, 1857-03-06

trict Court of Utah Territory, held a
Genoa, in Carson county, Judge Drum
mond charged the Grand Jury very forci
bly, and earnestly against the illegality o
lpolygamy. lie called the attention of the
Jury to the section of Revised Statutes o
the United States prohibiting the cohabi
ting of men and women lewdly and las
obviously. He said there was no stntut,
regulating marriage in the territory, and
consequently that oil ceremonies by the
people of that territory, called sealing,
are anything other in the eyes of the law
than legal marriage ceremony.
JUpIcIAL CHARGE AGAINsr PoLYGAMY--
The UNITED STATES LAWS To BE ENFoEcEn
AGAINST Tr.--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
forcibIy aud earnestly upon the following
among other sections Of the Criminal Code
"Aud now, gentlemen Of the Grand Jury,
il becomes my duty to all your special at
tcntion with strict care, TO the following
section, viz: Sec. SO, found on page le7 of
the Revised Statutes, of the United States,
for A ID. 1855 which reads as follows:
az any man or woman, not being. mar
ricd to each other, lcwdy and lascivioIsly
associate and cohibit together; or if, any
man or woman, married or unmarried, is
guilty Of open and indecent exposure Of his
or her person-every such person so offending
shall be punished by Imprisonment, not
exceeding ten years and not less Than siX
months, and fine of not more than thou
sand dollars or both, at the discretion of
the Court" You will now remember that
you have each taken solemn oath before
God and those witnesses, that you would
"true prcsentment make of all such matters
and things as should be given you in
charge, or otherwise come to your know
ledge touching the present service"
"This section, therefore, give you in
charge, with an ardent desire that you
will cast OF all priestly yokcs of oppression,
and stndously and honestly do your duty,
without fear, favor or affecting, wholly
unbiased AS there is no statute law in
the Territory regulating marriage, or
touching the subject directlyor indirectly,
it only remains for me to say that all these
ceremonies by the people of this Territory
called sealing" are anything other in the
eyes Of the law than legal marriage cere-
mony. In the foregoing section the Legls-
lature has thought proper TO pass a strin-
gent law OF q criminal character for the
punishment of open lewdneSs; this, indeed
was wise and humane on the part of those
legislators, and to US it seems that the
Legislature thereby intended to provide a
remedy for the correction Of that crying and
most loathesome, barborous, cruel, black
and degrading evil, which seems to be one Of
the cardinal doctrines of the church promi-
nent in power in this Territory, Polygamy;
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 arc sol
EMMY bound to give it force aud utility.
at is wholly useleSS~-and MONDAY
madness for the Legislature to pass laws,
and for the Federal Government 10 send
Judges and attorneys here to execute those
laws, if the mandate of one man, clothed
with priestly power, and wholly dnearned
in the science of the law, is to be permitted
to thwart not only the action of the Legis-
lature of the Territory, but boldly and
openly bid open defiance and sportive re-
bellion against the federal authority of the
United States, and dictate to Grand Juries
when to find bills of indictments and when
not. These things cannot be endured in a
Republican Government. All these men,
therefore, who have a multiplicity OF vom-
en- residing with them, at the same house,
or at the same harem, are subjects for your
investigation. have already instructed
you that there is no law in this Territory
authorizing tue issuing Of marriage license,
or authorizing any one to perform marriage
ceremonies, either in or out Of the Church
and much as you may regret to do so, 1t is
nevertheless your duty to 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 parIlc-
ularly when two or more women are CO.
habiting with the same man. These III
stances are TOO often seen and too much
encouraged by the Church here, to insure
respect from the civilized world, either at
home or abroad; and even barbarous
minds in your own country revolt at the
sickeuing and truly heart.rending spectacle
of the. masses of this Territory. Duty
follows you, gentlemen, in all walks OF life,
at home and abroad, in the family circle,
at the ballot-box, at your daily Christian
devotions, and prominently here, where the
interest of the crushed and down-trodden
appeal, in thunder tones. for relief at the
/ hands Of the law"
KossUrH.-Kossuth is lecturing in Great