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

give The Nation a right to say that
faith had been broken that u would
cause the hands OF forty-four states
TO be pointed at Utah In scorn: that
II would cause the persecution OF Nor.
mon missionaries. and that u would
bring confusion and disappointment to
Mr.. Roberts himself. you know how II
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-
cauac the great majority OF them re-
fused to bow down nj 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 acquicsced In
tho will Of the majority; how much OF
storm would have been raised In this
country over tho 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 Utahi
Would there have been any more noise
about his election than there was about
the appointment OF Federal officials
occupying n similar social status7
II anything that has happened In
consequence Of that election to hurt
Utah" It Is the outpourings OF wrath.
disappointment and revenge. that have
been overlooking from the Salt Lake
CLERGY and their mouthpicce ever since
the votes were counted. They are re-
fponslble for the fngor-polnting Of the
States the persecution OF Mormon
misslonarlcs' and the confusion" and
turmoil that have been occasloned.
They are also responsible for the false
hood that faith has been broken with
the nation" All this originated with
them. aud they are the authors OF all
the obioauy that has been heapcd upon
the state and It's Representative.
but "tho nation" has no right to
say that faith has been broken"
Neither the nation nor any Individual
or Journal has. the right to utter
faisehood. The state OF Utah cm-
bodied In its Constitution all tina, was
required by the Enabling Act OF Con-
grcss. 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
II demonstrated IN the fact, that Its
courts and officers stand ready to prose
cute and punish violators OF the con-
ntitutionai provision which 10 viewed In
tho nature OF a compact. Also IN the
further fact that not q singlc case OF
infractlon OF that provision has bccn
legally complained against. The rumor'
which have been circulated In aid Of
tho crusade against the Mormon" pco-
pie. are so illmsy and destitute OF COM
potent evidence that none Of them has
matcrlnlizcd into criminal case.
The suits which have been Instituted
on the complaint OF hired informer
oven " they were carried 60 convictions
would have no bearing whatever upon
the question Of faith with the nation
The demand expressed In the Enabling
Act was a provision In tho State Con
e,itutlon forever prohibiting poly
gamous or plural marriages. That wal
the beginning and the end and the ut
most extent Of the requirement, and I
hns been strictly carried out. Tn,
State OF Utah made that so-calle,
compact" with the United States, an,
nothing can be advanced supported b!
that there is any semblance OF a rup
ture between the parties to tho purport
cd agreement
charges that have been made agalna
the Mormon" Church. equally ground
less and destitute OF proof. even " the
We're Justified by facts. would not con
stitutc any violation OF the faith Of III
state with the United States The ma
ton made no compact with the Churcl
no do anything OF the kind would
foreign 10 Its functions. The govern
ment does not treat politically wit
ecclesiastical organizations, II HI
nothing to do with them In that wa,
II members of q religious body viola
the law they are amcnablo Go the Ia
as individuals, not as members OF
religious body There Is therefore :
compact between the government AT
anybody else on this question exec
the State Of Utah That. as we ha'
shown has kept It's pledge and has n
broken It's faith.
The State Of Utah has included
Its code, provisions agains, an omen
altogether different from that whit
was leglslatod against In the Constit
ton, az required by the Enabling ~
The nation hus nothing whatever to
with that II no provision had be
Incorporated In the code against VIII
II known here rs unlawful cohablt
ton" there would have been no brea
81 faith with the United states. Co
gress has no Jurisdiction over the su
feet The state has full right and po
err TO regulate It's own domestic anal
consistent with the Constitution u I
United states. Therefore no mat
how many ofrenses have been or IN
not been committed against the ST.
statute which provides penalties
that miademeanor, they would not c,
sutu,o any breach OF faith or vlolat
o. compact or disregard of plsdgea "
the Nation.
All this talk, then, about Utah