The increasing numbers and influence of the non-Mormon population of
Utah are observed with satisfaction. The recent letter of Wilford
Woodruff, president of the Mormon Church, in which he advised his people
"to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the laws of the
land," has attracted wide attention, and it is hoped that its influence
will be highly beneficial in restraining infractions of the laws of the
United States. But the fact should not be overlooked that the doctrine
or belief of the church that polygamous marriages are rightful and
supported by divine revelation remains unchanged. President Woodruff
does not renounce the doctrine, but refrains from teaching it, and
advises against the practice of it because the law is against it. Now,
it is quite true that the law should not attempt to deal with the faith
or belief of anyone; but it is quite another thing, and the only safe
thing, so to deal with the Territory of Utah as that those who believe
polygamy to be rightful shall not have the power to make it lawful.
THIRD ANNUAL MESSAGE.
The legislation of Congress for the repression of polygamy has, after
years of resistance on the part of the Mormons, at last brought them to
the conclusion that resistance is unprofitable and unavailing. The power
of Congress over this subject should not be surrendered until we have
satisfactory evidence that the people of the State to be created would
exercise the exclusive power of the State over this subject in the same
way. The question is not whether these people now obey the laws of
Congress against polygamy, but rather would they make, enforce, and
maintain such laws themselves if absolutely free to regulate the
subject? We can not afford to experiment with this subject, for
when a State is once constituted the act is final and any mistake
irretrievable. No compact in the enabling act could, in my opinion,
be binding or effective.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas Congress by a statute approved March 22, 1882, and by statutes
in furtherance and amendment thereof defined the crimes of bigamy,
polygamy, and unlawful cohabitation in the Territories and other places
within the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States and prescribed a
penalty for such crimes; and
Whereas on or about the 6th day of October, 1890, the Church of the
Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church, through its
president issued a manifesto proclaiming the purpose of said church no
longer to sanction the practice of polygamous marriages and calling upon
all members and adherents of said church to obey the laws of the United
States in reference to said subject-matter; and
Whereas it is represented that since the date of said declaration the
members and adherents of said church have generally obeyed said laws and
have abstained from plural marriages and polygamous cohabitation; and
Whereas by a petition dated December 19, 1891, the officials of said
church, pledging the membership thereof to a faithful obedience to the
laws against plural marriage and unlawful cohabitation, have applied to
me to grant amnesty for past offenses against said laws, which request a
very large number of influential non-Mormons residing in the Territories
have also strongly urged; and
Whereas the Utah Commission in their report bearing date September
15, 1892, recommend that said petition be granted and said amnesty
proclaimed, under proper conditions as to the future observance of the
law, with a view to the encouragement of those now disposed to become
law-abiding citizens; and
Whereas during the past two years such amnesty has been granted to
individual applicants in a very large number of cases, conditioned
upon the faithful observance of the laws of the United States against
unlawful cohabitation, and there are now pending many more such
applications:
Now, therefore, I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States,
by virtue of the powers in me vested, do hereby declare and grant a full
amnesty and pardon to all persons liable to the penalties of said act by
reason of unlawful cohabitation under the color of polygamous or plural
marriage who have since November 1, 1890, abstained from such unlawful
cohabitation, but upon the express condition that they shall in the
future faithfully obey the laws of the United States hereinbefore named,
and not otherwise. Those who shall fail to avail themselves of the
clemency hereby offered will be vigorously prosecuted.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
[SEAL.]
Done at the city of Washington, this 4th day of January, A.D. 1893, and
of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and
seventeenth.
BENJ. HARRISON.
By the President:
JOHN W. FOSTER, Secretary of State.
