OCR Text |
Show THE PETITION OF THE WOMEN OF UTAH. Tho following is the petition of !),-U'2i !),-U'2i women o! L'uh, which bus been pri'sentwl in bulh huuscs of congress during the present i;s.iion, in the I senate by Hun. A. A. Sargent ot California, and in the lioue of rep-' rep-' rc-hent.itivf-s by Hon. Geurge Q. Can-. Can-. non, di-lu;vte from this territory. It iaonoof the most numerously signed petitions ever presented to congress by the women of a single aUte or territory. ter-ritory. The petition was referred to i the committee on territories in either house, and in the senate it was read at the clerk's desk: To the Senate and Uuse ofJ2presenta-tives ofJ2presenta-tives of the United States oj America 11 Conyrexs assembled: W'e, jour memorialists, women of Utah, prompted by a due shiiso of justice, and in consideration ot those equal rights so Ioiik the proud boast ol American citizeus, hereby appeal to your honorable body, praying you to grant our petition as shall bo herein specified. Wo, as a people, are willing to submit sub-mit to and do strictly obey the constitution consti-tution and laws ol the United Stales, as handed down to us by the fathers ot our country; and we do earnestly pray that you will repeal the anti polygamy law of 1S02, also '-he bill known as the Poland bill, both being special and unconstitutional measures directed against the people of Utah, our lives in constant jeopardy, by imperiling im-periling the safety of our husband-aud husband-aud fathers, by daily and hourly sub jecting them to danger of arrest and imprisonment, which would deprive us not only of their society, but also of their support aud protection. To you, the executives of a great and powerful nation, wo appeal for protection pro-tection against these cruel and oppressive oppres-sive measures, which have Bhorn our glorious cuiisutuiion ot its ethcacy, and us ot every protection but the overruling power ol God. We ask to he relieved from the unjust un-just and law breaking officials forced upon us by the government, that we may have the jurisdiction ol our own courts and the selection of our own officers, as we had in the past, when our cities were tree from dram-shops, gambling-dens, and houses of infamy As mothers aud sisters, we earnestly appeal lo you for help, that our sons and brothers may be saved from drunkenness and vice, and our daughters from the power of the seducer. Also that all laws shall be. repealed that will restrict 113 in our religious faith, inasmuch as the constitution con-stitution emphatically says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment estab-lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof';" also, "2V0 religious re-ligious test s':all ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." And, in accordance with our sacred constitution, which was bequeathed as a protective boon by our forefathers, fore-fathers, guaranteeing the right of cen science, we, your memorialists, du humbly pray that no bill or act shall have the sanction of your honorable body that shall in any way conflict or interfere with the belief in and practice prac-tice of plural marriage as it is practiced prac-ticed by many ot the citizens of Utah, aud which mcst of year petitioners have adopted as a portion of their re ligicus faith, in all sincerity believing it to be necessary not only in remedying remedy-ing evils and producing good in our present existence, but that without it man cannot hereafter attain to a full ness of exaltation. We also ask that each marrieu woman in Utah be granted the right to homestead or prompt one hundred hun-dred and sixty acres ot land in her own name; also, that the citizeos of Utah have the right to use for then own benefit the limber growing on government land in Utah, which has been forbidden by the government officials, to our great detriment, thereby depriving us of necessary material ma-terial for building habitations and otherwise improving our homes. And furthermore, we do most earnestly earn-estly pray that Ulah be admiUsd as a state, with all the rights and privileges privi-leges guaranteed to every state in thit great republic. That God in his mercy will so direct the legislation of your honorable body that we may promptly receive the aid we solicit at your hands, your memorialists memo-rialists will ever pray. |