The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-04-12

would be resworn, while at the same
time he was living in the marriage re-
latioH with his wife's servant girl; and
now that the fruits of his unhOly
connection with that young woman have
come to light, yet, there are no pro-
ceedings instituted against him for I'M
lawful cohabitation.
1 deny the right of governments to
interfere with the religion of men: or
either to interfere with men on the score
of lack of religion. also contend that
this republic has no moral functions,
but that the government has to do only
with the social acts of the citizen.
denounce the spirit in which the
| Edmunds law was suggested, and The
spirit in which it is being administered
at present, as an outgrowth of the
bigotry that has deluged the world in
the blood of religious persecution. l
will further define my position IN re-
spect to 1.-THE limits of the Authority OF
society over the individual" by insert
ing an extract from John Stewart Mill's
Chat profound thinker) essay on liberty:
what, then, is the rightful limit to the
sovereignty of the individual over him
self? Where does the authority of
society begin? How much of human
life should be assigned to individuality,
and how much to society? Each will
receive its proper share, if each has that
which more particularly concerns it.
To individuality should belong the part
of life in which it is chiefly the individ-
ual that is Interested; to society, the
part which chiefly interests society.
The liberty of the individual must be
thus far limited; he must not make
himself a nuisance to other people. But
If he refrains from molesting others in
what concerns them, and merely acts
according to his own inclination and
judgment in things which concern him
self, the same reasons which show that
opinion should be free, proves also that
he should be allowed, without molesta-
ton, to carry his opinion into practice
at his own cost. That mankind are not
infallible; that their truths, for the
most part, are only half-truths; that
unity of opinion, unless resulting from
the fullest and freest comparison of
opinions is not desirable. and diversity
not an evil, but good, until mankind
are much more capable than at present
of recognizing all sides of the truth are
principles applicable to mems modes
of action, no less than their opinions.
AS 1t is useful that while mankind are
imperfect there should be different
opinions. So it is that there should be
different experiments of living; that
free scope should be given to varieties of
character, short of injury of Others;
and that the worth of different modes
of life should be proved practically,
when any one thinks fit to try them.
1t is desirable, in short, that in things
which do not primarily concern others,
ind viduality should assert itself.
Where, not the persons own character,
but the traditions or customs of other
people are the rule of conduct, there is
wanting one of the principal ingredients
Of human happiness, and quite the
chief INGREDIENT of individual and
social progress"
The liberty expressed in the above
should be enjoyed alike by Mormon and
catholic and Protestant, Atheist and
rheist in this great republic.
PETER PoRCUpINE.