The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-24
.--o ON MORMONISM.
0 of the Social and Pc.
F., vigorous Discussion he Utah Saints.
litical Crimes of t

,;,;oaI crimes of Utah. With quiet dignity, an
.osv. colloquial manner, and a clear, soft voice,
NAT vas distinctly heard in every part of the
hall. she began her lecture by succinct history
.of anti polygamic legislation.
"Having passed two anti-polygauic laws with
ant effect" she began, Congress in 1882 passed
third, whereby all present and past polyg-
.,oists of both sexes were disfranchised. Last
,v;nter. for the first time in the history of the
Territory of Utah, a monogamic Legislature as
sembled.
what was the RESULT John Taylor and his
colveamic priesthood sat in the background and
nulled the wires to which their minions danced
while receiving pay from the United States gov
srnment Latest advices received by me from
Logan, the town in northern Utah where the
last temple has been erected, and which is re-
mote from the lynx-eyed reporters of the Salt
Lake Tribune, state that the faithful Saints are
coming from all parts Of Utah and southern Ida
ho to contract plural marriages within the So
called sacred edifce. But what would you do2
ask conservatives Special legislation is danger
GUS"
The speaker here came to the broader question
of the marriage laws of the country.
$50 far as the snti-polygamy law is con-
eerned she said, lit would De very easy to rob
Its opponents of argument by making United
States marriage law. 1t is a disgrace that there
is no such law We call ourselves a nation, and
yet the foundation of all society-marrage-is
left to the sweet will of State legislation, where
by men and women are married in one State
and very much the reverse in another. Congress
inserts the fourteenth amendment into the
Constitution, removing all disabilities of color
race Here it is: All persons born or natural
lied in the United States and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United
States, and individual States are prohibited
from making or enforcing any laws abridging
the privileges and immunities of citizens of the
United States
Now, how is this carried out9 Frederick
Douglass marries a white woman in the District
of Columbia, and walks the streets law-abiding
citizen. Shortly after Steven Brown is sent to
iail in Mississippi, and the negro Thornton is
sentenced to four years in the State prison of
Indiana for similar acts This is not plea for
miScegenation; it is plea for the maintenance
of the Constitution. Do you not blush that
such outrages can be committed in this free
eountry2 By all means, pass nations al marriage
law, and if Congress will not revise the Consti-
tuition in order to embrace the States, at all
events it can pass law for all Territories and
thus do away with a special anti-polygamy bill.
And when Congress has thus done it's duty Utah
will go on as before. What then2 What would
any nation do with traitorsl Deprive John Tay-
lor's church of temporal power, and one-fourth
of the Mormons would heave sigh of relief
Mormons who remain in the church for policys
lakeland there are a great many of them
would dare to show their colors.
"MOrmoDs who believe in the religious ele-
ments Of the church, apart from polygamy and
despotSm, would rejoice greatly. Timid souls
would dare to act out their real natures. Young
men ambitious of public life would gradually
range themselves on the side of the national
MT oh fhav~ could t,ox
less to punish such delinQuents, for the doctrine
Of blood atonement is at present dead letter,
and temporal rewards for which saints strive
quite as much as Sinners would be on the side
of the national government. Loyal citizens of
Utah ask not for anti polygamv laws, not for the
Acknowledgement Of women, not for the disfran-
ehisement of a class, but for the disfranchise-
ment of all men and women, and the establish
Tnent of a legislative commission, composed not
of carpet baggers, but of loyal citizens of the
Territory, whose interests depend upon the Ter
Titorys well being Such a commission governed
the Territory Of Florida from 1922 to 1922 it
governed the Territory of Louisiana and also
governed the Northwestern Territory so there
Is ample precedent for it. Loyal citizens are so
anxious that Utah should be put in harmony
with the rest of the Union as to be willing to
give up their right of suffrage and stand upon
the same plane as their disloyal brothers and
sisters. 'UnconstitutionalP is the cry that goes
up from Mormon throats, and is repeated by
disfranchisement unconstitutional when, accord
ing to the Constitution of tho United States
which the Mormon dearly loves. Congress
shall have power to dispose of and make all
needtul rules and regulations respecting the
Territory or other property belonging to the
United StatesP What the Constitution declares
the Supreme Court indorses Congress has full
and complete legislative authority over the peo-
pls Of the Territories and all the departments of
the Territorial government
What is the condition Of Utah to-day? One
hundred and thirty thousand souls who believe
In DOlygamous theoracy arrayed against Is, 900
souls who believe in republic; 100, 600 souls
who believe in John Taylor as the head of their
government, 5000 souls who believe that the
PRESIDENT of the United States is the head of
their government; 1870 900 souls who believe that
the laws OF this country are to be broken whom
ever they conflict with John Taylor's commands;
10, 900 souls who believe that defiance of the law
IS rebellion against the best government on
eaFthi I3O, 600 souls who believe that the United
States are to be destroyed TO avenge the death of
Joseph and Hiram Smith, and that on the ruins
will be founded the kingdom Of the Saints; Is.
UOO souls who look upon this Nation as the hope
OF the world and see in it perpetuated the grad
ual emancipation and enlightment of all human
ity; l3O, 900 souls that accept polygamy as the
revelation from just God; Is, 900 souls who see
In this practice dissertation of home the pros
htution of body and soul and the begetting Of
children under the malign influences of jealousy,
hatred and unsatished longingS.
why should nullifers be given the ballotl
Man is not born to vote; the best legal authori.
ties have long since denied that the election
franchise is a vested right. 1T is unrepublican
to take from us the management of our local
concerns cry the Saints. This comes with bad
grace from people avowedly hostile to natl onal
authority, and for these hierarchs to raise such
a cry is like unto the legion of devils who under
protest were cast out by the Savior and by
way of compromise, were allowed to enter herd
of swine; even the swine felt so disgraced that
they rushed into the sea and drowned them
selves.
Congress governs the District of Columbia,
and there is not an elector in it, The District
OF Columbia is in harmony with the rest of the
country; it has no established church to
foster, and therefore sends up no wall of
anti republicanism. l have always heard, and
what have heard has been verified that self
preservation is the first law of nature. Does
not the law Of nature extend TO the laws of man,
or is it the duty of governments to sit still while