The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-04
GRIEVANCES.OF THE SAINTS.
Meetings Held on Saturday Throughout
Utah, Idaho and Arizona.
A Declaration of Grievances, Protest, and
an Appeal for Protection in Practicing
the Tenets Of Their Religion.

tois AAdiiO dd0 0o-N0yt dLN
all the Mormon tabernacles, at which a "declara
ton of grievances and protest. which had been
formulated at general conference of the Nor
mon church, on April 5, was read The declara-
ton is addressed to the President and people OF
the United States, and begins by saying
"a condition of affairs imperiling the vital
interests of vast majority of the people OF
Utah and their co-relgionists in neghbor-
ing States and Territories, impeis US, their rep
resentatlves, to address you. Our rights as
American citizens are trampled upon, and be-
lieving it our imperative duty in the presence
OF such danger, to protest against gigantic
evil which threatens, not only our liberty, but
the Liberties of every free man, we in general
mass meeting assembled in the name of free
dom, justice and humanity, make this appeal for
relief and protection We are unpopular
with our fellow countrymen. 1t is our
religion which makes us so. We are small
minority IN their midst but we have yet to
learn that these are grounds upon which to jus
tify, in a land of liberty the acts of oppression
which we, as people, from the beginning of
our history, have been made to suffer. AS to
our religious faith, il is based upon evidence
which, to our minds is conclusive. Convictions
are not to be destroyed by legislative enact
ments or judicial decisions Force may enslave
the body, but it cannot convince the mind. To
yield. at the demand of legislator or judge the
rights OF conscience, would prove us
recreant to every duty we owe
to God and man. Among the principles of our
religion is that of immediate revelation from
God. One of the doctrines SO revealed is celes-
tial and plural marriage. for which, ostensibly,
we are stigmatized and hated. This is vital
part of our religion, the decisions Of the courts
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The declaration then, in defending the prac-
tice Of polygamy, says: ''The practice, as TN
derstood among the Occidental nations. is a
system of sensuality, but the latter-day Saints
believe the marriage is one which, when prop
erly solemnized, exists in eternity. Every
faithful woman in the church believes that, in
order to insure her exaltation in the presence of
God, she should be married or sealed to an up
right, faithful man."
The declaration then says: '.Acting upon this
belief, these alliances are formed while on the
earth, upon the principle that the man is not
without the woman nor the woman without the
man in the Lord They firmly believe that God
has revealed this to them as command; but
while patriarchal marriage, as it is termed, is a
part of their faith and practice, they have no
idea that it should become universal. The
equality of the sexes, if no other reason, would
prevent this. 1t is mistaken idea that our
church favors the propagation of this doctrine,
or seeks to establish it as a universal sys-
tenn. At the same time, we fully believe that
women should be married, even if two or three
of them, as in the families of Abraham, Jacob and
others, became the wives of one man. Instead.
therefore, of system of marriage promoting
sensuality, experience has proved that it
checks it, and instead of being destructive of
the family relation, it is preventative Of it.
Plural marriage was publicly proclaimed a doc
trine of the church in 1852. Congress declared
1T crime in 1862, but the law enacted against it
remained for seventeen years dead letter, the
federal officials hesitating to enforce it,
as sonat # they Tbe dqa aT Of its 1862 0nsttu
not declared constitutional until the 9th of jan
uary 1879. Plural marriage, therefore, was
openly taught and practiced ten years before
any law existed against it, and twenty-seven
yearsSad elapsed from the time of it's first
public PRONUNCIATION until the Supreme Court
decided the law to be constitutional. Thus it is
apparent that plural marriage was not intro
duced in violation of law, but the law was en-
acted against this principle of our religion"
The charge of treason and rebellion made
against Mormons is declared to be unjust and
untrue, and the fact is cited that quota of FIVE
hundred men was sent two thousand miles
overland to aid the United States in fight
ing against Mexico. 1t is asserted that
tho general government has ever been
willing to lend willing ear to all re-
ports of sedition made against the Mormon peo-
ple and that, twhen investigated, they have al
ways been exploded. Strong complaint is made
that the government has refused to confer State
hood upon the Mormons, although Utah has all
the qualifications of population, wealth and sta
bility of commerce and society. 1t complains
that aliens have been sent into the Territory to
govern the people, who, with honorable excep-
tons, have trampled the rights of the people
under foot. The petitions, protests and memo
rails against these abuses have never been
needed. 1t then goes on to say:
''The commissioners appointed under the Ed
munds law have grossly abused the authority
conferred upon them, and have usurped extra
ordinary, illegal and arbitrary powers. While
their sole duty, under the law, was to appoint
the returns and issue certificates of election to
members OF the Legislative Assembly, they
have illegally assumed to exercise important
Legislative and judicial functions"
1t is further asserted that they have consti-
tuted themselves supreme tribunal for the de-
termination of all matters in the Territory per-
tanning to elections and qualifications of
voters. 1t is asserted that they have grossly
abused their authority in the appointment
of registration officers by selecting for such po-
sitions, whenever possible, only such persons as
plant is made that the United States officials
have generally allied themselves with the sec
tartan priests and political adventures. lending
their executive influence to foment local excite
ment and degrade US in the estimation of people
abroad"
1.-THE present Governor especially" the report
says, has acted the part of petty tyrant. It
is cited that he vetoed bin passed by the Legis-
lature for erection of a university, and also a
bill passed in accordance with the Edmunds law
for discontinuance of the Utah commission. The
declaration then asserts
1.-The Edmunds law, which not only provides
for tie punishment of polygamy, but also of CO.
habitation with more than one woman whether
in the marriage relation or outside of it, is made
to operate upon class Of people only-the
MormonS-and yet of the nom Mormon class who
transgress the law the name is legion and the
paramour of mistresses and harlots, secure from
prosecution, walks the streets in open day. No
United States official puts 'spotter' on his trail
or makes effort to drag his
deeds of shame and guilt before
judge and jury demonstration and punishment.
But note the contrast: In Utah, Idaha and Ari-
IONA concerted assault as made upon Nor
mon people. Spoilers and spies dog their foot
steps, informers thrust themselves into bedcham-
bers and watch at windows, children are ques-
toned upon the streets as to the marital rela-
tons of their parents. families are dragged be-
fore commissioners and grand juries, and, on