Show The poll political history ot of the territory terri tern tory of Utah and the s system ot o plural marriage are re so closely Interwoven interwoven In- In that the he one cannot be considered separate and apart from the other said the report ot of the Utah commission for the year 1887 and submitted to the secretary ot of the Interior Then the report continues continues con con- In fact since July 24 1847 polygamy has given tone to the political pOlicy pOlley of the Mormon people Under the provisional government go- go gov- gov of oC the state ot or Deseret and the territorIal government which followed after every act ot of the legislative legislative leg leg- aSsembly which had even r remotely a politIcal bearing was voted up or down solely upon the question ot of its relation to the over over- S interest Every effort has been made to strengthen polygamy polygamy amy which the str ot forty Corty years could cOul suggest and every chord haS hns been struck which it was as supposed might send back a re- re and frIendly note The result has been that nearly every man ot of prominence in the church became a polygamIst the controlling intellect of Utah became Involved in the practice They tilled filled near neary every office ot of importance in the church and in the territOrial rIal and county county governments and had a large majority ot of every legislative assembly down to the year ear 1882 when the Edmunds law disqualified them Utah was governed by men who seemed determined to build up in the heart of the AmerIcan continent contInent contI- contI nent a a. pOlygamous empIre The statistics for 1880 will give an Idea of how far they had pro pro- greased gressed The census found a population population lation ot of df whIch over were over 21 years ears of age about ot of these Were estimated ed to be non The number num- num ben ber of persons then living in polygamy my were found after careful Inquiry to be about and there Were at least who had lIved In polygamy my but a separation had been effected ef- ef by death or otherwise makino mak- mak in ino out ot of a total of or 30 I. I per cent ot of the adult M Mormons or orone orOne one out of every 3 3 1 which had entered Into polygamy While all did not enter into polygamy all 1111 believed believed be- be It right as a a. divine revelation and nd upheld It in those who chOse to enter into that relation The system tern tem was united by ties of kindred with nearly very every Mormon family In the territory Utah was controlled by the bIshops bishops bIsh- bIsh ops of the church under the directions directions ot of Brigham Young from July 24 1847 to March 18 1849 at whIch time was organIzed the provIsional government nt ot of the State of Deseret The apostles of the church in a genera general gen gen- era eral epistle said they had petitioned congress for the organization ot of a territorial government and until thIs petition Was granted they were under under un- un der the necessity of organizIng a local government Brigham Young was elected governor ot of the state The most important act ot of the legIslative leg leg- assembly of the new state was the Incorporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of f Latter day S Saints sectIon 3 ot of which we here produce under the form ot of law which we think direCtly sanctioned the practIce practice tIce of polygamy Section And 3 be it further ordained That as the church holds the constitutional and orIginal rIght In common with all civil and religIous religious re- re communIties to worship God according to the dictates Of t conscience conscience con con- science to reverence communion agreeable to the principles of truth and to solemnize marriage compatible hie ble with the revelations ot of Jesus Jesus' Christ tor the security and full fulI enjoyment en- en ot of nil all blessings and l leges embodied In the religion ot of Jesus Christ free to all 1111 It is also declared that said saia church does and shall possess and enjoy continually the power and authority In and of Itself to origInate mate make pass and establish rules regulations ordinances laws customs and criterions for the good order safety government conven- conven c cOmfort and control ot of said church and for the punishment and forgiveness Ss ot of aU all Offenses relative to fellowship accordIng to church covenants that the pursuit of bUss bliss and the enjoyment of life lite in the capacity ot of public association and I domestic happIness temporal expansion ex- ex pan ion or Spiritual increase upon the earth may not legally be ques- ques Provided however that each and every act or practice so Or adopted for tor law or custom shall relate to solemnIties sacr sacraments ments ceremonies endow endow- menU cOnsecrations mat mar rages fellowship or the religIous dutieS dutieS' ot of man to h s Maker laos laos- much as the doctrInes prInciples practices or performances Support vIrtue and increase morality and are arc not inconsistent with or repugnant to the constitution of the United States or ot of this state and are founded on tho th revelation ot of the Lord A |