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Show AMNESTY AT LAST. <br><br> After A Long Year And Constant Urging HARRISON GRANTS IT, But The Democrats Will Give Statehood Before It Could Be Of Any Use. <br><br> Washington, Jan. 4.-President Harrison today issued the following proclamation: "Washington, Jan. 4, 1893. Whereas, Congress by statute approved March 22, 1892, and by statutes in furtherance and amendment thereto defined the crimes of bigamy, polygamy and unlawful cohabitation in the territories and other places within the executive jurisdiction of the United States, and prescribed a penalty for such crimes, and<br><br> "Whereas, on or about the 6th day of October, 1800, the church of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the ‘Mormon church,' through its president issued a manifesto proclaiming the purpose of said church to no longer sanction or practice polygamous marriages, and calling upon all members and adherents of said church to obey the laws of the United States in reference to said subject matter, and<br><br> "Whereas, it is represented that since the date of said declaration, members and adherents of said church have generally obeyed said laws and abstained from plural marriages, and polygamous cohabitation, and<br><br> "Whereas, by petition dated Dec. 19, 1891, officials of said church pledging the membership thereof to the faithful obeyance of laws against plural marriages and unlawful cohabitation, applied to me to grant amnesty for past offences against said laws, which request a very large number of influential non-Mormon, residents of the territory, also strongly urged: and<br><br> "Whereas, the Utah commissioners in their report bearing date Sept. 15, 1892, recommend said petition be granted, and said amnesty proclaimed, under proper conditions as to the future observance of law with the view to the encouragement of those now disposed to become law abiding citizens, and<br><br> "Whereas, During the past two years such amnesty has been granted individual applicants in a very large number of cases conditioned upon the faithful observance of the laws of the United States against unlawful cohabitation, and there are now pending many more such applications. <br><br> Now, therefore, I, Benjamin Harrison president of the United States, by virtue of the powers in me vested, do hereby declare and grant full amnesty and pardon to all persons liable to the penalties of said act by reason of unlawful cohabitation, under the color of polygamous or plural marriage, who since Nov. 1, 1890, abstained from such cohabitations, but upon the express condition that they shall in the future faithfully obey the laws of the United States herein before named, and not otherwise. Those who shall fail to avail themselves of the clemency hereby offered will be vigorously prosecuted. [Signed] Benjamin Harrison, President, John W. Foster, Secretary of State. |
