Speech #490005056

It is notnecessary for the purpose of trying to make the Senate comprehend the scope of my amendment that I should enter into that particular discussion now. Another act which I believe was originally an ordinanceat all events it is an act of the Utah Legislature. approved January 12. 1856. incorporates what is called the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company. That is a company which is under the control of the church. I shall not stop to read the act. but I think there can be no doubt that this Perpetual Enigrating Fund Company is one that is under the control of the church as a legal organization. that is to say. the church incorporation controls this other incorporation. and the accountability of the officers and agents of the emigration society is entirely to the church and not to any civil officer of the government of Utah outside of the church. It is true that with the assistance of this emigration society or incorporation these people have been brought from all the quarters of the earth. It is one of the doctrines of the Mormon Church that all the saints areto assemble at Salt Lake. they are to be there in person. and a provision will be made from time to time for the congregation of the saints in that vicinity. It is a very wise provision of theirs in order to increase rapidly their communities and to give them strength in every particular. All of the missionary effort which they are making in other parts of the world. which by far exceeds some of the most prominent of the Protestant churches of this countryin its scope and in its results. has been intended to gather population around Salt Lake City. in the provinces that surround that religious center. so that the whole body and power of the church. spiritual and temporal. may be concentrated at one point. Hence it was necessary. to carry out their plan of operations. that this emigrant society should be kept strictly within the goverunent and control of the Mormon Church. Connected with that also is the tithing system. Let any one go to Salt Lake City and look at the tithing housesand see those people come in on tithing days loaded down with onetenth part of all the productions that they make. whether it is salt that they collect on the margin of Salt Lake. or wheat. or barley. or rye. or oats. or corn that they grow in their fields. poultry or pigs. goats. cows or calves. shoes. hats. clothing. watches. anything and everything that they make and that they earn and that they have. and see them bringing in their contributious and turning them over to the receivers of taxes. it is a marvel of influence. and it is a wonder in this enlightened age of mankind that any set of people. however stupid. can have these exactions practiced upon them and that they are so entirely faithful in complying with them. It becomes a religious sentiment with them. and they would feel condemned absolutely if they were not to come in with their tithes and pay the tenth part of all that they get into this tithing house for the benefit of the church. These tithes. as I understand. find their way then to what is called the cooperative store. in which Mormons place capital upon some basis of stock. and they are from there transported. on the railways and otherwise. to markets. if a market is not found at home. Inthis way many millions of merchandise pass through this store anually. and the products of the Mormons are converted into money. and the proceeds. after paying a certain percentage of profit to the stockholders. are turned into the church treasury. and it is out of this fund that the emigration society receives its largest support. It is scarcely any wonder. after we look at the careful particularity and the wonderful skill and wisdom with which those men organized this ecclesiastical power. that they should be able to go to the Feejee Islands. to Ireland. to the different states of Europe. to the different States of the American Union. and that they should be continually importing their converts as they are called. their dupes as we know them to be. from forcigu countries. and that they bring in such numbers here that the President of the United States in his message has to suggest to Congress that there ought to be some provision of law enacted by which a discrimination shall be made against the immigration into this country of persons belonging to that institution. When you strike the Mormon Church as a legal organization in this act of incorporation you strike everything that is connected with it. and that is what I propose to do. I propose to amend the bill so as to repeal absolutely out and out these acts of incorporation.