New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-02
REASONABLE CONSPIRACY.

The student. of history will probably find it
hard to understand how Mormonism ever came
70 be tolerated in these United States. The
testimony recently taken before the court ut
Salt Lake City, showing the behavior OF the
Mormon organization for many years toward
the United States Government, will appear
TO the historian so complete and so con-
elusive that he will with difficulty believe
that this same organization, which has Tor
more than thirty years constantly dlSobeyed
the laws and defied the Government, has never
theess been almost constantly represented IN
the House of Representatives by delegates who
have socmnly asserted its loyalty, its purely
religious character, and its readiness to submit
to all laws which do not interfere with the re-
hgious beliefs of the Mormons. What dele
gates have repeatedly declared in the House
speakers and public journals have persstently
reiterated. During moe than thirty years OF
Virtual warfare this so-called Church has never
ceased to maintain an authority hostile to thai
Of the United States, and yet the proof OF It's
disloyal hostility has never been as complete
as il is now.
This astonishing passage in the Nations MIS-
tory finds its only explanation in the cabin OF
the NIayflower Coming hither from other lands
where they had suffered greatly under religious
tyranny, and seeking above all other things
freedom to worship God according to the dc
tates of their own consciences, the Puritan
Fathers first contemplated a civil government
which was but an embodiment OF their own re-
igfous beliefs but finally impressed very deep
w upon the minds of their descendants, and
upon the civil institutions which developed into
the Republic, most profound and scruphous
respect for religious liberty. 1t is under the
name of religious liberty that the Mormon
Church has created its Theocracy, nursed lts
disloyalty, and perpetrated its long series OF
crimes Able until recently to tyrannlze over
the people of Utah so completely that the
shameful facts though morally certain to in
telhgent men, could never be indisputably
established by sworn testimony in Utah courts,
the Mormons have met all other evidence with
a brazen front of falSehood, have attributed to
unauthorized individuals the countless crimes
which were actually committed at the orders
and for the purposes of the Church, have tight
ened their hold upon lands means Of irrigation,
and all other valuable property in Utah, in
| order to make industry and trade virtually i'm
possible there except for subjects of the priest
hood, and thus have actually kept alive to this
day despotism so amazing that only night OF
! two ago Church tribunal was held, by order
of Mormon Bishop, to decide whether execu-
ton should issue to satisfy judgment rendered
some time ago in a civil court, in a case involv-
ing the title to real estate.
Religious liberty, the people of the United
/ ln e
fered to protect or cover up any crime against
individuals or acts of disloyalty. 1t was a
grave mistake in the earlier conflicts with Nor
monism, that polygamy was treated by Con-
gress as the chief offence In all respects al
least as criminal, in many respects far more
dangerous to civil order and good government
are the powers claimed and exercised by the
priesthood over the property, the business, the
voting and testimony, and the very lives Of
| persons within its reach. In countless ways
these powers undermine or nulify the allegiance
Of the citizen to civil government, and in effec
render good citizenship utterly impossible for
Mormon who bows to the authority of the priest
| hood 1t has come to be understood at las
that this prestly conspiracy against all authorit!
! Of the United States must be treated as active
disloyalty, and trampled out at any cost. Free
dom to worship God according to the dictates
of conscience does not include in this county
freedom to murder or rob at the order of
Bishop, so-called, nor freedom to violate civi
law in any other respect, nor freedom to con
srire against the authority of the Nation.
men hold religious beliefs which are indeed a
war with the authority of the United State
they have no business to acquire property o
make their homes upon territory Of the United
States, and must migrate with their beliefs t
other lands.