The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-03-02
MORMON MONKEYINGs.
The Much Married Saints Sign
ing Petitions,
Asking Congress to Halt and Not Dis
turb Their Family Trees and
Their Foul Offshoots.

SALT LAKE CITY, February 23.-Yes-
terday, at a word of command, petitions
praying Congress to halt in legislating
for Utah were presented at probably
every house in the territory. Children
in all Mormon schools were made TO
sign, or their names were signed for
them, Gentiles were asked to sign, and
probably a black list will be made of
such as declined, while many names
representing nobody will appear to
these petitions. There is under church
pressure, an apparent unanlmity among
MOrmOns in demanding to be let alone,
but il is not really numerous. The
Mormon elements that desire the Gov
ernment to assert itself are so hampered
by their relations and surroundings,
however, that they dare not make
sign. They must be sure that power
has departed from Israel tirst. Business
men are being accOsted to-day, ana
their fears worked up by threats of an
uprising of ostracism in business, and
in every other way. 1t can not be
learned that a single Gentle business
house has signed, however, Bishop
Sharp went East some days since, pre-
sumably to bring the railroad interest
to the rescue of pOlygamy and the
church's rule. Apostle Thatcher went
on to-day to stir up business houses in
terested in the Mormon trade. Apostle
Smith went to Washington to keep
Brother Cannon company.
Sundays preaching at the Taber-
nacle by Apostle Wells and Thatcher
affirmed that the sum of Mormon dis
loyalty was their adherence of Jesus
Christ; denounced Governor Murray by
name; denounced the proposed legisla-
tiOn by Congress as subversive of Eber-
ty, and appealed from the decision Of
the Supreme Court respecting pOlyga-
my to the court in which Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob sit. In the Legisla-
ture since the adoption of the joint res
OlutiOn asking for an investigation" a
Joint committee has been appointed to
arrange for holding State Convention,
organizing the State and State Govern
ment, and demanding admission into
the Union on the ground that Congress
is required by the Constitution to guar
antee to every State Republican form
of government. There are no signs of
concession, but superhuman efforts will
be made to stave off action by Congress
without concession. On the other hand,
the Gentiles are firm and united. At a
meeting to-day, in view of the situa-
tiOn, they resolved that thanking the
Senate for the Edmunds bill and mem
hers of both Houses, and especially the
Judiciary Committee of both Houses, for
their good will and hearty efforts in be-
half of right, we declare our conviction
that the bill creating commission to
supercede the pOlygamOus Legislature
of Utah is the only measure before Con-
gress, or that can be put before Con
gress, which will not be evaded and
nullified and as easily as the present
anti-pOlygamy law is and has been.
Pass that bill and MOrmOns will pTac-
tically give up the fight. They will dis
integrate in spite of all they can do, and
the government, showing itself Gov
eTnment, will soon have plenty of Nor
mon supporters. A large proportion of
them are secretly praying, while sign
ing petitions against, for Congressional
action so decisive as to enable them tC
come out in favor of it without fear
Pass any bill less sweeping, on the con.
tTary, they will all be whipped in, and
the long, wearisOme fight against de.
cency will grind on indefinitely, as i'll
the past. Therefore, we most respect.
fully, yet earnestly, urge the passage
by Congress of Willitts' bill for com
mission pure and simple.
NORWICH, CONN.,, February 23.-A
large and influential anti-pOlygamy
mass meeting was held here last even
ing.