Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-25

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
There have recently been published In your
paper extracts from the last report Of the Utah
commission telegraphed from Salt Lake in ad-
vance Of its receipt by the Secretary of the
Interior. These convey the idea that polyga-
nous marriages are still being entered into by
the Mormons and that the leaders Of the Nor
mon church continue to teach and enforce that
doctrine and practice upon the adherents Of
that faith. The object Of this and similar dis
patches about the practice Of poiygamy among
the Mormons il we'll understood here. There
are pending before Congress two or three bills,
which, If enacted into law. wonld disfFanchise
every member OF the Mormon church
by prescribing q test oath such "A
no Mormon could conscientiously subscribe to.
This proposed legislation would not affect the
povgamous Mormons; they are already dis
franchised; can neither vote, hold office or sit
on juries; but 1t would apply to the nom
polygsmous Mormons, the young men OF Utah.
who have never violated the anti-polygamy
laws and have taken an oath that they will not
do 80 in the future, who have always been
loyal to their country and its lava. They arc
to be disfranchised because they will not vote
to suit the radical anti-Mormon ring at Salt
Lake City.
The minority wish to obtain political control
OF the territory. to manipulate its affairs in
their interests, to collect and expend the
peoples taxes and shape its destiny. To do
this all the non-polygamous Mormons. the sons
OF the hardy pioneers who discovered and set
tied that arid region, must DO disfraneh ised,
and for no reason but that some few members
of the Mormon church believe in and have
heretofore practiced polygamy. Knowing rs I
do that the charges lately made against the
Mormon citizens Of Utah are false. that such
statements are injurious TO them and damaging
% In hat sv,fn pn,tI tln &.l.-
great pleasure in handing you declaration OF
the President OF the Mormon Church which l
have just received by telegraph from Salt Lake,
and request Its publication as an act of justice
to much mnhgned and prosecuted people and
a complete refu;ation of the malicious state
men.s heretofore published. Very respectfully,
JOHN T. CAME,
Delegate in Congress, Territory of Utah.
SALT LAKE. UtAH, Sept. "a.
To WHOM IT MAY CoHcERN: Press dispatches
having been sent from Salt Lake City, which
have been widely published for political pur-
poses to the effect that the Utah comm ssion in
their recent report to the Secretary of the In-
terror allege that plural marriages are still!
being sole,anZed and that forty or more such
marriages have been contracted in Utah since
last June or during the past year; also, that in
public discourses the leaders Of the church
have Taught, encouraged and urged tho con-
tlnuacce OF the practice OF polygamy, /, there
1Crc. III president Ol me SnQfcn Oh JtenS
Christ of Latter Lay Saints, do hereby, IN the
most solemn manner, declare that the charges
arc false. We are not teaching polygamv or
plural marriage; nor permitting any person
10 enter into its practice, and / deny that either
forty or any other number of plural marriages
have during that period been soieninized sn our
temples or III any other place in the territory.
One case has been reported ia Which the
parties allegc that the marriage was performed
III the endowment house i'll Salt Lake City in
the spring OF 1889 But have not been able
to learn who performed the ceremony What
ever was done in this matter was without my
knowledge. In consequence of this alleged
occurrence the endowment house WIS by my
instructions taken down without delay. Inas.
much as laws have been enacted by Congress
forb.dding plural marriages. which laws have
been pronounced constitutional by the court of
last resort. do hereby declare my intention
to submit to those laws and to use all my ill.,
flnence with the members of the church over
which l preside to have them do likewise
There is nothing III my teachings TO the church,
or III those of my associates, during tho time
specified which can reasonably be construed to
ncuicate Or encourage polygamy. aud when
any elder OF the church has used language
which appeared to convey such teaching he
has been promptly rcproved: and l now pub
hcly declare that my advice to the Latter Day
Saints Is 10 refrain from contracting any mar
riage forbidden by the laws OF the land. ..-.
MILFORD WOODRUFF,
President Of the Church of Jesus Christ OF
Latter Day Saints.