Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-30
THE MoRMoNs.
THEIR SCHEME TO DEFEAT THE WORKING
OF THE EDMUiyDs ACT

| THEIR SCHEME TO DEFEAT THE WORKINGS
OF THE EDMUilDs ACT.
WASHINGTON, July pa determined
effort will be made by the Mormons to m axe
nugatory the law enacted at the present ses-
sion OF Congress to suppress polygamy. The
Mormons are acting in concert and, they be-
lieve, with fair prospect of success. Ex-
Delegate Cannou, who has passed the greater
part of his time in Washington since
the seat TO which he was elected was
deciared-yaeaut, recently sf,eng ons- week
In Utah, and II is thought that when he
wasthere programme of orderly resistance to
the operations of the anti-polygamy law was
mapped out This bill, it will be remem.
bered, imposes fine OF not more than $500
or imprisonment for not more than six
months, or both in the discretion of the
court. upon any person convicted of cob abit-
ing with more than one woman, and no
peiygamlst bIgamist, or person cohabiting
with more than one woman is eligible for
election or appointment or to hold any office
in, under, or for any Territory, or place in,.
or under the United States. Next fail
there will be a great struggle between the
Gentiles and the Mormous in the elections
for such Territorial officers as are not an.
pointed by the President. This election will
be held under the supervision OF the com
mission recently appointed by the President.
IN obedience to the requirements OF the act
Tor the suppression of polygamy. The Nor
mons outnumber the Gentiles in Utah bv
many thousands. The women are allowed
to vote, although they are subject
to the same penalties as men
Tor violations OF the anti-poIygamv
law. Delegate Cannon il authority for
the statement that one in every eight and
half of the Mormons is a monogamist, and
therefore the Mormons outside of those
practicins polygamy are equal to, if not
greater in number than the Gentiles. but the
Mormons intend to do all that lies in their
power to retain the political suprem acy they
now possess in Utah, and the contest between
the friends and foes of polygamy will be
long and bitter. In conversation yesterday
Cannon said:
sour people are determined 10 test the
constitutionality of the Edmunds act, and il
is probable that three or four cases will be
made at The first opportunity to lay before
the Supreme Court 1t is true that since the
passage of the bill many Mormons have
ceased TO live with more than one wife. John
Taylor, president Of the church, for example,
who formerly dwelt in one house with ali
his wives, has placed his wives in different
houses, and is living with one of them
There are other cases that / know OF where
Mormens having plpral wives have separated
from them entirely. In one instance a man
who married two sisters at the same time
many years ago put them in a dwelling by
themselves, refusing to live with one to the
exclusion of the other. There will be many
cases, of course, where men will refuse to
abandon their wives under any circum-
stances. ] have endeavored to persuade the
old men particularly to regulate the conduct
of their households so that they cannot be
of violations of the law. Many
Of the elder members of the church would
die if imprisoned, and we cannot afford TO
lose the counsel of many of those who
cufors il they persisted in their old way of
living"
aDo yon expect many OF the Mormons
having plural wives to vote the next cleo |
tion?"
81 cannot tell how many will vote, but |
great number will sttempt 10 vote. Take |
the case of man having two wives. After |
the passage of the Edmuuds bill, he places
one or both in a separate residence from the |
one in which he makes his home. He ap-
plies to register his name as voter. The |
registry officer says TO the man that he is
The reply will be demand to |
be registered, and the production of proof |
that the would-be voter has cohabifed with |
more than one woman. The man would be
apt to say: II have had, it is true, two wives,
but law has been enacted making it unlaw-
full for me in this Territory 60 cohahit with |
more han one woman You cannot presn rte.4
that am a viofarer of tue law. deny that |
/ have violated the law. You must prove
that have violated the Law before you eau
deny me the rights guaranteed a citizen by
the constitution A great deal depends upon
the spirit in which the commission eniorces
the law. II it acts in a liberal spirit and
withstands the bigoied sentiment that made
possible the passage of fuch a monstrous
bill, / think that in the course OF time our
people will pass through the ordeal without
the loss Of homes and families"
"Will not the temporary rupture OF po-
iygamous ties ultimately make many OF your
people monogamists?"
'sThst is question that cannot be. satis-
faciorily answered until after the experiment
is fully tried. The Mormons will hold fast
to their faith. We have borne persecution
in the past and are prepared 10 meet
this, the greatest of all our trials,
in the future. We stand together
and sink personal differences for the
common good. In unity there is
strength. We trust TO time for our vindi-
cation. Civilization is constantly advapc-
ing. New people are pouring into the
country around u.s. We are 150,0 people
in the midst of 10000, 900, and certainly can
not harm this great country il we were dis
posed to do So II we are wrong, the civil
ization Of the future viii compel us TO aban-
don our faith, but laws enacted in obedience
to a wild clamor from people entirely iguor-
ant OF our institutions will not drive us from
our religion and our famih.s."