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Show o v k it i n a ii t o k it i v rios. On tho whole, it is a good time to begin a crusade on tho peculiar institution insti-tution of Utah. Nothing could be more shrewdly devised than tho President's Presi-dent's proposition to go lor the twin relic of barbarism. The party of moral mor-al ideas has pretty well exhausted the great ndian philanthropy, its Christian Chris-tian statesmen have been falling away in public estimation, and its capital as a great moral engiao is pretty much exhausted. With Congress occupied entirely with lnvchti.irationH into the moral obliquities of Senators arid Representatives, and tho whole coun try aghast at the astounding discing- ures of infamies, the liko of which has never beOn Huspectcd or dreamed of, and with the general belief growing in tho public mind that tho whole Congress Con-gress and party are rotten to to the core, it seems a very shrewd and cunning cun-ning device to distract tho attention of tho public by Btirring up excitement in regard to tho Mormous, an inolfcn-tivo inolfcn-tivo people, who, if their institution is a blot upon our civilization, arc at least working their way out of it under un-der the pressuro of public opinion, and the increase of light thrown upon it by the open communication with the Kast. An elaborate bill has been introduced bv Mr. Mcrritt, delegate i'rom Idaho, purporting to bo in aid of tho excou-tion excou-tion of tho laws in tho Territory of Utah, tho object being to bring on a collision between tho Federal Fed-eral and the Territorial authorities authori-ties on the question of polygamy. Should it have the effect desired, and a collision bo precipitated, it will briug to tho administration and the purty tho eclat of a successful crusade against polygamy, and, it is hoped, will strengthen tho attachment of the religious re-ligious portion of the community to the Republican party. President Grant has had this schemo in his mind ever since tho Kev. Dr. Newman visited Utah and took a notion that it was his mission to exterminate polygamy and crush out the Mormons; but thcro has been no tuch opportunity as the present pres-ent to carry it out, us it is believed tlio majority in congress will bo eager to seize upon overy occasion for tho divci-sion divci-sion of thb popular mind i'rom the investigation in-vestigation now in progress. 5J r. Hooper, tho delegato from Utah, thinks that thcro will bo no collision under any circumstances; that Brig-ham Brig-ham Young, who is old and worn out, will make no opposition, but will sit down quietly under whatever laws congress con-gress may pass. Unprejudiced visitors to Utah who have observed carefully the workings of Mormonism and the changes that havo graduilly taken placo during tho past five years, are almost unanimously of tho opinion that tho evil of polygamy will shortly work its own euro u left to itself. There oan bo no object in special legislation against at tins timo uxoopt t divert attention from the shortcomings and the crimes of the party in power. |
