Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-07

THE memorial of the Mormon women
which Senator Blair, of New Hampshire, has
presented in the Senate is a document de-
manding the sober and serious consideration
of the public. Statements are therein made
concerning the conduct Of deputy United
States marshals which appeal TO right-think-
ing men in a very forcible way. Mormon
women ought not to be insulted with i'm
punity by scoundrels who are commissioned
to execute warrants and serve subppnas. If
the statements contained in the Mormon
women's memorial to the president and Con-
gress can be substantlated by sworn evidence,
the department of justice must not neglect
the duty it owes to decency, no less than to
good government, to bring the ruffians who
are accused to summary punishment. The
facts are stated with a minuteness and cir
cumstantiality of detail that raise a strong
presumption of the accuracy OF the narratives.
The following are some of the outrages of
which complaint is justly made:
"On January IL, 1856, eai ly in the morning
five deputy marshals appeared at the
residence OF VIM Grant, American Fork,
forced the front door open, and while the
inmates were still in bed, made their way up
stairs to their sleeping apartments. There
they were met by one OF the daughters of
William Grant, who was aroused by the
intrusion, and, despite her protestations,
Wltuoul giving lluIt lOE Il6 OBJECT oil their
search to get up and dress himself made
their way into his bed room, Iinding him still
in bed and his wife en- dishabitIe in the act of
dressing herself"
February %, 1856, at about IL o'clock at
night, twOdeputy marshals visited the house
OF Solomon Edwards, about seven miles from
Eagle Rock, Idaho, and arrested Mrs. Ed.
wards, his legal wife, after she had retired to
bed, and required her to accompany them
Immediately to Eagle Rock. Knowing some
thing CT the charaptAr pf N n ha
from his having visited the house before
while he indulged in great deal of drink king
profanity, and abuse, she feared To
accompany them without some pro-
lection, and requested neighbor to 20
along on horseback while she rode in the
buggy with the two deputies On the way
the buggy broke down and she, with an
infant in her arms, was compelled to walk
the rest OF the distance-between two and
three miles. They could have no reason for
subpenaing her in the night, and compell-
ing her to accompany them at such an un-
timely hour, except a tiendish malice or a
determination to heap all the indignites pos.
sible upon her, because she was Mormon
woman, tor she never attempted to evade
the serving OF the warrant, and was perfe ctly
willing TO report herself at Eagle Rock the
next day. She was taken to Salt Lake CITY
to testify against her husband"
Mrs. Easton and Miss Morris, of Cream
Vile, near Beaver, Utah, narrate the most
| abusive, and indecent conduct of deputy
marshals, forcing their way into ladies' bed
| rooms and behaving outrageously.
The objects of these searches one would nat
urally think were very dangerous characters
who had been guilty OF great crimes-murder,
arson or counterfeiting On the contrary,
they are only suspected of having committed
misdemesnors, the maximum punishment
for which was fine OF $500 and six months
Imprisonment The ostensible purpose OF
the enforcement OF the Edmunds' law is To
correct public morals in Utah by breaking up
the practice Of plural marriages by the Nor,
mons. If this is the way federal officials hab-
itually conduct themselves their morality
would probably. be improved by residence
In reformatory institution, where hard labor
ana separate confinement are features OF dis.
cPline rigidly enforced.
now houses can be broken into and wit.
nosses arrested who have not been subpoenaed
anu iaiieu 10 obey the summons, is hard 10
understand. Courts that permit such ont
RACES on the personal liberty OF the citizen.
sanction such intrusions of officers into the
domicile, ought to be reconstructad Thav
would not be attempted in this state II
they were, shotguns would be likely to win.
dictate constitutional rights.