Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-13

arles Tor political purposes, WHEREBY the
hlgh-placed man uses his suoordinates "a
mere Instruments for drawing money out OF
| the treasury and putting 1t into fund
which is used 10 manufacture public judg-
ment and corrupt elections. 1t Is the worst
form that public theft has yet taken. II Is
forbidden by law; but the law Is evaded.
| Now, think of a statute 10 disfranchlse these
| criminals and all who psrtake oil their guilt,
and imagine a commission sweeping out
| every executive officer who refuses 10
swear that he has neither done
| the criminal act himself as yet, nor
| got member OF Congress to do it for him.
I'm truth, this iniquitous rule could not
and would not be practiced, or even thought
! OF, against anybody except the Mormons.
| But very many regard Mormons as beyond
| the pale Of constitutional protection, and
| would greet any outrage upon them, how
ever trescherous or illegal, with ACCLAIM ations
| OF applause. / do not ask that>they be ex-
empted from punishment for what is amiss
in their conduct. But give them trial and
leave them in possession of their rights until
| they are deprived of them by due process of
| law. That is only what / would demand for
myself; for you, and for all Others"
at is generally believed that polygamous
Mormons in Utah are not numerous; that
ther votes can be spared, and that the great
body OF the people who are non-poiygamous
Mormons can still outnumber their enemies
and have the election their own way. Ii that
be true, will it not all come right, notwlth-
standing the rule OF the commission"
LAWS THAT ENCOURAGE VICE
Judge Black-I cannot speak with accu-
racy, but | believe that the enemies OF free
government ia Utah are as nearly as POSI-
BILE one fifteenth of the population. OF the
other fourteen ifteenths something above
ten per cent. are accused truly or falsely OF
polygamy. Excluding these last from the
polls, the people can still beat the inimical
faction ten 10 one. But it is feared that
many others will Indignantly refuse to take
the unlawful oath or let their names go upon
| a registry from which their fellow-citizens
are unjustly stricken. Besides the anti
popular party is Strengthening itself with
| recruits from the vIlest dens of infamy; Tor
instance, the keeper of large and notorious
house OF ill-fame and all the inmates of her
establishment are already registered, the
commissioners having modified the oath
against unlawful cohabitation, so that The
votes of them and their male customers are
received with all the honors, while married
people are excluded, simply because they
are married according TO the law OF God, as
they believe it. This is not all. The COM
mission is a returning board and some Datu-
raj terror is felt lest the foul job be ended
by false return.
Again, say, these commissioners are, or
were when appointed, men of excellent repu-
tation. Their superiors for integrity and
ability could hardly have been found in the
Union. To me ii seemed a mere matter of
course that they would perform with perfect
fidelity the simple duty assigned them OF
holding the elections according TO law. l
could not anticipate that they would unite
with the enemies OF the people TO deprive
them of their franchises. / would soon
have suspected them of joining james and
his gang TO rob the express trains"
"Do you mean TO say that others have evil
designs upon the people of Utah which this
conduct OF the commission will promote"
REBELLION IN UTAH.
Judge Blsck-Yes! there is a life and
death struggle going on between the people
who are trying to save their right of local
self-goyernmenI and a crew of goddess
wretches who are strainipg every nerve to
take il from them. Let me explain: The
settlers who were there in lS47 became organ
lied under a Territorial government which
gave them the privileges of free community,
with Legislature of their own 10 make their
local laws, and with officers of their own
choice to manage their local affairs. They
exercised this power with so much prudence
that the community grew and prospered ex-
ceediUgly. Their industry and frugality
were SO universal that extreme poverty be-
came thing unknown. Their ways we're
ways of pleasantness, for they did justice |
and administered charity, not only TO one |
another, but TO all who lived among them |
and the stranger within their gates. Law |
tisties show them 10 be the most virtuous |
and upright people that ever colonized |
a new country on this continent. /
They had great natural difficulties TO over
come. The valley of the great Salt Lake,
when they went to it, was an arid desert so
barren that Col. Burger, who knows it well,
said he would give $1,000 for the first bushel
of wheat that could be grown there. But by
a system Of irrigation, admirably organized,
established by enormous labor, and main
tanned by incessaHt vigilance, together with
steady and skillful cultivation, they have
made it goodly land of fruitful farms and
towns. This great result could have
been achieved only by free people pre-
tected only BY laws of their own making, ad.
ministered by officers of their own choice.
To take from them the right of local self
would be visitation upon them
worse than a general conf sgralion.
"How could change in their government
produce such a disastrous effect?"
Judge Black-I will tell you in moment
But Just here let me show you now the evil
hing is threatened. The governor and other
Federal officers, and few more who back
them, have for years made no secret of their
desire to clutch the territorial government.
Early in the last session they lobbied for an
act of Congress authorizing them TO seize it
But they failed entirely. After the Edmunds
bill, and after the commission by its neglect |
1f duty had broken down the August cleo
ion, they got an amendment stuck into the
appropriation bill and passed through the
Iame in utter ignorance OF the situation.
But that, too, was an abortion, for it did not
give the mnch-coveted power. Since that
lime (ouly a few days sgo) the governor has
ssued proclamation declaring bis intention
o throw out los of the peoples officers, and
naming the persons whom he will put in
heir places. This is grand coup de etat
which, if it succeeds, will make the whole
government the prey of the
poiler. He and his assist ants in the
niquity will annihilale the power OF
he people to govern themselves so ss 10
manage their own affairs in any particu-
ar. Controlling the local magistrates the
herifs and constabIes there will be ne check
pon their rapacity. Owning every assessor,
ollector, treasurer and all custodians OF
ublic money, they will reAl IN plumber
70 mans rights or property will be secure,
nd no man can safely follow any business
ut that OF theft. To frame excuses for these
cts of oppression they will invade the priv
cy of families; kitchens and bed-ch ambers
ill be watched by eayesdroppers and visited
y hireling spies or lying delaytors. A vol
ar despoilsm like that would be a measure. =,
,ss calamity to any community on which it
light be imposed. To Utah it would be q
atsl. She cannot stand what South Carolina .
id. No ten years Of good stealing can be
,und there" =
"Wby do you believe that such terrible
1nsequences will follow the governors suc-
sss in this movement? II seems to me
ard and harsh to denounce them in adj
ance."
THE DANGER OF NATIONAL OPPRESSION.
Judge Black-I can only Judge of the
I,ure by the past. / expect these persons
act after their kind. All men who by
rec or fraud ever got possession of such
5wer, have abused il most atrociously and
lie set is as bad as another. Wherever an
nperial government has sent its agents upon
outlying province to control il without |
gard to the rights, feelings or interest OF
e people, plumber, oppression and cruelty
ave gone with them. ireland attests this
: 700 years OF suffering. Our fathers as
rted 1t in the Declaration of Independence,
I'd if you want more recent proof, look at
e unspeakable ouirages perpetrated upon
e South by the carpetbag felons. All
linking men know II Is a maxim that the
fusal OF local self government, or home
lie, TO any State or Territory means The
nial OF everything which is honest or Just.
ssides this general principle there is a
ecial reason for disirusting these federal
s in Gtab. The man who leads them ia
e same governor who, less than a year sgo,
lemnly certified the election of csndi-
tie for delegate 10 Congress, though he
lew him TO be defeated by more than four
IN to one. / venture 10 say that, take il 1
together, this Is the mott Hnprineipled raid |
At Was ever m ade unon the El,artfas ~ .n-