“If the people of Utah shall peacefully form a State Constitution tolerating polygamy, will the Democracy admit them into the Union?”
- February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865
- American
- Politician, lawyer
- As the 16th President of the United States, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation and led the Civil War to maintain the unity of the nation.
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Quote
“If the people of Utah shall peacefully form a State Constitution tolerating polygamy, will the Democracy admit them into the Union?”
Explanation
This quote highlights Abraham Lincoln’s challenge to the expansion of practices he viewed as immoral or contrary to American democratic values. The reference to Utah pertains to the controversial practice of polygamy, which was widely practiced by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Utah Territory. Lincoln is questioning whether a state constitution that tolerates polygamy could be accepted by the Democratic Party or the broader United States, reflecting concerns over whether such a practice could be considered compatible with the moral and legal standards of the Union. The question also foreshadows the debates around the inclusion of Utah as a state in the Union and the challenges related to Mormon practices, which were seen as controversial and at odds with the dominant cultural norms of the time.
Historically, the United States was grappling with the question of statehood for territories like Utah during this period, especially in the context of the compromise over slavery and the expansion of the Union. The issue of polygamy became a significant point of contention, with Congress ultimately passing laws such as the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act (1862) to outlaw the practice in Utah and other territories. Utah did not become a state until 1896, after the Mormon Church officially renounced polygamy as a condition for statehood.
In modern terms, this quote can be viewed as a commentary on how society’s moral norms and values shape political decisions and the criteria for admission to the Union or the legitimacy of certain practices. It also raises issues related to religious freedom and state sovereignty, and it remains relevant in discussions about how the United States balances individual freedoms with national law and social values.
