Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-23

10 ODtaln Vefulct, LOT nc oeneVeh, OF pro-
fosses to believe, that polygamy is q divine
institution, and that they who practice Il are
rendering obedience to God, and so he thinks,
or Processes to think, that prosecutions for
that offence are the most wicked tyranny,
and he will not find a verdict Of guilty under
any circumstances Aud IL has been found,
too, naturally enough, that the process Of
challenging for bias is generally Intellectual in
such cases. But animpartial jury once found,
a second difficulty arises in the inability
Of the prosecution TO prove the fact Of polyg-
amous practice, although every Mormon pri-
vately and publicly out of court admits its ex-
istence and defends IT, This difficulty Of
proof, Senator Edmunds says grows out. OF
the rule Of the law of procedure, which it has
been insisted required record or other direct
evidence Of the two or more marriages
though the Supreme Court has lately held
that proof of the admissions, etc, Of the &C.
cused can be given in evidence, which may
make convictions possible. But latterly the
Mormons have celebrated their marriages in
privacy and under the most stringent oblga-
tions Of secrecy, so that when a Mormon wit
hNon 10 bhhNh W BAONN Aho AhSNf NO htAh ho
scruple usually in denying any knowledge of
it.
Great as are the obstacles in the way, SEN
ator Edmunds believes, as before stated, that
the Government can put down polygamy
without any further legislation by Congress.
In addition he suggests that the encourage
ment Of non Mormon immigration, and the
dtonou NJ ct Tho avprn,rtattop xyh Oh
has been extensively practised-of large tracts
of the most valuable lands to or for the benefit
Of the Mormon church, would have valuable
effect in the right direction and another ef-
feotual disposition of the subject might be
made ia the annexation of different parts of
the territory to the contiguous states and
territories, by which the concentrated strength
of the voting power of the hierarchy would
be broken, and political Mormonism would
find itself in minority in the making and
administration Of local laws. But he con.
cludes that IL no measures Of legislation are
TO be resorted to, and il the administration Of
existing laws continues to be feeble, lax, and
intermittent, Mormonism in Utah, with it.
cardinal doctrine, polygamy, may no doubt
SpAhN vi iASAtg Abhb NhANNAs Inv tho boh'
ator earnestly believes that polygamy can be
and ought to be wiped out, his closing para.
graph pointedtly shows;
"Is it not quite time that in one direction
or the other a definite and living policy be
adopted and put in praotice2 II the polyga
my of Mormonism is TO be considered as
within the category of crimes that every we'll
ordered government is bound TO prevent and
punish, then the sooner the real strength Of
public opinion and the law is exerted, the
better for all concerned. The intrinsic evili
of crime are sufficiently great always, but
the evils OF crime against which laws de
nounce penalties that are never or but rarely
enforced are infinitely greater, for there i,
| brought into play the constant lesson Of dis
regard for law which people everywhere are
but too ready to learn. IT, on the other hand
polygamous Mormonism is to be considered
| by public opinion, and by those intrusted
with the making aud execution Of the laws
either as n local institution the regulation Of
which ought to belong to the community it.
self, or as a mere venial and sentimental Of
| fence that is only to be condemned becaus,
it is out Of the fashion Of the rest Of civilized
mankind, and so ought not to be punished by
| the persistent power of the law, and only dis
| couraged through the sermons of clergymen
| debates in Congress resulting in no legisla
ton, and messages of the Executives follow
| ed by no rigor Of administration, would it no
be far better, on the whole, for the govern
ment of the United States to renounce its do
minion of the subject, and remit its treatmen
to the Mormon hierarchy itself Either cours,
is PROFESSIONALLY open to practical accom-
plishment by the people and the government
of the United States. II we really mean t
exterminAte polygamy in Utah, it can easily b.
done by lawful and just means, and withou
doing an injury even (but rather a good) t.
all morally innocent persons involved in thu
practice, and their children"