The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-05-14
THE MORMON. MANIFESTO.


country in an appeal to the President
to be protected against the anti
polygamy law now being enforced
against them. "Our rights as Amer
lean citizens" it is declared, are
trampled upon in the execution OF the
law against bigamy, and an attempt
is made to show that the case is
one of religious persecution. eff we
are unpopular with our fellew-coun-
men, it is our religion that makes US
so. AS to our religious faith, it is
based upon evidence which to our
minds Is conclusive-conVictionS not
to Oe destroyed by legislative enact
ments or judicial decisions, Among
the principles of our religion is that
CT Immediate revelation from God.
One of the doctrines SO revealed is eel.
estial and plural marriage. This is a
vital part of our religion, the decision
of the courts to the contrary Moth
withstanding." 1t is asked that
the President appoint commits
sion to investigate the Utah
situation and it is nothing
more than reasonable that such COM
mission should be empowered to act.
1t could at least do one thing, prove
to the Mormons that it is not the dis
position of the present government to
prosecute because of religious belief.
But as to the declarations of the Nor
mons concerning polygamy, they are
anything but harmonious in ten
dency. Though not one-tenth
of the Mormo2s ever prac-
tice polygamy, the endorsement of
the polygamous faction places all in the
attitudue of defending an institution
positively antagonistic to the law of
the land. If Mormonism is not to be
made to respect such law, then the
law must be made to conform to Nor
monism. But against the latter propo-
sition the public mind is fixed The
doctrine of persecution has been
preached by the Mormon priesthood
until belief among the masses of the
church had reached the point, that
Mormons are to be denied all quarter
because of religious belief. Thereforeit
may be especially wise on the part
of the Government to send commits
sioners among the Mormons, whose
duty it shall be to disabuse the minds
of the masses against this idea of per-
secution, and to show them that the
aims and purposes of government are
directed alone against violators of
law antidatlng Mormonism, but in
no sense against the church as a re-
ligious body. Possibly the Mormon
intellect might be made to compre-
bend the position from the
mouths Of wise and dis
Greet commissioners who could
demonstrate the purpose of the Gov
eminent as one to elevate the moral
and, so to speak, the temporal power
of the church. That there shall be
no persecution for religions sake, is
as firmly fixed in our code as that
there shall be perfect freedom in
religious belief, and this is what it is
necessary for the Mormon mind to
fully comprehend. Teach these peo-
pie, if they will permit themselves
to be taught, and if in the
end. they refuse to conform to
law let its seventies be visited upon
them. The world is wide enough TO
hold Mormons, Christians and al
other believers, and if Mormons
find themselves powerless here to
spread and perpetuate their relic
of an age of lust and i'm
morality, in conformity though it may
be with the old biblical dispensation
but opposed 4 our public polity, lie
Them do lize the Tribes, become fggi=