The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-21

hn c, .hc tru,l, 80 that they might
ne converted 10 the everlasting covenant.
our prophets have suffered like those Of
olu, and thought that the prosecutions
i,,;,. %, zion were enough-that they would
had been the bearer Il a new edict of
prescription. | think he could not have
peen more profoundly oppressed by the
emSe SetSe o, % ms responsibility Did your
,Hlher tell YOU, he asked. THAT ! had
bcen seeking tile mind OF the Lord"
replied that he had
re reflected silently. 81 shall talk
WIN YOU again about it," he said. at
way plain"
Polygamy's Strength.
do rot wish To idealizc the poyga :
NOUS relation--but in monusauy n man
Is not persecuted for his marriage and
;,''etIIhes so he does not appreciate the
slhs mao been compelled TO suffer on its
Inccount by the grim trials Of tho life
rselt 1;s and by the hatred Of all cNjliza-
ton arraycd AGAINST e. They had
S.oMh LOW, 10 value their marriage syslem bY
WIat II had cost them They had been
urlVen by the contempt OF the world 10
oseierauons. and to raise it in their
esteem 10 what it professed 10 he. the
CELESTIAL order that prevailed In The
Wsr, pWeaNsnss I knew. as we'll as President
elielr nearts TO have 10 abandon. al last
what they had SO long suffered for.
Watched President Smith.
In IN the days OF anxious waiting thai
Ioilowed, ! saw Joseph F. Smith and
sounoed him for any hint OF progress. He
salo: M sure l don't know what can
ne done Your father talked with PrcsI-
9ent woodruff and me before he went to
washington but I'm sure 1 cant see how
we can do anything" When my father
returned home. | went TO him many
tllnes-without. however learning any
thing definite. ] knew that the men in
evidence OF our good faith before congress
should reconvene; and I repeatedly urged
the necessity of action
Hears Manifesto Read.
Al length he sent me word. in Ogden,
that President Woodruff wished Ia con-
Ter Tith me, and he suggested that il
my opinions freely. l fastened TO salt
Lake City. TO the Offices of the presiden-
cy: President Woodruff took me into a
festo."
II was tho same that was Issued on
September "a. 1890. and ratified by a
on October 6 following. 1t was the proc
lamation that freed the oppressed OF
Utah; for. by the subseduente"coven
and its acceptance by the federal gov
ernment-the nation did but confirm
their freedom and accord them their con-
stitutional rights. Here. shaking in the
nand OF age, vas sheet OF paper by
"illOil lIt IulDTe OF n flalI I0llllOu people
was to be directed: and that simple old
man was to speak through II, 10 them.
with the awful authority OF the voice
OF God.
Elders Blasphemous.
He told me he had written it himself.
IN his handwriting. Its authorship has
since been variously attributed. Some OF
the present-day polygamists say that II
and George Reynolds have claimed that
they edited 1t. | presume that as Nor
mons. I'm good standing" believing in
preciate the blasphcmy OF their claim!
A Disappointment.
! found IL dsappointinglv mild. II
denied that the church had been solem-
nizng any plural marriages OF late. and
advised the faithful Ito refrain from CON
tracing any marriages forbidden by She
law of the land In spite OF this mild
ness. President Woodruff asked me
whether ] thought the Mormons would
accept the revelation.
Afraid of People.
replied that there could be no proper
anxiety on that point The majority OF
the Mormon people were ready for such
q message. II might be very much
stronger without arousing resistance
With the exception OF the comparatively
the community would accept
II gratefully. Rather, made bold TO
saw nv anxiety was as TO whether the
nation would believe that such an equiv
ocally worded document meant an alb
solutc recession from the practice OF
plural marriage.
II was plain that his advisers had not
pointed out this danger TO him. He
asked me how / thought the nation
would take II.
What Was Meant.
I asked him. point blank. whether X
meant an absolute recession from polyg-
amy.
He answered that IT did.
Then, ! said with such an interpreta-
tion of st. and n formal and public ac
ceptance Of II by the church authorities
| did not doubt that we could convince
the nation Of its suficiency. | reminded
him-as / am now glad TO remember
that the word OF the Mormon people had
pa ssed current in the political and com,
ucrciai circles OF the country, that |
had several times been the bearer OF mes
sages from them TO prominent men: ths'
we had been taken on faith and The
faith had been always vindicated. Final
nor convey any. ] asked
him II II was the intention oi the mani
festo 10 inhibiJ any further plural mar
lie answered quantity; why. OF
course. trrank-bccause that's what
they've been prosecuting us Tor There
when he added: you know they didn l
get our brethren In prison for poygamy:
but for living with their plural "lVes
Perhaps no other man in Utah could
have said such a thing without aar-
casm The fact that the United States
authorities had been practically unable
10 prove case poIygamy (Which was
a fclonyJ because the marriage records
were concealed by the church. but they
could prove plural marriage living "a
mere misdemcanorJ By repule ana cir
II WAS part of President
Woodrufrs unworldliness that he did not
see the satire Of his words: and ! was
III. more convinced of his good falth.
Legal Advice Accepted.
was convinced also. by several OF
his remarks that lie had consulted win
tbe church's attorney, Franklin s. Rich
ards. apd while truSted the presi-
deut's linworidly Faith. ! trusted more
the sagacIty Of his more worldly ad~
yisers I began TO see. with sure hope.
the beginning OF the end OF all our
iniscries.
A Tense Occasion.
Some DAYS later | was summoned to
attend u meeting Of the church authorl~