Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-11-12

that any Of tho Church authorities, or
that with their consent any Of ~ mem
beers, since the dato OF thD manifesto,
have TO their knowledge taught, advised,
counselod or consented 10 tho practice OF
pOlygamy or unlawful cohabtation.
II the uncontradclod testimony and
evidence before us can be relied upon, II
proves that tho Church authorities and
its members regard tho manifesto aud It's
resolution of October 9TH, 1880, rs pro.
hibiting the practice Of polygamy. and
that they regard this prohibition as the
law OF God to them. That within
tho palo OF civilization where
laws exist against II, tho practice
OF polyagmy Is wrong, but that outside OF
this limit It may DO rightmlly praciicod.
Assuming that they bolloye that tho
Supreme Lnwgiyor In revelation 10
Joseph Smith the theu head Of the church
sanctioned pOlygnmy, and In another ro-
violation about forty years afterwards 10
MILFORD Woodruff then it, head prohib.
tied its practice within tho limits mon.
toned IL follows that thOy believe that,
thaE Lawgivor sanctions nplygamy where
the sentiments OF civilization arc not
against It, aud whore 1t IN not prohibited
by law; but there were such sentiments
aud laws arc agalns. II, II IL wrong, that
the Almighty regards tho sentiments Of
civilization and tho will of human law
makers as expressed In obedience To their
reason aud conscionces ~ binding ON tho
people within their jurisdiction; that no
requires obedience to tho law OF tho land.
The theory Of civil or municipal govern
mont ~ expressed In tho declaration Of
independence Ia, that II IN ba,od upon the
will OF the people. Expressed according
to the dictates Of their reason and con.
science. This theory the most OF us
believe In, and II tho Mormon Is right,
God has In revelation To them recognized
and sanctioned this theory ~ sound.
Assuming that there is u Supreme Be.
Ing who II tho source OF all power and
wisdom, many Of us believe ho does 80
express his Will 40 tar ~ human govern
mont 20, through the reason and c0nsci-
onco OF mankind in constitutions aud
laws.
Importance Is attached by the Master
In his report, and counsel lay stress upon
tho statement Of tho President that
polygamy IL right, but that tits wrong to
practice 1t whom the sentiments Of tho
people and municipal law Is against It.
According To his statement no has AN
abstract belief In polygamy whore laws
exist against 1t. In other words no be-
lioves IN tho principle In tho abstract
under such circumstances, but does not
believe In II In tho concrete.
Tho government Is not authorized TO
ngairst his Will, except by forfeiture or
oscheat according TO law, or by npprO-
priaung II to the payment Of public
lakes In the mode the law prcscrl6os or
in pursuance Of tho law OF eminent
domain, with Just compensation. IL cam
not divest any individual or any class OF
the poOplo Of their property, or deny 10
them tho right to control IL or 20 devote il
| to any object they may choose, simply
because they may entertain wrong moi.
itical or religious beliefs; tho doing OF
either would be a plain violation of those
principles Of civil aud religious liberty
which underllo our whole political
system. Tho intent and the resulting
act may together be defined as crime and
punished; but the intent alone cannot be.
Tho perceptions, tho feelings, tho DO.
! lieis, or the cOnsclOnces Of mankind can
not DO regulated by human laws. such
laws would transcend the power OF ali
| just governments.
We do not feel authorized 10 Withhold
from the IAttor-day Saints tho right 10
devote their property To charitable OBJ
jects simply because we may think they
have wrong beliefs; or 10 undertake. tho
| eradication of such beliefs by denying 20
them the right TO the enjoyment Of their
property or tho right to appropriate 1t to
lawful purposes
Polygamy having been abandoned by
tho church, tho remaining purposes To
which the personal property In question
has been dedicated aud TO which II may