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Show "THE MORMON QUESTION AGAIN." The Sacramento l 'nivn has gained the reputation of being not merely the ablest newspaper on the Pacific slope, but of being also unswervingly honest and swaying more influence than any other journal in the west. No better evidence of this need be ;c-ked than was afforded by the last election in California. The I'aiuu nominated Newton Booth in opposition to almost the entire liepublieau press of the, State, and successfully carried his uominatiou iu the liepubliuan convention; conven-tion; and it did more to secure his election than any half dozen papers of hi parly. This is conceded by all who aro posted with regard to the facts: and the opinions of such a journal jour-nal are entitled to all the more respect when it speaks on Utah matters. The following article, under the heading above, and preceding ones which we have taken from its columns, show it i? well-iuformed relative to the situation situa-tion here: The letter from Sit Lake IVnin our correspondent, coming from an intelligent intelli-gent observer on the spot, is eouliruia-. eouliruia-. wry, in various ways, of the position the i iuon has takeu on the vexatious question that the federal authorities inl tali have raised with the Mormons. We are wore than ever convinced that judge MelCeau, who occupies the piaLe of cue whojo bu,-iucis it i to administer adminis-ter law aceoruiug to its true intent, is as coutirmcd a bigot as any Mormon be desires to persecute; that he is utterly wanting in sagacity or knowledge of law; that his purpose is to complicate didiculties where noneneed to cxi;t;and that he ought to be driven ignomini- ously from the bench. Ilis whole course as judge, since the prosecution of the leading Mormons began, has been that of a uarrow-miaded zealot, xs ignorant of law as he is reckless of the consequences conse-quences of his extra-judicial acts, ile started out, not to investigate, but to convict. All his utterances and his whole conduct have showo the animus ot the man from tim to lat lie exhibits ex-hibits the won't qualities of 'a fanatic, and it is almost sate to say, froui doings, that he is a religious bigot of some sort, and is better titled to -lorra the part of a wandering dervish than to sit in judgment where the lib- . erty of one of an opposing creed is at stake. What is it that this man and his euntederates propose to do? W-- have whown thai they are arraigning men un- ! 1 dura law which can have noapplieability i in the cases at bar; that thfy are giving a construction to an act which it will not bear. It appears that the cimn'l ! fnr ilift prisoners took the ame ground that the i'niuii did in advance, of the inapplicability of the Territorial law under which they are held. The judge -intimated that it does not make any . difference what the meaning or intention inten-tion of the statute was at the time it was' passed! His object is lo procure j a conviction by a perversion of the i 'jlatute, which, as a sworn judge, he is i obliged to interpret according to its true intent, and not to gratify his reli-: reli-: jfiom prejudices and personal malice. 1 Wo are inlunm-d that the Federal officials are acitg wholly without an-' an-' thurity or advice from Washington. They are indulging in the pastime of small men, dressed in a liille brief authority, au-thority, in order lo leed vanily, exhibit power and make a noise. 1 Tho consequences of I he cuir-c of ' these blind zealots or designing mis-; mis-; chief makers aro bound to be evil, i Thousands of children, innocent as any j on the earth, will be made bastards and deprived of their patrimony by this ill-timed action of the Federal official. And what good will be attained? at-tained? Why, the Mormon pok'ya-mists pok'ya-mists will be thrown into prison. That will be full compensation for all tho trouble taken. A little sweet revenge will be grateful that is all. The conlcderates in this affair do not tuke into consideration I hat. polygamy was dying out and in the course ot rapid i extinction, and lhat the forced process lo which they have resorted would ! give it a new lease of life, ns well as involve other consequences. Thero was an opportunity to show themselves, them-selves, and they eould not resist the temptation lo make an unseemly exhibition. exhi-bition. We have it on good authority lhat some of these conspirators at Salt Lake admit lhat they nre rosorling to foul means, and chuoklo over the effcots they arc going to produce. ThU is not tho spirit that should actuate mou invested with tho power of dispensing impartial just toe according to the real meaning of the laws. If there was a statuto of the United States under which theso polygamous Mormons could be punished wo should say, under the circumstances, when the system of polygamy is going to decay, that it was not wisely enacted. Kvery pains should be taken to prevent any more plural marriagos, and to secure support to all the doludod women who own but a partial interest in a husband, and to their children. But what "was done bclore any special law went to Utah from the source of power at Washington Washing-ton should bo treated as an error that time and a wiso policy will reality, and regarded as a question that bungling bigots should not bo allowed to handle. A judgo is not to be held responsible to the bar of public opinion for acts done under the authority of law, but the Utah judge has lelt no such pressure. pres-sure. His course is not sanctioned by public sentiment among the people of Salt Lake who have no sympathy with the peculiar institutions of the Mormons. Mor-mons. Tho conspirator are striking a blow at progress by repelling capital I and population, and continuing polyg-j polyg-j amv instead of abating it- Sticranmi-to Sticranmi-to 'i'liiou. |