XXIV. THE FIGHT AGAINST POLYGAMY: First Measures introduced in Congress--The Act of 1862--The Cullom Bill of 1869--Its Failure in the Senate--The United States Supreme Court Decision regarding Polygamy--Conviction of John Miles--Appeal of Women of Salt Lake City to Mrs. Hayes and the Women of the United States--President Hayes's Drastic Recommendation to Congress--Recommendations of Presidents Garfield and Arthur--Passage of the Edmunds Bill--Its Provisions--The Edmunds-Tucker Amendment--Appointment of the Utah Commission--Determined Opposition of the Mormon Church--Placing their Flags at Half Mast--Convictions under the New Law--Leaders in Hiding or in Exile--Mormon Honors for those who took their Punishment--Congress asked to disfranchise All Polygamists--The Mormon Church brought to Bay--Woodruff's Famous Proclamation--How it was explained to the Church--The Roberts Case and the Vetoed Act of 1901--How Statehood came XXV. THE MORMONISM OF TO-DAY: Future Place of the Church in American History--Main Points of the Mormon Political Policy--Unbroken Power of the Priesthood--Fidelity of the Younger Members--Extension of the Membership over Adjoining States--Mission Work at Home and Abroad--Decreased Foreign Membership--Effect of False Promises to Converts--The Settlements in Canada and Mexico--Polygamy still a Living Doctrine--Reasons for its Hold on the Church--Its Appeal to the Female Members--Importance of a Federal Constitutional Amendment forbidding Polygamous Marriages--Scope of the Mormon Political Ambition THE STORY OF THE MORMONS BOOK I. -- THE MORMON ORIGIN CHAPTER I. -- FACILITY OF HUMAN BELIEF Summing up his observations of the Mormons as he found them in Utah while secretary of the territory, five years after their removal to the Great Salt Lake valley, B. G. Ferris wrote, "The real miracle [of their success] consists in so large a body of men and women, in a civilized land, and in the nineteenth century, being brought under, governed, and controlled by such gross religious imposture." This statement presents, in concise form, the general view of the surprising features of the success of the Mormon leaders, in forming, augmenting, and keeping together their flock; but it is a mistaken view. To accept it would be to concede that, in a highly civilized nation like ours, and in so late a century, the acceptance of religious beliefs which, to the nonbelievers, seem gross superstitions, is so unusual that it may be classed with the miraculous. Investigation easily disproves this.