Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-05-14
THE NOR MONS.
The Delegation from Utah Present Their
Case tn the President.

WASHINGTON, May IL.
Delegate Cain of Utah, John W. Taylor,
son of the president of the Mormon church,
and John Q. Cannon, who compose the dele
CATION sent by the Mormon church to lay
before the President a statement of the griev-
ances OF the Mormons, and to present the
protest recently adopted by mass meeting
of MormOns against the action of Federal
officials, called by appointment at the execu-
tive mansion this morning. and were received
by the President in the library. Cain read
the following address to the President, who
remained standing during the interview:
'Mr. President-The Latter Day Saints,
assembled in general conference at Logan,
on the sixth day Of April, 1885, appointed a
committee to draft specific statement of the
wrongs they have suffered, and are still suf-
fering, from the tyrannical conduct of Fed
eral officers. The committee thus created
submitted the result of it's !abors to the Nor
mon people of Utah, gathered in mass meet
ings in several counties of that territory, on
tho second day of May, 1885 The people of
their own free will unanimously and enthus-
iastically ratified this declaration of griev-
ances and protest, and the undersigned were
delegated to come here and formally deliver
the same to you In the performance of this
duty we beg leave to assure you that this
document voices the unified sentiment of the
whole body of the Mormon people. 1t is not
the mere dictum of the church authorities.
The first presidency of the church had moth
ing to do with the preparation or ratification
Of this declaration of the peoples grievances,
and their protest against the wrongs inflicted
upon them.
"The Mormon people do not ask that you
shall even 'wrest once the law to your author
itx,ss in Nd fo do iuht hos
will endure vastly more than the public con-
science would expect Of any people, but they
insist, as they have an undoubted right to do
that the laws should be impartially admins
tered, that men who administer them should
be fair, upright, unbiased and impartial, that
the executive and administrative officers sent
thither by the Federal government should be
honest and conf1ne themselves to the per-
torrance of their legal duties and not be-
come the allies of an INSCRIPTIONS cotorie
whose sole object ;s to plunder the Mormons
of their property and their liberty"
= The President listened courteously and at
tentively to the address, and upon its conclu-
sion said =
"Well, gentlemen, so far, of course. as the
Edmund's law is concerned, had nothing to
do with that or course, it is my duty to see
that it is enforced, as well as all other laws.
You are entitled to fair consideration and to
have laws impartially administered as you
ask, and so far as any appointments which
shall make are concerned, will endeavor to
give you men of character who will see that
the law is impartially administered. l hope
soon to be able to get at those matters but
will require little time"
The Presidents face broke into smile as
he concluded: IL wish you out there could
be like the rest of u.s."
IAN we ask" rejoined Mr.. Cain. sis that
the law shall be impartially administered"
''You are entitled to that" said the Presi-
dent, "and so far as am concerned, shall
see that it is so. l will give these matters
my attention as early as possible"
Another delegation entered at this time, ,and
the Mormons withdrew.