The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-01-15

Mormon cause by the preparation Of
such outragea as that OF giving the
certificate of election 10 Allen G.
Campbell, they will find themselvrs
grievously mistaken. The fight 1t
dishonorabIe, unmanly and cowardly
1t cannot be approved by the better
elements of society, and it is from
those that the. snti-Mormons must re-
ceive effective support if their cause
is just and ought to prevail. The
rabble and inconsiderate only csn
sanction such extraordinary proceed
ings, while the honest and intelligent
people OF the country whose opinion
has weight, ard wboge Influence car
ries with it force, must proclaim
against such glazing outrages and
monstrous disregard Of the law. Their
sympathy naturally goes with the per-
secuted and oppressed, whatever be
their opinions as TO the individuals.
This feeling is already maniiestlng
itself in those disinterested but fair
minded editors and statesmen who
have spoken OF the Governors in
fanny. One United States senator
says sit does seem q pity, if 2olygam5
is to be stamped out, that its prosecu-
ton should weaken their case by
irregular and unlawful proceedings.
It will only end in making Cannon 3
martyr" This statesman looks
at the matter correctly and
in its true light. Whatever
may be thought OF polygany, intel
ligent American citizens will not ap-
prove the prosecution oil those who
practice it by other than lawful
means. They will not applaud the
wicked assumption OF power by which
a governor disfanchises 10000
people. If Congress should cay that
Mormons may not vote, or hold
Office or ait on iuries, the American
public would stand by the law 50 long
as il remained on the statute books,
but so long as Mormons retain their
rights as citizens, that public will
conoemn the conduct Of the man or
party that seeks to deprive them Of
their rights by unlawful means.
Sympathy is turned 10 the prosecuted,
and not plauditS to the prosecutor.
Mr.. Cannon, we undertake to say,
has more and warmer friends in
Congress to-day than ever before.
His brother congressman feel that
an unfair advantage is being taken Of
him, that he and his people arc being
dealt by 10 a manner that is cowardly
and violently inconsistent with the
republican idea of justice. The
martyr element comes to the front
and people inquire what kind OF a
crew there is cut here in Utah that
will perpetrate and sanction such
ouIages upon law and dsoency.
Says the Chicago Times: "It Mcl-
monism must be abolished, let it be
done openly and squarely by the
national legislature, if it has the
right OF abolition, but let not
the law OF election be lightly
violated by any official of state,
however absolute he may COL
slider his brief authority to be. In
stead OF advancing the cause OF po-
lygamous suppression. extreme men,
Ike the Governor of Utah. only fur
nish the champions Of Mormonism
with q very plausible defense" This
is what the thinking classes of the
country will say. Whatever is done,
let the line of the law be followed,
bat do not permit an ignorant, pre-
iudiced official to usurp authority and
set at naught the most sacred statutes
to be found in the books. II the cleo
ton laws may be thus shamefully
cast aside and trAmpled into the
dust, there is little use for other en-
actments.