| Show run iniLY or TIII CONVICTS A IeI iluj i 1150 < ovorni > r Ya xliitil i tho Ieiiiletitmrj uul in nn inteniow I with HIP Mormunt Iticarcornliul in Hint I Institution for iolation of tho jiioxMons ol tlio IMmiinils net ofTcrcil to Inkrioilo with tho nntioni Hxpuitlxo for clemency In tliflr licli ilf if tlioy voiiM but piomiso to lieroaftur llovitlilti Ilio lws Oiu roulcrs uill remcnil tlio nnnpt returned re-turned to this klmlly piopostttou fov Voillo Ifirvnro Snow tin first nl tho Mormon 1oimitn to whuin Owernor Wc t nindo his njipcnl It was what i nil who iro fimlllnr with Mormon history i and chnrnctcr touhl lmo furctokl it would heII miscriblo riitemtioii of the iwrbecution honl I a l > iiiR iswrtion Hint Mormons occu cil of the < rimiM of lol I > Kiim nnd unlawful cnlmliitnlioti imiblo to pociiro fair I trials in tlio local courtH mid n thricorcpcstcd polntlilaiiU refusal to promise the Uoxcinor or for Hint nmttor tho Iroeitlcnt of tlio United States that hcreuflei ho nonM lixuin obedience to tho Ian of thn land That was Aposlln Siionn nnaner and tho JOciiocriAT at not mistaken in an petting that that loo would 1m found to ho PubstatiUally tlio nimxcr of the Apostles followconvicts If they wcro sufficiently impressed with tlie kindly intentions of tho Governor to return him any ninw or it nil It xccms tint tlioy wero no impressed and that for tile purpose of disslpatlnU any doubt that the Coernor inny lnuo had is to their true position on the question uhcdicnco to the Nations laws tlioy estcnliy coin niunicaksd their reply to him by letter the full text of xxhicli appears in our locil columns today Starting out uitli thu sUteinenl that Vo Imxo no deplro to occupx a defiant iiltltudo toward thu Government Gov-ernment or to bo in conflict xuth tlio nations laxxfl tliefo t coin lets proceed to remind tbo Governor that what tho law declares to bo n crime is a tenet of their religion which tlioy conscientiously bo lioxoln and practice from a firm conxic tlon of ill bclnj < n dixine requin mont In other xxords while claiming to bo wolldiiHjiod to wird thn fioxcrnincnl of thu United Stated the first alleginnro is RHCII to tho Mormon liighci powei and xxhen It coinos to1 choice 113 between the United States and that higher power tlioy will jield unquestioning obedienco to tho latter exery time no matter if in m iloinn they are called upon to trample under foot nil tlio constitutional las of the land or slioxv their loyalty to the Mormon Ciiid by ftpitllni upon the Mined i Constitution itwlf Yet thej do not dosiro to occupy u defiant iittitudo towards tlio Uoxcinmeiil or to bo in con llittxutli tho NnlionH hwnl Their nets jixc tlio direct lin i to their words for they aro todny and for minxjeirs pist luxe IHOII occupjiiin1 a defiant altitude tovvmls the lOxeunnefU mid their do Hire to continue in that ittitmlo in K tron0 that not oxen the olllr of Jxeuu tixij clemency can nioo tlicii toaslni > lo promise to henafter lixu in obudivnio to tba laxxs the cimo lawn wliieh uxeij whcroulso throughbut this broad land irftitcctptcd and respected bj good citl nens of xxhatuxcr pollllcal j putx or ro ligioiiH ilenominition Tlili lookH as though it might In cxon mom than a Jcairc to occupy n delimit attitude toward tho Goxemmont i it looks as though it might bo a Kitted determination to do to md that is I just isliat it i nnd just what U will continue to be MO long as theso men remain tho dupeb of Urn dd signing and dlelo > al priests at tho head of tho bellborn monstrosity who o bale ml influence in felt ocr > xxhero In this and laigely tbr ughout adjacent Territories Terri-tories If tho Slormon people cannot servo their higher power 118 thoy want to and at tho eiuno time obey tho laws of tho land as all other people do < then It IH thno to teach them higher power or nn higher power that tho perpetuation of tho free institutions of this land defu ml I lanjbljuipon l tbo enactment of justUwo and their rigid nnd impartial enforcement leaxing tonono thollcenso to do in tho name of religion that xihich committed bv otlicifl nnd under ordinary tlrctim Btanccs Is deemed to bo u crime and defierxing of the tux 1 crest punlhh ment and whether thu Saints like It or not they muet lixo in obcdienio to thono laws olio tnKo tho punUhmont they will closervu or Jcau the conntrv Criino has no placo of Miictnarx xvboroxer found tis virluoH lawful iamu If thcfo men oxercisiiig thn faculties which God gave them to exercl ° e would < 1 but listen to the xoicoof reason no earthly lilesv ing need lie unntiiii tu Iliem but thoj xull not they choose rather to war against till > oei uhicli would protect mid bless them and for ho doing uio Ihoj consigned to the hill of punixhmcnt tin > o tidily dcEcrxe |
