The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-22
Movement of the Utah Gentiles
on the Saints.
A WELL ORGANIZED CAMPAIGN.
Three Important Measures
Before Congress.
P0LYGAMY TO BIZ MADE INFAMOUS.


Mr. Lutroil. OF California, In tho House. and by Mr..
Christiancy IN the Senate to regulate elections and
the elective franchise In the Territory OF Utah. The
bill as Introduced in both the Senate and the House Is
the same In all it's features and provides Tor regis
tra,ion law and secret ballot quite similar TO the
election laws OF California; Ohio and other States
This legislation Is sought by the non ormons of
Utah, whose delegates in Washington urging
upon members of Congress the business OF the bill
and the necessity for speedy passage These gen.
temen authority for tho following explanations
ana statement Of facts:-
THE UTAH ELECTION LAW.
The statutes OF Utah tor regulating elections in that
Territory provide Tor u marked baliot-that is. the
voter required fold his and place In tho
hands OF the judge OF election, VINO writes upon the
number OF the Tho clerk OF election writes
the voters name in book ara opposite his name the
number Of his ballot This Territorial Election law
adopted by the Mormon Legislature q means OF
espionage, coercion oppression. On the Sabbath
day prior ~ each recurring election overy Mormon
pulpit is converted into s'stump," from which
are preached sermons which haraneues Of
political nature, full OF abuse OF everything
non Mormon, whilcA the dcvout saints are
commanded by the priesthood with assumed
divine authority to 60 to the polls election day
and vote Tor the servants OF the Lord" who tho
candidates OF t priesthood. Ballots arc then placed
vote other ticket. To such dc happen to
attcnd divine services the day preceding election the
teachers, who minions OF the priesthood, are
sent from house 10 house with tickets which
given to all adult saints In tho families visited and
likewise Instructed 20 to the polls as religious
duty vote Tor the Church nominees. Voting
for tho Church candidate Is the religious duty
Of aach saint "a failure 10 vote is de-
nounced In public ana private by tho priest
hoo Ia a.
faith, while opposition cast is open rebellion
against the Lords anointed, punishable with religious
social, commercial and political ostracism The
belious saint who gives his suffrage to any others
than those nominated by the assumed divine authority
OF the Mormon Church Is suro to be discovered
through ballot witch he has placed in the
box. Following such discovery, II tho voter Is IN
business Of any kind is In the employ OF a saint
the loss OF trade dismissal from service,
the case may 10, as well ns accommodation IRON
tho Church, social ostracsm and delivery to the
.'bunoungs Of satan," which is understood by all
| Mormons 10 imply outlawry.
RULE OF THE PRIESTHOOD
The rule OF the priesthood is VIGOROUSLY corrupt
and venal as 1t Is unrepubcan ana oppressive. and
many Mormous who arc now dependent, in greater
or degree. upon priesthood and its good Will
for OF support Tor themselves and their numer-
Gus families, heartily desire secret ballot; but the
|
flow IRON efforts made by individuals to disenthral
themselves dctcrs hem from action in own behalf
SO complete Is tho power Of the priesthood that when
efforts Tor the correction OF these evils IN
| Congress tho very and women who would be free
| sign protests against such measures would
| give them exact political freedom. the
| Utah elcci0n bulls rcierred 10, besides providing
Tor registration law aud secret ballot. 10 dis
franchise Mormon women, VINO now have the right OF
suffrage under q Territoriai law, Tor this reas0n-
women granted the elective franchise In Utah
for purpose OF doubling up the Mormon vote. bong
advantage TO the saints particularly because their
| Church Is largely composed Of women who have
eipigrated from Scandinavia and the British Isles
for purpose oil repien'shiug the harcms OF Nor
mon elders AS the Territorial law on elections
exists tho wives, and daughters over twenty-one
For voting purposes The Mormons claim that Their
concublnes are wives; hence alien born women
pracscay naturallzcd IN Zon frequently within few
days after their arrival there, by simply becoming
poiysam0us wivcS Thus the OBJECT OF the provision
IN The Utah Election bill DISTINGUISHING Mormon
women Is TO prevent tho further sanity fraud OF
naturaiziug ioregn born women and giving them
equal political rights with American citizens
ward ioi their own criminal and unchastc marriage
relations Tho PROVISIONS Of the Elective Franchise
bill werc given recently IN the HERALD.
| PREVENT PoLyGAMy.
still another bill afec citing Mormonsm Is one intro.
duced by Mr. Lutron In The House 70 punish pre-
The United States 1t is virtually substitute for the
antPoly gamy act OF Congress- passed July 1862 That
Law makes the polygamous marriage Itself the crimo
which lhc general limitation OF tho United States
bars two years IRON the time The ceremony Is per
| u
would be 10 check tho evil com planned OF ue
lore the limitation Would run hut IN UIah circum-
stances consp,sa 70 renuer ,mopera .. royeamy
| into by the men aud women OF the Nor
Church all o, wlo% S ARE or psScsay or
IRON moral and social point oil view, Is continuous
beng beyond the reach OF courts to punish Only
one or two Indictments nave ever been found under
the OF 1882 Tor the reason that by the present
jury system In Utah sufficient number OF Mormons
have always been ON the grand urcs to prevent true
bids being returned, nowithstandng the strength
evidence IN sucn presented. But tn. chief
reason the crime cannot DO punished IN Utah 10 that
such illegal marriages performed secret, being
Witnessed only by the ofic.asing priest perhaps
by tho parents OF the Illegal wife, Morinons are SO
cannsn and crafty that 10 lie Tor the projection OF
themselves IN their crimes, even TO perjure them
selves before court justice the protection OF
fellow Mormon, Is not only commcnuablo but q re-
| ligous duty.
Elder Evans. now the B,shop vi the sixth ward IN
Salt Lake Cty became tue husband OF throe genera
lions OF women, consisting o. an aged WIDOW, her
daughter and her granddaughter, tho latter TWO OF
whom have borne TO him children. An effort was
made IN tho spring OF 1870 70 ina'ct Am, aud inc
younger twO 0i these wives were summohed 10 testify
marital relation existed between themselves and
father OF their own chldrcu. all Of which Was 10 pro-
lect Eidcr Evans IRON Indictment
Professor" Mari Measer, aMormoh school teacher,
iook poygamous wts w the winter Of 1875 and an Of
fort snory aitcrwaru made ic have him indicted
ana punished HIS legal vile was taken bo.0re tho
Grand Jury 10 testify that she was the lawful MIRA
Acaser thereby (tabsh the IAct OF the brss
. rage. she <was asked The usual FORMAL questions
rs ~ her nanie place OF residence, but
she dd know either, and her answer 10 every IN
| TORI oguiory propounded was IL dont know"
In Tue same wintcr AND before the same Grand
jury which, by choice was composed largely .. non
Mornons, SIN another enort Was made 10 indict Tor
Tue OF poly gamy QUO Robert N. Russell, son-
| in-Aw of Brlghalns UrOther Joseph Russell had
short boz the proceedings TOR inactment COM
mcnced. married us poiylamous vile one Nellie
FilKin This woman was SUBJ 0,Uacd, and sw0re be-
the Gana Jury that she had NOT becn married 70
Russell; that she did Know hin and 10 her knowi-
edge had never him. Kusseips legal vile tostL
he'd that sho did not know tho woman
| FiIkin, yet matter OF Tact MS Ius-
| seh took psrs Va the marriage ceremony
| OF her husband 10 his concubine. Mira kussoli's
| father. Joseph YOuug, an OLD man bowed down WITH
years, WAS ncxt summoned 10 prove Thai his daughter
INC legal hrs. kosscI, bnt this aged saint s~oro
othe nqussors that he did not know such 20 90 the
fact. Thus indiCt for poly gamy was found 10 be