend .Mr. Leslie to try to get the Herald put upon his exchange list, should he isign to make many references to Utah matters, and then he will be somewhat better posted on his subject, if he carefully care-fully peruses its columns. |