The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-14
THE AGGRIEyED MORMONS.
A Delegation Calls Upon the President
and Files a Bill of Complaint,
In Which the SANITY Grievances are Set
Forth and the Impartial Enforcement of
the Edmunds Law Asked.

Delegate Cannon, who compose the delegation
sent by the Mormon Church to lay before the
President statement of the grievances of the
Mormons, and present the protest recently
adopted by mass meeting of Mormons against
The action of the federal officers, called by ap-
pointment at the executive mansion this morn
Ing and were received by the President in the
library. AS the delegation entered the Pres
dent was seated at his desk but Immediately
Rrose shook hands with Mr.. Cain, and was then
introduced to Mr. Taylor and Mr.. Cannon Mr..
Cain then read the following address:
''NIr. President-The Latter Day Saints, as
gembled in general conference at Logan, Utah,
On the 9th day of April 1885, appointed a com
mittee to draft a specific statement of the wrongs
they have suffered and still suff ering from the
tyrannical conduct of federal officials. The
committee thus created submitted the result of
its labers to the Mormon people of Utah. gath
cred in mass meetings in the several counties of
that Territory, the End of May, 1885. The
people, of their own free will, unanimously and
enthusiastically ratified the declaration of griev
ances and protest, and the undersigned were
delegated to come here and formally deliver the
same TO you. In the performance of this duty
we beg leave to assure you that this document
voices the sentiments of the whole body of the
Mormon people. 1t is Tot the mere dctum of
The church authorities. The first presidency of
the church had nothing whatever to do with the
preparation or ratification of this declaration of
the peoples grievances, and their protest against
the wrongs inflicted upon them. The people
wanted to have formulated the facts of their
faith, which are made the cause of complaint
against them, and also statement of the acts of
the men who have been sent by the general
government to rule over them. This has been
done, and the people have approved thereof, and
made It their act and deed. In the exercise of
a right guaranteed to them by the Constitution
of the United States, nearly 200, 900 citizens
appeal to their fellow citizens for
fair hearing, and petition you for a
people have been patient, forbearing and
long suffering. They have not been, they are
not, and they will not be dlsloyal or law-defy-
ing They have, within the law, steadfastly
resisted what they believed to be unjust enact
ments. but they have not resisted and will not
resist the judgments of the courts. They main
tain, however. that they ought not be made the
victims of special legislation, enacted under the
form of general laws. The act of Congress
Furnishing by Imprisonment unlawful cohabita-
tion is unquestionanly a general law, applying
ali Ike to ali the inhabitants of the Territory over
VIII ich the United States claim jurisdiction 1t
must have been intended to su ppress vice and
immortality as well as to punish Mormons who
lnaintain marital relations with their plural
wives. But the prosecutors of vices in Utah have
declared that this law not made to be
applied to non ormons, and the courts
have held this to be the fair and
rightful Interpretation of the unlawful cohabita-
ton act. They have moreover held that Nor
mons who have maintained the offspring of their
plural marriages and recognized as their wives
the women they espoused before the passage of
the Edmunas law, were guilty of its violation.
and upon this ruling men have been condemned
and sentenced. and are now undergoing punish
merit, although they were ready and offered TO
prove that they had not had rehabilitation with
snore than woman Very recently a. man
who confessed to having seduced his wife's
Blister was arrested upon the charge of unlawful
conabitation,' but was released and set free by
the chief justice of the Territory, who held that
the Edmunds law was not intended TO and did
not apply TO such cases. 1t is probably needless
to add that the accused in this case, was not
Mormon.
'The Mormon people do not ask that you
shall 'wrest once the law to your authority in
order to do great right to them. They will
endure vastly more than the public conscience
would expect of any people; but they insist, as
they have the undouhted right to do, that the
laws should be impartialy administered; that
the men who administer them should be fair,
upright, unbiased and impartia that the execu-
tive and administrative officers sent thither by
the federal government should be honest, and
,confne themselves to the performance of their
legal duties, and not become the allies of an un-
lscrupulous coterie whose sole object is to plum
der the Mormons of their property and their
liberty The Mormon people are char
evil even of those who despitefully use
them. The merciless war which has been
waged against them for many years they be-
lieve to be directed at their religion. They know
that the faith which they profess and practice is
unpopular; but they know also, that in this re-
spect they are but enduring that which has been
Che common lot of true believers in every age of
the world. They believe that it is as true of
them as it was of those to whon4 the Son of Man
spoke, more than eighteen hundred years ago.
'And We shall be hated of all men for my names
sake, but he that endureth to the end shall be
saved Their abiding faith in an overruling
providence makes them confident of the ultimate
triumph of their cause. They feel and know
that their religion is good, and that the wicked
and ungody will strive against IL in vain.
1--WE are not here, Mr.. President, to ask favors
at your hands. Those who sent US ask but for
simple Justice They do not ask YOU to stand
between them and the law, but they do insist
that the laws ought to De administered with
equal exactness to all men, regardless of rei-
gioUs antpathies. They recognize the fact that
It is your duty to see that the laws enacted by
Congress are faithfully executed, but they main
tain that faithful execution in this instance
means the perfect equality before the law of
Mormons and non Mormons Therefore in their
behalf, we respectfully ask that you will hear
kneir protest and give heed to their request FOR a
Fair and impartial investigation of the Utah
Situation
THE PROTEST..
This is their protest
1--WE protest against unfair treatment on the
part of the general government.
W6 ptOtcSt dSdluSt u CONTINUANCE OF Ierrl-
torial bondage, subversive of the rights of free
men and contrary to the spirit of American in
situations.
I'VE protest against special legislation the
result of popular prejudice and religious inter
ference.
1--WE protest against the conscience OF one
class of citizens being made the criterion by
which to judge another.
1--WE protest against the tyranny of federal
officers and the continuance in Office of men
xTh do nd flSa
powers as a means of oppression
eve protest against the partial administering
of tue Edmunds law; the Furnishing of one class
for practicing their religion and exempting from
prosecution the yiolators account of lust, who
are non Mormons.
I'VE protest against the breaking up of family
relations formed previous to the passage of the
Edmunds law, and the depriving of women and