Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-12


ton and Christian charity demand, see
ing that time Is rapidly and peaceaby
solving the question?
On the subject Of strong personal
conviction Of right In contradlstinction
10 legal enactments, and willingness to
risk the consequences when conscience
runs against law, the following letter
We have received gives two very strik.
ing illustrations OF that we have In
mind and Is very timely at the pres.
ent junoture. We commend II to the
careful consideration OF our readers
everywhere:
Salt Lake City, March II, 1904
Editor Deseret News;
Last evening, while reading Senator
George Y. Hoar's entertaining Auto
biography OF Seventy Years" I STUN
bled upon two incidents. which may
be mentioned appropriately in connee-
tion with the present enquiry at Wash
ington. Judging by the questions pro-
pounded by various senator's. there Is
no small amount OF surprise In the
committee that the Mormon people
should have abandoned, under any
stress Of conditions whatever. princi-
pie that they believed to be dlylnely
revealed, Senator Bailey. referring TO
this subject, stated that the Lord
glveth and the Lord taketh away
the precise position OF the Mormon
Church--but added that In his opinion
the manifesto was more a matter OF
law than revelation. Martyrs for prin-
ciple have ever been much more nu.
mcrous In the cloister than at the
stake; and many good man has saved
his pate By making virtue OF neees-
sity.
Senator Hoar relates In his first vol
ume, that the legislature OF Massachu-
sets directed the Governor OF that
State 10 employ counsel to test the
constitutlonality OF the laws OF South
Carolina under which coored seamen,
upon arrival at Charleston, were i'm
prisoned during the time that the ves-
sci was In port, and. upon default OF
the payment Of prison fees, were sold
into slavery. Samuel Hoar, the Sena-
tors father, though advanced In years
and retired from the practise OF hls pro-
fesslon, volunteered 10 undertake this
delicate and dangerous mission. He
was impolled TO do this by the most
profound sense OF duty to God and
man. His presence In Charleston was
bitterly resented by an irate populace.
Resolutions were adopted by the leg
stature directing the Governor 10 ex-
pei this Northern Emissary." Mobs
threatened TO destroy the hotel In
which nc was guest. But Mr.. Hoar
firmly and steadfastly refused 10 leave;
he said he could not and would not go,
and that he would rather his broken
skull should he carried TO Massachu-
sets by someone else than TO take 1t
home safe himself, whilst his duty re-
quired him to remain. a committee
OF seventy prominent citizens waited
upon him requiring him to leave the
city at once and presenting TO him the
alternative OF going peaceably In the
carriage then waiting at the door, or OF
being dragged to the dock He chose
the carriage. and one can almost hear
the expiring groan with which the
theoretical martyrs Of New England
learned of this practical solution OF an
otherwise nsoluble situation.
But surprise AT alleged Mormon"
Inconsistency In the respect mentioned,
IL not circumstance 10 the horror
with which the committee and the
country heard President smiths state
ment that he had been disobeylng the
law and was prepared to take the
consequences Most excellent citizens
stand aghast at the suggestion that any
person should. under any circumstances
whatever, dishonor the Revised stat
utes. Yet, Senator Hoar. with appar-
ent pride-whlch II Is not my purpose
10 critlcise relates the following incl
dent In the life Of his mother. who was
q daughter Of Roger Sherman Of Con-
nectlout the only man who signed the
four great documents relating TO the
independence and establishing the goy-
eminent OF this country, The Incident,
found at page IS Of volume ]. IL az fol-
lows;
AFTER she became n young lady, my
mother with Fanny Ellsworth, after
ward Mrs, Wood, and Mary Hillhouse,
daughter OF the Senator, 1.-THE two young
ladies' last named being daughters OF
trainers Of the Constitution established
Il school TO teach young colored chill
dren to read aud sew The laws
OF the State made II a penal offense TO
teach colored child to read. These
girls violated the law. The public au-
thorltles interfered and threatened them
with prosecution. But the young wo-
men were resolute. They insisted that
they were performing religious duty,
and declared that they should dlsobey