The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-11-08
CURSE OF THE NATION.
The Report Of the Utah Commissioners
Submitted to Secretary Teller.
Recounting the Years Operations and Hint
ing at Thunderbolts in Reserve.

The Utah commission, composed OF Alex.
Ramsay, A. s. Paddock, G. l.. Godfrey, A. b.
Carlton, and j. X. Pettigrew, have made their
report TO Secretary Teller. The clear intima-
ton is that, unless the monogamic Mormon
Legislature shall enact laws which will carry
put the Edmunds act In the spirit and provide
for the Acknowledgement OF pOlYgamists, the
most severe legislation compatible with the
limitations of the constitution will be recon-
mended. The Commissioners privately say
that this reserve recommendation 10 the abo-
tion of suffrage. They do not expect the
Legislature will enact any such laws, so that
1t may be presumed that the most important
recommendations for the overthrow OF polyg-
amy will be made In report next January or
February.
After making a statement OF the former
legislation of Congress In relation to bigamy
or polygamy, the commission said:
The duties of the commission appertain only
TO matters of registration, and election, and
eligibility TO Office, while the punishment on the
crime Of polygamy is left, as under the former
law. to the courts of Justice Under the Anti
Polygamy act the commission had good success
at the general election of August, 1888, IN ex-
Guiding polygamists from the polls. and as far
as advised very little If any illegal votes have
been cast Inc Utah since the commission took
charge OF the registration and elections In AQ-
gust, 1882. The enforcement OF the present law
against 1000 polygamists who have been ex-
Guided from the polls shows the act has
been fully and successfully executed ~
" thought that the discrimination between
those Mormons who practice polygamy and
those who do not while not likely TO have much
effect upon elderly men who have already
plurality OF wives, must have
great weight on the young men of the Terri
tory many of whom are ambitious and aspir-
ing, and would not like voluntarily to embrace
political ostracism The very existence of a Law
DISTINGUISHING p0lygamists must tend to destroy
their influence whenever IL is understood 1t Is
to be a permanent discrimination. The fact
alo haiti xN1ll no N
of the political influence OF the Peoples party
las the Mormons style themselves to have
large body of their members who are not poly
gamists, must tend in time To weaken the prac-
tice of polyeamy, for every Mormon who takes
but one plural wife loses three votes for his
party-his own and those of his two wives
woman suffrage being established by law in
Utah.
Concerning plurality of wives, that doctrine
md practice so odious throughout Christ ndom
should have been upheld so many years against
the laws of Congress and the sentiments OF the
civilized world rs one of the marvels OF the
nineteenth century, and can be scarcely appre-
ciated, even by those familiar with the worlds
history in relation TO the difficulties OF Govern
ments to control or suppress religious fanaff-
cism Certainly no Government can permit the
violation of laws under the guise OF religious
freedom, and, while Congress may not legislat@
as TO mere matters OF opinion, yet IL may de-
nounce and punish as crimes .hose actiohs
versive of good order. The right OF Conaress
TO suppress this great evil Is undoubted. II is
equally pain the dignity ana gOOu name OF Jnls
great Government among the nations of the
earth demand such Congressional action as
shall effectually eliminate this national dis
grace.
The commission renew the recommends
tons contained in the report OF Nov. II, 1882,
notably the one regarding the enactment of
a marrige law by Congress declaring oil fut-
ure marriages in the Territory null and void
unless contracted and evidenced in the man
ner provided by the act. If the next Legisla-
turc shall fail to adopt measures in conform
ity with the provisions of the act of 1882 forthe
suppression OF polygamy, the commission
Twill be prepared To recommend, and Con-
gress certainly will not delay the adoption of
the most stringent measures compatible with
the limitations of the constitution that may
be considered necessary for the suppression
of this great evil"