| Show AN OPEN LETTER to the federal judges of utah the attorney and all others who are engaged in the present crusade against the mormon fomon Jl people it is nearly two years since were actively commenced under the edmunds law in this and the adjoining territories during dun us which time the presidency of the church several 0 of toe twelve apostles presidents of stakes and many of less prominence have been indicted A large proportion of these have already been tried and convicted some having served out their terms of imprisonment and are a again ain at liberty those who have carefully watched the proceedings both in and out of the courts could not fail to observed that a spirit of vindictiveness and in some instances cruelty has characterized the conduct of many of the officers from the deputy marshal who has made the arrestor arrester subpoenaed a witness up to the magistrate who has sat in the judgment seat the most unheard of propositions and altogether without precedent em emanating mating generally from the prosecuting attorney have been lav orally considered bythe to urt stra d interpretations it e rp et aaion 0 of 1 law aw have been given give th the c rulin rulings S of yesterday have been reversed tady today to day only to be re reversed tomorrow to morrow rules ot evidence have been ignored in short proceedings ce the most extrajudicial extra judicial have been indulged in juries composed of the bitterest enemies of the people have been packed purposely to indict and convict grand juries instead of being independent bodies bodie s have ave so it is reported tamely submitted d to a presumptuous prosecuting attorney who without invitation has in several I 1 in stances assayed the role of sole cate caiser of witnesses who have appeared eared before that body and rumor gas has it has actually dictated how they should vote vate in certain cases eases were aver it not that I 1 am fully aware of some outrageous proceedings that arci matters of public notoriety I 1 could not credit the reports of such conduct in the grand jury rooms but as it is I 1 am prepared to believe these statements in order to secure witnesses subpoenas have been tilled out b by deputies and served upon persons in in many instances unlawfully scores of men under arrest have been compelled to furnish the evidence through members of their own family lor their commitment and conviction questions the most indelicate Inde have been asked and answers forced from women and modest sirls girls who have blushed with shame when giving replies thereto 0 they having been threatened with imprisonment unless they complied compiled all this and a thousand other things have been done or presumed to ta be officially advantage having been taken of the popular prejudice against this people to a vindictiveness at once cruel and infamous that has not only exhibited itself in ollI official cial acts but in other associations as well one instance alone will suffice namely the speeches made by the prosecuting attorney and others during the visit of the G x A Rs to our city a few weeks back containing statements that were as false as dicera dicers oaths such men are to be pitied when they have to have recourse to such means to sustain their acts I 1 now now wish to ask the question of these officials and all othere other Q what has been accomplished accomplish ad and what is sought sough tto to be accomplished hytheon by the onslaught you are now making upon tile the mormon people that the edmunds m aads law to say the least is a bad law is evidenced by the straits you are put to to enforce it involving as it does the necessity of departing from nearly every well established departure is viewed by the thoughtful and farseeing as dangerous in toe the extreme to our time honored institutions for that which is made to apply to the mormon people today to day may be attempted upon others in the near future by unprincipled men who will use their official allt authority hority to accomplish glisa their base purposes seb such conduct net will be met with opposition outside of utah and her people in the adjoining territories that will not yield short of death itself it is all smooth so long as the onslaught is confined to the latter day saints but let the tables be once turned upon themselves which will surely be the case then war will commence in dead earnest but to return what change has been wrought in the faith of the lat ter day saints in regard to the arinel pie of plural marriage persecuted as they have been of late ostensibly on this account but really for political reasons we answer none whatever except to inere increase juie their faith therein I 1 speak advisedly for in my associations with the people in various parts of this territory as well as the territories ri adjacent I 1 have been surprised at hearing the testimonies of young people keople who are sought to be led away from rom the faith of their fathers by the would be regenerators of the people of zion joseph smith the prophet once said that if we were lett left alone we would regenerate the world but if persecuted we would do it the faster the rhe notoriety that we have obtained during the past few years through being so thoroughly advertised in presidents messages by blobel allo dolly coups and newspaper articles coupled with the trials convictions and imprison went ment ot 01 many of our brethren accounts of which have deen been sent to all parts of christendom will have its effect upon the more sober and reflecting who are willing to toi award justice to all and will in due time bear fruit in acts of recognition of the haht of the latter day saints to remain undisturbed in the possession of those inalienable rights which are gods heritage to all classes and creeds of mankind persecute us as you may we shall outlive as a people as a char charah 1 I and as a community every act of oppression injustice and tyranny that is now being heaped upon us we shall emerge from and return from exile better men as a rule lule better citizens and more inore faithful and anci devoted saints than before we shall learn lessons of patience forbearance and charity that otherwise we could not have learned and when we are arc left freeto diee to govern ourselves to make and execute our own local laws a right guaranteed by the constitution of our country we will place such safeguards around the people th that atey bey shall not be subject to the encia ab ments that are being made upon U our bur liberties today to day we will then say to the christians of all denominations as we do to daylou are welcome but we shall expect the christian Chil stian to extend the same welcome to tile the and the hindmo for we recognize recognise all have equal rights before the law and in the sight of It heaven eaven you prate about our immorality by way of excuse for your tour conduct towards us when you know there are no mure more moral people upon the face of the globe look at utah before modern christianity with its adjuncts earn came amongst us was there a brothel or other disreputable place in the entire territory not one A saloon was not in existence until the followers of christian ministers and christian people clamored for it we cut off from us the adulterer the debau debauchee clice and the pe of lascivious practices W we say they are altogether unfit for membership in out church or to hold bold secular office you have refused to even prosecute such when their guilt has been established beyond dispute and you retain them in office with the knowledge of these facts before you the spy who has furnished fri forma tio tion against an honest polygamist has services man or men who would spy out the frequenter of houses bouses of ill fame or other disreputable places and report the same is imprisoned for conspiracy municipal officers leers off are hindered from executing wholesome laws against such offenders by gunj unjust rulings from higher courts in short every agency lawful laiful or unlawful that can be used against the mormons cormons is brought into requisition and the theople people are pursued with a bitterness that at would do credit to savages while the real transgressor against both human and divine law is shielded petted and retained in office oh consistency whither hast thou fled and ohl oh justice where art thou hiding thyself in conclusion let me offer a few suggestions gest ions it may be that in the near future the latter day saints may not only be tolerated but protected in their religious rights by legislative enactments act ments then where will be all the labored ar arguments strained interpretations of W law and unjust rulings ings that have been made mad against them and their religion was galileo right or wrong one age condemned him another applauded him to tile the skies i one age laughed to scorn his bis theories another endorsed them as most orthodox joseph smith will yet be acknowledged as the great re refo foLmer imer of the nineteenth century and his doctrines be as extensively supported as those of any other reformer that eyer ever lived everything that god has revealed through him has for its tendency the elevation of the human race and consequently must sooner or later be accepted by all pure minded people then why persecute and try to trample in the dust those who are simply leadin leading in the vanguard of moral anaa and social advancement van cement for if you yon succeed in capturing these and carrying them off to prison there is is a mighty host following after marching in solid phalanx whose ranks you cannoa callao break and isyou if yon refuse to move out of ef the way as they advance you will be trodden under their feet such is the restored gospel its strength and its power triumph is its final destiny for it is founded upon eternal truth the attention of the american people le seems to be directed largely to the latter latter day saints sainte vice may be on the increase under their very noses organizations the most dangerous to society may be ae quiring strength every day still they beem not to realize the fact A spirit of indignation may arouse one city sufficient to prosecute a few blatant ra rascals but to realize that the american american people dwelling in every principal city and and many country places are standing upon a volcano that will belch forth with such fury by aad abed by as will bring consternation and terror to mil ions seems impossible laugh at these suggestions as you ou may toe the people of america will ind find them as real as did the inhabitants of charleston south Caro carolina lifis when the earthquakes visited them a few days ago without any warning the terrible destruction commenced that laid waste a large portion of that populous city together with much of the surrounding country besides ithe loss of many lives the people of america may rest assured abst they are iu in no ao danger whatever from the cormons mormons Mor mons their real rea danger ie ib nearer and unless guarded against agai ubi it will come upon them as a thief iu in tue ni lit and like the terribly terri blu cYc cyclone lOile lay waste ru every thing belore it PROPHETIC salt lake city sept ath 1886 |
