Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-14
SORE ANTI-"MORMON',
SOPHISTRY.

''Tbe Meas says, a Priesthood
meeting would be composed Of per
sons holding the Priesthood" Ex-
Ac,ly; and 50 an American election
should 5e carried on exclusively by
Americans. BY Americans we mean
men who have given their only true
fslty TO the government OF the
United Sta,es, something which no
Mormon possibly can do; something
which no good Mormon ever pretends
20 do"
The foregoing Is n little more Of
the same sort Of soPhistry as that
already exposed in theso columns.
People who are in possession and
use Of their senses, will see that
there is no parallel between the two
vsses and 10 connection between
the two propositions. The reason
ing which concludes that, because
"a Mormon Priesthood meeting
would exclude persons not ordained
% the MORMON Priesthood, there
fore no "AIoGmou'' should tie per
miited to vote, is 50 utterly absurd
shat It would not find place in any
publication but the Salt Lake Tn
6cac.
That was the argument advanced
in that paper. Now We have the
same thing with 4 little lame ex-
PLANTATION. Nobody disputes that
American citizens only should vote
4 American elections. But no "a
ii2nal person would admit that a
bitter Uarizan should be the Judge
OF an opponents claim or right to
American citizenship and the ex-
erceise Of its powers ami privileges.
The shallow cosuist who has aired
che sophism repeated above till he
perfectly charmed with his bubble
Of folly, attempts to make it appear
solid by an equally thin cloud of
falsehOod. 4 good "Mormon'' who
lives under the government Of the
UHited States must give true fealty
% the Government in all things
which belong to it. We say '.must''
because he cannot bea good "Mor-
mon' without doing SO. 1t is part
Of his creed. It is commanded in
the revelations which he believes
were given OF Gcd.
He gives his feaity to the church
IN thst which is ecclesiastical, to the |
state in that which relates to Sec
uiar government. He does not be- |
lieve that the State should interfere
with his religion, he does pretend /
tAat his religion Sho,,lj interfere
with the State.
There has been some dispute as TO
the place where the line should be
drawn which rightfully limits the
power Of the State in reference TO
"the free exercise Of teiigion.'' But !
for all practical purposes that has
been decided by the judicial tribu-
nal CT last earthly resort. And
while the decision remains I'M
changed it is the supreme law Of the
land which the vast majority Of the
"Mormons'' obey. /
With the exception of that dis
puted enactment, there is no law OF
Of the United States which the
MORMON" people, or any class of
them can beaccused ofdisrecardIng.
They are far more loyal to the gov
eminent and institutions Of the
Cai;ed States than the conspirators ,
who have been plotting for years for
The overthrow Of local self govern G
ment in Utah aud the establishment !
% the rule ola minority. And they :
arc Immensely more law-abidiug =
than the maliguers who accuse {
them Of lack q cealty TO the nation. In
The conscientious '.AIormon,, is
rue TO his Church. He is also ,
rue to the State. He recognizes ;
heir authority in their respective q
'pheres. II is only when his religion s
S encroached upon that he can be n
placed in apparent antagonism to
iationaf authority. And in using n
he term ''religions we 10 not refer 4
o anything connected Herewith b
hat Is forbidden by the law. c
The legislation proposed and S
Which the Tribune sophistry and p
aisehood are designed TO support, is I
iiFectel against citizens of the C
United States who have obeyed the Of
avs who have sworn to obey The b
avs, Sho are as good and true c
American citizens as can be found a
u any part Of the Union. To dis Il
'anchiss them because they belong Il
0 a Church, some members of s.
'hieh have broken a law which T
hey have never violated themselves W
not only shamefully unjust but is X
in eveEy sense Of the st
erm. Z
There Is no other object in view 81
u this proposed legislation than the m
ontrol Of this Territory by a small Ii,
minority of lis people. This can. Of
''' ne effected except by depriviny Ii,