The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-01
Especial to The Herald


meeting 1ast night, after the reading
of the declaration, in response to re-
peated calls and amid the most terrific
applause, Moses Thatcher left private
box and came upon the stage and re-
ceived an ovation which might we'll
warm his great heart.
Mr. Thatcher said: Having been
called to aid Hon. George Q. Cannon.
then delegate to Congress in 1882, on
the pending passage of the Edmunds
law, friend of mine had a converse
tion with Senator George Edmnnds
upon the issue then confronting the
Mormon people. Mr.. Edmunds, so was
Informed, said We care little for your
marriage system or its results, we use
that as a means with which to arouse
citizens of our country. But what we
want and what we intend to have is
that your church must take it's hand
from the throat of the state and you
must yield to that demand or we shall
grind you to powder. Now you must
judge as ito whether fifty millions of
people throug hout the Union or a few
hundred thousand people in your terri
tory will yield I need not rehearse or
take your time reviewing what subse-
quently transpired. 1t finally reached
a solution when from ten to twelve
thousand people Endorsed and ratified
by vote, the declaration of President
Woodruff respecting the abandonment
of our marriage system. That was the
saddest day I ever experienced and Il
never expect to pass through anything
that will stretch the heart strings of
our people as that did. That was a
square issue as I understood it, be-
tween the national government and the
church 1 need not tell you who yield
ed on that point. Let us hope that no
issue shall arise in future that will
test us as that did, but, if we attempt
to unite church and state, l only voice
the sentiment of every Intelligent man
in Utah when l express the fear that
results may prove far more sad and
to US more disastrous than that which
we settled in 1890 I have always be-
lieved that there is room enough any
where in the Union for the free exercise
of religious belief and practice without
trenching in the least degree upon any
citizens duty or obligation to the state.
If we are so unwise as to press that
issue 1 cannot refrain from expressing
the fear that there will only be room
for the state and but little for the
church. j am glad to be able to say
that I have always upheld the public
declarations of the presidency of the
church in respect to these matters. And
I have never found it necessary to-
speak disrespectfully of my Republican
brethren, not utter anything politically
the Interpretation of which might lndi-
cate any doubt as to my views. The
document read tonight in your presence
shows that dark clouds indicating a po
litical storm, are near at hand and
must be met and solved by us. As for
me, I stand where l have always stood,
opposed to union of church and state
and it is our duty, as view 1T, to make
our stand on that matter susceptible of
no doubtful Interpretation. We cannot
afford to do otherwise. You must be
made to feel that your children are as
free as are mine, each having the same
chance for advancement along the line
of human liberty, progress, prosperity
and peace. We shall not be warranted
in holding that the state has any right
to trench upon or in any degree inter
fere with the church, nor must we SO
act as to justify any ones believing
that we think the church is justified in
trenching upon the functions of gov
eminent, or interfering in civil mat
ters You feel and / feel that while
owing obligations to the church and to
the state, there is no reason why they
should conflict You feel and feel that
freedom came to us as a special be-
quest from our revolutionary fathers
and it is your duty and my duty to
maintain at all costs that bequest. Let
all the world know that you are free
and that we plant our feet here tonight
squarely upon the proposition that it is
better to be a dead free man than a
living slave; thus that political parties
and their interests must stand or fall
upon that broad base of human liberty.
We have our destiny safely in our
hands and we alone at the ballot box
viii be able to solve it in manner
which shall entitle us to all the rights
enjoyed by American citizens else
where Whether we win or not, this
cause will grow and grow and grow,
until into every heart will come that
love for freedom which you have mani
tested tonight. We are entitled to state
hood. Let US vote for the constitution
The speaker was applauded frequent
Iy and earnestly. Weber made a grand
effort and it was we'll received. The
parade was one Of the finest we have
ever had.
GAME AND ROBERTS