Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-04-13
THE PROTEST.

Theinteresting letter which is published
in this issue from Washington, is from a
gentleman well known in Utah, and a
gentleman who is of most conservative
disposition. He is not easily alarmed,
and does not see a ghost in every dark
ness, but he sees in the condition of
affairs in Utah serious situation and a
determination on the part of the Presi-
dent to enforce the law in Utah and not
to be influenced by petitions of protest. :"
In the interview of which he
tells, he says that the President ex-
pressed the hope that at the late
conference held in Logan that something
other than mere protesting would be
done. There was something else done
there, and that was to issue an epistle
which will have but a sorry effect upon
public opinion as represented in the Pres
ident and Congress. In that famous
epistle there was not one thing which
would have tendency to show that
those who published it were very much
better than those whom they malign;
while its argument was sophistry and its
object of doubtful morality. That epistle
took no comprehensive, dispassionate
view of things as they are here, but was
TRADE against monogamy, is generally
admitted. This not being sufficient, a
committee was appointed to draw up
petition to be presented to the President,
but as yet they have not done anything.
What will they do? Many of the gentle
men of the committee know that such
representations as the epistle contained
would now but kill the cause which they
would uphold. Many also know that
things in Utah are in bad way, and that
they themselves are restless under the
restraint to which they submit, and that
their fear to throw off this restraint
is one of the great causes of
our evils. VIII they have the
temerity to say to the President that the
courts are the instigators and aiders of
raids, and that business is being pros
trated on account of them? Or will they
have the manhood to declare that the
courts, while they may be jealous and
even at times ardent, are trying to enforce
the laws of the United States against
those who are breaking them, and that
the business is suffering on account OF
the absence Of many from their business
because they have broken the law and
may fear its enforcement? VIII they tell
how many have gone into polygamy
since the passage of the Edmunds law,
and that these were not in ignorance of
the existence of law against their crimes,
and cannot claim that their relations
were formed long before such actions
were declared crimes? VIII they say,
I'VE have broken the laws, but we ask
an honest and sincere pardon, and pledge
our word and our honor, to be evidenced
in whatsoever form the United States
may deem best, that we will do so no
moreW This avowal of past errors and
promise for future obedience to the law
S the only petition that will be needed,
md would it not be well to think of it p?
The opportunity for coming within the
aw is now open, but if not taken advan-
age of soon, will be lost forever. The
.hoice now is, walk into obedience or be |
orced into obedience. We ask all the |
'eople of Utah to walk into obedience to
he law, and in that obedience they will
ind the peace for which they seek.