| Show GOVERNOR FIRST proclamation ix IN another column will be found a proclamation by governor west it contains four statements and a warning the statements contain no information and the warning is of no value that there is an organization in utah known as the church of jesus christ of latter day saints that itis it is vulgarly tailed the mormon church and that its missionaries go forth to proselyte and aid in the gathering of its members from all parts of the world to this territory is understood in every civilized country and needs no official proclamation that the chief officers of the church and several prominent romi nent elders are confined in the penitentiary for alleged infraction of the edmunds law and that gr great eat expense to is incurred d in tae prosecutions pushed specially against this class of so called of fences are facts equally well known to th in world this is no news to anybody who is likely to read governor bests proclamation butia but it it pleases the gentleman to publish abroad over his official ollic sal signature something of which no ordinarily dina rily informed person is iino rant we have nut not the slightest objection but bur one of the assertions in ili the proclamation cla mation is inaccurate and this thib requires some explanation we challenge the truth ot of the statement that the church through us its public teachers and allu crebs openly proclaims the right and duty of us its members to vio late the law of the land hind either upon tile the subject of marriage inar I 1 iago or any an r other subject it would nave been well for tile the governor to make some citations which would bear out his charge we say mat he cannot do so ile he has mistaken the position of the church and us its theorized ail zed teachers on this question ques we might ask him in the first ulace place to tell us what law ot of cie lanzl land hub has been enacted upon tile subject of 0 marriage we know of noue none we do not believe that Cou congress gress has any jurisdiction jutis diction over the s subject of marriage ano laws ot of 1862 and 1682 ai abc c special enactments on atie subjects 01 01 bigamy polygamy and unlawful co habitation but ciul tiley they do 10 not regulate marriage define it or treat upon the buba subject ecie in any way but bat we will waive point supposing tuat tile the incidental reference refer euce to 10 marriage involved in legislation against tile the offenses odix asea created by those acts la ib what is meant in tue me governors proclamation the tact is that those acts were passed ag against a dinst an establishment of the religion ot of vie day faints nut that thai we the church urges the ol of law ube the doctrine of celestial marriage in including lubling a plurality of wives is believed in by trie the body of the church both its preachers and its hearers have a constitutional aud and inalienable right to that beliet belief and th the e expression thereof they have tile nant to entertain and anat publish their faith in 11 ally doctrine tenet lener or practice of their religion 11 but they do not tell a any ny person to LO go and break the law action is left free to each individual 61 and every man must take lake tue toe consequences of his own doings lie must be guided by his own volition and conscience bei ence here is ia a revelation f oni om god which he can read and understand tor for himself there is a law of man which is also before him he is tree to take hi choice and must bear ane results thereof the church does not coerce him in any way it does noi DOL even cepi deprive lve him of fellowship it if he refrains e irom practising practicing the principle ot of plural marriage the loss is ills own as it will be if he be neglects to take the sacrament ol of the lords supper or carry out any ftuer pre precept cepi or means ot of grace and blessing mat god has revealed ane idea that the church or its teachers or press can be made responsible lor for the individual acts of us members is entirely fallacious and tile the second whereas in tue me governors proclamation is therefore 4 misleading ahe warning is utterly useless because every everybody lody who breaks the edmunds act is aware that he be is thereby exposed to heavy tines lines and imprisonment 11 f there is anybody in tile the country wao does doeg noc know this it must be either an gintant or an idiot the governor Ga vernor might have gone further in proclaiming what everybody knows and told the public that oy by means of juries selected e acted because they are in sympathy tym pathy with the prosecution and oi at rulings and definitions which render the lay so elastic and allotropic i that it can call be made to cover all cases and reso resolve I 1 ve 1 ic G self into totally different conditions as occasion may require to be accused ot of violating the edmunds act ace is equivalent to conviction the forms of an alleged trial being all that needs to be added there is no need to caution 11 well disposed persons from associating themselves with an organization for the purpose of immigrating immis rating to tins this territory terni ory to enter into any marriage relation contrary to law because there is no such organization or association tile the yath gathering erini to utah of members of the church from at abroad ir oad has no reference to marriage I 1 lawful or unlawful the church holds the doctrine of the gathering of its members from all nations as one of the preliminaries to the second advent it proclaimed that doctrine long before tile the principle ot of plural marriage was embodied in its creed its immigration ration is a matter entirely bacon unconnected with the laws in relation to bigamy polygamy etc and is as distinct from them as from the laws on the tariff and the coinage of sil silver ver when governor west li has been here a little blittle longer and has studied the facts and tile the situation a little more closely we are of the opinion that he will be more careful of his lations mat ions of course coarse he wants to exhibit zeal iu in the enforcement of ane laws that is all right but no wise man wishes to make himself a appear ridiculous to the public it the aestrea is ever so strong to stamp out an unpopular religion and afflict a body of unorthodox believers nobody who understands the position of affairs in utah will see any wis domin the first proclamation of governor west or perceive wherein it will accomplish anything good nad 0 or r indifferent in relation 70 to tile the mo mormon r coall question |
