About this book
Conditions in Utah Speech of Hon. Thomas Kearns of Utah, in the Senate of the United States by Thomas Kearns opens with a forceful, personal defense of Utah and a stark engagement with the national debate over polygamy and plural cohabitation. Delivered in the Senate on February 28, 1905, Kearns’ address responds to a proposed joint resolution urging constitutional amendments to prohibit and punish polygamous marriages and allege disloyalty by certain organizations. Part political manifesto, part historical testament, the speech situates Utah as the nation’s newest state while tracing the legal and moral controversies that shaped its entry into the Union. Kearns frames his remarks as both an obligation to his state and a record for the Senate and the public, addressing questions of law, loyalty, and federal power that defined early 20th-century American politics. This nonfiction political speech provides primary-source insight into congressional debate, constitutional reform efforts, and the social tensions surrounding polygamy. Ideal for listeners of American history, legal and political nonfiction, and anyone studying Senate rhetoric or Utah’s statehood era, this audiobook offers a concise window into a pivotal moment in U.S. political history.
