Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-12
A HERO.

Heroes. like dolls, are often made Oh
sawdust, and martyrs are often made OF
moral towards. The News and the Her
aid OF this city have been trying to raise
George Romney, OF this City, who was
convicted on Saturday last of unlawful
cohabitation, and sentenced to the full
extent of the law, to the dignity OF hero
and martyr. 1t cannot be DONE
When Mr.. Romney was be-
fore the Court for sentence, the
Court said. "Well, Mr.. Romney, is it
your intention to obey the laws OF the
United States?" The reply was, 81 have
no remarks to make" The Court then
asked care you prepared to state what
you will dor" The answer was, 81 am
not" Upon this, the full penalty OF the
law was imposed upon the prisoner at the
bar Silence and a refusal to obey the
laws of bis adopted country make Mr..
Romney hero. Is he entitled to the
appreciations and honors of hero and
martyr? Let us see. The United States
passed law to stop system OF marriage
inconsistent with the civilization OF the
age, and one that in all countries where
the common law has prevailed has been
made crime; and the civil law has
always treated it the same. Mr.. Romney
has been living in violation OF this law,
and has been found guilty and sentenced.
The enforcement of law that was en-
acted to preserve the family rs the unit of
the State as it is established in every civil
lized country of the world, makes OF its
violators, heroes and martyrs. Let us
examine this particular case still further.
Not long since, Mr.. Romney very freely
discussed this question of obedience to
the law with well-known gentleman OF
this city. His remarks were almost
word for word as follows. He said: 81
cannot see any difference in promising to
obey the law and not going to JAIL and
going to Jail for not promising obedience
to the law, and then when the time of
imprisonment has expired coming out
and obeying the law" Some further
conversation was had between Mr..
Romney and the gentleman referred
to, and Mr.. Romney having ex-
pressed himself as being somewhat
in II quandary, the gentleman
with whom he was conversing said to
him. at is all nonsense for man with
your convictions to go.to Jail. There is
no need for it; all you have got to do is
to so into court and state your honest
convictions and say that you will abide
by them"
Why did not Mr.. Romney abide by
his convictions in this matter OF obeying
the law? Was it because OF any grand
heroic adherence to religious principle
If such were the case, why did he SC
express himself to this gentleman
Men don't discuss and weigh
the pros and cons of qnesuon
when they are fully convinced on it, and
are willing to suffer for it. We can see ii
in no other light than that Mr.. Romney
was afraid to meet the censure and con-
demnation of his co-religonists in pre-
ference to following his convictions. A
man-who is more afraid of public opinion
than OF the law, especially where he
would obey the law if he were to follow
his own inclinations, is not much of hero
after all, and the claim to martyrdom is
absolutely without foundation. Mr.. Rom
ney has taken the advice that the AS
sistant Superintendent OF the Mormon
Sunday School gave to a lot OF pupils
through bull and not through intention
Said the Assistant Superintendent: "It il
better to suffer wrong than to do right
Mr. Romney's heroism comes from lacl
OF moral courage to do as he personally
desired and to follow the dictate o
reason. Truly, such men are heroes, ant
"they have their reward"