Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-10-03
The Mormon Circular.
WASHINGTON, Sen

WASHINGTON, Sept. l9.
| The following is the text of the cir
cular-letter of instruction of the Secre-
tary OF Stoto to tho difolossa at;y, officers
of the United States in the various coun-
tries from which Mormon emigrants
come to this country. Although stated
in substance some weeks ago, the State
Department has not until now felt at
| liberty to make the circular public in
its entirety:
! WASHINGTON, D. c., August 0, 1S79.-SR
! The annual statistics of emigration into the
! United States show that large numbers of en-
| igrants come to our shores every year from
| the various countries of Europe for the
avOwed purpose of joining the Mormon com
munity at Salt Lake, in the Territory of Utah,
under the auspices and guidance of the ennis
| saries and agents of that community in for
| eign parts. This representation of the
interests of Mormonism abroad, which
! has been carried on for years. is under
stood to have developed unusual activity of
| late, especially in -, among other coun-
| tries where IL has unfortunately obtained a
| greater or less fOOthOld. The system of DO
| lygamy which is prevalent in the community
| of Utah is largely based upon and promoted
| by these accessions from Europe, drawn main
| ly from the ignorant classes, who are easily
| influenced by the double appeal to their pas
sions and their poverty, held out in the hatter-
| ing picture OF home IN the fertile and pros
| porous region where Mormonism has estah-
| lished its material seat. Inasmuch as the
practice of polygamy is based on a form of
| marriage by which additional wives are
" sealed' to the men of that community, these
| so'cslled marriages. are pronounced by the
| laws of the United States to be crimes against
statutes of the country, and punishable as
| such.
On the 1st of July, 1862 the Congress of the
| United States passed an act expressly de-
! signed, as appears from its title, ITO punish
and prevent the practice of polygamy in the
! Territories of the United States and other
| places" etc. That act remains the law of the
land as to its continuing provisions, which,
in the revision of the Statutes of the United
| States made in 1874, read as follows:
"sEc. No. 1852. Every person having a
husband or wife living who marries another,
| whether married or single, in Territory or
other place over which the United States have
| exclusive Jurisdiction, is guilty of bigamy,
and shall be punished by fine of not more
| than $500 and by imprisonment for a term not
exceeding more than three years. But this
| section shall not extend to any person by rea-
son of any former marriage, whose husband
or wife by such marriage is absent for FIVE
| successive years and is not known to such
| person to be living, nor to any person by rea-
son of any former marriage which has been
| dissolved by decree of a competent court, nor
| to any person by reason of any former mar
| riage which has been pronounced void by de-
| cree of a competent court on the ground of
nullity of the marriage contract"
Whatever doubt, If any, has heretofore ex-
listed as to the efficiency of the law above
| cited, and the intent Of the General Govern
ment TO enforce it, has now been terminated
by the recent decision of the Supreme Court,
! the highest judicial tribunal of the land, sus-
tanning the constitutionality of the legislation
and affirming the conviction and punishment
of offenders against law.
| Under whatever speciOus guise the subject
may be presented by those engaged in investi-
| eating the huropvaTl movement to swell the
numbers of the law-defying Mormons OF
Utah, the bands and organizations which are
| got together in foreign lands as recruits can
not be regarded as otherwise than deliberate
and systematic attempt to bring persons to
the United States with the intent of violating
their laws and committing crimes expressly
punishable under the statutes as penitentiary
| otfenses.
No friendly power will, of course knowing
! ly lend its aid, even indirectly, to attempts
made within its borders against the laws and
Government of country wherewith IL is al
peace, with established terms of amity and
reciprocal relations of treaty between them
while, even were there no questions involved
| OF open and penal infraction of the laws of
| the land every consideration of comfy should
| prevail to prevent the territory of q friendly
| State from becoming resort or refuge for
the crowds of misguided men and women
whose oifense against morality and decency
would be intolerable in the land from whence
| they come.
It is not doubted, therefore, that when the
subject is brought to its attention the Gov
ernment of - will take such steps as may
be compatible with its laws and usages to
check the organization of these criminal en-
terprises by agents who are thus operating be-
yond the reach of the law of the United States
and to prevent the departure of those propos-
ing to come hither as violators of the law by
engaging In some criminal enterprises, by
whomsoever instigated.
You are instructed, therefore, to present
the matter TO the Government of -
through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and
TO urge earnest attention to 1t, In the interest
not merely of faithful execution OF the law
of the United States, but of the peace, good
order, ard morality which are cultivated and
sought TO be promoted by all civilized coun
tries You viii fortify your representations