Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-12
NO BREACH OF FAT II.

give the Nation a right TO say that
faith had been broken, that II would
cause the hands OF forty-four States
TO be pointed at Utah In scorn. that
Il would cause the persecution OF Nor.
mon missionaries, and that II would
bring confusion and disappointment TO
Mr.. Roberts himself; you know how 1t
was all answered"
Certainly. We know how the threats
uttered by those who wished TO dictate
what the people OF Utah should do
at the polls, have been carried out be-
cause the great majority OF them re-
fused TO bow down at the command Of
that self-assumed authority. Suppose
that when the verdict OF the people OF
this State was rendered the preachers
and papers in Utah had acquiesccd in
the will Of the majority; how much Of
a storm would have been raised In this
country over the result? How much
pressure would have been brought upon
Congress by excited members OF
churches and yellow journals, over the
seating OF the member from Utah?
Would there have been any more noise
about his election than there was about
the appointment OF Federal officials
occupying a similar social status7
II anything that has happened In
consequence OF that election TO hurt
Utah. 1t is the outpourings Of wrath,
disappointment and revenge, that have
been overlooking from the Salt Lake
clergy and their mouthpiece ever since
the votes were counted, They are re-
sponslbe for the fnger-pointing Of the
States. the persecution Of Mormon
missionaries" and the confusion" and
turmoil that have been oceasioned.
They are also responsible Cor the false
hood that faith has been broken with
the nation" All this originated with
them, and they are the authors Of all
the obloquy that has been heaped upon
the State and It's Representative.
But the nation" has no right to
say that faith has been broken
Neither the nation nor any individual
or Journal has. the right TO utter a
falsehood. The State Of Utah em-
bodied in its Constitution all that was
required by the Enabling Act Of Con-
gress, and II was accepted as sufficient
by the President Of the United States.
That this commonwealth has kept
faith with the nation In that respect
Is demonstrated in the fact, that Its
courts and officers stand ready to prose
cute and punish violators Of the con-
stltutlonal provision which Is viewed In
the nature OF a compact. Also In the
further fact that not a single case Of
infracton OF that provision has beer
legally complained against. The rumors
which have been circulated in aid Of
the crusade against the Mormon" PEG
pie, are so fllmsy and destitute Of com.
petent evidence that none Of them has
materialized into q criminal case.
The suits which have been Instituted
on the complaint Of a hired informer
even II they were carried 60 convictions
would have no bearing whatever upOr
the question Of faith with the nation.
The demand expressed In the ENABLING
Act was provision In the State Con
siltution forever prohibiting poly
samous or plural marriages That wa
the beginning and the end and the ut
most extent Of the requirement and
has been strictly carried out, Tn
State OF Utah made that so-calle,
compact" with the United States, AM
nothing can be advanced, supported b.
the slightest actual evidence, shown.
that there is any semblance OF rup
ture between the parties 70 the purport
Cd agreement
Charges that have been made agalns
the Mormon" Church, equally ground
less and destitute OF proof, even II the
were justified by facts, would not con
stitute any violation Of the faith Of III
State with the United States The ma
ton made no compact with the Churcl
To do anything Of the kind would }
foreign 10 It's functions. The govern
ment does not treat politically wit
ecclesiastical organizations. 1t Ia
nothing 10 do with them In that wa,
II members Of a religious body yiolat
the law they are amenable 60 the la
as individuals, not as members Of
religious body. There Is therefore 9
compact between the government an
anybody else on this question excel
the State Of Utah. That, as we hay
shown has kept lis pledge and has n
broken It's faith.
The State OF Utah has included
Its code, provisions against an often
altogether different from that viii,
was leglslaied against In the ConstItl
ton, o. required by the Enabling AC
The nation has nothing whatever TO
with that II no provision had be'
Incorporated 10 the code against VIII
Is known here as unlawful cohabIt
ton" there would have been no brea'
of faith with the United States. Co
gress has no Jurisdiction over the su
ject The State has full RICH, and po'
er 20 regulate It's own domestic AFFAIR
consistent with the Constitution u q
United States Therefore no matt
how many offenses have been or IA
not been committed against the Sta
statute which provides penalties Z
that msdemeanor, they would no, co
su,uie any breach q faith or vlolatl
Of compact OF disregard OF pledges vi
the Nation.
All this talk. then. about Utah I