Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-07-30
MR.. RAWLINs AND THE "NEWs. ,

The NeaCS of last evening devoted more
than column to Mr. ]. L. Rawlins and
the Democrats. The NeW& says that
"The Young Democracy" have caused
but a small ripple upon the surface of the
political pool. Evidently such is not the
case so far as the NeWS is concerned. 4
transparent falsehood never stirs the
NeeOS, but a truth, a truth that strikes at
the existence of its theories and practices,
always does. In a speech delivered by
Mr.. Rawlins last Saturday night, he had
occasion to remark upon the state of the
legislation of this Territory, and in the
course of that speech he made the follow
ing comment:
''The cry has been raised in Utah that
only certain class of offenders against the
chastity and virtue which should belong to a
people, could be punished under our laws.
Why is it so? 1t is because our legislators
were afraid to enact law to punish men
who commit offenses which everywhere else
in these broad United States are punishable
by law, but not in Utah, because the Terri
torial Legislature has enacted no law upon
the subject. We say that this state of
affairs should no longer exist.
In Utah there is no statute for the punish
ment of adultery-excuse me for again
using the word. The Legislature when it
enacted the criminal CODE struck out the
statute furnishing adultery, because the mem
bers of a certain creed might be amenable
under the law. They would prefer that all
sorts of crime of that kind be permitted
rather than that a law should be enacted
under whose provisions those men might be
punished. And yet the cry il raised that
Congress has enacted no law to punish this
sort of offense, while it has enacted law to
punish polygamy and what is termed unlaw-
full cohabitation."
These remarks OF Mr.. Rawlins are true,
sorrowfully true, and the evidence to
prove them can be found in the journals
of the Council and the House, the laws of
Utah and the records of the courts. The
odium for the non-eXistence of such stat
utes does, and rightfully should, rest upon
the Peoples party. The Ners itself, in
speaking of the Legislature which ne
elected to enact these laws, laws that
have ever been needful and necessary in
all civilized countries, says that it is only
necessary TO look at the intention of the
Legislature which enacted the law under
which Thomas Hawkins was tried and
convicted. Following this it says, as re-
CARDS the composition of the Legislature
"The law-makIng body was composed of
men who were either practical polygam-
lists or believed in the rightfulness of that /
marital relation" That single sentence
is proof strong as holy writ OF the truth
OF Mr.. Rawlins' remarks. That the |
Legislature has always been composed |
of either practicers of or believers in
polygamy every one knows; and |
likewise every one knows that the Legis-
lature has studiously and continuously
guarded either by acts of commission or
of omission any thing that could in the
remotest degree touch or trench upon
their peculiar marital relation. That is
the charge that Mr. Rawlins brings
against the Peoples party, and the ad-
mission of the Ners proves it. That
charge against the Peoples party
and the Legislatures elected by
them, is the reason for the absence
Of all legislation upon the statute
books looking to the preservation
Of chastity and the marital rights; and
this is all that Mr. Rawlins charged
Judges but construe and enforce the law;
they do not make it. Are they to ignore
r law of Congress to please those who in
this Territory do not like that law? II
The law is harsh and unjust and deprives
many of the people OF this and adjoining
Territories of certain constitutional
and inalienahle rights, why does
not the Delegate to Congress, who
was elected by the Peoples party.
stand up in the halls of Congress, and !
ell the nations lawmakers of the s
wrongs and outrages that are being per I
Detrated upon his constituents? 1t can v
lot be that among all the Representa- y
ives with whom he mingles there is not {
me lover of freedom and the rights OF =
American citizens. But the Delegate \