Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1857-01-08
Extraordinary News from Utah.


At the July term of the First Judicial
District Court for Utah Territory, held at
Genoa in Carson county, Judge DRUMMoND
charged the Grand Jury very forcibly and
earnestly upon the following, among other
sections of the Criminal Code:
"And now, gentleman Of the Grand Jury,
it becomes my duty to call your special at
tention, with strict case, 10 the following sec T.
tion, viz: Section SO, found on page 1877 of
the Revised Statutes of the United States,
for A. D. 1856, which reads as follows: "If
any man or woman, not being married 10
each other, lewdly and lasciviously as socate
or cohabit together; or ifany man or woman,
married or unmarried, is guilty of open
lewdness, and deslgnedly make any open
and indecent exposure Of his or her person
every such person so offending shall be
punished by Imprisonment not exceeding ten
years and less than six months, and fine
of not more than one thousand dollars. or
both, at the discretion of the Co3rt." You
will now remember that You have each taken
a solemn oath before God and these Witness
es that You would "true presentment make
of all such matters and things as should be
given you in charge or otherwise come to
your knowledge, touching the present SER
vice.
"This section, there, give you in charge
with an ardent desire that you will cast off
all priestly yokes of oppression, and studi-
ously and honestly Go your duty, without
fear, favor or.ailecttion wholly unbiased. AS
there is no statute law in this Territory reg
ulating marriage, or touching the subject d.
rectly or indirectly, it only remains for me
tosay that, all those ceremonies by the peo-
pie of this Territory called sealing are any
thing other in the eyes Of the law than le-
gal marriage ceremony. In the foregoing
section the Legis 'ature has thought proper
10 pass a stringent law of criminal char
acter for the punishmet of open lewdness;
this indeed was wise and humane on the
part of those legislators, ana to us it seems
that the Legislature thereby intended 10 pro.
vide a remedy For the correction Of the cry
ing and most loathesome, barbaroIs, cruel
black and degrading evil, which seem TO be
one of the cardinal doctrines of the church,
prominent in power in this Territory, polyg-
amy, or at least if they did not intend it
they have virtually done what should have
been done many years since. The law is
found in the book, and you as well as l are
solemnly bound to give it force and utility.
1T is wholly useless and monday mad,
ness for the Legislature TO pass laws, and
for the Federal Government TO send Judges
and attorneys here TO execute those laws, il
the mandate Of one man clothed with priestly
power and wholly unlearned in the science OF
the law, is to be permitted to thwart not on
ly the action Of the Legislature OF territory,
but boldly and openly bid defiance and sport
i've rebellion against the federal authorities
of the United States, and dictate TO grand
juries when 10 find bills of Indictment and
when not. These things cannot be endured
in a Republican government. Al these
men, therefore, who have multiplicity Of
women residing with them, at the same
house or at the sane harem, are subjects for
your investigation. have already instructed
you, that there is no law in this territory
authorizing the issuing Of marriage lIcence,
or authorizing any one TO perform marriage
ceremonies, either in or out of the church
and much as you may regret to do so, it is
nevertheless your duty 10 respect the law
of the land, and prefer bills of indictment
against all such as have not been legally
married in some other country, and particu-
larly when two or more women are cohabit.
ing with the same man. These instances are
too often seen and too much encouraged by
the church here to ensure respect from the
civilized world, either at home or abroad
and even barbarous minds in your own coun.
try revolt at the sickening and truly heart
rending spectacle of the masses Of this terri
tory. Duty follows you, gentlemen, in all
the walks of life, at home and abroad, in the
family circle, at the ballot-box, at your daily
christian devotions, and prominently SO here
where the interest of the crushed and down
trodden appeal in thunder tones for relief al
the hands of the laws"