The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-07


, wronged by Mormon officers.
l IIis remarkable fact that in all these
years since the Introduction of polyg-
: ahy among us, not one Gentle mas
ever entered into IL through cur
, agency; those who are corrupt have
easier methods which are furnished
ana approved by the professed Chris
TAU world These are NOT Mormon
institutions; but the practical out
CROWN OF monOgamy. The question
arises, II in thirty four years not one
Gentle has adopted polygamy, how
many years will IL take u demOraliZe
the nity-ilye millions of the United
states! The fact il, onr Elders could
not thus Introduce il II they would,
ana any one so doing would Oe imme
diately severed from the Church.
Ine question arises, What shall we
do! Snail we, because Of the fncon-
siderate action of Congress. OF the Ju-
dietary and of other Federal officers,
array ourselves against the nation, and
sacrifice our loyalty TO the greatest
nation which Is now in existenceg
Certainly not. Joseph Smith told Us
that THE Constitution of the United
States was given by inspiration of
God. Is 1T less true to-day Than IL
was then! What shall we do? Have
they passed test Oaths" which are
Have they not "prohiDited the free ex-
ercise or our "religion!" Yes. Have
they not passed or post f,fctO laws. Yes.
IL Is not only said that no &c post fdctO
law shall be passed, but also no Law
impairing the Obligation of contracts"
SOiue thousands of people in this Ter
ritory have entered into sacred con
tracts for time and for ali eternity;
/ Cong; eSS has passed law making this
! - - NJ ~
violate their contracts, are In prison
to-day for violation OF the law of
Congress which is eI post fdctO. making
that crime which was net a crime
when the law was passed. This, then,
is another violation of the Conslitu-
i ton. What about the religious test
Oaths" instituted in Idaho, Arizona and
in certain forms In Utah. WHAT about
the ith amendment 10 the COnStitu-
ton. which says: The right of the
| people 70 be secure. in their persons,
houses, papers and effects, against un-
I reasonable searches and seizures, snaIl
not be violated; aud no warrant
snail issue but upon probable cause,
supported by oath or Affirmation, and
particularly describing the place TO ne
searched. and the persons or things TO
be SeiZed?''
In article s of the Constitution it is
stated, Excessive bail shall not be
required, nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments in
! fiicted." In George q. Cannon's case
lately, in an offenSe for which the law
provides 500 due and six months i'm
prisonment, a bail of - .OOO.OO and an
additional 81, 600 90 for two complaints
which were not at the time supported
by any evidence. was required: thus he
was made subject to . Si5, 10000 bond.
Is this excessive bail! II so, it is viO-
lation OF the Constitution. Thus we
have six different violations OF the
Constitution of the United States,
sanctioned, approved or wInked at by
those VINO have sworn TO sustain that
charter of liberty.
These are no fictions, but veritable
facts that we have had 10 meet and put
up with. But because of this
miSrule and perverSiOn OF the
Constitution, and of the rights
of American citizens shall we
be inimical TO that Constitution or
to the institutions OF the country 10
which we owe allegiance7 Certainly
not. These errors have to be correct
ed, and 1t is our duty, so far as lays in
our power, as |. is.the duty of all hon.
orable men in these United States, to
sustain the Constitution thereof and
10 oppose in all legitimate ways any
infringement of that instrument.
We are inconsiderately asked TO rend
our family relations and throw away
our ideas OF human freedom, political
equality and the rights of man, and 'to
become like them" Be like them for
what? Like them in sapping the foun-
dationS of human liberty, like them in
violating our constitutional oathS,
like them in covenanting with wives
and children till death parts them,
aud no more but dead blank! What
does it mean to be like them! IL
means that T. pilfribus UI,lu3 is fic-
ton; it means that We tampSr with and
violate that grand palladium of human
liberty, the Constitution of the United
States and substitute eXpediency, an
archy, fanatIcism, intolerance and re-
ligious bigotry for those glorious
fundamental principles of liberty,
equality, brotherhood, human freedom
and the rights of man. II means
judicial corruption, perverted justice
missionary judges, class rulings and
minority representation; IL means
judicial tyranny and oppression, the
Introduction of spies and spoilers, of
packed luries and intolerance, of
prisons, chains and terrorism; and in !
potism, in the place of liberty, |
equality and brotherhood. We cannot |
do il. We will rally around the flag of |
our country and maintain the glorious /
Constitution for veal or woe. Wecannot
and will not lay aside our fealty 10 the I
nation at the bidding of political dem
agogues, religious fanatics or intoler-
ant despotS.
To you, Brethren, who, as Presi-
dents of Stakes, High Councillors !
and Bishops, hold in your keep !
ing the purity of the lives of I
the members of the Church, we again /.
repeat the warnings and adnonitions /
of our former epistles and say, upon /
you lays the responsibility of the keep !
ing of Gods house Ia order, each &C
cording TO his calling, ordination aud ]
appointment, and 10 the extent and I,
scope of the duties imposed upon him. /.
In these duties you cannot be negli- |
gent without mourning the displeasure /
of the Lord and losing His Spirit. TIE 1
Lord holds each man responsible for /
that portion of the flock which Is