The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-07
RMON PROTEST.
Resolutions Adopted by the Salt
Lake Conference.
Exceptions to the Report Of the Utah Com
mission TO Secretary Noble.
Declaration Signed by President Woodruff,
George Q. Cannon aud Joseph Smith.
Appeal 10 Press and Public.
Epecial to THE MORNING CALL.

SALT LAKE, Oct. Cat to-day's session
Of the Mormon Conference lengthy set Of
resolutions was adopted relative to q state
ment made by the majority of the Utah
Commission in the recent report TO the
Secretary of the Interior. The resolutions
set forth that the commission made many
untruthful statements concerning the Church
OF Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and
the attitude of its members in relation to
political affairs, etc. The general confer
ence in these resolutions deny most emphati-
cally the assertion of the commission that
the church dominates its members in
political matters and that church and
State are united. Whatever appearance
there may have been in the past Of the
union of church and State, the cause was,
say the resolutions, that those holding
ecclesiastical authority were elected to
civil Office by the popular vote. There Is
now no foundation or excuse for the state
ment that church and State are united in
Utah, or that the leaders OF the church
dictate to its members in political matters.
No coercion or any other infiuecne whatever
of ecclesiastical nature has been exercised
on us by our church-leaders in reference as
to which political party we shall join, and
we have been and are perfectly free to
unite with any or no political party, as we
may individually elect; that the Peoples
party has been entirely. and finally dis
solved, and that our fealty henceforth will!
be to such national political party as seems
to us best suited to the prosperity of re-
publican Government.
The resolutions further declare that the
members of the conference do not believe
there has been any polygamous marriages
solemnized among the Latter-day Saints
during the period named by the commits
sion, aud denounce the statements which
convey the idea that such marriages have
been contracted as false and miSleadi Dg !;
protest against the perversiOn Of facts,
principle and intent contained in the report
of the commission, and declare that the
manifesto of President Woodruff forbid
ding future plural marriages was adopted
at last OctoberS 5 conference in all sincerity
and good faith and that there is every
reason to believe it has been carried out In
letter and in spirit.
The conference appeals to the press and
people of the country to accept its united
declaration and protest; to give 1t publicity
and aid in disseminating truth, that false
hood NAV be refuted and justice done TO a
people continually maligned and almost
universally misunderstood.
Following this a declaration, signed by
President Woodruff, George Q. Cannon and
Joseph F. Smith, was adopted, saying the
Commissioners report Of polygamous mar
riages was utterly without foundation in
truth, and repeating In the most solemn
manner the declaration by President Wood
ruff at the last general conference. that
there have been no plural marriages during
the period named; that polygamy has not
been taught and that the practice has been
strictly forbidden.
After the usual election of officers, the
incumbents being retained, the conference
adjourned.
The Salt Lak6 Tribune (Gentle) says the
conference to-day resolved itself into some
what If a political meeting. The most
prominent men In the councils of the church
delivered addresses. The commission re-
port, says the Tribune, stirred Mormondom
to its depths, and the leaders, in an en-
deavor to cOunteract the influence the
report will have on Congress when their
long cherished object of making Utah a
State is presented, are moving heaven and
earth. The Tribune asserts that the Ian
guage of the speakers was such as to leave
no doubt that a division of party lines was
made under direction of the church, and that
its ultimate object is to achieve statehood.