Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-04-08
Tho Mormon Laws.


In debate the other day, on the volun-
teer Bill, Mr.. Blair said:- ..1 ....-.f
Idesire, Mr.. Speaker, 10 ca II the a!ten-
tion Of the House to some Of the legisla-
tive act, passed by that people. had in
my hand the other day cory Of the laws Of
Utah, which, however, is not to be found in
our government Libraries, where the Law r.
quires it to be found. The government of
Utah has never confermsd to that provision
Of Congress which requires that copies Of
their laws should be sent to Congress.-
They have for many years enjoyed the
privileges Of squatter sovereignty, and have
passed laws which have never undergone
the revision of Congress as required BY ths
law when that government was organized.
I obtained the privilege, however Of perus-
ing that volume of laws at the hands Of one
of the officials who were recently driven
from that trrritory.
In that volume find one law for the in
corporation Of the church of Jesus Christ Of
Latter Day Saints, giving that body power
to hold property, personal and real, 10 an
indefinite amount, and the power to infios
punishment for breaches Of church discipline
The same laws have granted out to individ-
uals ameng the saints all the valuable
land in the territory, and invested them with
very valuable ferry privilege in the terri
tory. They have alse imposed taxes upon
all who pass through that territory; and
those taxes are paid to the church. Now,
sir, those lands have never yet been thrown
open by the government to pre-emption. II
used to be the policy Of this government, up
to very recent time TO dragon the citizens
off from the public lands. But here peo-
pie who have very little claim TO the elem
ency of this government have absolutely
taken possession Of all the valuable lands ID
that territory. and have partitioned it out
among themselves. ....
They have established, among other
things, an smigrant fund, by which they
bring into their territory as many as are
useful to them. and as they are willing to
allow to come in. They have legalizsd
African slavery and the system Of Indian
peonage. ] can refer, gentlemen. to the
pages Of the statute where the laws are
found ,and will say (, gentlemen who are
desirous Of consulting these laws, that they
will find a copy Of them in the hands Of Mr:
Burr, who was the late surveyor-general Of
that territory. f...e.
They also provide for the compromiss Of
criminal suits between the indicted criminal
and the prosecutor, at any stage Of the suit
before trial and conviction. They grant the
territorial probate court a jurisdiction equal
to that of the United States courts; and they
forbid the reading Of any law in the United
States statute-books. or Of any Of the deci-
sions Of the United States courts, in their
courts, under penalty. They punish at
torneys with fine and imprisonment for not
telling what has been confded TO them by
their clients, and they authorize very loose
construction of the laws, declaring that law
may be construed in any tense, and that the
plural may be taken for the singular, pro-
vision BY which almost any construction in
the world may be placed upon law. They
establish polygamy, and make its observance
a religious duty.
Ihare already referred TO the fact tf their
disposing of the lands belonging to'the gov
ernment Of the United States; and will now
also alude to smother law, which may be-
found on page 100 of the statute-book, which
was made for the purpose Of harassing nom
resident, and driving cbnoxions people out
of the territory, by con6scation Of their
property. There never was such system
Of laws invented as this people have. They
have united every power, both political and
religious. in the hands Of one man, and by
the ccnnivance of this government, for o
series Of years that man was made governor
Of the territory, and has been kept in thas
position. --.av--7s
i f .s...s