| 422 Provided, second. That delegates shall be entitled to act as such as hereinbefore provided, upon presenting certificates of appointment signed by the presidents, or clerks of districts or branches appointing them.
Sec. 5. That in all cases of grave importance, affecting the polity and faith of the church, districts and branches may instruct delegates to cast a majority and minority vote, for and against; but in no case shall the number of the votes cast by said delegates so instructed exceed the number to which the district appointing shall be entitled as hereinbefore provided; and in case of a tie in districts, or branches, on questions presented to them, certified to said delegates, the votes of said districts or branches, shall be cast in equal numbers by the delegates.
See. 6. That districts may organize their sessions of conference agreeably to the above rules, by providing for delegate conferences, of which the basis of representation shall be one delegate for each six members in each branch or fraction thereof.
JOSEPH SMITH,
April 11, 1883. Chairman of Committee on Representation. 1
Action on these revised rules was deferred until next conference.
A letter to the committee from Secretary Frelinghuysen was read. 2
The following quorums reported: Seventy, High Priests, First and Third Quorums of Elders, and First Quorum of Priests.
The Seventy had lost by death C. N. Brown, and had dropped E. C. Wildermuth.
1 This was adopted by the annual conference of 1884, after amending by inserting the word ex officio between are and entitled in Section 2, and amending Section 6 so as to authorize districts to constitute priests, teachers, and deacons members of conference.
2 MESSRS. JOSEPH SMITH AND Z. H. GURLEY,
Committee, Etc., Lamoni, Iowa.
Gentlemen: I have to acknowledge your communication of the 22d of February last, In regard to a circular letter issued by the Honorable W. M. Evarts when Secretary of State, to the diplomatic agents of this country abroad, requesting foreign governments to discriminate against the emigration of Mormon converts to the United States, and you ask that a distinction be made between the polygamous Mormons of Utah and the nonpolygamous Mormons of the reformed church to which you belong.
In reply I have to state that Mr. Evarts' circular was directed against polygamy, and intended to warn those persons abroad who emigrated to this country for the purpose of joining polygamous communities, that they would thereby expose themselves to the operation of the penal laws of the United States.
It is contrary to the laws of this Government to give by circular, as is proposed, any sanction or indorsement [endorsement] of a specific form of belief. It is for the agents of any religion to make known its character. Law-abiding immigrants are secure against interference.
I am, gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
FREDK. T. FRELINGHUYSEN.
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