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Show FEED. D0UGL4S3 pN MOEMONISM. An arti' Ie with th; ca,tion "The Coli.nd llrotlieron the Latter Day Saint," w liirb appears in another coluinn, will repay perusal, for it w bri..fand Oj thft jujiut. The colored (jnitor and writer talk.-i plainly, and eiiic.'s an appneiatiun of con-titu-tional rigliLt wldeli are tin) ." Id-.m recn-'ni il in these years of ,-lrong p.u-tl-aadiip. With the iL-.iiiinption of Ucpiihlii';uiLiiu as a party luiur, ii'. paity in this country has -vr so totally iguond the republicanism of the F.-dcral Conntitutitii a" hn.i the one now in antlnrity, and of which Mr. Douglass in a shining rlony ornament. or-nament. Wielding unusual and 1111-con.-tilutioiial j)owers during and after tint d.je of the war of rebellion, which wero couci'lcl as military ne-,-. M-ith-A it, has been building up on theut a form of government anlago-..:.:......!... anlago-..:.:......!... ,.t ii'. ..i,i,.l. -..;,,,.. comltine the worst fcitures of an oligarchy oli-garchy and htrong personal rule. The entire system of legislation of the country has been rapidly moulding itself in the interest of the dominant party, whether jlepublican in many of the States or in n national sene, or Democratic in others of the States; and rapidly and surely is the fundamental funda-mental principle of our g iv-crnment iv-crnment being disregarded: that while tho majority rule, the rights of the minority are sacred and must le protected. There are principles which perinea to true republicanism; principles which the Fathers of this country understood and endeavored to embody in the Constitution; principles prin-ciples which recognize no difference between white, red or black, between the worshiper of God, the worshiper of Bhud, or the person who does not worship anything. " All men nrc created free and equal;" nnd "the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness" must be free to all. Whenever, in that pursuit one person interferes with the right of another in the same pursuit, he has reached the point whero common justice and republi-lican republi-lican principles demand that he torn back. Hut while an individual docs not offend against the public welfare, nor infringe upon the rights .of rmy other person, he or she must he protected pro-tected by nil, in person, property and principles; no matter how repugnant may be his or her views to any or nil of the others. Prostitution Ls a crime anaiust God, nature and the public; because it offends of-fends the law of the first, violates the second, and endangers tho safety of the third through causing and creating creat-ing deadly diseases. But plural marriage, mar-riage, whether it be in harmony with or opposed to the teachings of the Bible, cannot be a crime unless the rights of some of the parties to it are invaded. It may ot fend against the ideas, views and opinions of many, but that does not make it a crime; nor can a statute stat-ute make n crime de facto of that which docs not offend against ,thc laws of nature and of right, though the books may so designate it a thousand thous-and times. Plural marriage docs not cause or creato disease; docs not work injury to any person, further than any contract may do by becoming irksome to those who may have formed it; conserves and increases life, not destroy it; and, however much prudes, sectarians, or religionists relig-ionists of a certain class, may disapprove disap-prove or condemn, it cannot be interfered inter-fered with constitutionally unless to grant relief to some of the parties to it who may desire such relief. One man cannot bear the touch of a peach; another almost faints at smelling smel-ling the odor of a cucumber; many people arc horrified at Catholics invoking in-voking saints; and so antipathies of various kinds exist, sonic physical, others the result of prejudices and education; ed-ucation; but antipathies and prejudices prejudi-ces can not make a crime of that which is not, in and of itself", criminal. Slavery was a crime, because it deprived de-prived the bond chattel of- every heaven-given right except that of life. jLen tno conunonest ui necessities, air.light, water and food, could be kept from the bondman; ami of every tiling by which freedom can be recognized he was deprived. But except to protect pro-tect the weak from the strong, to con-servo con-servo liberty, and maintain right and justice, government has no reason for existence in a truly republican country; coun-try; and it merely has existence by the will of the people, who organize for this purpose for mutual protection against each other, and against the mass of mankind around. The United Suites is not a Christian country, nor is its government organized organ-ized to enforce Christian teachings, as many people seem to suppose. It in, or ought to be. simply a republican government, wlueh does not, or should not, know any difference between its citizens, no matter what may be their religious or political views, nor the practises growing out of th.e views, so long as they do not perpetrate a wrong by violating the rights of others. This is the broad principle of repuU licanism : and under a government organized in consonance with it, a Methodist is just as ge-od as a Mor-mou Mor-mou ; and the man who worships a yellow dog equally as good as either, if all arc cqunliy gexxl citizens. |