Show are the latter day saints loyal to the V U S Gov government emment I 1 GREAT SALT LAKE laide CITY november 1859 5 1 EDITOR OF THE DESERET NEWS DEAR SIR it has been my desire for some time past to write an article on the loyalty of the latter day saints to the government and constitution of the united states lucid lucia articles have been written to disabuse the public mind in relation to the policy pursued by the church of jesus christ of latter day saints from time to time still the hue and cry is raised against us oi of alienation and secession from rom those principles and from that constitution which are as dear to the great majority of this community as life itself that such abadea an idea should have gained prevalence and ever and anon been reiterated from state to state and become the theme of declamation almost throughout the whole naion nation lon is singular indeed and is one of those delusions into which public opinion often lead the multitude I 1 fearlessly make the assertion that no body go oj peo people pite pile in the american union have proven themselves emse e ves more devoted to their country nor evinced a stronger attachment to the liberal and god godlike like ilke principles set forth in the declaration cl of independence articles of confederation and federal constitution than the latter day saints religious prejudices as past history abundantly establishes have been the most bitter deep rooted and unrelenting with which the human heart has ever been corroded transforming noble sentiments virtuous actions actions and the purest emotions into doctrines practices and worship of devils did not history so fully sustain the allegation it mi might ht be questioned that civilized and intelligent mankind should thus be blinded but from age to age the evidence furnished is so abundant that it cannot be gin gln gainsay sayed bayed cd the ile experience of the latter day saints corroborates ro that of all reli rell religious ious lous reformers since the days of martin lutren lutten luther who have all experienced perien ced in turn the sad effects of opposition prejudice contumely and persecution but in many any sects have outlived it prospered and become popular copular a after wading through the most fiery ordeals while I 1 write on this subject I 1 am not ignorant of the fact that many have become so envenomed against the saints that however much evidence might be adduced in favor of the position I 1 have taken it matters not their overthrow and destruction have bee been n decreed in the hearts of their enemies irrevocably and however unjustifiable the means adopted the end must be accomplished that our belief with regard to earthly go governments ern ments and laws in general might not be e misinterpreted nor misunderstood 21 it was thought proper in the infancy of the church to write a minute and explicit article on the tha subject which forms an entire section in the book of doctrine and covenants the position of the latter day saints as a rell reli religious rious elous comma community anity is therein elearly clearly stat stated ed enjoining loyalty upon its members to every government under which they reside while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments and declaring that sedition and rebellion in every citizen thus protected are wrong and should be punished does the past history of the saints correspond with the above platform and have their actions writings and teachings sustained it the flood of testimony that might be adduced to prove the affirmative would fill a volume in this communication I 1 can only cursorily g glance 1 ance at a few items bommen commended 71 ed to the consideration of those in search of true information on the subject in 1841 elder orson hyde a prominent leader in the church was sent on a mission to jerusalem after an absence of some time from his family and country and in the course of hi his I 1 s peregrinations through europe he wrote to his friends in america thus 1 I never knew that I 1 was in reality an american until I 1 walked out one fine morning in rotterdam along the wharf where many ships lay in the waters of the rhine suddenly my eye caught a broad pennant floating in a gentle breeze over the stern of a fine r ship h I 1 P a at t half mizzenmast mizzen mast and when I 1 saw av r a v the wide ide lae spread eagle perched on her banner with the stripes and stars under which our fathers were led to conquest and victory my heart leaped into my mouth a flood of tears burst from my eyes and before reflection could mature a sentence my mouth involuntarily gave utterance to these words I 1 AM alit AN AMERICAN americana AmERI amerl cana CANT to see the flag of ones country in a strange land and floating upon strange waters produces feelings talich which none can know except those who experience them I 1 can now say that I 1 am an american while at home the warmth and fire of the american spirit lay la in silent slumber in my bosom but the winds of foreign climes dimes have fanned it into a flame it is said if we wish to find the true f feelings eel of a people pursue the ef fusions of their bards scan the muse for there will be found the innate sentiments of the heart the natural overflow ings inga of patriotism or the invectives of disloyalty I 1 i on oi the death heath of a william if marrison garrison president resident of the united states in 1841 the muse mouse sang thus why flaws that strain of deep sympathy Colu dio diu olo bia sibia bla mourns a great what Is 13 that sorrow forrow ITIs a counties count counti rys ys grief earths favored nation mourns her highest chief who mho like the morning only ushered forth then disappear disappeared ld to shine chine no more on earth our count rys genius ever wont to soar lias ilas neter never bowed to grief like thier before als ris true she mourad a favri favrits te washington kurfirst ner her alfet born chieftain and a madison munroe and adams and a jefferson but their high offices were supplied re they ihei left the halis halls of congress ere they died thy they closed their services and bad retired rid and in retirements soft repose bat but this bereavement comes with heavier tread and from the nation takes her acting head heady beady whom a tree free peoples storage on high to guide her helm belm beneath a threat threatening ning sky death alad an arrow at her highest trust and laid the choice of millions in the dat adnet spread wil wll wilberd berd hopes and pa palsied prospects round and into sorrow change the festive sound columbian Colum bias willows now are bending low our count rys tears in liberal torrents flow weep weep columbia tear tears swill grace thee now BOW while grief lies heavy on thy aching brow brow weil well may thy children now unite to spread A wreath of sorrow oer eer oer the heros neros head unite to mourn our count rys chieftain gone the hon conord ho nord orld lovd lamented harrison harr lson ison and bow submissive neath neata the chaE rod I 1 and humbly own the mighty band of god in january 1846 when the whole church was about IQ be expelled from the sovereign state of illinois when hen gov ford declared that popular prejudice was so universal in that state against us as a religious sect that to use his own words public opinion was not inclined to do us common justice and that he could not protect us lis with any militia the state might furnish and when about to pass throy one of the severest trial of their fidelity to their native country hear the language of the church as published in A CIRCULAR or OF THE HIGH COUNCIL we also further declare for the satisfaction of some who have concluded that our grievances have alienated ua us from our country that our patriotism has not been overcome by fire by sword by daylight nor by midnight assassinations which we have endured neither have they alienated us from the institutions of our country should hostilities arise between the government of the united states and any other power in relation to the right of possessing the territory of oregon we are on hand to sustain the claim of the united states government to that country it is geographically ours an and d of right no foreign 0 power should hold dominion there and if our services are required r to prevent if those survives sur vices will be c cheerfully h eer fully rendered according to our ability we feel the injuries that we have sustained and are not insensible of the wrongs we have suffered still we are americans and should our country be invaded we hope to do at least as much as did the conscientious ious quaker who took his passage on board a merchant ship and was attacked by pirates the pirates boarded the mer merchantman c hant and one of the men fell in into to the water between the two vessels but seized a rope that hun over and mya mra wab was s pulling himself up on board the merchantman the ile con conscientious quaker saw this and though he did not like to fight he took his jackknife jack knife and quickly moved to the scene saying to the pirate if thee wants that piece of rope I 1 will help thee to it ile he cut the rope asunder the pirate fell and a watery grave was his resting place although the contingency did nor vertea to in the circular pertaining to oregon still an opportunity was not wanting to prove the sincerity of the declaration the main body of the church in july 1846 had emigrated as far westward as council bluffs when they were overtaken by capt james alien allen from fort leavenworth with an order the war department through au g 87 W V kearney then commanding the army of the west y to enlist men as a battalion to march to california and sustain our coun arys flag in the war with mexico did the church flinch or were the people at a loss to know the path to pursue although they were then in tents unprotected and in an indian country in a few d days bys tys our count rys call was responded to and of our most efficient men were raised and mustered into service and left their friends and families under circumstances unparalleled in our count rys hi history tory actions speak louder than word capt alien allen in writing to J C little esq of date council Bluffs July concerning his intercourse with the 1 I have been intimately associated with this people pl since the uit as my duty required in raising the battalion of volunteers now under my ray command in the hurry of business connected with my immediate march from this place I 1 have only time to say that in all of my intercourse with the mormons cormons Mor mons I 1 have found them civil polite and honest as a people there appears to be much intelligence among theland the mand particularly with their principal men or leaders to whom I 1 feel much indebted for their active and zealous exertions to raise the volunteer force that I 1 was authorized to ask for foi for the service of the united states the president of the council mr brig ham Young youngie Youn gis ts entitled en title titie A to ay my particular thanks all of this people are entirety entirely patriotic ans and they have come not only with cheerfulness but under circumstances of great difficulty to them to enlist themselves in the service of their country in my official report to the war department which I 1 shall make on my arrival at fort leavenworth I 1 will speak more fully of the community of the mormon people and will here say to you that I 1 think them as a community and in their circumstances beserr ing ingoff of a high consideration from rom ram ran our government 11 1 1 As it may be a matter of inquiry to know how the battalion mustered under such circumstances cum stances acted while in the service of their country I 1 will quote the testimony of their commanding officer HEAD QUARTERS mission of san diego jan 30 1847 S ORDER obder no I 1 the colonel dom commanding congratulates the battalion on their safe arrival on the shores of the pacific ocean and the conclusion of its march of over two thousand miles history may be searched in vain for an equal march mar lh of D f infantry nine tenths of it has been through gh a wilderness where nothing but savages and wild beasts are found or deserts where f for or want of water watery there is no living creature there with almost hopeless labor lagor we have dug deep wells which the future traveler will enjoy without a guide who had traversed them we have ventured into trackless prairies where water was not found for several marches with crowbar and pickax in it hand band we have worked our way over mountains which seemed to defy aught save the wild goat and hewed a passage through a chasm of living rock more mort nai nal bairow row than our wagons to bring these first wagons to the pacific we have preserved the strength of the mules toules by herding them over large tracts which you have laboriously guarded without loss the garrison of four presidios dios dlos of sonora concentrated within the walls of gueson gave us no pause we drove them out with their artillery but our intercourse with the citizens was not marked by a single act of injustice thus marching half naked and half fed and living upon wild animals we have discovered and aade made a road of great value to our country arrived Ax rived at the first settlement of california after a single days rest jest you cheerfully turned off from the route to this point of promised repose to enter upon a campaign and meet as we believed the approach of the enemy and this too without even salt to season your sole substance of fresh meat liedts A AJ J smith and george stoneman of the dragoons have shared and given valuable aid in all these labors thus h s volunteers v ol 01 tee r s you have exhibited some ili iii high gh a and n d e essential entla I 1 qualities of veterans but mu much tremain hr remains emain undone done soon you will turn your our strict attention to the drill to system and adlor order to forms also alss which are all necessary to the soldier by order of col coi P ST GEO COOKE P C MERRILL adjutant after the saints reached utah their first deliberations in relation to government resulted in establishing a provisional government and ana adopting a constitution in the preamble to the constitution it is declared 11 whereas a large number of the citizens of the united states before and since the treaty of peace with the th e republic of mexico emigrated to boand and settled in that portion of the territory of the united states lying west of the rocky mountains and in the great interior basin of upper california an and ald whereas by reason of said treaty all civil organization originating from the republic of mexico became abrogated and whereas the congress of the united states has failed to provide a form of civil government go ern for the territory so acquired or any portion thereof and whereas civil government and laws are necessary for the security peace and prosperity of society and whereas it is 13 a fundamental principle in all republican governments that all political power is is inherent in the people and governments instituted for their protection security and benefit should emanate from the same therefore your committee be beg 1 leave to recommend the adoption of the following f constitution until the congress of the united state states shall shau otherwise provide for the government of the territory terr it r herein after named and described by aan admitting i cuing us into the union 12 it will be readily seen that the republican principles of our government were thoroughly imbued and reigned predominant in the new colony and havin having mst sl t e emigrated 1 ni grated from a sovereign state as a fody body hody where they lived in the enjoyment of the elective franchise they elected and authorized a delegate to proceed to washington and knock at the door of congress 0 for admission into the union as a sovereign state or for the privilege of having a territorial |