Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-10

thorities OF the CnuIch VI jesus Nhilat
of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon
Church. claim and by their followers
are accorded the right TO claim, su.
preme authority dlyinely sanctioned,
to shape the belief and control the con-
duct of those under them In all matters
whatsoever, civil and religious, tenn
poral and spiritual, and who thus unit
ing in themselves authority IN Church
and state, do 80 exercise the same as
to lncucate and encourage a belief In
polygamy and polygamous cohHDlta-
ton who countenance and conniFe at
violations Of the laws OF the state pro-
hibiting the same, regardless OF pledges
made for the purpose of obtaining
statehood and of covenants made with
the people of the United States; and
who by all the means In their power
protect and honor those who with
themselves violate the laws OF the land
and are guilty Of practices destructive
Of the family and the home.
And we, your protestants, do further
say and earnestly and solemny declare
that we are moved hereto by no malice
or personal in-will toward Apostle
Smoot nor toward the people whom
he seeks TO represent IN this high po-
ston.
We wage no war against his religious
belief as such We do not to the slight
est extent deny him the same freedom
Of thought, the same freedom Of action
within the law which we claim for our
selves
We accuse him Of no offense cogniz-
able by law, nor DO We seek to put him
in jeopardy Of his liberty or his. prop
erty. va ask that he be deprived Of no
natural right nor OF any right which
under the Constitution or laws Of the
land he Is fitted to exercise. With
watchfu Jealousy we claim for him,
whether as private citizen or as church
official, as for ourselves all the rights.
privileges and immunities safeguarded
by the Constitution.
What we do deny to him Is the right,
either natural or political to the high
station Of senator Of the United states
from which 10 wage war upon the home
the basic institution upon whose pur-
ity and perpetulty rests the very gov
eminent Itself
However broad the grant by federal
enactments to the State Of Utah or its
citizens. the enjoyment Of the privileges
Of statehood must depend upon the OBJ
scrvance Of the sacred compact upon
which statehood was secured The
rights thereby granted are not inallen-
able. and we do insist that he Is and
ever must be untitled to make laws who
shows himself unalteraby opposed to
that which underles all law
We submit that however formal and
regular may be Apostle Shoots creden-
tails or his qualifications by way OF
citizenship. whatever his protestations
Of patriotism and loyalty, Il Is clear
that the obligations OF any official oath
which he may subscribe are and OF
necessity must be as threads of tow
COMPARED with the covenants which
bind his intellect. his viii and his az
fections, and which hold him forever
in accord with and subject TO the will
Of a defiant and law-breaking apos-
tolate.
We ask In behalf Of ourselves and. as
We firmly believe IN behalf OF thousands
Of the members OF his faith that the
high honor Of a senatorship be not ac-
corded this man, though temporarily
released from some Of the active duties
Of his ecclesiastical office. that the peO-
Die Of this state be not put TO an open
shame: and that the anostOlatc OF the
Mormon" Church be not permitted to
succeed In this their supreme test Of
the forbearonce OF the American people.
We ask that IN the exercise Of your
| high prerogative 10 see that no harm
come to the republic you do halt this
man at the door OF The senate that he
may be there inquired Of touching the
matters we have herein set forth.
Dated at Salt Lake city, Jan. 20, 1903.
w. NJ. PADEN,
J.. L. WILLIAMS.
Il. w. CRTTCHLOW.
j.. w. WILSON.
c. G. GOODWIN
J.. L. GOLIATH.
w A. NELDEN.
CLARENCE T. BROWN.
EZRA THOMPSON
JOHN j. CORUM
j. w. LEGICH.
W. MONT. FERRY,
II. c. HILL.
S. II. LEWIS.
GEORGE r.. HANCOCK.
GEORGE NJ. SCOTT.
CLARENCE u. ALLEN,
ABEL LEONARD
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