The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-05-28
the MOknOa BILL.
Discussed In the Senntc senator
Browns Peculiar Arguments.

THE MOKnOa BILL.
Discussed in the senntc Senator
Browns Peculiar Arguments.
WASHINGTON, May 27.-The Utah bill
was taken up in the Senate to-day. Mr..
Brown said the Edmunds bill was shame.
ful violation Of the Constitution. He con.
trasted what he termed polygamy in New
England and polygamy in Utah. The pic.
ture he drew he said Was "drawn more in
SORROW than in anger" There had been
more than $1,000 divorces granted within
20 years, destroying $1,000 families and
turning loose $1,000 persons to marry, all
illegally, except those who were divorced
for adultery or fornication. Assuming tha.
one-third Of them, had been. divorce for
adultery, it would lesva $4,000 persons
divorced and married again, who were
practicing polygamy in New, England,
while the Utah commission acting under
the Edmunds bill, after having searched
Utah with test oath, could but fiud 10000
men and woman who would not swear
they had never in their lives been guilty OF
polygamy. Prostitution wss prac.iced in
New England to an alarming extent and
fG!icide to ap extent that il continued
would in less than q century depopulate
New England Of its Puritan stock. A
nation of Mormons was impossible, not so
a nation OF libertines. In Massachusetts
within tho last twenty years tho population
had increased Al percent and marriages 62
percent, while divorces increased 147. per-
cent. ~ VIA s'ya-- g. l'g5.
SOMETHING TO PONDER OVER.
It behooved the Christian and patriot TO
ponder the consequences that must follow
from such q state Of society. Churches de-
nounced polygamy and demanded its sup
preston, and the churches were right.
But, how then, could they wink at illegal
divorces, how without ceneure, see their
ministers officiating for petty fee at adul.
ferrous marriages. II ministers and
churches did their duty public sentiment
would soon sweep from our sta.
tute books the wicked and il!e-
gal divorce laws. Mr.. Brown claimed
no right to lecture either the Christian
churches or their ministers, but as citizen
and Senator he felt it his duty to express
his convictions with regard to this great
evil which was undermining the sanctity
Of family, the patety Of society, md the
existence Of the State. Many persons ad.
vocsted putting Mormons to the sword. It
would be an outrage upon morality and
decency to attempt to slaughter helpless
people because they entertained views on
moral questions to which we could not
subscribe" ..s Z "a b, 4 81
@ MoRMoNs NOT IN RERELLloN.
TWAS also absurd to ASSERT that the Nor.
mons were in rebellion. No people could
be in rebellion who did notresist thelaws
by force. The Mormons held themselves
at at all times ready to respond to legal
process. A people so conducting them.
selves could no: be in rebellion in any le.
gal sense. Mr.. Brown turned some sar.
castle periods on what he termed tho in.
termeddling Of New England in other peo.
Southern States. The people did not OBJ.
ject 30 much to the practices in Utah as to
the names by; which they were called. The
Utah Commissioners, in prescribing the
test oath ior the voter, were
very careful to exclude only those
who cohabited with more than one woman
in the marriage relation. The Gantile who
had one wife, and one or more mistress
could take the oath without difficulty.
There YVES an immense amount of cant and
hypocrisy in the whole thing. Mr.. Brown
was ready 10 sanction all constitutional
legislation which could be devised ior the
suppression Of polygamy in Utah, and OF
illegal divorce, prostitution and tn!icide in
New England and elsewhere, but be was
not willing to violate the oath he had taken
to support the constitution 10 crafty New
England intermeddling or to suppress any
sect or denomination however unpopular It
might be. e ", Sist
.s Mr.. uoAE's REJoISDER.
Nh. Hoar said he had heard enough Of
Mr.. Browns speech to comprehend its
character but not its motives. It did not
seem possible that the Senator had taken
so.much painsas his speech indicated for the
mere purpose Of making a malicious
and malignant attack on the people OIL
New England. Mr.. Hosr could only infe,
that the Mormons were more in accord with
that Senator'S convictions than opposed
to them. The Senator from Georgia
(Brown) had made a speech, the logical
inference Of which was that polygamy was
better than lawful marriage Of one hus-
band to one wife. Each country and each
section Of each country may have vices, but
that which was q reproach to her, Mr.. Hoa,
said, was cateiu!ly written down by New
England historians, There were sections
OF the country In which thai course was
not pursued. II be Hoar) cared TO follow
the style OF argument followed Z By the
Senator from Georgia he could say somt
thing without even reference TO statistics
which would be sufficiently dieagreesble, 5
Mr.. Hoar thought that the presence Of
. large number Of nulattas remained to b.
accounted for in some way, but he YouI,
not enter upon this sort OF argument, Thi
was Q bill having specific purpose, appli
) cable tU Utah. a motion 10 adjourn wa
} made, to which Mr.. Hoor objected, an,
s the vote being a tie, 81 yeas to 5y nays, til
t motion failed. Amotion was immcdiatel
a.