The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-05-15
cl.u,orof the Minority Eleven
Years Ago.
SPEECH BY GEO. @. CANNON.
;. the pays of the Kate Judge
- ,toKeaa. So in the Days OF
Judge Zane.

,,;oc-aphicalssketches OK theeRepresent
i've Men of america" by G. NJ. Whit
n.n and published by Fairbank, Pal
-osr Il Co., of Chicago. Theoecasion Of
speech was the debate in the House
= representatives on tine Poland Bill,
Tans I'd. 1874. When Nj Cannon had
snoken forty-fEe minutes he was raped
~ order by the Speaker, but allowed to
nroceed fifteen minutes longer by the
Foiee of the House. The speech, it will
he remembered, had the effect of elimi-
hating many Objectionable features
from the blll.
To-ritory is such that / can speak of it
a;tb a good deal of pride, and without
INV tear in relation to the result OF any
sTsnination to which its affairs may be
subjected
Utah Territory has now been settled
nearIv tyenty~seTen years. To-day we
arc ont of debt. Ghe counties, the
cities and the Territory are entirely
frae freHl debt. There is not bond. of
any kind ahoat The affairs of the Ter
Titory have been managed IN the most
economical manner. The aim has been
To have taxation as light as possible.
There are those WAC wish "a change, who
desire to obtain the control of affairs,
and this bill is in their interest 1t is
easy to imagine what the result would
be, If it were to pass, and the control of
the Territory we're taken cut of the
hands of these, who, at the present
time, have the majority there. What
an excellent opportunity there would be
ior-I vas going to say plumber, and l
do not know that it is too strong a word
to use. Experience elsewhere has shown
how easy it is to issue bonds, and to
involve a community inextriGably in
debt
It against this that my constituents
protest. They wish the majority to
govern. They govern elsewhere. why
not in Utah? Why aid the minority by
throwing Congressional influence
against the majority? What have toe
majority done, that this must be in
dicted upon them7 1t has been said. !
let the railroad be built across the con-
tinent and the Mormon power will soon !
be broken. Then it has been said, let [
mines be discovered, SO that emigration |
can flow in, and the overthrow of the |
KOrmons viii then be assured. The
railroad has been built, mines have
been discovered, emigration has flowed
into Utah, churches and schools have
been built and organIZed--I believe there
are five or six different denominations
busly engaged there and yet there is a
class who are not satisfied. The over
throw of the majority in Utah has not
been accomplished as thev hoped. They
now want Congress to aid them, by
n 81 Al. I
majority, and thus wrest the control of
atfairs from their hands.
Sir, it is but another scheme for rob
Ding that people, and it is hoped it can
be done under the guise of law.
Members should hesitate before
they cast their votes for such
bill. Examine well what the
results of suyh legislation are likely to
be. Let members ask themselves how [
they would like such legislation en- {
acted, if they were Objectionable, for I
religion or any other reason. Put {
Yourself, sir, in the condition of the
AOrmons, and ask Yourself how YOU /
would like to have such law as this l
passed against you.
1t may be said the Mormens are I
heretics, but this does not justify Con- v
gresS in making this bill law. Such L
legislation never, in the history of the Il
world, put down heresy. If:such legis- t
ation can, then all history bellies itself. Z
Tor history bears testimony, that no C
such measure as is proposed in this V
OIL ever was successful in accomplish d
ing such an object. 1t did not in the e
case OF the Huguenots; it did not in C
The case of the Puritans; it has not in D
any case, and it never will, never, while s.
me earth stands, and human nature Il
possesses its present features, unless,
indeed, you stamp a religion out by A
destroying all its believers. o
what is now Utah Territory, when i
9rSt settled, was country that nobody t,
aeslred. When my constituents went il
aere 1t was supposed they would r,
ellher fall victims to the Indians. .or o
slafVe to death. But, after struggling L
Years, they succeeded in Transforming o.
D pI rom a desert to place of beauty. q
n1 this was only done by Il
Immense sacrifice and toll. Some e;
u the settlements of Utah
Ierfltory have had their entire crops V:
oNepT OF five years in succession, by al
sSaaaa:sShopperS. In 1855 the crops of the lie
;nod territory were destroyed by those as
oaS7. l do not think | OverState the sc
ny Mnen say, remote as U tab then q
cor, rom all help, that in any other &C
E immunity similarly situated, hundreds al
,otSI nave starved to death. and their P
Il Elements would have been abandoned P,
IN, was va the religious sentiment. prompt m
t5S mem to divide with each other to va
y NJ iaSt mouthful that saved them. in
,hon MI Speaker. there was no talk then R
Ii toh eanacting laws for the Territory OF th
an ''n. No; the Mormons could struggle lie.
ras,a anu perish if they chose, and these va
inta aUus patriots who now profess such til
bsr est Tor Utah, cared nothing about re
did, Is only since mines have been or
valTnUtneIfed, and city property become ty
,trro Sole' and railroads have been con- th
t5atV 'Sed-It is only since it was found ia
slime 'ae Mormons had valuable posses st
preSo o, mat this Interest is taken by the va
ff emer.i crusaders against Utah. You a1
Vas 'nl?er' sir, that four years ago, 1t til
pOsed 1d 11 that unless Congress inter sa
Ter rH, there would be bloodshed in that of
vinca u An effort was made to con- W.
Was A., congress that, unless legislation WI
be in uaaeted for Utah, bloodshed would al
and AttG5s a Four years have passed: ST
as il maj maj territory to-day is as peaceful ce
Bnt Sa :s at that time. su
Up, ana II Is said that the courts are locked