Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-18
Tuesday, December IS, 1888.
THE HEAD MoRmon HEARD FRoNT

THE HEAD AIORmoE HEARD FRORr
 The North American Review believes in giving both sides chance. Therefore in the current number the Mormon question is discussed by. John Taylor, President of the Mormon Church, and Eli H. Murray, Cover nor of Utah, and an uncompron1ising oppo- nent of Mormonism.
 President Taylors defense of Mormonism is very adroit and able. He begins by saying that report has been spread far and wide through the country that in Utah there ex- ists 'sa combination to nulIify the laws of Congress" to defeat the plain will of that body and of the executive, and also to thwart the adjudication of the Supreme court of the United States. This he declares. is an error. ''The simple fact is that the citizens of Utah are contending in peaeesble and legal man. ner for the same rights, privileges ard i'm munities that are possessed by their fellow citizens-for these only and no more" This is decidedly cool. We are then told that although the Mormons deeply feel the at tempt to infringe upon their sacred rights they will not follow the course of the Fenians or Nihiiists, or Ku Klux or Regulators, or OOA1-AANA<Ao1o O4 &HAOAAy OE JULIET such combinations, nor appeal to dynamite or gunpowder; but. having high regard for the institutions of our country, they pre- fer to adopt the means which the law has provided, and legally, constitutionally and peaceably seek redress for their wrongs, This is surely very kind of them.
 The most interesting part of President Taylor's article is that wherein he speaks of what he is pleased to call ''the marriage in stitution" of the Mormons He says that there is great deal of misapprehsnsien ex- isting in the minds of the people with regard to this institution. 'None," he continues, ''but the very best of our community-the virtuous, the honest and upright--are per mitted to take more than one wife. They must bs recommended as worthy by their bishop and by the president of the stake in which they reside. We are, of all people, the most strict in our ideas with regard to morality and virtue. If man who is member of our church commit adultery, for nication, or bigamy. he is at once cut of from the communion of the saints, and all fellowship in the church is with drawn from him; for we regard those sins as among the most abominable of evils, the most heinous next te the shedding of inno- cent blood. There is not to day 8 more vir- tuous community in the world, or one where female chastity is more highly regarded or more vigorously protected" President Tay- Tor also points out that plural marriage is not bigamy. fiIn plural marriage" he says ''there is no fraud, no dacepsion, no break ing of the marriage contract. The parties who marry according to the rites of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Ssiats are united for time and eternity They know that plural marriage is a doctrine of the church, ard accept the obligations of married life with that understanding. When a man thus circumstanced takes second wife he breaks no VOWS, he deceives no one. All parties interested in the arrangement are &C., quainted with the facts, and both first aud second wives understand the position they occupy toward their husband :; that they are both his wives and he their husband, with hopes and affections reaching out into the next world, where they anticipate that their union will be eternal"
 This and much more says the pious and the patriotic president According to him small and interruptions minority, for private ends and personal sggrandisement, is trying to prevail upon the government of this nation to destroy every vestige of republican liberty in Utah. This is the way the Mormon ques- ton looks to the head of the Mormon Church. It is not, however, the way it looks to the people of this country, as President Taylor and the rest os the Mormons will soon dis cover.