The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-18
THE CANNON MATTER.

The failure Of President George
Cannon to respond when his name wa
called in the Third District Court o.
Wednesday morning to answer tn
charge aud enter upon trial for IN
lawful cohabisation, was more of SUI
prise to the gentleman's friends and as
sJciates of a lifetime than to hi
emies. Vague rumors had been il
circulation for ten days or two week
that the defendant had left the city AMI
would not appear for trial on the day
appointed for opening the case, but the
sto lies were regarded generally as idle
tales, without foundation. People did
not pay enough attention to them to
consider whether or not the rumors
were probably based on facts. Yester-
days developments. however, proved
how we'll grounded were those stories.
1t is not overstating the case to say that
the announcement that Mr.. Cannon
had not. responded to the courts call
was shock to the community. 1t was
new thing here, and that the depar-
ture should have been made by a gen
tleman occupying the position that Mr..
CInnon holds in the community,
was for the moment startling. Long
before night. however, there was com
plete change in public feeling and SEN
timent. When people got over their
surprise and could look at matters
coolly and intelligently, they could IN
derstand why Mr.. Cannon had taken
this coarse, and could approve of his
conduct. We believe that the more
they think of it the stronger will BE-
their commentator of his wisdom and
of the propriety of his departure.
The great effort of the courts officers
was to capture George O. Cannon. He
was regarded as the leading spirit in the
Mormon church, and to his influence
was charged the fact that the church
remains intact and unyielding notwith-
standing the vigorous assaults against
it. The enmity and venom of
the Federal representatives towards
Mormons IN general were intensified
in the case of Mr.. Cannon. After the
vain efforts of year to arrest him,
price was put upon his head, and he
was finally run down and caught. The
vindIctlveness that had hitherto shown
itself, chiefly in words, was now dis
YoIauad In daodr Troro fba rooroaof oF
his arrest the malicious purpose of his
prosecutors and prosecutors was ap-
parent. 1t was to deprive him of liberty
for the remainder of his natural life,
and if possible to hasten his death.
Arrested on the charge of a petty mis-
demeanor, he was treated as if he were
guilty of the most if not of all the
crimes in the calendar. The civil power
even abdicated its authority to the
military IN order to heap indignity
upon the prisoner. The court also
treated the case as if it were in sympathy
with the scheme. 1t could not deny
bail, but it fixed the bond at higher
figure than had ever before been asked
in a case of common misdemeanor.
1t was the common talk on the
street and in official circles that
ofyears imprisonment were awaiting the
accused, and it was asserted by officials
and published in newspapers that after
the courts here had expended their |
authority over him, he would be turned |
over to the tender mercies of Nevada |
for few years of penal servitude. If
Mr.. Cannon had gone TO prison, we do |
not believe he would have come out |
alive. If he realized this, and his action
says that he did, his course was |
simply that of any sane, intelligent |
man who loves the two great considera-
tons in this world-Ife and liberty
Mr. Cannon's people will not blame or !
condemn him for his effort towards self !
preservation, and his enemies have no
right to censure him. He has broken |
ne law in fleeing; he has violated no
promise. Until justice can be had by
him, until he can be fairly tried for what I
he has done, and will not be subjected
to punishment for what he has not
done; until hate and malice have no
power II exert themselves to his in
jury be will be wise to avoid falling
into the hands of those who seek to
punish him because of his position and
influence rather than on account of his
violations of law.
Il GovERNoR MURRAY will now be.