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Show THE DDTY OF THE HOUR. It will not Ijc denied that the nuiiicr-iiw nuiiicr-iiw reports with wUich every Iiour has bu.ni Irciylilcd Cur several days past, would naturally cxcilo emotions ol' alarm in tlie minds of many of our citi-zi-im. PostiLly tlie rumors ol" indict-m.;titn indict-m.;titn uf prominent mm Imve been1 , ,, ;,. .-Irnlniinii i'rcjiu a love of pare iiiNuIiii-f and with a design lo create j ili.nurbiuice if pruetieaUe, by hints of j k: homes of arrest and impri-otmicnt 1 whieli should involve the prominent member of tins community. Nor ia it improbable that much truth may be contained in the multitude of otute-menu otute-menu which rumor, with its thousand toiiK'i';, has no busily circulated. Kvery V.iniifr eommuuitv ha buffered from deud.1 of violence and Lloodbhcd; from M.-.-i.-ainatioD stealthily done und mur-iW mur-iW openly committed. Kvery young western community hah ft It tlie cooi-jiarativo cooi-jiarativo powurltMMiOhS of organized government for tlio protection of life and property against ' the encroachments encroach-ments of the outlaw uiid the desperado. In instaneea innuuier.il.ilc llio law-abid-iiiji citizens have bven compelled to set a.-.ido tlio law because of its impotency to correct the evils under which society has labored. Committees of palely who by fclceplcB-s activity in their Helicons! Heli-cons! Uuted work of lidding the locality of thoives and murderers, have earned the title of "vigilantes" havo existed in every one of tho western Stales and Territories, except Utah; and the dangerous class has met with speedy axtermiiiation when forbearance has proved uneless, law powerless and justice jus-tice through tho regular channels impossible. im-possible. If murder has not been classed among tho lltine ai ts", upon tho frontiers, fron-tiers, it has at least becu practiced to hucIi an extent as to entitle it to a not less prominent cUssiliealiou. If Utah has escaped her full share in the carnival carni-val of blood which commenced with tho Mexican war and has followed the golden pathway of mineral discovery all through the mountain system, 'from the Colorado river on the south to Itchrings Straits on tho north it is because her settlers eauic hither in search of homes rather than fortunes; seeking not wealth to boar hence to some more favored clime, but asking and expecting for each day only tho daily bread deuumded to bUstain life. 1 To nn industrial community such as the Mormons have over shown themselves, the passions aud crimes which attend upon suddenly acquired wealth have found small occasion for manifestation. Tlie few rare cases in which tho blood of man "crieth from the ground," will be found to have been the work of outlaws or the result of uncontrolled passion, liad men may neck to implicate the pure and good in their vile crimes; thoughtless or evil-disposed men may ewecpingly denounce de-nounce a whole community because of tho weakness or wickedness of a few; the public officer, seeking "the bubble reputation" and ita profits ut all hazards, regardless of tho wrong by him committed, may couple with wick- d uct or criminal intent tho leading citizens of a community; even the well-meaning but not unprejudiced moralist may anticipate rare punishment punish-ment to fall upon tho head of some one having authority and inlluence to each and all, disappointment is certain ro come. A fair aud full investigation of every case will exhibit no complicity with tho assassin on the part of any trusted member of the community. Tried as by tire, tho reputations of the prominent citizens of Utah will come forth from the ordeal with added inlluence in-lluence and power for good. To be vindicated at the bar of a pure mid honest court of justice, from vague charges and unjust suspicions, is an rvent from which no good citizen will .-brink. If the honesty of court and jury can be relied upon, the opportu-tiity opportu-tiity may well bo gladly accepted and I'veu earnestly sought, to silence the I'nigue of slander and malice forever. To be judged by euemics is less desire-1 utile, because hatred is relentless and prejudice unreasoning: yet triumph is valuable according to the obstacles owrcouie. The good man holds him-MiU'evoriu him-MiU'evoriu readiness to vindicate his c md act; his life is Its au open book. If it bo the duty of the officers of tho l.i w to impose upon crime a punishment, it is no less thedutyofthecitizenatoaid tlu; person in authority who is honestly si l iving to maintain order and mete nut to tho disorderly tho appropriate pcualty. To this end no obstacle should he placed in the path of justice or of tho fullest and freest investigation. It is the duty of the hour to encourage investigation; not to evade or thwart ir. Let the world see that ;i3 a people we court the closest fcmtiuy, aud are ready to tost every question by the legal gage. Though judges admit that they are prejudiced and j uiies may bj packed, we have no feai-j tor the result. The people can r.lVord to calmly await the issue. Lacking Lack-ing the basis of truth, tho different phazes which enmity assumes, or prejudice prej-udice engenders, will prove alike harm-The harm-The right will conquer and error wi;l be vauq niched, nw as in all time. Tlirice :inued in our ju-t ,;u:tnvl, e 1 ::r bi-.;.a iV'Cs .mil nil tlicir cilutiuiic- ; We MH';i!i lo iivc down sbiiuler, ami poiCN3 Well grounded hu.e. ot' ulunme sm- |
