The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-01

devotion to the constitution among the
Latter Day Saints is born both of the love
OF freedom and of the love. of God, whose
work we esteem it.
We are said to be in an attitude of oppo
Sltlon to the principles we profess to be di.
vine, but we brand the imputation as false
and scandalous. Time will develop the
true character of this people; the exigen
cies of the future may be depended upon to
separate the true patriotism from the false.
Prophets, whom the world now reveres,
have been without honor in their own day,
Philosophers, statesmen, soldiers, among
others the immortal Washington, have
been compelled to suffer the ignominy OF
unjust criticism through the stress of IN
fortunate circumstances. The race is not
always to the swift nor the battle to the
strong: the plausible is not always fact
sophistry may succeed temporarily, but
must eventually fail. The Latter-day
Saints, confident of their patriotism, pa
tient and long-suffering in their DISPOSE
tons, Woodworking, thrifty. honest and
! virtuous can well await the vindication OF
! time. The Latter-day Saints have ever
been the oppressed, never the Oppressors
Retaliation for indignities and oppression.
heaped upon this devoted people both
through unjust legislation and otherwise,
has neither been attempted nor desired.
1T Is To THE CREDIT OF THIS PEOPLE.
that despite their treatment at the hands
OF others, the statute books of this territory
| discriminate i'll no manner between the
Mormon and the Mormon.
The Lord has said it is not right that men
should be in bondage one to another. The
principles underlying the constitution re-
| fleet, in measure, the philosophy of Christ.
| The spirit of the constitution is that all
men shall enjoy freedom as long as they do
not entrench upon the rights of other men.
But the gospel teaches US not only to re
frain from rObbing others of their rights,
but adiures US to treat our neighbOr as our
selves.
| Let US then from the contemplation of
the noble character of the man who this
| day one century ago SOlemnly SWOre to up
| hold the principles Of liberty and truth 90
| forth with a determination never to stoop
| to oppression, never 10 forget, either in
our private lives or our public acts. as far
as power may be intrusted to our hands.
the eternal brotherhood of man"
The organ solo by Prof. Daynes was one
Of the most interesting features Of the pro
gramlne, while the quartette by Messrs.
Easton, Whitney, Goddard and Spencer
evoked such storm Of applause as to
necessitate their temperance.
President Angus NJ. Cannon then intro
duced
non. F. 5. RICHARDS,
who, he said, would deliver short speech.
Mr.. Richards, in substance, said the inaug-
uration of George Washington as President
of the United States. one hundred years
ago, was the inauguration of one of the
grandest governments the world had ever
known. Then the republican form of gov
eminent was an experiment; to-day it is a
success, and we point with pride
and say that the theory of this government
| % Nr,lr- ctrtNl
near perfect as human ingenuity can make
it. Although some things have been done
that were not in harmony with the spirit
and genius of the constitution, yet have
we many things to be thankful for. l feel
deep gratitude in my soul to the eternal
father for the blessings that are bestowed
upon US; feel thankful that my ancestors
were among those who sent forth the decla-
ration, which claimed the right to life
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness. The
speaker then referred TO the framing OF the
grandest document that ever emanated from
a civil body-the Constitution Of the United
States. Among those men was the great
one whose inauguration we celebrate to-
day. 1t was no easy task to formulate
such document, and I say to-day that had
not these men been inspired by Almighty
God, they never could have accomplished
it. Other republics had arisen, they had
they were not founded upon such princi-
pies as ours. If we have suf-
fered, it is man only that is to
blame. II is not the government, not the
constitution, but only the mistakes of man.
Other nations have made war against us.
we have had dissension within, and vet
we celebrate to day the end of the first
century Of Presidential rule. l was think
ing this morning Of the changes that had
bppu JypOllulr dursi0u a hundred yp1Tg and
OF how much Washington, We're he able TO
be here to-day, would be surprised and
pleased at the progress made; OF the
increase from 100000 to G0.000,00O:
of the telegraphs and railways that pene-
trate every hamlet ana encircle the
world. | feel grateful in my soul that
l am counted Us a citizen of this cOun-
try, and il I know my own mind,
if know my own heart, desire to perpe-
tuate the constitution. and the laws made
under it. II reaches out its arms and pro
tects even the humblest of its citizens.
join with YOU my fellow citizens in praying
God that we may be blessed and that the
sacred heritage OF liberty may be preserved.
HON. GEO. Q. CANNON.
&. I haze listened to the remarks of the pre-
.cedingt speakers with a. great deal Of salts
faction and pleasure. This is an occasion
in which we may al participate-itis one
that should call forth from all of US
expressions of thanksgiving and praise.
Certainly no one on this occasion should
be more joyful than the people of this
territory. We not only believe that this is
a good government, but further than that,
we say the men who formed it were
inspired of God. In my heart 1 have never
found feeling derogatOry to republican
form of government. l love the govern
ment. l love the constitution. Whatever
faults there NAV be they are not due to the
government, but to the weakness of man.
Why, any other form of government
would never have permitted the Latter
day Saints to exist at all. On this account,
if for no other, the Latter day Saints
should be devOtedly attached to it; the
principles it contains should be taught to
our children. George Washington was
but man, and ne doubtless had the weak
nesses common to humanity, but we are
not met here today to discuss these. We
are here to admire the grandeur of his
character, and to extol that trait which
made him reluctant to accept power even
have welded dictatorial powers had he so
chosen; but he was true TO republican
principles and believed in form of govern
ment which gave equality to man. One
of the greatest evils that exist in this gov
eminent today is the desire for power
Politicians are willing to do most anything
to gain the votes of the people. 1t is
on this account that this territory has been
prevented from donning the robes of state
hood, and has prompted the adverse legis-