Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-05
THE MoRHoN PROTEST

he MOfn0nS nave Issued q protest To
the President against what they style per
seeution for religious belief Now they
fatty lie when they solemnly allege this to
he a fact. They know that they are not
prosecuted because Of religious belief, but
for violation Of law made prior to the birth
of their religion. If their plea is coed for
anything it means that sect can rise up
and make murder tenet Of faith, and as a
religious belief ask exemption from the
legal consequences OF murder. Again. it is
not true that it is religious tenet-this
plural marriage-tor not over two per cent
Of the Mormons are polygamists, and yet
are good Mormons" A branch of the
church wholly repudiates polygamy; il
was not an original doctrine in the church,
and is not taught in the Mormon bible. 1t
was an afterthought of 10 Smith, and
he duped his followers by declaring that it
was revealed TO him by God. 1t hangs
therefore, upon the himsiest of threads
and its whole and sole rock and foundation
is the word of the lascivious Smith. The
Memphis 4ppcai explains why the few
rich polygamists put NJ such p1tiful
mouth at this time, and cling to the
peculiar institution so pertinaciously:
Polygamy is enforced By the cunning priests
because when once they have induced man to
be guilty Of it they are suTe of him He is as
much bound as the monk III his cell. He cannot
remove his family anywhere ont of the lands
over which the priests have gained control.
hand and foot by his deed. he is the priests
victim and tool for life. That is why Mormon
priests Insist upon polygamy.
But hear the rascaIly povgamsts in
their protest
We protest against unteis treatment ON the part
OF the general Government. We protest against
the continuance OF Territorial bondage Subyers-
i've OF the rights Of freemen and contrary to the
spirit OF american Institutions. We protest
against special legislation, the result of popular
prejudice and religious interference We pro
test against the conscience of one class of citi-
zens being made the criterion Icy which 10 Judge
another We protest against the TYRANNY Of
Federal officials and the continuance in Office of
men VINO disgrace their positions and use their
nihcia! overs rs a means of oppression We
protest against the partial administration OF the
Edmuuds laW-thc Furnishing OF one class for
lTacticlnS their religion. and eXemp,ing from
k'7N +-AoA. t4I' FJttliAh OF lAl-t ana crime we
protest against The breaking up oi family rea-
lions formed previous to the passage of the Ed
munds law, and the deprivng of women and
children OF She support and protection of their
husbands and fathers We protest against the
prosecution OF persons, many of whom are in
firm and aged, Who entered into plural mar
rage before II WAS declared a crime and have
never violated amy law.
Was ever a more senseless pack Of lies
grouped? The United States Govern
ment has asked of the Utah Mormons
nothing that IS not asked Of all the people
Of the Union-obedience to the law. 1t
Is not true that in 1852 polygamy was not
an otiense, Monosamy has been at the
very foundation of all our legal super
structure since the Government was formed.
That the law Of 1862 was aimed against
the Mormons is true. but it was passed be-
cause they were in possession of the Terri
torial Government, and it was necessary to
declare polygamy crime in the Terri
tories, IN order to reach these conscienccleSs
sensualists. The protest will probably
move some weablings and make some sort
Of an Impression Of sympathetic charac-
ter; but upon the civilization Of the age it
Will make no impress