The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-06

since that an election in Kaysvile, and an
election in Salt Lake, an election in Provo, |
and the returns show that the Mormon
people have stood by their guns, as they
said they would when they left the Peo-
pies party, and that they have not shifted
from party to party.
Moreover, l undertake to say upon my
as man aud from my
knowledge of them, that they cannot be de-
livered by the priesthood to any political
party. l stand here in defense Of people
who l know have done wrong in the past,
but who are now worse wronged than they
ever wronged anybody else.
Understanding the preiudices of the peo-
pie of the United States, heretofore engen-.
dered, we have not thought that we could
procure from the Congress of the United
States an enabling act allowing US to be
state. Hence we come with an humble
petition asking to be allowed to elect our
own officers and pay them ourselves, and
see whether we behave ourselves, whether
we conform to the civilization and laws OF
the country, and if we do not take US by
the throat again and remand US to this
position of political servitude that we seek
to be relieved from.
Of course, if you gentlemen, in your wis
dom, after being properly informed, think
we ought to have statehood, we are more
than anxious for it, and my word for it,
y
the United States will not be afflicted with
any trouble any more in Utah. The chair
man of this committee said to me- Judge,
you do not probably understand that the
pUlpits are yet full of oratory against Nor
monism." l said, "You are mistaken,
Senator; do understand it; because some
pulpits keep their hopper running by ap-
pealing TO the prejudices of the east
against the Mormons of the west" l per-
nndnrGfan6
members are peculiarly sensitive to public
opinion and well they should be, for they
are the representatives of a great and
free people. But you run no risk in giving
US the Home Rule bill. Public sentiment
will approve, and your conscleuces will ap-
prove it. Let US have this measure of
Home Rule, if you think we are not en-
titled to statehood, and then let US test to
you our sincerity and our honesty.
Now, gentlemen, have we divided hon
estly upon party linesl Let me read to
you what the governor of Utah says in his
report. l ask every gentleman of this
committee to read the history of the parties
of the last eighteen months in Utah, as he
summarizes it here, for it is fair state
ment,
ALTHOUGH DONE BY OUR GOVERNOR,
of whom we complain SO much. 1 say it is
fair statement from his standpoint of the
situation, and even he now winds up by
| saying:
| believe the mass of the people have
gone into the party movement in perfect
sincerity, and that it is their present de-
termination not to retrace their steps.
| That is what the governor said in this
report made to this session of the Fifty
second Congress.
He is not TOO friendly to our move. He
has never yet joined it, but remains with
the Liberal party after having made that
statement. Would you believe 1t!
Now, gentlemen, l come to fact which
1 have learned since 1 came here 1t was
known that there was circulated and was
circulating a petition all over Utah to the
President of the United States to grant
general amnesty to polygamists who were
disfranchised under the EGmunds anC
Edmunds-Tucker law. Everyb body there
sympathizes with that petition, because
they feel that they have been sufficiently
punished; that the reformation is suf
ficiently complete, and that it would be al
act of magnanimity upon the part of tn,
government to say to these people ''comt
and shelter under the laws, and you shall
be treated as American citizens"
Now there is on file here in the de
partment of justice in this city
petition signed by President Woodruff
and probably every one of the apostles O
the Mormon church, in which they state
substantially, that the condition of thing
has changed; that polygamy is dead is
| sue; that that is acknowledged on al
hands; that the people have conforme
themselves to the laws of the Unite
| States; that they are in harmony with th
civilization of their government; that the
have oeep sufficiently punished, and the
, humbly pray the President to grant am
nesty to those who have been heretofor
, disfranchised. My friends, disfranchise
ment to an American citizen means to stri
/ him of all that is dear to him. Take tina
, from him and you take all. The right t
> go to the ballot box, the expression of tn
, ultimate sovereignty of the greatest 90,
eminent that to-day graces the face of th
earth. to put the ballot into the box an
have it counted, is right upon which de
, ponds every structure Of liberty of til
American citizen; and WheL you sha
9 have bereft him of that you have take
q that which makes him poor indeed, but en-
9 riches you not.
r Gentlemen. 1 speak earnestly of tn
t thing, but speak that which l have fe
i, in the past, and which | now feel as a
: American citizen the right to govern m,
q self.
2 Now, accompanying that petition is al
I other petition saying that "what is state
Q by these people we believe to be true" an
:. they join in the prayer of that petition
o the President, and ask him to extend an
/. nesty to these people. That petition
n signed by the governor of the territor
d Arthur L. Thomas; by Sells, the secretal
Q of the state; by Godfrey, the chairman
y the Utah commission; by Saunders,
l. member of that commission; by eve,
@ Judge of the territory. Answer me. gel
: tlemen, upon your responsibility as repr
# sentatives of the American people, for VI
are such, of Utah as well as the state W
come from. can you now say that we Al
not Fl. for Home Rule and local self go,
l. eminent, when the officials of the terr
10 tory, who are unfriendly to our bill. al
)? who make adverse reports, so sign pet
1t ton to the President, asking that the o.
is lygamists of Utah be restored to full eli
., zenship.
e Senator Faulkner-Upon what authori
1t do you make that statement!
Z. Mr.. Judd-I make it upon the authori
d of Judge Anderson, one of the distri
10 judges, who is now in this city. III
papers are on file, and there is no dispu
about it. Attorney General Miller in b
Office showed the petition to Judge Ande
n son (who came here to look after his si
wife,, and asked him If he had any obie
le tions to signing it, and the Judge said:
= have none, because it states the TRUTH
a. Now, gentlemen, 1 have had my say. v
N have not come here to appeal to yo
ii preiudices. We have not come hero