Joseph Conway Hemingray

DELEGATE HEMINGRAY,

What He Says of Elder Cannon's

Communication.

A representative of THE POST meeting Mr. J. C. Hemingray, the leading anti-Mormon representative in this city, yesterday, asked him what he thought of the interview with Elder Cannon, published in that day's issue.

"It is rather severe," remarked the genial Mr. Hemingray.

"How about his strictures upon John C. Young, the youthful non-Mormon representative, who is here to urge needful legislation for the people of Utah Territory?"

"The slanderous words have been wholly unprovoked, and are very unjust to Mr. Young," said Mr. Hemingray. "I desire to say to my friends, in Congress and out of it, that Mr. Young is a gentleman of the highest integrity and the brightest promise; is the city editor of the Salt Lake Daily Tribune, one of the ablest journals on the Pacific slope; a young man who has had the manhood to throw off the shackles of the soul-destroying Mormon Church; a young man who has had the courage, although born and brought up in the shadow of polygamy, to attack that hideous man-blighting, woman-blighting, child-blighting hydra; nothing that Mr. Cannon might say, could in the least degree injure Mr. Young's standing in the community, where both are known, with non-Mormon people."

"How about the remarks pertinent to yourself?"

"As for Mr. Cannon's reference to myself, I feel obliged that he has announced that he does not enjoy my acquaintance. I can assure him that, as long as he continues to be the law-defying felon that he is, he never shall."

"It may be of interest to the public," continued Mr. Hemingray, "to know that, among respectable Gentiles in Utah it is regarded as disreputable to be on terms of intimacy with polygamous households; and no such intimacy exists except as between such polygamous people and a few degraded persons, who are generically known as 'Jack-Mormons.' Your true 'Jack-Mormon' is human in form, but morally greatly debased by contact with Mormons, whose society he affects for a purpose, usually money-getting; and he is most heartily despised by all good people. Even the Mormons detest him after he has served their purpose."

"Mr. Cannon rather reflects upon your status as a citizen and taxpayer."

"Mr. Cannon has not been correctly informed as to my taxes. It is true that my taxes are not large, but I have my receipts for every cent the law has required of me, both property and 'road' or 'poll' taxes since I have been in the Territory. There are many people, however, who refuse to pay any taxes whatever, because the 'Holy Priesthood' of the Mormon Church manipulates the funds, and refuses to account to the public for the manner of their expenditure."

"Mr. Cannon," continued the speaker, "stands before Congress and the world a self-confessed felon, when he tells your reporter he has four wives. Some of these, it is said, he married since the act of Congress of July 1, 1862, against bigamy, was passed. He is quite notoriously credited with six wives in Salt Lake City. Even this, however, he denies, and, as polygamous marriages are always solemnized in the secret recesses of the 'Endowment House,' it is impossible to establish such marriages except by general reputation. But, four wives or six, the crime is the same, differing only in the quantum of punishment he should suffer for outraging the laws of the land and public decency. That I am the duly accredited delegate of the 'Gentile' or non-Mormon people of Utah, and fully authorized to speak for them," said Mr. Hemingray, "my credentials shown you abundantly establish."