The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-11-26

| elusive than they had been. In other Woroa
they are growing more like other people. Con
rress has gone over this ground time and tim,
again, on The suggestion Of counsel for the othel
| side Congress had had this matter before then
for the same purpose sought TO be Effected mere
and in every instance Congress has refused u
take the step that the court is now asked tC
take. The strongest witness on the other SIDE
H w. Lawrence. said the people were growing
better, and men were saying the Mormon queS
ton was about solved Now, on the eve OF .
great political battle, on the eve OF most i'm
portant election, when 1t was claimed that the
MorInons were IN the minority, II is now asked
OF the court that the MormonS be dlsfrancnlsed
There is
NO FOUNDATION FOR SUCH AN OUTRAGE.
Go back to the attitude of men in 1857 aAd
1855, il you will yet the fact to-day stares you
in the face that the very things complained OF
are working out, and the cause II ever lnef6
was any for this proceeding passed away gen
GRAFTON ago. The man who says that FOR the
past 10 years-we will name that peTlod-every
man has not had the fullest liberty, SO far as The
MOrmons are concerned, that man mas some
reason for stating Ialsehood. II Is sad that IN
August two or three hundred young MOrmOns
voted the adverse side; now this court Is
asked to disfranchise those MorInons and all
others.
When first entered the court room, as specta-
tor in this case, Gilmor was on the stand, and be
was saying that if he told what he knew, his
life would be in danger. DID your honor peheVe
him: Did anybody believe himf think not.
worthy Of belief. Henry w, Lawrence was not
afraid and he had worked in the Endowment
house; Mr.. Lawrence was even anx-
IONS TO make explanations" and
thus give vent to his prejudices. II
the rumors that have been brought in here as
evidence were thrown out, there would be vast
difference in the record. The half-mastng Is
cited rs diSloyal act, and the whole Mormon
people are to be held responsible; yet 1t did not
occur in any town throughout the whole terri
tory, except on a few places in Salt Lake and
the act is one that even the people here con
denim. That trailing OF the flag has also been
shown TO be an invention. What purpose could
there be in itY II was either the pureSt acci-
deaf, or it never happened at all
Mormon applicants have been naturalized Tor
years and recently they have been asked TO
speci ally agree to obey certain laws. NOW IL
has been discove. ed that by Directing TO their
application in court OF justice Mormons can be
PREVENTED FROM BECOMING EATURALIzED.
Just what logic there is in the position leave
for the present.
Mr. Lawrenne told how he was neglected by
those who had before patrouiZed him. What
would be done with any leading Liberal II he
were TO join the Peoples party. He would not
only be ostracized, he would be hung in efhgy.
Reference has been made to the defense fund.
Was the raising of il unlawful? Why, at that
time there was movement organized and on
foot TO send mCrmonS 10 the penitentiary, on
segregated ofenses, for extended terms. II il
had not been tested and II the court had not set
it aside MoTInonS would now be serving life
sentences in violation of law. Who was then
uphoding and defending the constitutions Was
1t the officers of the government, who were en-
forcing that which the supreme tribunal said
was unconstitutional! No; it was the people
whom it was now sought TO deprive OF the rights
OF citizenship Was there treason in thisf The
supreme court said no, by unfolding them and
setting aside the unconstitutional measure. II
man has no right TO test the law he is robbed
of precious right OF the citizen. The people
subscribed to test the law, as they had perfect
right TO- and they maintained the constitution
by having q construction put on the law. The
people even have the right 10 agitate for the re-
peal OF the law; yet where they have done so
their acts have been deemed reasonable.
There is but one way for the citizen to eXer-
else his right in the courts, and that is to test
each individual case. But to take man and
charge him with all the fancied ohenseS OF
others, when he applies for naturalization, is
most absurd. To take an innocent man, one
who never heard of these things, and judge him
by them. is 10 perpetrate great injustice. 1t
must be true that there are MormonS in Utah
who are loyal to the recommendation would
bare their bosOms as readily as any others in de-
Tense OF their country; and yet your honor is e.
quested TO shut them out. Win the court take
the responsibility for so much of persecution, OF
wrong Of outrage, rs is meant by this proceed
ing? | trust that we will have no necessity to
find fault with the court for a decision in this
case,