The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-10-19

law But II was intended that the acts
of men should be controlled.
Poiygamy Abandoned.
/ Now, here is this Mormon creed. or
| faith, or church. or whatever you choose
| TO call It, They have belief peculiar
| to themselves. They believe In the rev.
citation in this age from God to their
chosen leaders. | do not believe IL.
There was time In this state and /
well remember 1t. because from the be-
ginning to the end Of the anti-polygamy
fight l stood fighting in the ranks
| against polygaIny. as i would today II
1t were shown to exist. Polygamy was
practiced by the Mormons in this state
| and have seen the jails and the peni-
tentiaries of idaho full Of them. tried
and convicted for this crime--and 1t Is
a crime--it is not religion; it has
| nothing to do with the freedom Of con-
to persuade himself that he believed In
| horsestealing, because he enjoyed the
pastime, to demand immunity Of the
law against punishment for it. Polyg-
amy was practice by part Of re-
legious denomination. 1t is not a religion
We have not only the right to control
1t, to prohibit it; but the Republican
party stands today, has always stood,
and will always stand. for the absolute
suppression and the stamping out Of
polygamy have not changed my
views on it since the day when land
ed in Idaho, almost a quarter Of CEN
fury ago. and do not expect that
shall. and never expect to see the Re-
publican party for which speak, right
fully charged with being tolerant Of. the
friend of, or willing to permit the prac-
tice Of polygamy. And when anybody
tells you that there has been a combi-
nation between the Republican party
and polygamy. or between the Republi-
can party and the members Of any
church. sect or creed. that polygamy
should exist. they are guilty Of an alb
solute falsehood-a.s guilty as though
they were to charge this audience with
being traitors.
II polygamy exists in Idaho it Is an
individual crime and IL should be pun
ished
The Manifesto Observed.
l will tell you why I speak plainly
about this matter; prior to 1891, polyg-
amy was practiced, and as am in
formed and as believe, was practiced
with the consent of, and it was taught
by, the Mormon church. If / do them
an injustice in this case, will be glad
to have them correct me. But at that
time President woodruff (who had been
the president of the organization Of the
church) said that he had received a
revelation from God, in which he was
commanded that the Mormon church
would no longer practice polygamy or
permit it to be practiced, or teach it's
practice. That is what he claimed. They
came to me, and asked me If I would
not withdraw my opposition to the re-
peal of the test oath, because of this
revelation, and l said, mo, will not;
do not believe in revelations" And
this was in the open convention at Mos
COW in 1892 1 do not believe in revela-
lions to one man in regard to the spir-
itual welfare of another. do not be-
lieVe that any one person can be re-
ligious FOR another I do not believe
that there is any person can stand be-
tween you or l and our God He is
capable of dealing directly with his chill
dren. But you are free to believe diff
ferently. That is my belief. And on
that belief l acted when l said to them,
mo, I will not base my responsible po-
litical personal action on an alleged
prophecy" Now you are perfectly free,
so far as / am concerned, to believe In
that prophecy. 1t accomplished great
purpose. in any event. From that day
polygamy ceased to be practiced except
and l will refer to these exceptions
IN moment--in any event 1t was no
longer an offensive practice that 1t had
been in Idaho, and on the strength of
it, the leaders and the members and fol-
lowers of this church went to President
Harrison, then president of the United
States, with a petition for amnesty
that is. for orgiveness--absolution from
the law for their crimes Of polygamy.
In that petition they pledged themselves,
in writing, for themselves and their
people, that the practice of polygamy
had ceased, and should remain forever
by the Mormon people
They signed their names to 1t, and they
asked, in consideration Of this declara-
ton, that this amnesty proclamation
should be issued by the president of the
United States. And Mr.. Harrison, who
was then at the head Of ons Of the great |
religious sects of the United States |
president Of the presbytery of the Pres
byterians of all the country-believing
in freedom of religious belief, abnorring |
the practice of polygamy. as having |
nothing whatever to do with religious |
belief, granted to these people amnesty,
and exonerated them from punishment, |