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History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

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688<br />

CHURCH AND STATE.<br />

City on the 28th <strong>of</strong> February, 1880, and in 1884 was<br />

again appointed. His message for 1882 was in the<br />

mood <strong>of</strong> former governors <strong>of</strong> <strong>Utah</strong>. "In no sense,<br />

even in the slightest degree," he remarked, "is the<br />

sovereignty <strong>of</strong> church over state in unison with the<br />

language or spirit <strong>of</strong> the constitution, or your country's<br />

laws. That political power is wielded by church<br />

authority throughout <strong>Utah</strong> is a fact; that <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>of</strong><br />

the church exercise authority in temporal affairs is a<br />

fact; that the sovereignty <strong>of</strong> the church is supreme,<br />

and its practices followed, the laws and courts <strong>of</strong> the<br />

United States to the contrary, is a fact. These being<br />

true in whole or in part, I submit: Do you believe<br />

that the government <strong>of</strong> the United States, with all<br />

its humanity, will much longer forbear to assert its<br />

authority in support <strong>of</strong> its absolute and undoubted<br />

sovereignty? Abiding peace, so much needed, and<br />

abundant prosperity, with its attendant blessings, can<br />

never belong to the good people <strong>of</strong> <strong>Utah</strong> until the<br />

symbol <strong>of</strong> the United States is universally regarded<br />

as the symbol <strong>of</strong> absolute sovereignty." Touching<br />

the matter <strong>of</strong> tithing, he said: "The poor man who<br />

earns a dollar by the sweat <strong>of</strong> his brow is entitled<br />

to that dollar. It is the reward <strong>of</strong> honest toil, and he<br />

should be protected in the full enjoyment <strong>of</strong> it. Any<br />

exaction or undue influence to dispossess him <strong>of</strong> any<br />

part <strong>of</strong> it, in any other manner than in payment <strong>of</strong> a<br />

legal obligation, is oppression." 23 One would think<br />

that after two years' residence in <strong>Utah</strong> the governor<br />

ought to have learned at least that, among the saints,<br />

the payment <strong>of</strong> tithes is an optional matter.<br />

Among the first important acts <strong>of</strong> Governor Murray<br />

was to grant to Allan G. Campbell a certificate<br />

<strong>of</strong> election as delegate to congress, although he received<br />

only 1,350 votes as against 18,5G8 polled for<br />

George Q. Cannon, 24 and to declare that the latter<br />

23 The governor's messages for each year will be found in <strong>Utah</strong> Jour.<br />

Legist., and <strong>of</strong> late years have been printed in pamphlet form. See also the<br />

files <strong>of</strong> the Deseret News, arid other <strong>Utah</strong> journals.<br />

2i Barclay's Mormonism Exposed, IS— 19. The certificate was rejected by

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