, 1882-12-22
Harems VS.. Homes

THE GOVERNOR OF IDAHO IN MS ANNUAL
MESSAGE DELIVERS A sCATH1NG DENUN-
CITATION OF PoLYGAMY AND ITS PRE-
CEPTS.
BOISE Cry, Idaho, Dec. 1.-THE leg
The. assembly organized 10y electing ID.
w. Fouch Of Ada county, republican,
speaker. The governor delivered his
message before joint session last even
ing. Following is what he says on oily
gamy and election laws: Once more it
becomes my solemn duty to warn the
legislative power against further tolera-
ton of practice 50 fraught with woe to
all that we as Americans hold dear; for
| feel certain that the complete realiza-
ton OF the scheme of the Mormon priest
hood means the entire subversion of all
those rights anil privileges enjoyed un-
der our free Institutions. There can be
no true life, no genuine liberty, no real
happiness under a system which cOmpels
implicit obedience of temporal affairs to
the mandates Of bigoted priests, There
can he no general enlightenment of the
people in system which, instead of the
beneficent free schools instituted by the
fathers;would substitute therefor schools
wherein priests teach the youthful mind
to love and obey the doctrines of polyga-
my, blood atOnement and others equally
as Objectionable There can be no true
homes in system which introduces
polygamy into the family 1t robs the
home Of its name in every sacred sense
of the word Before such an intrusion
peace, dignity, honor and love must flee.
HAREMS CANNOT BE SUBSTITUTED
For homes with any assurances that so
ciety can be improved by the change II
the doctrine of polygamy were to be
universally accepted and practiced, his
tory would simply repeat itself. Women
would be sold from the auction block,
and men would fall to the level of the
brute. Let MS move onward with the
march of civilization, taking no steps
backward to toy and daily with tie
worst of barbarous relics Of the past.
The Mormon church cannot survive q e
loss of this criminal practice. 1t de-
serves to perish from the face OF the
earth, for that which is buildel on no
surer, nobler foundation than mere lust,
has no right to exist, The people Of
idaho have recently given expression to
lltlI WAStlto uJOil llllN HlbIONVs tAANA l. IL
joice in the knowledge that their senti-
ments accord with my own. My faith
in the honor aud integrity OF the people
of Idaho has never wavered. The
verdict returned in the recent election
shows that my confidence in the people
was not misplaced. Therwill has been
registered. They demand the complete
extirpation of polygamy within our bor-
ders. You are here to effect their man
date, andtit is within Infinite satisfaction
that | now suggest the adoption Of some
such measures as the following: That
the law of evidence be so framed that 70
person shall be excluded from testifying
in any proceeding in a prosecution for
polygamy on account of marriage r5la-
items with the defendant; that cohabitg-
tion with more than one wife constitutes
a continuous Offense, and that TO preach
in favor OF the doctrine OF polygamy, or
Knowingly to aid or assist Others to en-
ter into polygamous relations, be made
crime punishably as severely as tie
crime of polygamy itself; and that Con-
gress be memorialized to amend the
present antl-polygamy laws to the end
that the now well-recognized defects in
the same may be remedied so as to rem
der possible the conviction OF the guilty,
by giving the United States and terri
torial courts coordinate jurisdiction. [
also desire TO direct attention to al act
Of the last session of Congress known as
the Edmund's bill BY that act all
polygamists are disfranchised and dis
qualified for office, but the machinery
for enforcing the provisions of the law
apply to Utah only. 1t is no eXaggera- .
ton to say that III two or more counties
in this territory polygamists vote and
hold Office precisely as though no such
law was upon the statute books. This is
state of affairs which requires n remedy
at your hands. The laws regulating and
governing elections are by no means
perfect The power and duties Of can
vassing boards should be more speciti-
cally defined so that the intention OF the
law in respect thereto may be clearly un-
derstood. No door should be left open
whereby members of canyassing boards
may throw out sufficient number OF
votes to change the result of an election,
and thus by arbitrary methods defeat
the will Of the people. 1t not untrequent-
ly happens that members OF canvasslng
boards are candidates for reelection, or
for some other office, and instances have
occurred when this fact has influenced
such officers to refuse to count or can
yass the votes OF certain precincts in or
der to make certain their own election.
The law in this respect should be SO
framed that tagrant wrongs of tins ma
ture could not be perpetrated, aud se-
we're penalties should be provided for al
who attempt to change the result OF an
election in this or any other manner. |
respectfully recommend the passage OF q
law requiring a registration OF voters,
prior to each general election.