Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-30
WORKING WELL.

obedience to the law in future and only
one took the full penalty OF the law, the
result may be said 10 be satisfactory. Mr..
s. w. Sears clearly and distinctly and
without any equivocation promised to
obey the law in future. Mr.. t. o. Angel,
Jr., promised the same, but not until the
Court made him define his position. In
his case there was tendency to jesuit
ism, but this may have been because he
had not made up his mind what to do
until closely questioned by the Court.
The other case was that OF
Bishop Hiram b. Clawson. He abso-
lutely refused to promise obedience to
the law and gave his reasons, which
were, substantially, that he had been as
sociated with the Mormon church for
some forty-hvc years, and that he had en-
tered into his polygamic relations long
years ago when he and his wives were
young that now his wives were fast adj
vancing to lifc's close and already streaks
OF gray show in their hair. For him to
cease to associate with them now as their
husband would be for him to forfeit all
that his course in life had earned for him
in the hereafter, and it was better for
him to 90 TO prison than to undo the work
OF his life. Another reason which he
gave was that il he were to promise obedi-
ence to the law in future he would be os
tracised and looked down upon in the
community where he resides Such were
the reasons which Mr.. Clawson gave for
refusing TO obey the law. 1t is to be re-
gretted that the reasons for refusing to
obey the law were more powerful
with him than the reasons for
obeying it. Mr.. Clawson has long
been n prominent man in the COM
munity, and Mr.. Clawson's family has
been pointed to as the ideal polygam-
ous family. The harmony which has pre-
vailed in his family has been owing en-
tirely to Mr.. Clawson and not to the
institution of polygamy. Had Mr.. Claw
son been any less particular to be just to
his various families, there would have
been the same ill-feeling and discord in
his family that characterize the majority
of polygamous families. Mr.. Clawson's
family has been pointed TO by all Nor
mons rs an example Of which to be proud,
aud in books about Mormonism it has
been cited as an instance of
what polygamy may be made.
There is one family that is pointed out
to strangers as being harmonious and
happy, but what OF all the other polyg-
amous families2 Is system which
prevades tho entire Territory to be
sustained because it has furnished one
worthy eXarrple? Is it not strange that
no other family is cited to show the SUI
periority OF polygamy? A system that
can only produce one worthy example is
not greatly superior to any other system.
In view Of the circumstances surrounding
Mr.. Clawson's case, a great deal of SYM
pathy will be felt for him personally
but sympathy should not be allowed to
set the law mt naught. Mr.. Clawson is
not required to cease to support his
wives and children, but he was required
TO cease cohabiting with his wives in
the marriage relation, and he was
required to do this merely because
the law forbids it. We honestly and sim
cerely believe that had Mr.. Clawson, and
Others in the same position as himself,
come forward at the time OF the time Of
the passage of the Edmunds law, and used
all their endeavors to have it obeyed and
respected, and sought to discourage any
further violations of the anti-polygamy
laws, and had stated their intention to
that effect to the President, and had
asked clemency for past otfenses, amnesty
would have been granted them and that
Congress would have made some provis-
ion for such cases as his, so that his fam
lily relations would not have been dis
turbed. But the very contrary OF this
was done. Polygamy was never so urged
upon the Mormon people as since the
passage OF the Edmunds law, not even in
the time OF what, in Utah, is called the
Reformation. That time was in 1856,
and continued for year or two. The
people of Utah chose their course, and
now they are to a small extent reap
ing the consequences OF that course.
So far as we have been able
to learn, never man in the Mormon
church, whether layman or clerical, has
ever advised the Mormon people to obey
and respect the laws passed for the sup
preston of polygamy and the discontinue
ance OF unlawful cohabitaton. They
thought to discourage the Government in
its efforts to enforce the law by more cx-
tensiyely breaking it. They were mis-
taken. In the enforcement Of the law
there will doubtless be some apparent
hardships, but those upon whom they
+ fall, and the public too, should remember
that they never by word or act sought II
have the law respected or obeyed
Things are near n crisis in Utah when The
law will be triumphant or will be forever
violated. Which il shall be remains
with'thc Government to say, for now Tia,
game is in It's hands. The law should bC
yipafcated or its violators allowed TO g
unmolested. Does any one doubt whcl
choice the Government has made?
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A CONSISTENT COURSE.
There is much complaint in Republical