The St. Johns herald., 1885-04-16
NOT PERsECUTION-BUT JUSTICE.

In looking over the epistle sent
 to the mormon conference, held at
 Logan, Utah, by Taylor and Can
 non, several significant points are
 observable. The epistle goes on to
 state, ''that citizens of the highest
 type of character had been selected as victims of persecution as crimi-
 nals of the lowest grade" The on-
 ly astonishing feature to our mind
 is that these high types of charac-
 ter have not been sought out, and
 justice meted out to them long ago,
 by the enforcement of the law, the
 majesty of which has been grossly
 violated by these high typed char acters. Such is, and should be, the
 custom of all civilized communities
 to hunt out violators of the law
 and punish them for their crimes. Such has been the custom through
 out all civilized ages, and we fail to see a reason why a mormon poly
 gamist should be exempt. Centu-
 ries ago, under the old English law,
 the penalty for the crime of. poly
 gamy was decapitation, polygamy
 being weighed in the same balance
 with the crimes of murder and
 high treason. The English govern ment in the extentiOn of her terri tory, and taking into her Dominion
 various heathen and savage tribes, that practiced polygamy according to their customs, and to avoid an inhumanity against an ignorant and savage people, who could not realize that they were living in vio- lation of any moral law, commuted the punishment of death to lmprls- onment. Hence the polygamous mormons of this enlightened age, instead of raising the cry of perse- cution, should be thankful that the same immunities granted to his brethern centuries ago are, under the law, granted to him now. The epistle refers to the imprisonment of the elders in Arizona, and con- siders the proceedings so outrageous that no other man who anticipated being accused himself dare submit to such treatment, and that many have left their homes for foreign lands. In what does the outrage consist? It cannot be on the part of the court or jury. Itis settled principal in criminal jurisprudence that the free and voluntary confes- sions and admissions of the accus- ed is good evidence against him. Penney, one of the elders referred to, long pryor to his arrest, not on- ly openly, but boastingly confessed to his living in polygamy. Kemp, another elder, during the progress of his trial, voluntarily put himself upon the witness stand, and his 1 own sworn statements warranted a | verdict of guilty, independent of convincing evidence outside. Flake and Skousen, the other two elders referred to, when brought before the court for arraignment, each en- tered a plea of guilty, consequent ly no other evidence was required. | Then the outrage must be that the accused have not been sufficiently l cautious in keeping their crimes concealed, and that their heathen- ish and immoral practices have been brought to light, and the law is vindicated, 1t has been enforced, it's penalties meted out to it's viola tors. It is no wonder then that many have left their homes for for eign lands, and that thus Chief John Taylor has withdrawn. This is not rare instance of violators of the law withdrawing and leaving for foreign lands. Bandits, high way robbers and murderers, after reigns of terror, have found it con- venient to withdraw to evade the laws demands, and as they withdrew raise the howl of persecu- ton, and spoilers, spies and dopu- ties all display zeal in their endeav- ors to ascertain their whereabouts. They claim that the Constitution protect the sacredness of contracts,
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