Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1876-01-21
|, aILL TO PROCURE HONEST
JrROR~ IN UTAH.

JURORS IN UTAH.
Senator Chrisiiancy Of Michigan. yes
,srday introduced a bill to provide for
TO jurors for bigamy and
polygamy in the Territory Of Utah.
The bill provides that in any trial for
bisamy or polycany 1t shali DO . suf-
deieut cause Of challenge or for the rsisc-
ton ofany juror. fnt:-that b has moro
than one wife living In said Territory.
whether married by the ordinary rites
or by the so-cailsd ssalisg ceremony.
and second; that he believes ii morally
right to live with more than n wife.
The bill was, referred to the Judiciary
Committee. n ought to pass. The
great md insupsrabls obstacle to con-
victions for pOiysamy in Utah IL The
fact that Mormon jurors. Ginning to
believe that the lustful system Is q re-
i:gious rits. divinely revealed and com.
mAnded BY the priesthood. will not con-
vict an accused person even on evidence
direct and conclusive. They ignore the
facts. and assuming that polygamy 10 In
no ssnss criminal. acquit the accused
svsn when his plural cohabitatisais open
and nosonoss.g Legally . man en- have
but one living wife In Utah. Practically.
the priesthood and numerous members
OF the Mormon Church have eaeh one
wife and numerous eoncubines. lie
gally. every man thus situated. together
with svsry woman Who cohabits With
him. except his hrst. or legal wife. are
adul,erers. They cannot. however. be
convicted BY q jury partly composed OF
Mormons. because. - We have remarked.
such jurors ignore the facts and and YER
diets in accordance with their ~prsjudiess
and the teachings o fthe Church. Legally.
the Church Ii subordinate to the State
in all matters Of civil cognisancs or rsgu-
lation. Practically. in Utah. tho situa.
ton IL reversed. and tho Chych over
rides the Law with boastful lmpunity.
whsn brought to a test question BY the
suit Of Ann Eliza. Brigham Young denied
that no had more than one wife; yet 1t IL
Q fact 8 well known " that he lives,
thai hs has a large number Of women
styled wives. with whom he eohabits.
and by whom no has had numerous
children. With q jury composed
wholly. or in part. OF Normons.
all attempts 10 convict Brigham
Young Of '~polygamy or adultery
would be absolute failures. for the rsa-
sons noted heretofore. In trials for cap
itai crimes. where the penalty Of eonvic-
ton il death. IL il q good cause for chal-
lenss to any juror. 10 he believes that
capital punishmsnt ia wrong and admits
that the penalty would influence his
verdict. Why. in cases OF trials for big
amy. p~olygamy or adultery. would il
not also be q good ground for challenge.
IL . juror il either himself q practical
~polygamist or believes e~oncubinags NOR.
ally right, We earnestly hope that some
legislation may be had this Winter
which will force the law jefying priest
hood-who now control Utah with q
tyranny mor absolute than the
Emperor OF Morocco svrr did hia sub
~jsots-to feel the power Of outraged civ
ilixation and justice in . manner at ones
convincing and crushing. Bigamy.
polygsmy and adultery n as much
crimes In Utah a. in Colorado. Arizona.
OF any other Territory Of the United
States and any measure looking to the
punishment OF the lustful cotsris who
have for ysan prostitutsd the religious
and supsntihous ssntimsnts Of their ig-
norant followers TO minister to the die
tstss Of base and grovsling s~snsuality.
win have the moral support Of nine
teen tvsntisths OF the American people.
The existence OF such q system Of rsli-
gious prostitution, or rather prostitu-
ton In the name Of religion. il q hide.
oss scar upon the face Of our Csntsn-
NAL Anniversary. Ct