Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-17
Il "N0RHONISN. DIsLOYAL.

The accusation Of disloyalty,
which is now being 80 streuuousiy
urged against the Mormon" people.
is a very serious one which threatens
10 involve them in much suffering.
10 Is the same charge which was
made against Jesus and the early
Christians, AMI which was made
/ the prctexI for most Of the cruel per-
! secutiOns they suffered.
Is this charge true? | deny il.
Mere denial, however, by the whole
| people does not disprUve II. But IL
It can he shown that loyalty 10 the
fundamental principles OF our Gov
ernmentis an integral part Of what
the world terms "MormOnism. -
then the unjust charge Is disprOved.
There may be dislOyal "Murmons''
n there have i-en dislOyal Method
ISIS, EpiscUpalians or other sects;
but | hold that no true La,ter-day
saint can lie uislUyal TO his country
anu faithful 10 his religion.
The three essential features OF cur
form OF government arr. frs; CON
stituti0n, designed for the protec-
ton Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS need
no protection; seconi. a legislative
body elected 10y a majority OF the
people; third, a supreme court.
which shall be entirely indcpcnd-
ent, and ought to be uOn-uartiZau,
which shall have the power to de-
eide Us 10 the cOnstitutinullity Of
any law enacted 10y the legislative
and exc uiive branches % the gov
eminent. The decisions OF this
court, though they may not always
be right, must OF necessity be final.
They may not always lie in har-
mGny with the views Of tine maiar-
ity OF the people, but the latter ar.
bound - submit, otherwise there
would he no safeguard or protection
Tor minOrities. On the other hand,
while minOTities cannot avoid sub
uniting 10 its decisions they have
the natural anu legal right 10 protcs,
against such as they deem TO he
unjust an TO point out, il they can.
the fallacits that have led thereto.
More than once has tNperIe-ce
proved the conclusions Of the Su-
preme Court OF the United States to
be erroneous. Sometimes il has re-
veEseu its own decisions; while il l.
extremely seldom that a Unanimous Z
decision is rendered, thus proving
that lis own members 30 not regard /
II as infal!ible. But there nIust h.. 1
IN all popular governments. a final |
court Of appeal to which all citizens |
must submit, Otherwise We shnulj |
drift into anarchy or despotism.
Now the Latter-day Saints believe |
that the Constitution Of the United I
states was framed and its govern
ment established 10y men who were
inspired 10y the Almighty for that
special purpose How, then. can
they Ice loyal 90 God ami dis
loyal 20 the fundamental institu-
lions U! their country. They he
iieve, and have taught for over fifty
years, That the time is coming when |
they and those who will rally round
them will be the only ones Ioyal 10
the Constitution aud the princiuIes
upon which our government is
based, and that they will rally 20 its
defense and sustain it against all lis
iu''>. This may Toe egotistical tut il
Is not disloyal. The exter;rncc
through which the Latter dav
Saints are passing j. calculated 10
make them the staunchest Supuorters
and defenders Of civil aud religious
liberty the wcrld has ever known.
Such is their destiny. But civiland
-eligiOus liberty cannot exist with
tut constitutional law. And even
{ the Latter-day Saints We're to-
10y in the majority, Il would
le rs much their duy 10 subj
nit TO n decision Of the Suprrn1.
court until they could get II reversed
Is II Is now a necessity 10 do 50.
Either 50, or, If conscience forbade
'6eiience 10 any particular law,
AXE the consequences as philOso-
as possible. But, no mat
er how great the cost either TO in
Iividuals or the community. il is ,
ssential that the welfare, liberty
nd progress Of the world that the
'asic principles Of our government :
Mould be maintained, / sneak os n /.
irm believer in the PRINCIPLES Of ,
That is termed 'MormOnism. - 81 nd d,
70 matter how many unwise things ,
my have been said or done in the j,
asst, the religion OF the Latler-.lay
aints requires them not only TO I;e :
ure in heart and righteous in
fe, but 10 be loyal to the instiiu-
ons OF our country.
1t is possible that the government
lay become so corrupted and :
hanged rs TO bear no resemblance y
, that originally established by it, {
lspired founders. IL may Iecome &
n oppressive despotism instead OF a 1
Overnment based upon the consent ,
? the governed. Should this ever q
E the case, should the country be- 0
'me the prey Of an Oligarchy, or
Fspotism attempt TO supplant and
EerthTOw the liberties Of the peo-
e, when there Is a standard raised 5.
God himself-the standard Of 4
constitutional liberty-whirh will c
aim the allegiance Of every man, 7
he Mormon or Methodist, Jew or 81
entile, Saint or sinner, and for the
Of which loyalty 10 Il
Cd aud humanity will demand the g
ost heroic sacrifice. w II : -