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Show THE CORNER STONE : We have frequently said that the Government Gov-ernment should turn its attention, so far as Utah matters are concerned, to polygamy polyg-amy alone. Of the correctness of this theory of, things we become convinced more and more, and will undertake to give some reasons for such conviction. That the Mormon church is a most compact com-pact body and disposed to follow the advice ad-vice and wishes of ils leaders is true. As a result of this compactness and obedi- i ence we have the doctrine an I -practice of polygamy, and its institution is one of the best evidences of the pretensions of the church; this pretension is a claim to sovereignty. From this claim there c ome many evils, but . that which is most patent and tangible is polygamy. To strike this down and compel the people of the Territory to recognize the authority of the Government in a most important matter. This the people of Utah do not do, and that they do not deny the right of the Government over other things is because the constitution of thes3 other things does not come in conflict con-flict with their notions us to their re-, ligious rights. Many who want to see the Utah problem solved include too many things in . that problem, and this only tends to turn attention from one thing to another and to dwell upon no one thing long enough to master . it. Perhaps Per-haps it would , be better to illustrate illus-trate this by citing a phrase from the logicians: what is gained in extension is lost in intension. How shall the problem m Utah be best and most speedily solved? In answer we should say by an absolute suppression of polygamy, and that to this suppression suppres-sion the .Government should direct all its efforts in U&h. The people of Utah look upon polygamy as a chief corner stone of their religion, and say that it has been commanded by God,and He will not permit it to be done awav with, although He in-tends in-tends to greatly test the people by it. j The people of Utah elect polygamy as the j touchstone of the divinity of their faith, j and they say that what is divine cannot j be overcome by that which is human ; and this may be, but it is clearly the duty of the Government to see whether ! polygamy can be overcome, and a trial by wager of battle is as good a test as to its divinity as any other. Why the question of polygamy should be chosen as the j point of attack to the exclusion of all i others is plain to all who will reflect for J a moment. We will give the reason for this in the words of a gentleman who lives in one of the settlements and who j associates with the. leading men of the ! church continually. - Said lie to us but I yesterday : '-' The Government cannot I suppress polygamy for the reason that polygamy is of God. That our people will be persecuted on account of their adherence to polygamy, I have no doubt. A great many of them will apostatise, but the church will go on just the same. No, sir; the Government cannot suppress polygamy, for if the Government Govern-ment can suppress polygamy, then the church is broken up, and if it can be broken up then it is not of God." These remarks are worthy of every attention, at-tention, and let those "who are making the assault upon the Utah problem remember re-member that polygamy is the farm of Hugomont'in that problem. |
