Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23
THE ACTION IS
REVOLUTIONARY.
"MormOns' Must Eventually De-
fend the American Constitution.
HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF
situation In the United states Par
aiieled with That Of Rome = I'm
Just Action In Roberts Case.

Brigham City. Utah. Dec. II, 1899.
To the Editor:
Historians tell us that at the most
critical periods Of Roman history. when
her artful and designing emperors were
making insidlous assaults upon her lib
critics. these same petty tyrants were
the most scrupulous In maintaining the
ancient forms OF popular government.
The same may be said of the pagan re-
llglon Of the Romans; about the time
they were losing their civil liberties,
each We'd with his nelghbor in observ-
ing carefully the forms Of the estab-
llshed religion. and would often try to
procure advantage over his opponent
by charging him with the lack Of re-
ligion, which in secret, he heartily des-
pissed.
We judge the future by the past, and
to the careful reader Of history II is
certainly interesting and instructive,
bON ~ Nht NdhIc Niilt aldllliHSt "
compare the modern trend Of events,
especially In our own beloved country =
to ancient nations which have passed
away.
Macaullay chronicles more than one
dangerous precedent established by the
British Parliament, during the reign Of
the Stuarts, at the time Of great polit!-
cal and religious excitement, which af-
forwards came home to plague the par.
ty in power
II is nc wonder the present wave OF
rellgio-political excitement is caus-
ing serious thought among the real
lovers Of liberty, when It Is seen how
timid are the peoples representatives
and how ready they are to pass revolu-
tionary measures for fear their motives
might be misconstrued, and that they
would lay themselves open to the
charge Of their opponents OF not teii g
in the same moral band wag)n with the
majority.
1t Is believed by constitutions
al lawyers OF high repute, that
Congress has passed laws curtaillng re-
ligious liberty aud ex-post-fscto in their
nature for the purpose Of reaching an
unpopular church. Viewed from a
distance. Ike ancient Rome. the people
Of the United States seem TO be follow
ing in the footsteps Of the founders Of
the Republic, In political matters, and
90 have the plety OF our revolutionary
fathers; but where can you point 10 a
modern Jefferson whose views were so
bl cad that he was willing, should the
majority so decide, that an infdel might
occupy the highest position In the gift
OF the people, and that even the Turks
could live undsturbed under the broad
protection Of the Stars and Stripes.
Then the nations modern religious lead
efs are distinguished more as sensation
al plagarists and for cant than for real
piety. They assume a virtue II they
have Il not. ThS attachment Of the
multitude In often uncertain and capri
cous. The Greeks banlshed Arstldes
because they had become tired OF hear
Ing him called the just. but in times
Of trouble the tickle people were anxious
TO recall him 10 render them assistance
against the common enemy. So the
people OF our nation have ostraclsed
the unpopular "Mormons." but the time
will come when the real worth and solid
virtues o. these same "Mormons" will
be realized and in times Of danger the
finger Of scorn Will be changed 60 a
reckoning hand. Then when the real
truth loving and patriotic people Of the
natlon-I don't mean the noisy storm
starters and those who first cry stop
thief' and for show do up petitions In
the American fiag--flnd the Constitution
In imminent danger. they will rally
round the ensign Of liberty raised by
this peculiar people who will
have the courage and power TO main