The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-04
THE MORMONS.
TEE CAMPBELL-OAHNON CONGREs
BIONAL CONTEXT.
IahstAnes Of the Letter WFiIten By MF.
CanpbslI, the Contestant for CanuOn's
Scat, TO PreaIdeut Garaeld-ReA.
sons for Cannan'a Rejection Mot
POlIlIcaI NoF Religious.

WASHINGTON, April S.-Mr, A, G. Camp
bell, Of Utah, who proposes to contest thC
seat Of Delegate Cannon, in the Honse
sent letter to the Preaidsnt Thursday, Ii
which he states the reasons for making thu
contest, Hesays that circumstances have
made him the representative Of principles
and brought him forward as the opponent
Of system which he believes Is under
mining in our Western States and Ter
ritariea the bedrock upon which our Re
publican form OF Government rests. He
says that In view Of the light vote pslled
Tor him, he would not claim the seat but
Tor the fact his opponent at the late eleC.
ton was an alien. His claim rests on the
ground that he was the only citizen can.
didate. He says:
This b not q question OF religion. II
Ia question oil government, Of law and Of
morals. M0rmonism 10 increasing and
spreading In all the Territories and many
States Of the Union, 1t already influences
the politics OF our youngest State, Colo.
RADIO. II claims 10 hold the balance OF
power In Idaho, and 10 making great head.
way In other Territories soon TO become
States In Utah alone thousands Of chill.
dren, born OF Mormon parents, are grow.
Ing pp with no other education than Nor,
mon schools can furnish, with the Book
OF Mormon as their textbook OF morality,
and the necessity Of living their religion
and paying their tithes imposed upon
them as the first duty OF lie.
"The revenues Of the Mormon Church
last year, II is stated, exceeded 81 900, 900.
This great sum 10 absolutely at the disposal
Of the leaders Of the church. Every
Federal officer who has dared 10 20 against
the church has been met by organized
Misrepresentation and Calumny, Ex.
Delegate Cannon, am told, recently
boosted 10 an Ex-Governor OF the Terri.
tory that he had the scalp Of every Gov.
ernotof Utah who had ever opposed him
hanging In his belt, except Gov. Murray's,
and he was going for that.
"1t ls not necessary Tor me TO refer In
detail to Governor MurEays action In my
own case, and to'the Misrepresentation
that have been spread abroad In regard To
1t, because that matter, when the time
comes, will be investigated by the proper
tribunal. j wiGh, however, to say that
the Governors action was taken alter
elaborate argument by able lawyers on
the legal points involved, and has since
been upheld by the decision oil court OF
Utah. hold myself prepared 10 prove
that the pretended, certificate Of naturali.
zation, upon which my contestant relies,
iBl o bogus certificate, unsus,ained BY a
line Of record ii the court from which II
purports to have been issued. The official
journals Of the House Of Representatives,
| believe, will further rShow that instead oi
this question having been passed upon,
as hab been claimed, by q committee OF q
previous Congress, Il was passed over
without any report"
y The letter then goes on 10 recount the
power and the influence which the church
wieldS In the Territory, and the obstacle
which II presents 10 the material as we'll
as moral ProgreRs oi the country. II says
that "it Is lrue polygammy ls forbidden
by an existing law Of Congress, but that
law cannot be enforced. No IaCts are bet.
ter known In Utah than these, that the
late delegate from that Territory has four
openly acknowledged wives, and that his
nomination to Congfess In place Of Dele.
gase Hooper, q, monogamist, was dictated
ty the Mormon president, Brigham Y Young,
ior the jaEoWed purpose Of forcing
Congress- TO recognize the institution OF
The Anh!Folygamy Standard,
B Newspaper published In Salt Lake City,
ot March !, 1881, copy Of which en-.
close, publishes the names OF these wives
and the number oi children they have
borne twenty seven In ally, and this pub.
licatloh has not been controVerted. House
report No, 4S4, 6rst session, Forty third
Congress, (page 4), contains the statement
Of the then sitting delegate that he 10 not
living with four wives, and that be 10 not
living or cohabitatlng with any wives In
defiant or wilful violation OF the law OF
Congress Of 1862, prohibiting polygamy 10
the Territories"
The letter concludes as follows: New,
vigorous and direct legislation 10 needed
10 correct this great evil. Now is the time
10 strike. II will not do 10 nurse and pro.
tect this great wrong until, like slavery, Il
threatenB the overthrow OF the Govern
ment, and requires the best blood OF the
Suuuu1 W Mhbu ~ OuI 4uUb6 WuU now
plead that pOlygamy is q divine institu.
tioh are perhaps as sincere as those who
In times past pleaded the divine origin Of
slavery, but they are none the less danger.
GUS enemies of free government and
republican institutions. Your message
has raised hope 10 Utah that should not
be blighted. There are thoueands OF
young men and women there who long
ior deliyetanCe from the bSleiui shadow
Of polygamy, and who are ready to come
10 the front 20 soon 90 they are assured
that Congress and the Administration are
determined 10 Tree them. Give them This
ASSURANCE Mr.. President, and, as Abraham
Lincoln lives In history as the liberator Of
the slaves, your Administration wili be
memorable as that which gave The death.
blow 70 that twin relic Of batbafiSm-