New-York tribune., 1882-03-11
MORMON PETITIONS IN THE HOUSE.


WASHINGTON March 10-Speaker Keifer laid be-
fore the House to-day four very bulky documents
which he had received from the Mormon authori
ties of Utah. One of these memorial pur
pcrting TO be signed by 10000 women of Utah
against hasty, reckless action III regard TO the po
litical dsorganization of that Territory" TIE Sec
ond was a similar memorial purporting to contain
the signatures of l., 37S of Utah CMormOnsj
protesting against the proposed antipolygamy
legislation. The third similar memorial pur-
porting TO have been signed by 1905 young
men" of Utah, and the fourth was similar memo
rial signed by 1896 young ladies of Utah" The
last mentioned document concluded as follows
We the young ladies Utah Territory, do most sol
emny and truthfuy declare that neither we nor our
greatest possible freedom socially and reg0usy that
homes are happy ones ana We are heltheT low nor
degraded for the principles OF purity virtue INTEGRITY
and loyalty the Government OF the United states nave
been instied into our minds and hearts since our earl
est childhood According to what we read and can
learn from other s0ufees IN no pace IN inc Topi s
care than by people for we have been Taught ana
do understand that this Is greatest boom a ABOVE
Jewels or wealth and precious than life ITSELF and
we therefore most resoectfuy memOraze your honor
able body TO pOstpOue further action on an ois Fiie
and unprciudiced men and women TO inquire into and
learn the true state of affairs in this Territory.
A TRIBUNE correspondent considering this
document when Congressman Willis, of Mich
igan, entered the room and said: Looking
over the Mormon petitions, are you
Would you like TO know how they were got
up9 Come with me-" Mr.. Willis then led the
way to his own committee-room, and handed to the
correspondent letter addressed to him from place
in Utah, dated February %, follows
Pardon me for addressing you The do so is
because have seen through the press that you are
friend of the liberal cause in Utab On the evening of
Tebruory % the MOTmOns here had meeting for the
purpose Of signing memorial to Congress asking that
body not to make any legislation hostile to the MSrmons
han he
Bishop told the audience that he wanted every one.
Mormon aud Gentle, and every child over eight years
old 10 sign IT, and if any could write his to
get else 30 write II for him. Aud every one
must here state that the want" when the Bishop
SAYS It, Is command 10 the MOrmOns Therefore Con-
& @ fna e1p G very as w S PSo
and Mormon dare refuse 10 sign It, because if he does
The next speaker at the meeting was an Englishman
with three wives Ito informed the audience that It
HObodys business how many wives man had, ana Con.
cress would never DC able 10 make law that would
come slaves to the devil (which, Interpreted in the
Mormon style, not to obey any law that does
been demonstrated in this town On February - one
went 10 salt Lake Cy and got married 70 young
girl at the same time having wife and children at
home In this case as In many others when 1t touches
false in regard the first weto take the subsequent
wives by the hands ana give them to her husband In
cest is no crime among the Mormons are many In
stances were mother and daughter have married the
man. and he raises children with both Many men
marry two three sisters and raise children with them
all and the time. II Congress could fully
realize situation IL would not take that honorable
body long TO enact laws that would cure the evil here
Mr.. Willis, after asking the correspondent not to
use the name appended to this letter said: II am
not personally acquainted with the writer, but the
Rev. J. Mcmillan, the Superintendent of Presby-
teran Missions who lives at Salt Lake City, knows
him well-that he is man of excellent character
and entirely Trustworthy that he is United States
officer who lives at the place where his letter is
dated, a hundred miles more from Salt Lake
CITY, and that he was for some ten years Mormon
and is now an apOstate from that church"
According to the letter the names appended to
tie memorials presented to-day all that the
officers OF the church have been able to obtain. and
the affecting document purporting to enanate from
the young ladies of Utah " contains the names of
oil girls over eight years of age, written by them
selves or somebody else and the l3,O35 Young
men Of Utah" include all boys above eight years Of
age The prompt exposure of these facts will do
Some good, if il shows no more than that the Nor
mons are reduced TO desperate straits and ready
to practice any sort of deception III order to post
pOHe action by Congress.
The Republicans in the House intend to call up
The anti -polygamy bill early next week, and II will
BE- promptly passed unless the Democrats shall in
sist upon a long discussion Of it or shall tbustcr
against 1t.