Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-07

I
70 some persons there seems 10 be soinI
ming lrfeconcilnble, ~ that needs ca
plnnntion, IN this matter.
You may remember that ycstefla,
afternoon a distinction was drawn
though this WIS not dwell uiol
Particularly In favor OF consti
, tutiOnal law. We have hell
TOT many yrars-in fact since isG2-
that ANY law directed against our mar
riage relations-w which we believe 10 b,
apsft ofour rcilglon-was In violation
Of the inst amendment 10 the Consti'
tuition. In that View we have been
sustained by very many good judy ,.
There waa the law " dod on the one
hand AMI the law Of the land upon the
5thcr, the latter, NJ we tclicve, enacted
by prejudice and leveled against our
religion TO destroy us. We considered
u necessary, however, that this law
should he obcyod to the vry utter.
most. This was explained 10 srne "a.
tent during our Inst Conference. But
these are the reasons We have had: We
felt NJ though We would gladly 80 10
prison, that va would endure NIL the
penalties that could 10 Inflicted uIon
u legally 10 viidlcate the Principle Of
, religious liberty; we felt that our
U WIN WINK NNNANHEfA ulNNl
| by laws ofthis description. Whether
our fellow citizens appreciate what we
/ have done Or mn. We certainly feel
tint we have done good work IN thus
standing In passive resistance
active rCsistnncc-to the law which We
| rcsafti,,l NJ an entertainment upon 10.
ligious freedom. Every patriotic man
/ In this country ought 10 applaud u lco-
| pie or mn individual who stands up In
defense Of any principle that pertains
| ~ human rights. We have done this
we Intended 10 do Ito call attention
10 what we looked upon NJ u wrong.
W. endeavOrcd by our sacrifices 70 ar.
rest the pfogfcs. ofthis crusade against
our religious liberty; We honestly be-
lleyed that We had n right 10 act ~ we
did. That we have failed, however, In
pcrsualIng the nation, that we have
iailrd In making apparent 20 the people
aud convincing them ~ this, II very
clear at the present time. we have
utterly failed. We have carried this
to such an extent that the Lord him.
self has signlncd His acceptance Of the
sacrifices and offerings of the Latter
day Saints. lie has said 20 u, at Is
enough now. You having done your
duty, this matter must rest with hic;"
AMI We have, Ia consequence, aus.
talncd the Issuance 81 TINT manifesto,
undertaking 10 comply with the law
that we will DE- our best 10 carry II out,
having done all In our power up 10 the
present 10 Vlndicate cur rights. Hut the
day will come-and am mt afraid 10
risk my reputation, III have one, ns n
prophcl-- when that which we have
done viii be recorded with aimira-
tlou and pfaisc. When a people eau
make sacrifice such ~ We have,
when by the more expression ola few
words we could have saved Ourselves
ignominy aud pain Of imprisonment
aud the sad consequences involved 10
the wives anu children OF those called
upon 10 suffer, II will lie wilton In hls-
tory that what was Offered 10 Us We de-
cllncd, prcferrlng 10 endure all these
things 10 vindlcate our rights.
Now the question arises, "What Il
going 10 be done?n II has scem-
ci TO me that magnanimpus
Government Ike our. might
oeasc It, operations against
those who are Involved conscientious.
ly, who believed that they were acting
according 10 tho command OF Col. /
have hoped for this. hoped at one
time that our prosecutions, aud the
manner In which the courts were pro-
ccellng against us, would have the
effect " calling tho attention Of tie
nation 10 those wrongs under which we
were Suffering. hut II IN lesson OF
history, repeated In our case, that pcrse-
ciitions only incra-. by the addition
Of victims. Every victim adds more
10 the flame Of persecution. This Il
the history u the past; II Ia Illustrated
and confirmed In our own history.
Every fresh victim, instead Of arrest.
Ing or tightening the persecution, only
serves 10 Intensity the feeling OF
determination that this must he
crushed out al all cost and hazard. Every
man that went 10 prison only scented
10 be an evidence Of our obdufacy aud
our determination 10 defy the law, and
10 strengthen the opinion that We must
be pubducd and broken down.
Well, now, n serious question pre-
Hsnts Itself before us respecting tho
present condition of things. Here nre
women-very many of them-and
children placed In = sal position.
These women are bound 10 their hus.
bands by ties that have been consid.
cred the most sncrad, and among US
they have been bonorcl quite as much
NJ though they occupied IN. position Of
legal wives. What shall hs done Ia
reference 10 them? II Ia n
serious qutston-onc that comes
TO VA constantly. IL Il one that
I hope will be answered by the
action 81 the Government. When II
becomes convinced OF our sincerity In
lssuing this manifesto declaring that
plural marriages should cuase, lot us
hope that some favorable action will bc
taken In regard 10 existing relations.
am not certain yet that we shall be
disappointed In this. | believe we have
already seen, In effect, great soften
Ing Of feeling upon these points, aud
the people must understand-thcy
should understand-that what We do
shall be done In good faith; that we do
not deal In deception. Each one must
seek 10 accommodate himself 10 affairs
10 that we shall not create n feeling
that will he n continuation of the antip-
aiby manifested through this doctrine.
SO far Rs our sincerity N concerned,
think Il N OF the utmost importance
that the world should know that when
We make promise Of this kind we
mean exactly what We say--that we
arc not dealing falsely, that we are
treating this matter In good fifth,
leaving the result with God our Eternal
a a.