The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-19
VIOLATING THE LAW.

One of the fundamental maxims of Ro
man legislation is thus stated by CICERO:
No man shall have, for himself particularly,
Gods of his owr. No man shall worship.any
new or foreign gods, unless they are recognized
by the public laws
1t was upon the basis of such ideas as this
that the early Christians were prosecuted
by the Roman power. The apostles of
Christ preached and practiced doctrine
quite opposed to this Roman law. and most
of them suffered death in consequence. In
some things they refused to be controlled
by the Roman law and said, ''We ought to
obey God rather than man. Yet
they did not consider that their
religion absolved them from their duty as
citizens, and had been, in effect, commanded
to ''repder unto CESAR the things that are
C-EsAR's." They recognized that civil gov
ernments have necessary part to perform
in securing for each subject peace and pro
lection. They obeyed the laws in general,
but drew the line OF distinction between
paying taxes and ceasing to preach what
they believed to be true. The former in
junction of the law they obeyed; the latter
they repudiated. They did not break any
law except those prohibiting them from
worshiping the Deity they believed in
They considered that they were justified in
violating such laws, did so, and suffered the
penalty. The whole Christian world has
applauded their action.
In the past, certain Mormons have be.
lieved themselves justified in violating 8
certain law. They did so, and suffered the
penalty. There is no doubt of their being
conscientious in what they did, yet they
are still condemned by the world, not SC
much for their action (Which has been
amply punished) as for their belief in its
rightfulness. 1t is now proposed by pro
Tossing Christians, that these fanatics, /"
as they term them, shall be punished once
more for believing they did right in violat
ing the law. Nor does the punishment
stop with those who it is said, once disre-
garded the law. 1t is proposed, and bills
are now pending in the United States Sen
ate to punish by Acknowledgement end
otherwise, the friends of these unfortu.
mates who once broke the law. All per
sons who belong to the same church with
them are to be denied the right to vote,
hold Office, or acquire title to any part OF
thepublic land.
That is what is proposed to be done witt
people who are charged with believing in
an unpopular doctrine. They are mo-
charged with breaking any law, nor O
counseling or aiding others to do so; the,
are merely charged with believing in a Ger
tain doctrine.
This charge of believing, moreover il
not made before a court or legally consti
tuted tribunal wherein the accused ma,
have an opportunity of defending them
selves, but it is made before Legislative,
body in which the accused parties hay,
practically 10 representative
The guilt of the accused persons. provided
it hea crime to believe an unpopular doc
trine, is assumed at the outset, and tn,
proscriptive legislation is rushed through
on that assumption.
These two mammoth absurdities. viz.
that it is crime to believe, and that per
sons should be punished by legislative in
stead of judicial proceedings, we neve,
would have believed would find sanction
in our country, had we not seen them an.
proved by whole nation almost, before GU,
very eyes.
Bat time will come when this acme Of
fanaticism and intolerance will cease We