714 



TEEEITOEIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



a new and everlasting covenant, and if ye abide not 

 that covenant, then are ye damned ; for no one can 

 reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into 

 my glory." With this language before us, we cannot 

 forbid plural marriage among people of our religion. 

 Let the revelation in any other light than as a vital 

 principle appear in the eyes of others as it may, to 

 us it is a divine command ? of equal force with any 

 ever given by the Creator oi the world to His children 

 in the flesh. 



Tlie bill was also complained of as destroy- 

 ing the religious liberty and civil rights of the 

 people. Although this bill failed to pass, the 

 United States officials in the Territory displayed 

 unwonted vigor in enforcing the laws when 

 they were in conflict with the regulations of 

 the Mormon community. Governor Schaffer 

 issued a proclamation in the early part of the 

 year, forbidding "all musters, drills, or gath- 

 erings of the militia of the Territory of Utah, 

 and all gatherings of any nature except by 

 order of the United States Marshal." The 

 execution of this decree was resisted with spir- 

 it in one or two instances, but was carried 

 through with vigor by the marshal. A decision 

 was rendered by Chief-Justice McKeon to the 

 effect that the district courts of Utah or United 

 States courts only had jurisdiction, and that 

 grand juries can be summoned only by United 

 States marshals under order of the district 

 judge. By these two efficient proceedings, the 

 power and influence of Brigham Young have 

 been materially affected. By another judicial 

 decision, a direct blow was struck at the in- 

 stitution of plural marriages, naturalization 

 being refused on the ground that the applicants 

 would not renounce the dogma of polygamy. 

 The judge, in his opinion, made use of the fol- 

 lowing language : 



An applicant for naturalization asks for a favor ; 

 asks for the high privilege of American citizenship, 

 and he must show " to the satisfaction of the Court " 

 that he is worthy of it. More than a witness in a 

 litigated case ; more than a party in a libel or criminal 

 case, should he expect and be expected to answer 

 questions. This Court needs not to be informed that 

 many other courts have been very negligent, crimi- 

 nally negligent, in this matter of naturalization. The 

 practice of such courts can form no precedents for 

 this. There are some things of which courts are 

 bound to take judicial notice, and this Court takes 

 notice of the fact that it is in session in Salt Lake 

 City, and in the Territory of Utah, and that here 

 there are many men who defiantly trample upon the 

 act of Congress against polygamy, and call their con- 

 duct liberty. Surrounded by such influences, guided 

 by such leaders, aliens come into this court and ask 

 for the high privilege of citizenship. Well, what are 

 .their views of American civilization ? What do they 

 believe to be the rights and duties of an American 

 citizen ? Before they take the oath of citizenship, let 

 the Court "be satisfied" that they understand its 

 full meaning, and recognize its solemn obligations. 

 Let the Court "be satisfied" whether they believe 

 the supreme law of the land to be the Constitution, 

 the laws of Congress, and the treaties of the United 

 States, or whether they believe it to be the revela- 

 tions of some polygamic prophet. " Let the Court 

 be satisfied" what pretended laws of God they mean 

 to obey, and what positive laws of man they mean to 

 defy. In this country a man may adopt any religion 

 that he pleases, or reject all religion if he pleases. 

 But no man must violate our laws and plead religion 



as an excuse ; and no alien should be made a citizen 

 who will not promise to obey the laws. Let nations 

 and aliens distinctly understand that in this country 

 license is not liberty, and crime is not religion. 



At the election which occurred in the fall, 

 Wm. H. Hooper, Democrat, was elected dele- 

 gate to Congress, receiving 21,656 votes out 

 of a total of 23,100. The Republican candidate, 

 Governor R. Maxwell, who received but 1,444 

 votes, was a vigorous opponent of the peculiar 

 institutions of Mormonism. 



Another circumstance which has a tendency 

 to bring into the population of the Territory 

 an element antagonistic to the Mormon insti- 

 tutions is the discovery of valuable silver- 

 mines, which have already attracted consider- 

 able attention. 



The following is the Federal census of Utah 

 Territory for the years 1860 and 1870 : 



"WASHINGTON. This Territory was first or- 

 ganized in 1853, at which time it had little 

 more than 10,000 inhabitants. In 1870 the 

 population had increased to 23,901. The fol- 

 lowing is the Federal census of Washington 

 Territory for the years 1860 and 1870 : 



COUNTIES. I 18TO. 



