Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-11-26
NIR. RAsKIN

instead OF pOlygamy, n member o
that organization would not I've con
sidered Of good moral character AM
well disposed TO the happiness an,
good order Of the people Of tn
United States. / say member o
this Church who asks for admission
to citizenship displays 4 cheek tina
Is sublime. They claim this reveal
ton to be divine, and it is not neces
sary TO 60 one step further. Thi
man is a member Of an organiza
ton that believes in polygamy, tina
should be enough to keep him out.
Baskin read from .he decision o
the Territorial Supreme Court il
| the case of the United States VS.. tn,
/ Church. Upon this he claimed tina
the Church was theOcratic organi
zatiOn, and no member could b'
| attached to the Constitution Of til,
United States. The system wa,
founded Oh revelation from God ,anC
the man who believes in a Suprem,
Being must consider His laws SUI
| perior TO all others. The centra
idea of Mormonism is revelation
The laws given relate TO mans so
cial condition, and certain rules arr
prescribed for the marriage relation
| This is taking jurisdiction of mat
tiers of civil concern. This system
claims 10 be the Kingdom of God
not III its full strength-but the
child Is born and is being developed
toward manhood, when Christ will
come. That is their theory, and rs
God, the King, is not here now,
He has delegated His powers TO the
| Priesthood. 1t is an absolute
theOcracy and its laws ART
from the Almighty God
Every Legislature has had e.
have its laws approved 10y this
Priesthood. ! say n member Of such
an organization cannot be admitted
to citizenship. In this instance be-
lief is an important feature. Pat
riotism itself is n mere sentiment.
The member Of this Church who
says he is attached to the Constitu-
ton is either n hypOcrite or speaks
falsely. If he says he be-
longs to the Church but does not
believe in all its doctrines, his state
ment is not sincere on its face. You
can throw the vail of charity over
the man who acknowledges that he
believes in all the doctrines, because
he is evidently honest.
As to the Endowment Oaths, all
the witnesses for the applicant de-
clined to say what the covenants
were. They concluded that they
did not relate to the government.
F. ID. Richards says that the people
are all under covenant to obey the
Priesthood in all things.
Baskin began reading from his
compilation Of mormon" sermons,
but Mr.. Moyle objected, because his
compilation was garbled and incor-
rect, and Basllin had to 20 TO the
other publications for quotations.
BaskiE said he asked in the name
Ct all that was holy how the leaders
Of the Church would speak to the
people as they did unless those peo-
pie had taken covenants, and knew
what was meant by covenant
breakers. He further referred
to blood atOnement and said
it must he a doctrine Of the Church.
He declared that apostasy from the
Church was punishable by death.
There was no doubt that there was n
covenant To avenge the blood Of the
Prophets, and to teach their children
to do so. Baskin said this avenging
must mean the nation, referred to as
the nation that had prosecuted the
Saints. The government may not
he mentioned in the Endowment
ceremonies, hut it is meant. 1t would
be gross violation of the
law to admit 4 member Of the
Church to citizenship. The organic
act should be repealed, and every
vestigc Of political power be taken
from the '.Mormons." The govern
ment has been put to great expense
10 enforce the laws and to assert its
authority. a law was passed against
polygamy, but the Church continued
to preach and practice it.
Baskin then turned to the Doc
trine and Covenants, from which he
quoted several passages, giving to
them an Interpretation peculiar to
himself. He found fault with the
Church for keeping the revelation
on celestial marriage in the book Of
Doctrine and Covenants. He said
the declaration Of the "Mormons''
that they were loyal should go for
naught, rs no member Of the Church
could be loyal citizen.
c. 5. VARIAN
said he was out Of the Territory
when this proceeding was COM
menced, but he now appeared rs the
official representative of the United
States. TO object TO the naturaliza-
ton OF "'MormOns." When Con-
greSs made laws providing for nat
uralizatiOn it required the applicant
to be attached to the Constitution OF
the United States. This was a far
reaching provision. The person adj
mitted must respond to the govern
ment readily At every call. If in
any degree, by his education or asso-
citation, it is not possible for him to
do this fully, he is net fit TO be n cit
izen. / say that the Mormon
people as Il whole would not respond
TO these calls. In the war OF the
rebellion they not only gave the
Union no aid but prayed for the de-
struction Of the government. They
have always stood in antagonism to
the laws Of the land.
The Government is putting forth
its entire strength TO enforce laws
here, and the 'sAlormons'' stand rs n
unit TO defy those laws. Every
citizen knows so well that he will
not listen TO argument, that the
s'Mornlons" are not entitled TO
In the name of the
Government of the United States, /
protest against the admission OF
these people to citizenship.
Mr.. bioyle- Does the Govern
ment enter its protest without Civ
ing these people hearing?
Mr.. VARIANT think it is pretty
well informed on this matter.
Judge Anderson said he would
deliver his opinion in writing. and
he hoped TO have il ready by Fri
day, or Saturday at the latest. If
he was ready before he would in
10TH lne parJeS-
lie Grand Young said there was a
statement made by Mr.. Variau
which should receive attention. He
states that no aid was given TO the
government during the rebellion.
As matter of fact President Lin
coin called for 100 men to protect
the mails, and the men We're fur
nished and served their time. He
also states that they prayed for the
destruction of the government at
that time, and his statement is not
correct.
Mr.. Sarian said he read, shortly
after he came to Utah, a sermon
purporting TO be by Brigham W Dung,
and Judge Mcbride says he heard
1t, expressing a hope that the two
factions would destroy each other.
A levy Of Sl00,0oO had been made