The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-12
MORMON LOYALTY.

The late refusal OF Judge ANDERSON TO
grant citizenship to seven Mormon aliens,
and his restatement Of the points on which
his Infamous decision of year ago was
based, Illustrate once more the fact that
there is no accounting for the folly of men
when they undertake to regulate other
mems consciences and belief. when a
man thinks" said the late HENRY WARD
BEEcHER, that he is a celestial hound set
on the track Of heresy, with his nose for a
conscience, and scents his prey afar of,
and starts off with tail up and ears set
farewell sense, farewell honor. farewell
humanity, farewell everything" To the
truth of that doctrine of the great preach
er's, the people of Utah could bear witness
to, from facts in their own experience.
But this reassertion of the position taken
by Judge ANDERSON not only illustrates
the fact above referred to, but it calls in
question again the loyalty of the Mormon
people and their leaders, and it is of this
we wish TO speak. We say nothing here of
the frequent demonstrations of their
loyalty to the United States, to be met with
in their history, not the least of which is
the discontinuance of the practice of plural
IldAAL ChlOIISo ny ihoAAASoeO VI
President WooDRUFF. and sanctioned by
the late general conference in this city-an
act which in Judge ANDERsoN's opinion
leaves the status of the Mormon question
unchanged. We pass all this and here
merely wish to call attention to some of the
teachings of the Mormon leaders in relation
to the government of the United States and
the relation of the Saints TO it.
1t is now notorious that the founder of
the Mormon church taught that the consti-
tuition of the United States was given by
inspiration of COP, and held the view that
If only laws in harmony with its guaran-
tees Of religious and civil liberty were en-
acted it would afford all the freedom the
people could ask for BRIGHAM YOUNG
was equally emphatic. Said he on one occa-
sion:
To accuse us of being unfriendly to the gov
eminent is TO accuse US of hostility to our reli-
gion, for no item of inspiration is held more
sacred with Us than the constitution under
which She acts. AS a religious society, we.
in common with ali other denominations, claim
its protection; whether our people are located
in the other states or territories, as thousands
OF Them are, or in this territory il is held as a
is susceptible-his religious views and senti-
ments.-DiScowseS. rot II, f7j.
On another occasion the same man ex
pressed these views:
There are thousands of things would like "a
name with regard to ours elves and our govern.
ment. Our whole interest is IN it; we cling to
IL like child to its mothers breast and we
will hang TO it until they beat US OF until we
happen, unless they drive us from it under the
prstext of what Mormonism is going to do.
The last clause in the above becomes
quite significant in the light of the remark:
of President HARRISON IN his massage an(
Judge ANDERSON in his late decision. With
the former, Utah should not be admitted a.
a state, lest the Mormons at some futur,
time make polygamy lawful; the latter
would not admit alien Mormons to citizen.
ship for the same reason. Observe that il
both instances the refusal 20 grant thes,
people their rights is justified y ''undel
the pretext Of what Mormonism is goin,
to do" What confidence this pair o.
worthless have in the future of the re
public, Is the nation going to lose it
power so thatit cannot enforce its DEGREES
is the nallon on the wanes Or must tn
strong man, having thrown the weaker OF
his back, hold him there forever, lest whel
on his feet again he would renew the strug
glel What of the great moral forces in tn
republic. What Of the spiritual power o
the Christian religion. Are these thing
to play no part in regulating society il
Utah! BAH The opponents of the Nor
mons in undertaking to debar the people o
Utah from their rights as citizens of thi
country, or Of the right to become citizen
o. 1t, on the pretext of what Mormonism i
going to do, are giving an exhibition O
their own lack of faith in the efficacy of tn
moral forces of their much-vaunted ad
vanced civilization; or else displaying thei
own littleness of soul by venting thei
spleen upon a class of men for the tim
being within their power.