Show from the rochester democrat and chronicle march 1881 TIIE tile MORMON QUESTION AN wes INTERVIEW WITH MRS BELVA A LOCKWOOD mrs belva A lockwood the well known lawyer of washington was in the city yesterday and was cafter called upon by a democrat ana and chronicle Chro nicie reporter just before her departure for washington last night the time for an interview was short and the reporter came to the point at once I 1 it is current news I 1 mrs lockwood that your attitude in regard to the mormon question and your opposition to the proposed legislation in regard to it are based upon the fact that you are employed by the mormon leaders as their attorney to look after their interests in congress now without intending any impertinence may I 1 ask you in your own way to explain your position A DIRECT QUESTION ANSWERED certainly said mrs lockwood ci people ought to know me better but the question is a fair if direct onland I 1 am glad you have asked it for the p past st ten years whenever the question his has has been before congress for the dis fra of the women of utah I 1 have hare been before the committees of both houses and have made an effort to defeat all legislation looking towards such oils eils disfranchisement franch isemena or the oppression of the people of utah after the passage of the edmunds bill in 1882 when the commissioners were sent out to execute the law they undertook to construe the act to disfranchise the i women I 1 was telegraphed to for advice and I 1 responded respond ea stand by your guns and resist every encroachment on your liberties I 1 will do what I 1 can to defend you 1 I assume assume that I 1 am not to understand that you include the peculiar institution ution of polygamy as one of thase liberties suggested the visitor I 1 1 I will say right here I 1 I 1 replied mrs lockwood that I 1 have never been employed by the mormons cormons Mor mons I 1 never have defended the institution of poly poil ganny ganly yand and I 1 have no defense for it and I 1 am not a paid attorney for these people I 1 do not believe in polygamy but I 1 DO BE IN FAIR PLAY last lt year said mrs lockwood continuing her statement of her cn connect tion with the mormon question I 1 I 1 when the amendment was pending benun before the senate and the willetts and cassidy bills were before the house judiciary committe commit tc 11 II prepared a careful legal argument against the three bills taking them up in detail I 1 made my ment meat before the house judiciary committee and also made a speech before the national suffrage association at lincoln hall all three of the bills were defeated now you must not make me say I 1 defeated them but they were defeated what has been your attitude on the question during the present session early in the session of the fo forty arty eighth congress I 1 saw the delegate from utah and some of the women of utah and talked over with them the edmunds amendment and the cassidy bill I 1 said to them 11 1 I think the legislation with reference to the pe people 0 pie of utah is dreadful but it is so to speak really none of my business ller however to disfranchise the women of utah affects every woman in the land if they can disfranchise the woman of utah they can disfranchise the women of wyoming arizona washington territory and new mexico I 1 think youN you mormon lormon people ought to send a delegation of women here to defeat it and if you will send them I 1 am interested elou enough it in the question to go 0 with you before before the committee ani ang and make the argument we went mient to see miss vilss an anthony thony about it she said dor 10 DOT T SEND wo aren TrEN arEy BUT SEND SD S D us moxey MONEY after consideration the delegates said we have been so much oppressed and depressed that we do not believe our women will be heard on this question but if you can do anything for us we shall be glad I 1 commenced the work by personal talk with members of the judiciary committee and the woman suffrage committee in the meantime senator hoars haars report which Is an amendment to the edmunds amendment was reported to the senate senator hoar entering his bis protest to the clause disfranchising franchising dis the women I 1 went to ask senator cockrell of missouri sour soun the chairman of the woman suffrage committee to offer an amendment to hoars haars report striking out the clause disfranchising franchising dis the waman woman of utah I 1 found that he be was not only in favor of disfranchising franchising dis the women of utah but the women of all the territories I 1 went to senator lapham and grid I 1 understood him to say that he would offer an amendment striking oat that clause iwas I 1 was then i notified by a L friend that the cassidy r bill was wag coming up before the house committee territories and at once addressed a note to the chairman re questing to be heard I 1 appeared ibe be fore the committee last tuesday and made my argument I 1 appeared only for the purpose of opposing THE disfranchisement OF THE WOMEN of utah but the bill was so sweeping that it makes no mention of the women but proposes to wipe out the whole territorial legislature of utah and disfranchise men and women bigamists biga mists and aad monogamists mormons cormons and gentiles taking away votes of persons who have rave never been convicted of any crime mrs lockwood then detailed at some length her argument showing the unconstitutionality of ane cassidy bill in regard to polygamy she said 1 I think the present law in utah is sufficient for the suppression of poli poil polygamy and ana bigamy i it is hardly to be supposed that tea t the rising gener generation for the sake of taking plural wives will risk their reputations and the chance of the penitentiary and throw away every opportunity for lor advancement and the emolument of office by an attempt to evade the law the aas cassidy bill will not pass but if it does if it does down will go the liberty of this country v THE presidential C candidates I 1 who will be the next republican candidate for president asked the reporter changing the subject as the hour for departure of the washington train was rapidly approaching edmunds wants to be logan expects acts to be and blaine is trying to be rut but the man that will be nominated has not yet been discovered and anci the democrats they have not a single available man for a candidate and the they are looking for one like diogenes genes with w iti his candle |