The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-20

destroyed the prosperity and happiness
of the people.
Thousands of non-Mormons have
| come into Utah and made their homes
there. Our schools are free; atten-
ldance is required; they are non-sec-
tartan. Education has been freely dis
seminated. Under such conditions
pOlygamy having once been suppressed
or eNtirpated, is not likely to be re-
lYived.
Mr. Van voorhis of New York:
would like to ask the gentleman
whether there has been any revelation
on the subject of polygamy recently;
or does the head of the church claim
there has been?
Mr. Rawlins: The Mormon people
claim that their duty with reference to
the practice of polygamy has been de-
fined by revelation. The present presi
ldent of the Mormon Church on the 18th
OF September, 1880, issued a manifesto
in which he forbade the Mormon people
from contracting marriages in viola ton
of law. AT a great conference of the
Mormon people. ten or fifteen thousand
being present. embracing all the various
organizations of the church, it was
moved that this declaration of the presi-
dent of the church be regarded by the
church as authoritative and binding:
and that motion was unanimously
adopted by the vote of that great con
gregation
The elders OF the Mormon church got
up and said that this came to the people
with all the force of a revelation, and
was binding upon them; and many OF
the Mormon people have testified in
court when occasion has arisen, when
such testimony would be relevant, that
they regard that as revelation from
Almighty God; that they no longer be-
lieve polygamy and its practice to be
right; and in effect it is not only dis
continued as practice but so far as
the great mass of the Mormon people
is concerned it is eradicated as q be-
lief. But the people of Utah. think |
can speak for them on this question
mean, believe, what they say They
are engaged in no scheme of fraud or
treachery by which to deceive the ma
ton. Having made this pledge and on
this pledge asked this action by the
American Congress, I think l can say
Tor them that they will stand by it
though the heavens fall
GentileS and MormonS associate so
freely that you cannot distinguish them.
They act together in business transac-
tons and in all the associations of life.
You IND them mingled in social circles,
just as you find people intermingling
elsewhere throughout the United States:
and measuring man for man you can
not tell one from the other. My friend
from Tennessee, when he was recently
out there, had an opportunity of meet
ING many OF the people of all classes:
they came to see him; and for the life
of him he could not have pointed out
which We're MoTmonS and which were
Gentiles, although he might perhaps
nave been able to distinguish the Jews
we have the most beautiful towns
and cities upon the American CONT
nent; we have schools, school buildings
and school appliances; we have cult,
waited school teachers who would do
credit to many of the old communities
OF this country. If there is any reason
on earth why Utah should longer be
Kept out of the Union am unable to
conceive it. l ask the vote of this
House that Utah may be speedily ad-
mitted- Loud applause.1