The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-02

! TO the laws that had been enacted against
! their faith to the very point where to have
continued it further might with some
grounds have been considered factious OPP
position against what had been determined
by the highest tribunal in the land to be
the law of the land. Having reached that
point, and being conscious that they had
done their whole duty in sustaining prin-
ciple committed to them IS they believed by
the God of Heaven, they stopped and prom
ised obedience to the law OF the land upon
that subject and dissolved the local politi-
cal party which had been organized to re-
sist those who made an assault upon their
faith, and gave notice TO their people that
the struggle was over, the party disbanded
and henceforth they were at liberty to az
filiate with whatever political party inclin-
alton would lead them to accept as the
best.
In this one would think their inveterate
opponents would see victory that would
cause unbounded Joy, and which reason
would prompt them to accept at once Ex-
perieuce should teach them not 10 press a
zealously religious people too far, lest they
arouse to its full bent that religious OBJ
stinacy which all generations have found
so difficult to suppress, and which il
aroused to logged resistancein these people
might put of the settlement OF the Utah
question until the next generation.
In the course of this struggle the
strangest thing in il has been the conduct
of the Liberal party, which at every step
of its progress has complained OF or sought
to hinder, its own advancement. and msni-
tested a desire to postpone the day OF as
final victory. In proof Of this let facts be
cited with which all are familiar.
When the test oath of the EDMUSDs-
TUCKER bill was submitted to the Mormon
people as a prerequisite to registration,
and they took it. one would think that the
Liberal party would have been full Of Joy to
the point of overfowing, since that oath re-
quired them to pledge themselves in the
most positive manner not TO enter into the
practice of polygamy or to aid or abet any
who did practice it. On the contrary, how
ever, it produced the most dismal forebod-
ings iu the Liberal ranks. "Hark from the
tombs doleful sound" etc. is an air de-
lightfully cheerful and bright in compari-
the greater part of the membership of the
Mormon church promised not TO marry
more than one wife.
Next, the people Of Utah met in state
constitutional convention and there
framed state constitution Do
which poiygamy WAS inhibited,
and the sections making the inhibltions
were made operative without further legis-
lsIion, in order that there might be no just
claim that that clause of the constitution
would remain imperative for want OF
proper legislation. This, one would think,
would have been hailed with unbounded de-
light by the Liberal party, but no; it only
plunged it deeper in toe slough OF despond.
Next came the manifesto Of President
WOODBURY., officially prohibiting po!ygs-
nous marriages, and saying that he in
| ,eroed to couuse! his people to obey the
laws-another cause for Joy on the part OF
the Liberal party, as this move indicated
progress in their fight; they were getting
the 'monster' they had been fighting into
close quarters; he was growing weak and
showing signs of faintness; he was about
TO ask for quarter. But did the Liberal
party rejoice. No; on the contrary 1t pre-
TENDED to distrust the movement and de-
noGnce it as insinccre and demanded that
tine thing be done in more official manner.
In few weeks the great general confer
ence of the church came Oh, and that con-
ference. with all the solemnity OF the
august tribunal that it is, without dis
senting voice ratified the action of the
president in disseminating the practice Of
polysamy in the church. This was the
final action of the church. 1t had
surrendered the thing demanded
of il. The victory of the
Liberal party was complete. The "mon-
ster'' was under their feet after hard
fought battle; but was the Liberal party
satisfied with that victory. No. il seemed
more gloomy than ever. 1t in fact refused
to believe In its own triumph. Was il
magnanimous to those over which it had
gained the victoryi No, that 10 not in its
line; only the brave are generous or mag
unanimous.
Next, since to continue the struggle for
the maintenance of the practice Of polyg-
amy would have been factious opposition
to what had been declared to be the law Of
tie land; the chiefs of that party took
counsel with themselves and concluded it
would be wise to disband that party, put
the past behind them and take up the new
issues that would come in with the changed
conditions; and they felt happy, and it had
the effect to soften the pangs Of sorrow at
their recent defeat TO think they would
be on issues where they would be found
side by side and not opposed TO all their
fellow citizens. Surely this caused rejoic-
ing In the Liberal partyl Now they viii