Morning journal and courier., 1882-04-21
Sournal arrb Courier.
Friday Morning, April 21. 1882.
DELEGATE CANYONS CASE.

DELEGATE CANYONS CASE. It is encouraging that at last the national
 House of Representatives has decided that the seat which has been filled by the Nor
 mons for thirty-two years is not open to a polygamist and champion and an advocate
 of polygamy. Though this decision comes late it will be generally and warmly approved
 and will convince Cannon's fellow polyga-
 mists, if they need to be convinced, that the
 attack upon their vile practices which has begun is serious one.
 If the House needed any justification for it's vote upon Cannon's claims 1t could be found in the speech he made in defense of himself and of his Church just before the vote was taken. He began by saying that he
 was comforted by one rehection-that Chris l tianity which had been extolled upon the
 floor, had itself suffered persecution and that it's founder had been cruciied between two
 thieves. Ever since those days, he continued,
 those who had opposed popular ideas had suf-
 fered for their action and many of them laid
 down their lives in defense of their opinions.
 He declared that the charges made against his
 people in the House were false, aud then re-
 viewed the history of the Territory, saying
 that the Mormons had aided in the fight
 against the Mexicans, and had raised the
 United States flag at Salt Lake before that
 part of the country had been acquired from
 Mexico. He declared that in no place were there greater freedom and liberty in choosing Representative than in Utah, and denied that there was any connection there between Church and State, although he admitted that every man over twenty-one years of age and of good reputation was a preacher in the Mormon Church. He attempted defense of polygamy. It had been charged, he said, that his people practised polygamy because they were icentious and lecherous, but he directed the attention of the House to the fact that if the people were led by licentious motives they could accomplish their purposes at much less expense in some other way. It would not be necessary to assume the burden of large family. My people," said he, practice polygamy because they believe it to be right and a religious duty, in obedience to command of God, given for the redemp- tion of the race. Plural wives were taken so that marriage may be lifted up; so that every woman may have chance to be mother honorably, and so that there may be left no margin for lust to prey upon" The House very naturally laughed at this, and seeing that his remarks were not well received MT. Cannon acknowledged that it would be unwise to dwell upon those points any longer, but he assured the House that the Mormons had many good arguments in support of their be- lief and practices which he had not presented. ''We are wiling" said he, ''to be on the same plane with Abraham. He will not lcok down upon us when we go where he is, and we will not be ashamed when we pass through the gates to his abode"
 In this contest the Democrats of the House, with few exceptions, have supported the claims of the polygamous Cannon. One of them, MT. Cassidy of Nevada, refused to go with his party in this matter and made an emphatic protest. against allowing Cannon to retain his seat, in the course of which he said ''The American Congress has been accessory to the crime of polygamy long enough. I favor the suppression of this crime, and to that end I favor the suppress sion of polygamists, and especially the sup pression of their acknowledged leader in Utah Territory.' Mir. Cassidy is wiser than the Democrats who did not act with him. He is in harmony with the best sentiment of the country, and has thus shown himself unfit to be Democrat.