Show THE constitution congress says lie constitution shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof to disfranchise wholesale as is proposed in the idaho constitution all alie meu belonging to a particular church is very materially to upon the free exercise of religion it is a crime against li beily the mormon has aa much to worship god in his own bayaa the presbyterian has the non moua mormon has equal rights of citizenship with the non polygamous spiritualism spiritualise ise or infidel or chicago times it is an outrage on american liberty which is proposed by the constitution ution or idaho and if the territory is admitted to statehood under such a clause it will be a menace to republicanism it is doubtful that the citizens of the country really know what is proposed by this constitution ution of bigotry and hate it seems that the impression has been that all cormons mormons aro polygamists and therefore the idaho legislature acted in conformity with the laws passed by congress franchising disfranchising dis this class the recent discussion in congress however is awakening the public to the true situation and bringing forth such bold and pointed statements as that from the chicago times we expect to hear more from the american press on this outrageous discrimination between true born citizens of the united states and though a republican supreme court has affirmed the validity of an unjust lewwe actually believe that the provisions of abe idaho constitution will never receive the sanction of the american public to rob a man of the dearest right of citizenship the elective franchise simply because of his belief is something so entire y opposite to the theory on chieh our government is built that we cannot see how that the american public can accept the unwholesome proposal it is enough tu punish a person for his acts but no one can be held responsible for belief this is an action of the mind that no human can control if a man believes that the earth is round for example and has proof enough to his own satisfaction satis that is tho case no matter from what source ho has gained it this state of mind cannot be altered by harsh treatment or unjust laws he can he datered from saying that it is correct but never from believing it man can deny with his lips but never with his soul a principle to which ho has become thoroughly converted therein lies the beauty of the provision of the constitution which says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the exercise thereof we believe with the chicago times that to disfranchise wholesale as proposed in the idaho constitution is in direct violation of this glorious principle of our free government |