The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-02-25
FROM THE "REPUBLIC."
A ''Fete Champetre' to a So-Called
"Penitentiary Convict"
To the Editor of THE HERALD .

there, and the prospects are very favor
able for two more being there shortly.
One of these two is to receive sentence
on the 18th, and the other goes 10 trial
the same day. All these cases are for
unlawful cohabitation. Indeed, the
crime ( p of living with their wives seems
to be about the only one OF which the
Mormon people are guilty. Well,
however deep the gloom of the
prison may be for these men
from Tooele, their departure for
the government clearinghouse, as
they humorously call the Pen" is
made very pleasant. So lar, each of the
men who have gone from this delight
full village to the Pen" The immediate
friends and relatives of the party and
leading citizens of the place, have given
him fete chdmpetre. One of these .fet
was given last nj hit in honor Of one OF
these prospective prisoners to which
your correspondent, though stranger,
was invited.
Here assembled the aged and middle
aged and the youthful. OF course, the
writer expected, judg ng from the Oc-
gether, that this would be rather SOL
emD occes sion. but he was doomed to
disappointment. Everyone was cheer
ful, and laughed and jes ed and recited
and sang and danced as if there were no
bolts or bars or prison walls threatening
their dearest friends; indeed, it would
have been more easy TO have imagined
yourself at wedding festival than at
lea re taking Of candidate for the Peni-
tentia'E.
Here were first wives and plural
wives and their respective children unit
ing in bestowing honor upon their COM
mon husband and parent. There
were no distinctions, no jealousies, no
hypocrisy, no anger, no guile; but all
was peace, union and fellowship. And
| the cheerfulness with which these
people submit to the punishment In
| hicted upon them in consequence OF
their practising this principle of their
religion, to my mind prophesies the
failure of the government to suppress
plural marriage by the methods it has
adopted.
Take for example the man who was
Toasted last night. For twenty six
years he has lived in plural marriage.
therefore. he married his wives Two
years before any law whatever existed
against it, and now, after lap,e of
twenty-six years-after these SOncn
have journeyed with him over the
rugged path of life, sharing his tri-
umphs and defeats, walking faithfully
by mis- side in sunshine and IN shadow,
who in the days of their youth bore
to him numerous offspring. and who,
now that the silver threads are creeping
among the golden and raven, are still
walking by his side. Now the husband
and father is brought before fixed"
jury and unless he will turn one of
these wives away, unless he will in some
unexplained way turn her adrift and
brand her with shame, by declaring
that she is not his wife. he himself will
be cast into prison; because, for
sooth, he is not villain enough
| to do thing so monstrous, so utterly
repulsive to every sentiment of true
manhood.
What can the government hope to
gain by such course-bv such harsh
ness? What will be the effect upon this
mans children? Will they not honor
him for refusing to cast off his wives
and children Does the nation pre-
sumo upon the total depravity of
womankind, to the extent of believing
that women who are first wives would
sanction the unmanly act that would
cast away these plural wives?
What effect VIII the punishment of
this man have upon his neighbors?
/ Will they not regard him as martyr
one who is suffering for conscience
| sake? Was not the very fete OF last
( night an evidence that they so regard
him? And so long as the sentiment of
| this community shall remain as il is-so
! kn n 10
prison, but rather an honor; and so
so long as the Mormon people shall re-
gard those who suffer Imprisonment and
| fines for refus ng to do violence to their
| consciences as martyrs. SO long may
government despair of suppressing
plural marriage. The people will con-
time their silent, but extensive and per-
severing war against the law, and so long
as that is the case, the results of the
prosecutions under the cloak OF the law
will be extremely unsatisfactory. Those
who have in charge the execution of
the law may be bold. They may defy
intimidation. They may say the law is
strong enough TO crush out the thing
which it. and it alone. calls crime,
but in this they will lie disappointed.
The Mormon people are conscientious
in their belief of the rightfulness OF
plural marriage, and until they are con-
Vinced that the premises Of their faith
are wrong. it will be useless fer
power to talk of triumph. Proscr1ptiye
laws. banishments, fines, imprison-
ments. the rack the thumb-screws,
gibDets, ducking stools. stocks, gulilo-
tines have all failed 20 control the con-
sciences OF mankind. / hope they
always will fail, for should they succeed
l fear the progress of the age would be
endangered. Acts OF oppression. pros
criptive laws vindictively executed, have
always. exaSperated and hardened
religious obstinacy. and it viii be so in
the case of the Mormons. And when
the present persecution shall subside-
as subside it will-many of those who
{ have yielded 20 the demands OF the
court will be restored, and those who
resiSted-I mean legally-SIl be
honored as martyrs.
TooE1E CRY, February "a. 1886.