Conditions in Utah Speech of Hon. Thomas Kearns of Utah, in the Senate of the United States — A Reader’s Guide

Structure of the Address

The speech is organized as a direct response to a resolution introduced by Senator Dubois of Idaho, which called for a constitutional amendment prohibiting polygamous marriages and plural cohabitation. Kearns opens by acknowledging the resolution, then immediately shifts to a broader defense of Utah's statehood. The structure alternates between general assertions about Mormon political power and specific, named examples of church interference in elections. This back-and-forth pattern—from principle to case study—gives the speech a legalistic rhythm, as if Kearns is building a brief. He also interjects personal narrative, most notably when discussing his own election to the Senate and the accusation that he bought his seat from church president Lorenzo Snow. These personal passages break the otherwise formal tone and serve as emotional appeals.

Recurring Images of Power and Control

Kearns repeatedly uses the language of monarchy and absolute rule to describe the Mormon hierarchy. He refers to the church president as a 'ruling monarch' and describes the system of ecclesiastical government as 'perfect' in its ability to accomplish political purposes. The image of a hidden hand directing votes appears throughout: church leaders can 'lead their followers' to support whichever party is in power, and they can 'move' a legislator from one column to another. This language of mechanical control—of votes being 'compassed' and candidates 'advanced'—paints the church as a machine. Kearns also employs the image of a veil, suggesting that the true workings of power are hidden from public view, as when he says he will not 'recite the innumerable circumstances' but merely 'illustrate the method.'

Movement Between Scenes: The Senate Floor and Utah's Backrooms

The speech moves fluidly between two settings: the formal Senate chamber, with its procedural language and parliamentary rituals, and the behind-the-scenes world of Utah politics, where deals are made and candidates are chosen. Kearns shifts from reading the resolution to describing the 1897 legislative session in which Moses Thacher was defeated. He takes the listener from Washington to Salt Lake City, from the public record to private conversations. This movement is not merely geographical; it also moves between the official story and the hidden one. For example, he contrasts the public perception of Senator Rawlins's election with the secret methods by which it was 'compassed.' The effect is to create a sense of two parallel realities: the one presented to the country and the one that actually governs Utah.

The Role of Personal Testimony

Kearns inserts himself into the narrative in a way that is unusual for a Senate speech. He describes his own election, his relationship with Lorenzo Snow, and the 'malignant falsehood' that he bought his seat. This personal testimony serves as a counterweight to the general accusations he makes against the church. By presenting himself as a victim of slander, Kearns attempts to establish his own credibility. He also uses the figure of Snow—now dead and unable to defend himself—as a symbol of a purer past, contrasting him with the current leaders who 'attack his fame.' This move from impersonal argument to personal grievance gives the speech an emotional arc, but it also risks undermining the broader political case by focusing on one man's honor.

Readers should attend to how Kearns balances his roles as accuser and defendant. The speech is as much about his own reputation as it is about Utah's condition. The evidence he presents is selective and often circumstantial, but the structure—alternating between general claims and specific instances—is designed to create an impression of thoroughness. The recurring imagery of hidden control and the movement between public and private scenes are the key rhetorical devices. This is not a neutral report but a partisan defense, and its value lies in what it reveals about the anxieties and political strategies of the period.

Years shelving these rows, I’ve noticed how a Senate defense, fierce with Utah’s grievances, leaves a certain weariness. Then my hand rests on The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb, 1796-1820 — Reading Notes, and that same earnest striving softens into domestic affection. Both speak of loyalty, though one shouts and the other whispers.