The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-07
THE UTAH COMMISSION.
SUMMARY OF THEIR ANNUAL RE
PORT TO THE
SecretarY of the InteriOr-The bI''
Iranchisement Law Success
fully Enforced.

WASHINGTON, October 6-Ihe U tan
Commission, by its chairman, A. b.
Carleton, has filed with the Secretary
OF the Interior IFS annual report, oil
which the following is a synopsis
During the yesr the law regarding the
disfrabchisement of polygamists and
those living in unlawful cohabita ion
las been fully and successfully en-
forced. All such persons, with very
few if any exceptions, have been ex-
cluded from vo'ing and to.ding office.
A large number have been feed ard
imprisoned in the penitentiary for po'
lygamy or unlawful cohabitatloD,
chiefly for the latter offense. II is re-
ported and be ieved by many non
resident Mormons that during the year
large number Of polyssmous mar
risges have taken place in the mples
of Logan CITY and st. George. We
have not the means of verifying such
reports, yet we have no doubt thai a
considerable number of suchmarIiages
have been celebrated with The
knowledge. appreciation and act
i've co operation of leading men
of the Mormon Church. Whether
upon the whole polygamous ma riages
are on the decrefss in Utah, is mat
ter on which different opinions are
expressed, but undoubtedly many
have been restrained by the lear OF
Acknowledgement and the peniten-
tiary. and we think it is safe to say
that in the more enlightened portions
of the territory, as, for example, Salt
Lake City and its vicinity, very fsw
poygamous marriages. have occurred
within the last year.
Referring to the joint resolution now
pending in both houses of Congress,
proposing an amendment to the Con
stitutiou of the United States prohib-
iting and Furnishing polyRamy in all
the States and Territories, extending
the judicial power Of the Federal Gov
eminent to the prosecution OF such
offenses, the report says: while sc
ale OF the opinion that this should not
supercede other measures, we are SIT
lsfed that it would be an efficient fac
tor in effecting the desired result. In
addition to the reasnn presented by
the Judiciary Committee, we suggest
that the Incorporation OF this provis-
ion in the constitlt on would serve
as an advertisement to the people OF
all civilized Da,iors that ia the
United States polygsmy had been put
under ban in the most authoritative
and emphatic manner.
The report calls attention to the
magnitude of the evil by saying that
there are more than 100000 Mormops
in the world,a large majority of whom
live in Utah, and that, while onl y
portion Of them prac.i ice polygamy,
they all believe in it as divine reve-
latiop, having been taught it in their
schools and churches for third OF a
century; are led by men Of great skill
and ability, and are fsDatical to a
marked degree; that the only imme-
diately effective remedy would be the
uee of the military, but that the sense
of modern civilization will not permit
the employment Of bayonets against
women and children. Yet the Ameri-
can people regard polygamy as q
crime, and it cannot be ignored by
the government. "Here we may say
that, while we recognize the obliga'
ton of the government to protect
the personal property rights OF
the Mormon people, and to
deal with them ss equals before
the law, yet it is equally the
duty of the government to punish
crime within lis jurisdiction, and re-
ljg' GUS liberty cannot bs pleaded as 3
bar to Punishment for crimiral acts in
violation OF the laws of the land and
of social order. II the present laws
and the proposed Constitutional
amendments are not sufficient to sup
press the evil, more stringent enact
meuts must be adopted, and the re-
suit will be that, at no distant day,
this relic of Asiatic barbarism, this
blot on the fair name Of America, will
be swept from the land.