Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-02
WICKED WASHINGTON.

do not love to talk against my fellow
men: simply present these things to show
up the real state of the case. II is unpleas-
ant for me to say that the men of the Con
Qress of 1862, and that of 1882, were not men
of the most immaculate virtue. 1t is under
stood throughout the land that nowhere on
this continent is the practice of whoredom
and of the seduction of women carried on to
greater extent than in the city of Wash
ington, and by those men who go there to
make laws against this people.
That is pretty queer talk, is it not? The
men who go to Washington as Senators
and Representatives and Delegates, too,
we presume, are terrible set it would
seem from this statement. But before
we proceed further it may be as well to
tell from whence we got the statement
and by whom the words were uttered.
The statement is taken from the Necs
OF Saturday evening, and the words were
uttered by Apostle Franklin ID. Richards,
in sermon he delivered at the confer
ence which was held at Logan in October,
1885. Ii man did not know that such
assertions as these OF Apostle Richards
were religion, man might think them
but base insnuations
The knowledge of great many in this
Territory who deliver sermons is truly
transcendent tits transcendentint that it
is always knowledge Of wickedness beyond
Utah and never OF anythingin Utah. Mr..
Richards seems to know all about the
wickedness Of Senators and Congressman
in Washington, but if he were placed upon
the witness stand in Utah to testify to the
family relations of his next door neighbor
the probabilities are that he would not
know thing about them. The
people OF Utah seem to know
everything about the domestic affairs
of the world, and especislly wicked Wash
ington, and nothing about the domestic
affairs of their neighbors and daily asso-
ciates. This condition of things arises,
no doubt, from strict observance of the
motto of the people of Utah, :" Mind
your own business" Mr.. Richards says
that it is understood throughout the land
that the practice of whoredom and the
seduction of women is carried out to a
greater extent in Washington than any
where else. We question very much
whether Mr.. Rich ards could substantiate
that assertion. In Utah this is under
stood to be the case, and it is understood
here because such men as Mr.. Richards,
who have large influence among the
people, say it is so, and say it is so that
pot may call kettle black.
tits probable that in Washington sexual
sin exists to Il greater or less extent, the
same as in all other cities; but the Senat.
ors and Representatives whom the Legis-
latures and people send to Washington dc
not so there for the sole purpose of sim
ming, nor do they devote the greater part
OF their time to sin. When Mr.. Richards
breaches such doctrines as that above
quoted, he is poisoning the minds OF the
youth of Utah who accept such talk as
true, for he teaches them that the fore
most men of this country are but sexual
sinners, and that the Congress OF the
United States has nothing to do but to
seduce women
The men OF the Congresses OF 1867
and 1882 were not immaculate, neither is
Mr.. Richards nor those with whom he
associates. There is plenty of crime Of
all kinds in this world, in fact too much SC
long as there is any, but to preach thai
the leading men of great nation are
nothing but seducers is not the way tc
decrease crime nor to spread chastity.
Mr.. Richards says that the Senators and
Congressman OF the United States are
but seducers and betrayers OF women
can he expect people who do not believ,
US he does regarding his system o
marriage not to look upon and cal
him and those who believe as he
does seducers and betrayers OF women
Nituperation is not argument, no matter
by whom employed; and the high posi-
ton OF Mr.. Richards in his church makes
such vituperation more unseemly in hin
than in one OF lesser prominence. Mr.
Richards will find no such vituperatior
in the teachings OF Christ, but rather tina
sins are to be forgiven, and that if mar
is falling it is the duty OF the Christian tc
raise him up and not seek to push hin
down.