The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-28

have been a State to-day. But because
the Mormons, not only in the Territory
OF Utah, but in other Territories where
/ they have settled, have always voted
/ the Democratic ticket, the Republican
leaders determined. By airy sort of
means. to make Utah and her people
Republican against their will. Had
/ they remained in power perhaps they
would have accomplished their end.
I PERHAPS they. would have disfranchised
every me mber OF the Mormon Church.
! This would have hal tn effect OF plac-
/ ing the politicsl power of the Territory
of Utah-not TO speak OF other Terrific
resin the hands of the minority, on
/ the plea, OF course, that the MormOns
were disloyal 10 the government under
which they lived. The Republicans,
/ however. went out Of power before suy
.ch scheme could be contaminated.
They were rejected at the polls in
! November, 1884, and il viii be q
/ long time until that reelection
/ is reScinded; for l believe that,
referring 10 q speech made by
/ Col. 5. Merritt. of this city, in front Of
the Democrat Office just after the cleo
/ ton OF Clevelani, the Republican
party, as party, lis as dead as julius
Cesar" The Republicans, through the
medium of Edmunds or any body else,
may continue TO draft and introduce
bills in Congress against the MormOns,
but will the Democrats, when they are
shown the true iawardness of the whole
scheme, be foolish enough TO carry on
the same unhaliowed work to their own
unmistakeaole harm and hurt? Up TO
the present time, so far as the hue and
/ 81 g aaA NNaarr
have certainly been made the catspaw
OF the Republicans. Edmunds, with a
well-detined. but thinly- disguised mo-
tive, in reduced, what l have already
referred to, his second anti-polygamy
bill, as feeler 20 the Democratic party.
He desired, in word, TO find Oh I. at
the earliest possible moment, how the
Democratic party were going TO handle
the Mormon question. have often
wondered. in this connection, il he was
satisfied with the bill as reported 20 the
House by the House committee on
Judiciary, whose chairman was the |
Hon. Randolph Tucker, OF Virginia. |
He must have been staggered beyond |
measure when he had put into his |
hands the bill that the latter committee |
had agreed to report TO the lower house |
on the Mormon question. He must |
have looked very critically for his own |
bill, but lol and behold he could not |
find it. With the exception Of the enact |
ing clause, there was nothing left OF his |
bill at all. The committee on judiciary |
Of the House, after the most elaborate |
arguments, simply scored outevery line |
Of the original bill, and drafted q bill |
on their own account. And what bill ! |
No republican could have desired any
thing more; for in its provisions il may /
be said to have out-CaSzred Cesar. |
IL the Republicans ever thought that |
the Democrats, now that they are in
power, were going to favor the Nor
mons in any shape or form, that |
thought must have been entirely dis
abused when they read what is now
known as the Edmunds-Tucker anti
polygsmy bill. Such bill must have
exceeded their fondest anticipations.
In its provisions it went very much /
farther than Edmunds himself had ever
suggested; and in this / fancy ne must /
have felt greatly disappointed. Indeed,
If ever the bill should reach his COM
mittee be might take il into his head to i
oppose many of its provisions, for the
reason that they had been drafted by /
somebody else than himself. He seems.
OF all men, 70 be very anxious 10 make
a great record in regard to passing
severe legislation against the Mormons.
Not content with the terrible suffering
he has already wrought in the midst Of
as good a community as exists upon
the face of this continent, he seems,
judging by the bill he introduced and
had passed in the Senate, last session,
anxious to infict further suffering,
regardless OF every remonstrance or
protest on the part of the community
themselves or their representatives.
Such spirit is not 10 be envied. Any
man that would seek TO Cypress his
fellow man in the way that the Senator
from Vermont has done may expect
some day, in the eternal order IF things,
10 be himself oppressed in no uncertain
The same will apply TO any
set OF men, no matter what their politi-
cal creed, or the object they may lave
N view. The oppressor shall ultimately
be paid back in his own coin with
interest. 1t has always been the case.
and Will continue to be to the end of
the chapter. The Mormon problem
may be difficult TO solve. One thing
sure, however, il never will be solved by
3 system OF persecution, or the passing
and enforcing Of unconstitutional laws.
Indeed, IL IS q truism, that whenever q
whole people are opposed to q law that
aw is bad, and the sooner il is wiped
of the statute books the better. Thou
sands Of men have suffered death for
sake, and surely at this late
hour Of the day it is well understood
hat il is impossible TO legislste away
the conscience Of any man or woman
On the face OF the earth. In dealing
With the Mormon question this should
be borne in mind. II il were, the mis-
axes that are now being committed
would not be committed. and a com
non sense, fair minded literal policy
brought to bear on the subject.
JOHN IRVINE.