The Silver State

SUPPRESSING POLYGAMY

Various plans are now proposed to suppress polygamy in Utah, and nearly all of them have but one object in view, which is the disfranchisement of every person, male or female, who believes in the Mormon faith. For years, almost every Federal officer, from Governor down, sent to Utah, experienced a change of opinion on Mormonism, as soon as he arrived at Utah, and it has been repeatedly charged that this change was wrought by coin. Whether such is the fact or not, it was noticeable that executive and judicial officers invariably winked at polygamy, though an act of Congress, for its suppression, which provided severe penalties for those convicted of having more than one wife, was among the laws which they were sworn to enforce. Through the connivance of these officials, polygamy was countenanced, and while the census of 1880 shows that there were 74,509 males and only 69,454 females in the Territory at that time—a circumstance which indicates that polygamy cannot be extensively practiced there, as it is not in accord with human nature for women to uphold an institution that would deprive a majority of them of the opportunity of having one wife, while it would give a few the privilege of having a dozen or more each, it is alleged that polygamy is increasing. But, however that may be, a war has been inaugurated against Mormonism, and several plans for conducting the campaign are suggested. General Rosecrans offers an amendment to the Constitution, which declares that polygamy, being incompatible with our civilization, is forever prohibited in the United States and all places under its jurisdiction, and empowers Congress to enforce its provisions by appropriate legislation.

This amendment is aimed at polygamy alone, and for that reason should be adopted, as it is wrong to countenance in one of the Territories of the United States social relations which would consign those who practiced them to the penitentiary in any of the States and all the other Territories outside of Utah.

Another plan of battle is devised by Senator Cullom, of Illinois, who has introduced a bill to abolish the Territorial form of Government in Utah, and substitute therefor a council of fifteen, to be appointed by the President. This is about the same in effect as the remedy suggested by Stephen A. Douglas, the great advocate of popular sovereignty, who favored the repeal of the organic act of Utah Territory, and placing it, similar to the District of Columbia, under the immediate control of Congress. The bill deprives the people of Utah, whether Saints or Gentiles, Polygamists or Monogamists, of the right of self-government, and makes the innocent suffer for the crimes of the guilty. It is unjust, inconsistent, and doubtless unconstitutional, and therefore ought not to pass. A large majority of the people of Utah are not polygamists, and if a Mormon violates none of the laws of the land, he is entitled to the right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and he should not be persecuted or deprived of privileges accorded other citizens, simply because he is a Mormon.

The Salt Lake Bar held a meeting Thursday and passed the following resolution: "We earnestly protest against the appointment of Sumner Howard as Chief Justice of Utah, the reasons being stated in a former protest to the President. We cannot believe that a candidate for high position, whose reputation is so bad as Howard's while United States Attorney for Utah, could receive the Executive favor." The Secretary was instructed to telegraph the same to the President and Attorney General.