| Show ing for general aroesty Aso esty w a polygamy IS DEAD hence why should choso who once offended continue to suffer tho following ia the annesty petition I 1 afore alie president and referred b him to the department of justice SALT LAKE we the first and apostles of the church ef jesua christ of latter daib ts beg respectfully to represent to conr excellency the following facts we formerly taught to our people that p oly pamy or celestial marriage as by gad through joseph smith was cynt that it waa a nears baity to min i highest exaltation in the ife to come that doctrine was promulgated by our entha la brigham young forty years ago and waa steadily taugh taud impressed impi essed acon ucon the lat ter day saints up to a abort time before september awo our people are de and sincere siu cere and they accepted the doctrine and many personally embraced and practiced polygamy when abo government sought to bump the practice out our almost without exception remained arin for haying no desire t app government in baill felt that their lives and cu men were pledged to a vindication of their faith and that their duty whose lives dqra a part of their own wag a paran runt one to fulfill which they had BO right to count anything nat even thair own lives aa Bt andine in the way following this conviction hundreds endured arrest trial UDO and imprisonment and the emmea arable borne by the faithful faith fuT pe open language can da criar that in abated lorm still continues more the government added dia franchiso ment to its other punishments for those who clung to thair faith and ita covenants according to our faith the head of our church receives from time to time revelations for the religious guidance of his people in september the preheat head of the church in anguish and prayer cried to god for help for hia flock and the permission to adlisa abo members of tha church of jeana christ of latter day saints that tha law commanding polygamy was henceforth suspended at tha alf couil bannar conference which was held a few days later this was submitted to the many thousands thoa sands and representing evary eam of the people in utah and was by them io the moat solemn manner accepted as the future rule of their livee they have aiace boen faithful to the covenant made that day at tha late october confer after a year bad passed by the matter was once more submitted to the thousands of people gathered and they agal niH the most potential manner ratified tha solemn eo venant knib beine the true situation and be leevine that the object of the govern mant was tha vindication of its own authority and to compel obedience to its laws and that it inkes no pleast are in we respectfully pray that amnesty may be ex 1 to all who are under disabilities because ot the operation of the so called fand edmunds tucker law our people are scattered homes are made late many are still imprisoned others are banished or in hiding our hearts bleed for these in the past they followed our counsels and while they are thus cur souls are in sack cloth and ashes we believe nowhere in the union a beyal people than the L liter day saints they know no 0 tier c auntry except this they expect to live and die on this soil when the men of the South wha were in rebellion against the government in 1865 threw down their arms and asked for old lines of citizenship the government hastened to eraut their prayers to be at peace with the government sad in harmony with their fellow citizens who aro not of their faith and to share in the confidence of the government and people our people haie voluntarily unta rily put asido something sem ething which all their lives they have believed t be a sacred principle have thuy not the right to ask for such clemency as comes when the claims 0 both law and justice have been fully liquidated As shepherds of a patient and suffering peaple we ask amnesty for the ca and pledge our faith and honor for their future and your petitioners petition ers will ever pray GEORGE Q CAMION LORENZO SNOW D RICHARDS FRANCIS M LYMAS H J OR NT JOHN HENRT JOHN W TAYLOR AI W ANTHON II 11 LUND II 11 the titi oo is the following betler by chief juane Jut ne zuie abai aiato ades and bonera godgrey God irey sanders and antl sell SALT LAKE UTAH dec 19 1891 to the provident we hate thy honor to forward hare wilh a petition by the president and moat members of tha alonco i Cini rf W no of ita sincerity and no d abt aliat it is tend r diu absolute good faatu tim nn ludo bome who were inot determined iu ne to cwb either luaudA lory or permissive waa one 0 its events enen ts and they are men irh w ati rl not ilca choir faith ind liu norto ohp G vert m nt or gill taj to a ut havivi resolved resolve 1 10 nake thair arl i good in letter and spirit wo warmly a favorably favor Ablo cona aeration de ration t this petition and if jour excellency shall binl it cops intent w tu your public duties to the relief asked we beneve it would be kra piously received by th mormon leopla and lead to evince to them what hag been that the i ment is in its intentions only aaa obedience bedi ence to its law aad de kirea all law abiding to enjoy all the benefits aad of cief zorie hip we think it will be better for trie if the mormon people should now receive this mark f ae to the form and acobe of a re or ardon granted in the exer lae e ni you and ur n will beat kno how A whipyou may think should be atit we are vary respectfully L ot utah S chief juanice of utah territory |
