The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-08-30
LenI, AUoUsT 80, 1894.
Give Them Their Rights.


The ruling OF the Utah commission
relative to those men who have hereto
fore been polygmist is unjust and cruel.
70 held the whip Of disfrsnchisment
over these men after they have obeyed
the Law ever since the manifesto oftbe
church is outrageous. What in the name
OF common sense do the commission
want these noble fathers to do2 They
have been chased from oity to city, from
their homes and their loved ones, cap
tured, some Of them put in prison, and
paid the penalty for their crime. The
President has granted them amnesty
and they have agreed to obey the law /;
yet the hand Of persecution still has Its
iron grip upon them because they have
been put in the prison of our laad.
Is this the way the pioneers who have
done 50 much to make il possible for us
to live in this territory: First-mske
them suffer in the prison OF our country,
aud then condem them because they
have been put there. Is this the way
men are going to do who have been ap-
pointed from the residents OF this ter
ritory, and put in position Of power, II it
is godspced the day when such men will
be shoIn vi their power, no matter what
their political faith may be.
Men who have lately been before the
district court, aud received their natural
ization papers, promised to obey the law
all in good faith. The judge treated
such very kindly, took their money aud
believed what they said But when
they arrived home and presented them
selves before the registration. officer, be
presents them with an oath which reads.
"and that | have not been convicted of
any crime under the act of Congress,
etc" Now the Judge in the district
court asked these men this very same
question, and they answer, yes, we have
been convicted g ssssSn crimes named Z |
think that was any bar To them receiv- |
ing their papers. But the commission |
rule that II Is II bar to such men voting |
The enquirey then naturally arises, what
does eX-President Harrison's amnesty
amount to, and the answer these men |
get II, the amnesty exempts you from +
prosecution. But would not these men
be exempt from prosecution, having
ob6yed the law for more than three |
years. THIS thing is a sham and
deception OF the worst water. The
more u IL investigated, the more out
ngious and unjust il appears. The
people o. this territory have been told
by the politicians that just as soon Ms
they got men appointed who were resi-
dents OF Utah, and what they were
pleased to call Utah men. every citizen
would get mis- nights. But alas, the
ruling OF these men put to blush the
politicians, thing which has been
thought impossible, and demonstrated
the TACT that strangers who came from
aiar, are more just u the fathers OF this ,
territory who have endured untold
misery ana priv.tion to put themselves
within the law. These men believed in
Il principal and claimed IL WAS correct,
the government said it was wrong and
must b put away. They obeyed the gov /
eminent no matter what the cost. But !
this Is not enough for the commission
Tor they seem To think IL is wise to .
ostracize these men IL little longer. n
We don't sound this for any political
party, but in justice TO these men who {
are entitled to their rightes, This is no :,
Tune to keep these men bleeding on the :,
altar OF sacrifice after they have done all
that was possible for them to do. The
former commission helped them q little
10 enjoy their rights, and who ever
questioned their right to do no. Who
has heard anyone kick about what they v
lid in this regard? Who would be
heard raising his voice against the T.
present commission ifthey we're to strike y
)ut the obnioxous clause In the oath so ', '.
hat these men could take the oath, and %
who would be wronged by such just act y
10 these men2 No one. n