Smyrna times., 1884-07-02
The MormOnS.

Congress has at last passed a bill
which deals strongly and vigorously
with the question Of polygamy. The
Mormons have been enabled to evade
or override all the measures aimed
against their religion and after many
years of experiment the laW-defying
anomaly hOurishcs as vigorously as
ever, while the Mormon Church con-
tinues to strengthen itself by a wonder
fully energetic and successful system
of foreign mission work. The new law
is unquestionably new departure.
1t appears to proceed upon the theory
that only the severest measures can
succeed with community which treats
all concession as weakness, and which
has hitherto taken a lawless advantage
of the regard paid by Congress to
Constitutional doctrines. In the pres
ent case no such weaknessis is exhibited.
The Utah bill comes near to the estab-
lishmcnt of martial law in the Terri
tory. 1t Overridcs all considerations of
corporate rights and privileges, virtual
ly deprives the MOrmons Of citizenship,
annuls their legislative acts, prohibits
legislation, conHscates corporate prop
erty, provides for the transfer of the
control Of the Church estate toa Board
of Trustees appointed by the President,
/ and forbids all legislative action look
/ ing to the bringing of immigrants into
| Utah.
In addition, the Territorial election
/ districts are abolished and provision is
made for orredistricting under the super
vision OF the Governor and other Ter
ritoriai officers. Thus it is sought to
crush the political and ecclesiastical
power of the MornOns at the same
time, and to put down polygamy with
Il strong hand. 70 facilitate the latter
object it is provided that the lawful
husband or wife may be compelled to
testify in prosecutions for higamy
pOlygamy or unlawful cohabitation
that marriages shall be certified in
writing, and the certificates filed in the
Probate Court; and that prosecution.
for adultery may be commenced bN
third parties, in the same way as prose
cutious for other crimes 1t will be
perceived that much care has beeI
taken to stop every loOphole of evasion
and that the provisions of the new Law
are stringent and comprehensive IA
beyond any preceding legislation
The authority of Congress to legislatt
for the Territories has been, in fact
strained to produce n law capable o
coping with the case. The Mormons
however. are virtually estopped from
protest ON this head, for those who in
sist on their right to live outside tn,
United States Constitution have Ii,
ground for complaint if in dealing wit
Ir,
despise is somewhat exceeded.
1t is obvious that if this law does no
solve the problem nothing short c
force will do so. Its operation, there
fore, will be watched with much inter
est and anxiety. 1t has been apparen
+ for some years that there must come
' final grapple between the United State
4 and MOrmonism, and though ther
II could be no doubt as to the issue, a
st sensible people have hoped that til
MOrnOns could be brought to reasO
without the necessity for exercisin
coercion or going beyond legislativ
+. remedies. This, unquestiOnably, is til
ig last experiment in that direction.
T, through chicanery, fraud or lawles
ness the new bill should be nullified,
- is already certain that public OpiniC
will tolerate no further tempOriZiu
with the question; and in that evel
s. rougher measures than can be apprO
ed by the calm judgement of the cOul
try are liable to be urged with succe
-. upon Congress. The new bill is fa
st notice to the Mormons that they hay
reached the limit of national enduranc
They will, if they are wisely counse
ed, accept the inevitable, and aband,
pOlygamy.