The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-11-14
COMMUNICATION
FROM R. P. BOYD
He Fully Exonepates The
Mormon Church

Mr.. Editor:-Please accept hearty
thanks for inserting my article,
regarding existing polygamous re-
lation among Mormons, in the Oct.
31st issue of your paper. In the
added comments, you represent
yourself as "una1terably opposed to
polygamous practices," and then
proceed to justify its practice, so far
as regards already-contracted re-
lations of that kind. According to
Wilford Woodruff own statement,
when under oath, he intended the
Manifesto of 1890 to stand for an
effort, on the part of his church, to
prohibit the practice of polygamy
in all of its forms. He was asked if
he had intended to state, in this
Manifesto, that it was the require
ment ofthe church that polygamous
relations already formed before that
(time) should not be continued; !;
"that is, there should be no associ-
ations with plural wives; in other
words, that unlawful cohabitation,
as it is named and spoken of, should
stop, as we'll as future polygamous
marriagas?" His reply, to this plain
est of questions, was, Eyes, sir;
that has been my view" This ques
was asked Mr.. Woodruff in differ
ent forms and by different lawyers,
for the evident purpose of getting
it fairly before him, and in order
that there might not be any mistake
respecting the significance of his
reply-see investigation concern
ing the restoration of church prop
erty by the United States Govern
ment.
But certainty is, if possible rem
dered still more certain by the
fact that "Apostles" Snow, Lund,
and Richards gave practically the
same sworn testimony as Wilford
Woodruff regarding the intended
meaning of the said Manifesto
that is, that everything of the ma
ture of polygamous, or "unlawtul-
cohabitation "practices were to
cease. As this Manifesto was en-
dorsed in popular assembly, it is i'm
possible to show how any wrong
can be done the Mormon people by
expecting them to conform to their
OzOn agreement, especially as the
practice is mostly, if not always
represented by the leaders OF the
church. This course is still further
justified by the facts, that ~ the
Book of Mormon las already
shown) brands polygamy as one oi
"the grosser crimes that the moral
sentiment of the most enlightened
people in the world is against it
and thatthe editor of THE CALDWELL
TRIBUNE is "unalteradly opposed
to the practice. AS we believe thai
it will be contributing to the bes
interests of the Mormon people tC
help in carrying out the clearly de-
clared purpose of this manifesto =
President Woodruff, and "Apostles'
Snow, Lund, and Richards being
the vitnesses-What rational apol
ogv can we offer if we fail to ac
in the matter to the best OF ou
ability? Surely the men referred t.
; must have understood their lnten
: tions better than we can, and the.
we're entitled to give there own Ill
terpretation of their act. But II yo'
saw that these were only surface in
. tentions; that these religious leader
simply swore as they did on ac
. count of the end which they had Il
, view at the time; and that they onl
, intended to conform to the law /
e so far as they were actually com
pelled to do so, you thereby Civ