The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-16
UTAH TERRITORY.
Gov Murray Asks the Repeal of Laws Civ
ing Undue Power to the Church.

SALT LAKE U. r., Jan. Ex-Governor Murray
in his message to the Utah Legislature, said:
BY the law of Congress, approved March %
1882 this session of your honorable body is
made one of extraordinary interest to the people
of Utah and the country at large. The manner
of conducting elections in the future is made
dependent the action we may take 1t
issny earnest desire that the measures devised
shall meet with the reasonable expectations of
Congress and the country and the requirements
of the people of Utah We are expected. while
discharging the duties of legislators to write such
acode of laws as shall, while conserving admitted
local necessities of the Territory be assurance
of our fidelity to the nation and satisfy the ex-
actions of public opinion on questions
on which Utah is regarded as not in harmony
with other portions of country. Whether
we shall do this or not will depend upon you.
With you will be left measures looking to this
result. 1t has been charged before the country
and III Congress that the ecclesiastical power
has established territorial statutes, holding
many of them sovereign, and will not permit
the Legislature to pass certain laws intended to
be in harmony with the national law. This is
fearful charge here in free America, especially
in reference to a Legislature deriving its exist
ence from Congress, and which is paid for its
services by congressional appropriations from
the public funds out of the national treasury.
To silence such grave charges, [ will gladly
cooperate with you in passing laws
which will retire Utah affairs
from the halls of Congress forever
and bury out of sight the charge that the ecce-
siastical power dictates legislation in Utah l
am assured that Congress and the country will
be gratitied to see that affairs may be settled
at home-settled on the basis suggested ! made
an appeal to the the last Legislature to pass
needed laws. 1t was my purpose to avoid the
necessity of Congress extending correcting
hand in the matter. The Legislature seemed to
think that it must not act whereupon Congress
promptly passed the lGdmunds bill. BY this law
many citizens were denied the exercise of politi-
cal privileges The election machinery was sus-
pended and the privileges exercised by citizens
of the Territory We're delegated to other hands.
This legislation the warning voice of the
sovereign government of the United States.
Men who see in the government or i'll those who
differ from them their only enemy are unwise.
Such counsel. followed to a conclusion, means
alienation The present condition of affairs can
not longer continue i'll safety, either to the
United States or to the people of Utah. / know
difficulties are in the way of many good people,
and my sympathy IS with them. But cOnstitu
tional morality must prevail, or the nation must
fall. AS representatives of the people, yeu hold
their future i'll your hands
81 ask the repeal of chapter 5. compiled laws of
Utah, becauseit gives unwarranted and dangerous
powers to the greatest church corporation; be
cause it is a law respecting the establishment of
religion; because it vests ecclesiastical courts
with authority which may be only exercised in
the Uunited States by civil courts; and for an
other reason-because the act of Congress- ap-
proved July l. 1862, disapproved of it. yet the
Legislature of Utah re-enacted it and compiled
the laws of 1876 A law of a Territory having
been disapproved by Congress it should not be
allowed to remain on the statute books. re-
peat the recommendation that made to the last
Legislature that sheer justice demands the right
of dover for wifehood Unjust discrimination,
unrest and untold suffering will follow its de
NAL. 1t is denied in no State or Territory
except where something better is given. | earn
estly urge that the right be longer withheld
from the wives of this Territory. The fact that
there are no laws upon our statute books de-
nouncing polygamy bigamy, adultery, fornica-
ton, incest, and illicit intercourse is public of
fense / submit it is not cleditabe to Utah |
trust the Legislature will not fail to place its seal
of condemnation upon these offenSes, Congress.
in 1862 passed an tipolygamy bill denouncing
bigamy as an offense, and prescribed penalty
for persons charged with violation of that law
George Reynolds. who had plurality of wives
was taken in obedience to the sanction of the
ecclesiastical authority, tried and convicted in
the courts of Utah. The constitutionality OF the
act of Congress was the main issue after the
evidence was heard. This was made u test case in
the Supreme Court of the United States. An
elaborate decision declared the act constitution
al Reynolds paid the penalty of his transgres-
sion In the light of this pronounced constitu-
tional law, submit that you rs representatives
Of the people Of L tab, will, in justice To your,