The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-06
THE MORMON QUESTION
y 8@f
Shall Utah be Admitted as
a State z
HON. GEORGE rlcKSoR CURTIS
On the situation-Adnsis ion to the
Union Said to be the Best Way
of Solving the Problem.


manners, customs andf religion of the
people of Utah, and theSollowing views
given in an interview with represents
tive of the Union ang advertiser, al
Powers Hotel. last Saturday, will IN
doubtedly be received with interest by
| our many readers:
"Mr. Curtis, you are somewhat iden-
titled in the public mind with what is
called the Mormon question. Will you
explain what is the present aspect OF
! the matter?"
1.-The present aspect OF tbs matter is
that the Mormons of Utah, who copsti-
tute large majority of the inha bisants,
have held convention and have pre-
pared State constitution, under which
they will ask for admission into the
Union as State, at the coming session
of Congress.
The constitution contains the follow
ing clauses:
ART XV.-SEC. II. Bigamy and polyg-
amy being considered Incompatible with
"a Republican form of government," each
of them is hereby forbidden and declared a
misdemeanor.
ANY person who shall violate this section
shall, on conviction thereof, be punished
by fine of not more than 81, 600 and I'm
prisonment fer a term net less than six
months nor more than three years, in the
discretion of the court. This section shall
| be coz strued as operative without the aid
| of legislation and the offenses prohibited
hI-th Ic cpptinn shall nm hQ haired
| Statue of Limitation within three years after
Ee commis ion of the efense; nor shall,th
power of pardon extend thereto until SUCH
pardon shall be approved by the President
OF the United States. Y
1t viii thus be seen that this provision
requires for its operation no legislation
whatever, but that indictments can be
found uRder it and punis ments in
f1icted, and the pardoning power in
| respect to the offense is limited by a
check IA the hands of the President of
the United States.
This constitution contains an article
prescribing the manner in which amend
ments must be framed and adopted.
But the power OF amendment is limited
by the following proylso, expressly
drawn and devised so as to prevent any
ohange in the anti polygamy section
WIihOUO lhC chooNrio VI SOhf~tsSo
Provided, That SECTION II of'Artie'e XIV
shall not be am nded, revised or in any
way changed until any amendment, revi-
sion or change, as proposed therein shall. in
addition TO the requirements OF the pro-
visions of this article, be reported to the
Congress of the United Sss5es and shall be
by Congress approved and ratit d. and such
approval ana ratification be proclaimed by
by the President of the United States, and If
mot so ratified and proclaimed, SAID section
LhaL remain perpetual.
This offer, thus made by the Nor
mons. if acceptable to Congress, will
constitute compact between the PEG.
pie OF the proposed State of Utah and
the United States, irrevocable and in
capable of repeal without the consent of
Congress"
Does it not admit of doubt whether
such a compact would be cor sistent
with. our system OF &C government, so that
Tie people OF the State. after the Stale
had been admitted into the Union,
could not at their own pleasure change
Their constitution ?"
That is question which has per
picked many honest people, and Is
made use of by the enemies of the Nor
mons as lneans of 0bstruct.ng tsae bd-
mission of Utah as State. have. al
tue request of the leading men of ii he
Mormon religion in Utah, examif ed
that question thoroughly, and have.ln-
vestigated all the important precedents
wAlch bear upon it My opini has
been published and extensively ciruu-
lated. Ia it l have said this: This
matter of poiygamy in Utah,
where it has existed for Tor Y
years, and for a large part OF whicn
period it was practiced without any
interference on tie part Off the
Federal government. and unGer. cir
cumstances eYincng at least ereat
public indifference concerning it, has
now assumed an entirely new aspect
Of the voters of Utah who a. Morrnons
in religious faith-a class of religioni Is |
whose religious belief is suppesed to |
sanction polvgamy-about9 5 peri cent.
cast their votes at a recent electfun III |
favor OF the Constitution, the provisions
of which on the question of peiygamy
are quoted at the head of this opinion. |
But few of the so-called "Gentile4
voted on this Constitution. OF ii
cast against the Cons itution.
504 in number, only about one half
were cast by Mormons. If the Consti
tuition is accepted by congress, IS it is
presenter, anu becomes Ghe fund6-
mental law of the new State Of Utah.
the Mormon population, which y very
largely the majority, will be TIE gov
srning people of the State. They have
bound themselves TO support anil abide
oy a constitution which will limit their
State sovereignty in the meter of
oolygsmy by public compk9t with
The people of the United STATS. The
question whether this will be b valid
Efficient and Constitutional compact
must be determined Iargelylby the
ore cedents which have been made whes
,ther new States have been Admitted
! 10 the U.1ion under certa1H condi |,
ions
| have expressed my concit1 ions as
ollnws: ID
From these precaGerts-and is IN
necessary further TO multiply citations
1.-The following appear to be si1tied ash
established principles OF Congo ssional {
ction on the admission of neSa States
nto the Union: la
list. Thst Congress can prescri5 cond.- =
ions on which rev State SHAH be ad, !.
litted into the Un'op and that sud- co; d.