The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-17
T~uesdayiJan. II, 1905.
EX-SENATOR EDMUNDS ON Pc.
TYGAMY.

&@@
LYGAMY.
A certain colonel OF a North Cardinal
regiment in the war between the statesl
who had the misfortune to be captur-I
ed and carried as a prisoner Of war tol
Fort Delaware tells the following story
concerning one of his fellow prisoners.
The latter took charge of the spiritual
welfare Of his co-sufferers in bondaget
and every sunday morning would
NOR to as many as would gather around
and listen to him. Our colonel says that
on one Sunday morning this PRISON.
preacher announced as his text a dec-l
Iaration of st. Paurs contained in one
of his epistles and began his ~discourseI
with the remark: And in this declara-|
ton, my friends the divine wrlterI
agrees with me-"
This incident was called to mind this
ing the opinion of ex-senator Edmunds,
of Vermont, on what steps are neces-I
sary for the federal government to take
to check the growth of Mormonism in
the several states and the interference
with the conduct of state and federal
affairs by the leaders Of the Mormon
is one of the leading constitutional law
yers in this country, agrees with the
editor of The Messenger, in his doubts
expressed in an editorial in yesterdays
issue of this paper, that congress has,
under the federal constitution as it now
stands, any power to regulate his mat
ter of polygamy in the states already
forming part of the union or Of those
hereafter to be admitted to the union,
after they become members thereof.
Had he thought otherwise be would not
have suggested as the only remedy the
adoption of two amendments to the fed
erai constitution. .
We a not seen Senator ;Edmunds'
published opinion on the question until
after the publication of The Messengers
editorial.
We are much better satisfied with our
article on the subject and have greater
faith in the position there taken since
we have learned that this great consti-
tutionaI lawyer evidently agrees with
us on the points made. The Christian
Herold publishes the following as ex-
Senator Edmund's opinion on the Nor
mon question and the means of correct
ing the existing and growing evil:
The practice of Mormon polygamy
and the political influence of the HER
archy have been gradually and steadily.
expanded into the territories of New
Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma, and
into the states of Idaho, wyoming, Calf
fornia and oregon. This is a condition.
of things that SHOULD receive the most
serious consideration of the great body
OF the citizens of our country, to whom
both the institution of polygamy and
the Interference of religious or profess
sed religious organizations with the
political autonomy of any republican
country are abhorrent.
What then can be done toward de-
stroying the evil? The national consti-
tuition can be SO amended as,
First, to prohibit polygamous and
plural cohabitation, and provide forl
their punishment, and,
Second, to require all persons takingI
office under the constitution or laws of
the United States or any state to taKeI
n subscribe a oath hat he or sheI
is not and will not be a member of any,
organization whatsoever, the laws, rulesI
or nature of which require him or her
to disregard his or her duty to support
the constitution and laws of the UnitedI
States and of the several states.
These two provisions would, it is bel
lieved, have the effect, substantially, tol
eradicate the practice of polygamy inI
all the states and territories, and would
likewise, prevent office holding, eitherI
under national or state jurisdiction. byl
persons of a civil or political c~haracterI
paramount to their obligations to the
whole country or to their states.
The first suggested amendment would
in no wise interfere with state sover-I
eighty, unless the state itself should del
sire either to establish or tolerate poly-l
gamous practices, for each state could
prohibit n punish the same actsl
against its sovereignty if it should (asI
it outght )choose to do so.
The second suggested amendment
does not in thte least interfere with
the sovereignty of any state, butt
rather supports it; and it would be in
convenient and troublesome only tol
persons really unfaithfM to their wholeI
country or TO their state or Gas it ought!
e be- to any state or community which,
was willing that its chosen officers
should be under obligations paramount