Discourse 1887-10-15 [D-3180]

President's Office,
Saturday, October 15 [18]87

Report of a private interview held
between President Woodruff and United
States Marshal Dyer.

After some general conversation,
Marshal Dyer said,—

Well, Mr. Woodruff, I am glad
to see you out and I hope to see more
of you.

President Woodruff — Yes, I considered

it qut quite a privilege to get out and
look on the faces of the people at Conference.

Marshal Dyer — There is no need for
you to be uneasy.

President Woodruff — I really don't
think it would add particularly to the
interest of our great government to take
a[nd] shut up, for marrying a wife or two,
an old man 80 years of age.

Marshal Dyer — Of course, that is a
long discussion. I have always taken
the stand that stringent laws ought to

be passed. I think the thing has
been trifled with, and the government
has been criminally liable. I have
always taken the view that inasmuch
as there are so many people who have
gone into polygamy when they con-
scientiously believed it was right, and
there was no specific law against
it — I say in a case of that kind
that if Congress had said we will let
you go ahead and won't fall out about
it; but any fellow that goes into it

now we will punish him so that
it will be a terror to him. Others
have done different; but we are not re-
sponsible for what others did before.

The facts are, that in my opinion all
the people here lost their heads the
last two years. I think that the Gentiles,
encouraged with a little favors that
dropped to them; got wild and ex-
pected that in a moment they were
going to be able to pick up everybody

that stood in their way and send
them off somewhere. On the other
hand, your people were just as stubborn,
and nobody seemed disposed to meet
halfway.

I will tell you, that, as far as
you are concerned,—I have no hesita-
tion in the world; I would tell it to
you on Main Street just as soon as
I would here — you shall not be
arrested, unless the Grand Jury shall
take the case up themselves and indict

you.

President Woodruff — Thank you.
Of course, that is a favor; it is a
privilege to walk out in open day-
light and among our people.

Marshal Dyer — Well, I don't know
as there has ever been an attempt for
your arrest. I have bothered less
about your case than any other
man of prominence in the Territory.
I didn't even know who your family

was. I have never looked into the
matter enough to know that.

After some further conversation
which was of an unimportant character,
Marshal Dyer retired.