MORMONISM DOOMED.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1038, 18 February 1879, Page 2

MORMONISM DOOMED.

A SUPREME COURT DECISION. Washington, January Qth. — A decision was rendered this afternoon by the United States Supreme Court, m the ease of George Reynolds against the Ujnited States, brought hete by appeal from the Supreme Court ef Utah. The case involves the whole question of polygamy m Territories, and the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress for its suppression. Reynolds was indicted by a Gran 3 Jury for contracting a bigamous marriage. He was tried m the Third, Judicial C mrt of Utah, and found guilty. He appealed to the Sapreme Court of the Territory, and finally to this Court, which now affirms the judgment of the lower tribunal and decides that the Congress had power f o p iss laws prohibiting polygamous marriages j m Ucih, aud that suoh laws are constitutional, With reference to the decision of the above case, it is interesting to note that the Supreme Court were unanimous on the main question involved, namely, as to the constitutionality of the laws of Congress prohibiting so-called plural marriages, &c. The Chief Justioe, speaking for the entire Court, declared that this law was not m conflict with the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, and showing that the right of oongress to legislate for the protection of the fundamental principles of society cannot be, abridged by the Mormon claim of cepbain. olher religious beliefs that human sacrifices are necessery, or that widows must be burn with tho bodies of their dead husbands. There was some slight difference of opinion as to the admissibility of the testimony of one witness given on the former trial m Utah, but the two or three justices who doubted its admissibility concurred with their associates m all other pqiuts of the oase j and there is absolutely nothiag^ left \\x the whole matter for judicial cfetetnir nation or controversy. Salt L/ake, January |th.— - :Tlie Mormon. Cljuwjh organ uaakeis tl\Q

following comments m an editorial this evening on the anti-Polygamy decision readered yesterday by the United States Supreme Court : — "The question that naturally arises m the public mind is, what are the Mormons going io dp about it ? So far as we understand their views and feelings, we should say that they will leave the matter m the hnnds of the Almighty. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is oorapose.l of people who are chiefly citizens of the United States. Many of them came from foreign lands. When they took the oath of allegiance to the Constitution and Government of the United States, they made no promise of submission to anyinter'erence .vith their religious liberty. Neither did they agree that Congress or any Court should decide what might or might not be considered a part of their relig ous faith. Celestial marriage, including the doctrine of plurality of wives, was granted to them directly from Uodi It does not matter who may disp te this as a fact j they have evidence of it which to them is complete, leaving no room for doubt. Congress, many years after this doctrine became an integral part of their religious creed, the practice of whioh was commanded by the Almighty, passed a statute declaring what God hid authorised a ciime against the law. The Supreme Court now affirms that law to be valid. Does this affect ia any way the truth that God haß reveaied and commanded it? — not m the remotest degree. The principles which underlie plural marriage are just as trae to-day as they were at any previous time, and no human law or Court decision can possibly alter or abrogate tbem. The issue is between the Supreme Being and those who venture ignorantlyor otherwise to oppose His purposes and designs."