The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-07
MRS. H. C. BROWN:
Dear Friends:

Dear Friends:
We have met to-day to unite our
voices in protesting against the cruel
enforcement of special legislative en-
actments brought to bear upon US as
people, and we appeal to every honest
mind and heart to use their influence
to stay the shameful proceedings by
which pretended courts of justice are
converted into courts of lnquisltlon.
That honest, virtuouS, Christian
women may no longer be subjected to
insult and abuse, nor have every feeling
"-nntal and conjugal love, and every
f"iouS Lduty, outraged
SefsSg nj Pa, dow
and tfamped upon.
Saints hut as American citizens
members of that great commonwealth
which our noble grandsires fought ana
hIed to establish-legal heirs to those
rights and privileges bequeathed oy
that heaven-inspired document-tne
of these United States.
Yes. legal heirs, yet illegally, unconstl-
tutionaily deprived of that dearest,
most cherished of all rightS-freedCm
to worship God according to the die
tates of our ownlconsciences.
And this within the limits OF gov
eminent founded upon religious ND
erty. This in nation whose Ieglsia-
tors point proudly to the brave Pilgrim
Fathers and mothers as their ancestors
and then turn to crush their fellow
creatures - descendants OF the same
noble parentage. a5o
o consistency, where art thou ned!
o Justice, surely thy face must hlae
= -,o xuhaTl lnuQl men AMI
women are denied the right OF citizen
shin, because, forsooth, they would
carye God and fear Him rather than
man. "a,
Once again, we protest against the
unjust designs and unlawful enact
ments of INSCRIPTIONS men, Dllnded
by selfish ambition to all the pest In
terests of our government as well as 10
their own eternal welfare.
And we would say to them and to the
World-that, rather than forego one
principle of our holy religion-rather
than yield the right to act upon our
own convictions of duty, we would, II
need be, endure exile or Imprisonment,
or whatever our Heavenly Father may
see fit in His wisdom to require of US;
and, like the Saints of former days,
suffer rather that accept deliverance,
that we may inherit more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory.
DIR. ELLEN B. FERGUSON
said the wrongs against which those
assembled now protested were such
as would have put to blush the ciyiliza-
ton of two centuries ago. While the
statue of liberty was being erected
women were here sent to jail for no
crime, and the pureSt and best women
in the country now raised their voice
against the Outrage. Sixteen years ago
the women of Utah were granted the
right of suffrage, and it was wbiS
pered that they would break the bands
which were supposed to bind them.
The women of Utah had proven true
and had never cast an unrighteouS bal
lot. They voted for men who were
pure, honorable and upright. The
government now seemed to think it
premature that the women were al
lowed to vote ,andlwere endeavoring to
deprive them Of that right, not because
they had committed crime, but because
they believed in the revelations of God.
1t was urged that the women in Utah
were coerced. No member of Con-
gress would dare witness what
MdS GO-ud1 duu
such a falsehood.. isPriestly dictation"
was prated about, but nothing was
said of the Catholics, who voted as
their priest directed. This was the
battlefield between truth and error.
The Saints were loyal citizens, indus
trious and honest, but they were being
because they belonged to
an unpopular class. The President of
the United States asked for fairness
for the Chinese, but had never asked
Justice for the "Mormons." Under
law, the seducer and de-
stroyer had no fear of deputy, as
"birds OF feather flocked together"
But honorable "Mormons" were
logged and watched by "spotterS,"
and these acts were approved by
Americans. She had felt that Ameri
ca was an asylum for all
but the "MormonS'' They were to-
day in the same position as the
American patriots 126 years ago. Eng
land oppressed the patriots, and re-
fused redress; they took their liberty
by force of arms. Their descendants
are now the oppressors, and the "Mor-
morns" the oppressed. And now these
chains of tyranny were to be welded
closer by taking from the women of
Utah, the ballot, which they had never
used but in the promotion
of honor, virtue, and good to all. May
the day never come when they will be
deprived of the ballot. The nation
should call halt and remember vo1
p0puli, UoI Del. There willcome day
when those engaged in this crusade
will bitterly repent their treat
ment of the "Mormons;' which
is unjustitiable. The "Mormons,''
would adhere to their religion
which was from God. Test oaths
would not move them. The enemies of
'Mormonism" desired to sweep it
from the face of the earth; but the
work was Gods, and they could not do
3 The committee on resolutions re-
ported the following, which were una
1imously adopted: ~ s..
AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE
WOMEN OF UTAH IN MASS MEETING
ASSEMBLED:
Whereas, The rights ana liberties of
women are placed in jeopardy by the
present cruel and inhuman proceed
ngS in the Utah courts, and in the
measure in Congress to
deprive the women voters in Utah of
he elective franchise; and,
Whereas, Womanhood is outraged bv |
he compulsion used in the courts of |
Utah to force mothers on pain of inn |