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

Heroes, like dolls, are often made OF
sawdust. and martyrs are often made OF
moral'cowards. The NeaUs 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 a 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 qobey the laws of the
United States ?'' The reply was, ~ have
no remarks to make.'' The Court then
asked: fAre you prepared to state what
you will do?" The answer was, ~ am
not" Upon this, the full penalty of the
law was imposed upon the prisoner at the
bar. Silence and 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 as 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: "I
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 a quandary, the gentleman
with whom he was conversing said TO
him: '1t is all nonsense for man with
your convictions to 60 to Jail. There is
no need for it; all you have got to do is
to go 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 obevine
the law? Was it because of any grand |
heroic adherence to a religious principle? |
Ii such were the case, why did he so |
express himself to this gentleman
Men don't discuss and weigh
the pros and cons of question
when they are fully convinced on it, and
are willing to suffer for it. We can see it
III lO Oolicl ilSilI Ulltu GIldl VnT. hQ0lnGy
was afraid to meet the censure and con-
demnation OF his co-religionists 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 lot of pupils
through bull and not through intention.
Said the Assistant Superintendent: 'Itis
better to suffer wrong than to do right"
MIR. Romney's heroism comes from lack
of moral courage to do as he personally
desired and to follow the dictate of
reason. Truly, such men are heroes, and
they have their reward"