Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-05-09
THE MARTYR PERIOD.

The course of true love did never We
run smooth, and the same may be sale
of true reform. For long years the Gov
ernment has been endeavoring to en-
force its laws in this Territory, but will
very Indifferent success until recently
When the present effort to enforce the
law was begun some year and a-half ago
there was but small success in the un
dertaking, and to secure any evidence
was Herculean task, and when those
were found who should have known
something of the cases in which they
were cited, their memories failed them
most wonderfully, and such refinement
OF definitions was never seen before, while
the distinctions which witness drew were
so subtle that German metaphysicians
would have been unable to follow the
chain OF argument. In fact, so clear and
straightforward was much of the testi-
mony, that very many thought it quite
transparent and thought they could see,
not in it, but beyond it, the truth. That
period of shufling and preyarication has
partly passed away and the cases which
have come since have not been so re-
voting in their character. This was the
period of true defense, in which advaL
tage was taken of everything, even the
truth But after long and tedious trials,
some few convictions were OBJ
tanned. - as it became plain to
thoea .u we're liable to indictment,
and .ome who were already under indict-
ment, hat the necessary evidence could
be obtained, and witnesses began to learn
that if the remained recalcitrant, upon
them would be isited the punishment
from which they sought to shield their
friends. Those who were charged with
violating the T.. : never once came for
ward TO save Lloso who clung to them as
wives from immurcmeut in prison cells.
The cases Of Belle Harris, Nellie White
and Lydia Spencer viii stand forth as
examples Of heroism IN women and
cowardice in men They will stand
as public posts 10 point the way by which
men have gone to the lowest depths of
manhood's depreciation.
Following this, came short period in
which some three men who were charged
with unlawful cohabitation plead guilty
to the charge, and took the benefit of
that leniency which the law loves to
grant to those who promise obedience to
it in future. For this simple, yet proper
and commendable action, these men have
been berated as being beyond all others
and traitors; not crimi-
nails and traitors for their conduct
in violating the laws Of their country, but
for giving promise to the Court not to
do so in the future, and to induce others
to do the same, so far as in their power
lay. So intense was the feeling against
these men for this act, that others have |
preferred to suffer the punishment which |
the law infiicts for its violation, than face
the condemnation and censure of their
fellow religionists. The consequence has
been that to-day we are entering upon
what may be termed the martyr period, |
in which men prefer punishment by the
law in preference to rendering obedience
to it. The first of the new martyrs was
Mr.. Farley p. Pratt. So unstable was
his mind that he could give the Court no
as to what his future conduct
would be, so far as a continuance or dis
of the practice of unlawful
cohabltaton was concerned. In the alb
Sence OF any promise to render obedience
to the law in future, he was punished TO
The full extent of the law, and was there
by, IN his belief, made a MARTYR. There
now follow in his footsteps two other
prominent Mormons, Mr.. Angus M. Can
non and Mr.. A. Milton Musser, and an
Dther not so prominent, Mr.. James
Watson. These gentlemen would make
10 promise as to their future conduct.
Mr.. Cannon was totally unable to saw
What his future conduct might be. as il
vas rule of his never to make promises
lot knowing whether he would be able TO
,eep them. This was rather a strange
tatement coming from one who had
made covenants and promises to three
'lves, not merely for time, but for
ternity. MIR. Cannon protested that he
ad endeavored to obey the law when if
-as promulgated, but that he had erred
his Interpretation of it. And vet he ,
ould not make promise to observe it as
lterpreted by the proper an !
lorty. From Mr.. Cannon's at
tude in the past, it was 70 /.
ave been expected that from the
osltion which Mr.. Cannon took in ra-
ting the story of his life and his assum-
lg the role of one who was anxious TO
liter punishment for righteousness
Ike, that his whole conduct would he :
lat OF the martyr. He had assumed the
ne of martyrdom, and it was generally I
fought by all that his actions wonld he !
unison Herewith. 1t is not to be q
larged against any man that e takes f
e advantage of every right which the a
W guarantees him, but the +
fight over law points l
peclally when overruled, greatly de- a
acts from the ecIot which usually attends il il
e act OF martyrdom. 1t shows that !:
en those who deem themselves perse- f f
ted lor righteousness sake have the a
me love for freedom and life as those il
40 in no way pretend to such exhalta- n
N of spirit. Mr.. Cannon merely took =
e benefit of those legal rights which are W
yen nc nuch for tha ,rotao+;o,, r ci