Year: 1869

that supreme law. If any one condemns


them as unconstitutional, the courts of


the United States are open, before which !
they can test the question. But, till


they are decided to be in conflict with |
the constitution, they are binding upon


you in Utah as they are on me in the
District of Columbia, or on the citizens
Of Idaho and Montana. Let me refer
now to the law of 1862 against which
you especially complain, and which you
denounce Congress for enacting. 1t is
obeyed in the other territories of the


United States, or if disobeyed its viola
ton is punished. 1t is not obeyed here,


and though you often speak of the per-


secutions to which you were subject in


the earlier years of your charch, you


cannot but acknowledge that the con-


duet Of the government and the people


of the United States towards you, in


your later years, has been one of tolera-


ton, which you could not have realized


in any other of the civilized nations of


the world.


| do not concede that the institution


you have established here, and which is


condemned by the law, is question of


religion. But to you who do claim it as


such, reply, that the law you denounce,


only re-enacts the original prohibitions


of your own Book of Mormon, on its
11Sth page and your Book of Doc


trines and Covenants, in its chapter on
marriage; and these are the inspired


records, as you claim them, on which
| your church was organized.


The Book of Mormon, on the same


page, speaks twice Of the conduct of Da-
vid and Solomon as a grosser crime" !"


and those who follow their practice as


waxing in iniquity.D The Book of


Doctrines and Covenants IS the discipline


and creed of their church and in its


chapter on marriage, it declares, that as


the Mormon church has been charged


with the crimes of fornication and of
i polygamy, it is avowed as the law of the


church, that a man shall have but one


wife, and woman but one husband, till
death shall part them.


know you claim that subsequent
revelation annulled all this; bat use
these citations to show you that the con
gressional law, which you denounce, only
enacted what was the original and pub
licly proclaimed and printed creed OF
which your church was founded. Ant


yet, while you assume that this later rev
t elation gives you the right to turn you
r back on your old faith and to disobe,
the law, you would not yourselves tole
+ rate others in assuming rights for them
selves under revelations they might CLAIM
to have received, or under religions the
r might profess. The Hindoos claim, a
part of their religion, the right to bur-
! widows with the dead bodies of thei
e husbands. If they were to attempt
d here, as their religion, you would preven
o it by force, If new revelation were t
d be proclaimed here, that the strong me
), should have the right to take the wive
Ii of the weaker men, that the learne
# men should take the wives Of the Ill
+ learned, that the rich men should tax
u the wives of the poor, that those WI
y were powerful and influential shoul
e. have the right to command the labc
re bond-slaves, you would spurn it, ar
would rely upon the law and the pow
o, of the United States to protect you.
ce But you argue that it is a restraint {
in individual freedom; and that it co
ne Germs only yourselves. Yet you justi
r. these restraints in individual freedom
H. everything else. Let me prove this
I'd you. If man came here and sought
" establish a liquor saloon on Temple
he without license, you would justify yo
n common council, which is your mum,
er pal congress, in suppressing it by fore
Nh anu puiiisHiiIS ti6 pliSiiuSf DtSlutS. n
* other one comes here and says that
nd will pursue his legitimate avocation
zee bone-boiling on lot in the heart of yo
Sc city. You would expect your council
I'd, prevent it, and why? Because you
nd lieve it would be offensive to society a
ice to the people around him. And ST
,ar another says, that as an American ci
ou zen he will establish powder-mill or


lot he has purchased, next door to Il
no hotel, where we have been so hospital
on entertained. You would demand Il
nd this should be prevented, because it v
ty, obnoxious to the best interests of |
Ter community. might use other illust
ou tions as to personal conduct which y
ca would insist should be restrained,
os- though it fettered personal freedom, a
5 L the wrong-doer might say only conce
ID. 7