| Show MISSIONARY MURDERS Placing the Responsibilities The Mormons ask Fair Play Editors Herald Another Christian martyrdom of r the most horrible ns ture has been committed and a few more of our persecuted S mars followers area are-a ded to tho list of over fifty millions mil-lions of peope who have suffered death from relglous versecutton The valleys of liedmont the mountains moun-tains of Switzerland the vineclad hills of Italy and Franca and many other countries have by turns been lighted by fires of burning victims or crimsoned with the blood of those who have suffered death at the cruel hands of those who were enemies to the Christian religion Spain and Poitugal have each been made the theatre of the most unalleviated at nnl lo The annals of our beloved and glorious country have a few dark I pages of religious persecution mot infamous ana terrible Today in this the nineteen h century in an enlightened age and in a lahd of so mucn boasted liberty and religions toleration is recorded another most diabolical tragedy as being committed in the sunny land of Tennessee The news is received by the world as startling and horrible horri-ble and yet because the lives ot those Mormon elders were sacrificed at tbe hsnds of assassins for preaching preach-ing a religion that is unpopular but very little pity will take the place of hatred for the unortunate ones or very little sympathy be extended toward the cause they represented In fact there are people and those too who claim to be Christians who assert that it Is right to kill oft the Mormons with impunity What I is to be the result of such a sentiment senti-ment if allowed to go on without a check or restraint Why is it hat things should come to such a pass and of a religions nature that the lives of noble men and women should be sacrificed and then the press and public try to excuse ex-cuse themselves from any blame and in some instances proclaim that the deed of murder is justidable simply because a belief is unpops nlar I do not believe that the murjEr ers of those Mormon elders were outlaws or desperadoes It the truth be ever known I think that these masked men will be found to be classed as good and loyal American Amer-ican citizens I claim that the blood of these martyrs Is upon the heads of those who have opposed so bitterly the Mormon people The press from day to day print the most infamous and vicious falsehoods that were ever hurled at vagabonds much less a good and loyal people the Mormons Eminent divines and ministers minis-ters of our country who from want of better knowledge or through jealous malice proclaim from the pulpit basest falsehoods and try to press upon their hearers that the Mormon people should be blotted out of existence with the use of the sword and bullets Men will visit Utah and be received re-ceived with all Christian charity and love and go away arid tell to the world that they came nearly sacrificing their lives and report the most uraualified falsehoods This being trueis it not high time that a change should come Let the people take aa much pains to report re-port the gooa of the Mormon people and there will be the greatest great-est revolution of sentiment m our countrys history The Mormons will be looked upon as they are a loyal religious honest industrious and virtuous people I hope that the late horrible tragedy may open the eyes of tie people to a sense of their duty I shall hope that adiffereutteminientmay begin to grow and that universal regulatons toleration anti brotherly I love may take the place of this most terrible predjudice The people of this country the land of the freeand the home of the brave should take solemn warning from the hitory of the past and ever guard against drilting into the channol that witnessed to much suffering from religious peremtion in other countries Let the history of our glorious America 16 kept free from the curse of religious persecution In heavens hea-vens name grant to the Mormon people jus icu that is all they atk H is CHAIG Suit Lake Cily Utah August 14 1834 |
