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Show war on rkligion. S.m.t Like City. Or-tohnr kith, 11. ! Mil, Hu'ald: Dear Sirs. I Imvo calmly looked on for ft lontrtii of tirno at tlio controversy thai lias been inaufruratfil by the United i States ollicial of this Territory atrainH ! the interests of tho citizens of tlio Terri-I Terri-I lory; the laws pushed by its loffila(.uro in conformity with congressional cn-' cn-' aclmenl; tho crtisado apainst tho Terri-, Terri-, torial nllicera and Iho courts of this j Territory, organized, pelocled and 4 framed arrordinp to tlio proviiions of ; tho organic act, tho position nnd status of winch havo not Deen questioned for the last, twenty years. I havo frequently frequent-ly asked mysolt why this bitter denun- cinlkm, tliis lierco onslaiiRlit, tlii, to j me, wanton attack upon tho liberties of ' tbopoople? Why n it that iho uiorcan-l uiorcan-l file, commercial and mining interests of this Territory must ho jeopardized or ruined hy tbo ruachinations of a few f-LranRcrs Rent hero among us, having no sympathies with tho peonlo or tbo interests and prosperity of the Territory? Why is it that tho liberties of our most esteemed citizens are attacked and their characters rf sailed u ruler tho guiso of ! law? Why IhU palpable attempt to stir up sedition, provoke strife, and, is it tuomuch to pay, to inaugurate a scene of ; desolation and bloodshed? j 1 havo asked myself, Aro govarn-I govarn-I menta organized to oppress and enslave 1 their subjects ? Aro courts instituted to ! instill, outrage, abuso and tyrannize ! over tho people and legislate them out of tho last remnants of thoir rights ? If ' not, why aro wo subjected to this living insult, this crying disgrace, lhi3 burning shame, this liotid excrescence on tho body politic ? These questions and a thousand olliors might iio asked, nnd I Bpouk in belialf not only of Uto. .Mormon community but, as I am assurod, of throe-fourths of the respectable Oentilo citizens of this Torritory, who feel themselves injured and thoir properly and prospccU jco-I jco-I pardized by these wanton extra judicial j acts. For it is evident to till Ituil except j this crusado is stopped j FINANCIAL Kl'lX ! Must inevitably ensue. These questions, ques-tions, however, that to mo havo been so omharassing, havo boon solved by tho very extraordinary and lucid opinion of his honor chiof justice J. Jl. AlcKcnn, delivered October 13tli, 1871, at tho United States courtroom, over Faust's stable, in the caso, as stated, Tho People of tbo United States cs. Jlrigham Young, bo nr. I quote: "It is thorcl'oro proper to say, that wliilo the enseal bar is called, I Tlie People vs. liriqham Young, itsoiier and rcnttitlcis, FJiDKKA h A UTIIOIi- I 1TY T)f-s ruLYUAMlU TJIKOfJ- j ItACY." i This certainly elucidates tho subject , and throws light upon actions that j heretofore wero not only onigmnucii'l, j but inexplicable. Wo havo been pursuing pur-suing tho even tenor of our way, un- conscious of any threatened calamity; 1 wo have boon progressing in ngricul-i ngricul-i lural, commercial and mineral onter-j onter-j prises, in machinery, manufactures and railroads. Immigration and capital : wero flowing into our midsf, arid very ' ploasant and profitable- businoss relations rela-tions wore being Instituted botweon the old and now citizens; buildings and fur-j fur-j naces wore being erected for tho reduc-; reduc-; lion of oros and tho convenienccof other business; important negotiations were boing made, involving tho introduction ; of capital; and wealth was being devol-! devol-! oped, at an unprecedented rate, until ; theso birds of ovil oinon arrived, who, j instead of introducing 'peace, security i nnd happiness, like tlio doadly simoon ; aro parching, withering, paralyzing, ! bin sting and destroying over' thing i within thoir roach. CRU3AD1-: AO.UN3T L1UURTV. i Wo havo'now a reason given to ns for this tirado, this crusado against tho liberties of tho citizens of ibis Territory; i Ibis onslaught on tho character and reputation rep-utation of men; this disruption of all our federal rotations; this breaking up of court; Una expulsion of Territorial olll-' olll-' cers; this peculiar way of obtaining jur- ies; this lawlessness, proscription and judicial usurpation; this prosoeu-. lion, persecution and infamy, that ltavo disgraced our courts for some time past. TJiero has been an under-current that was extremely dillicult to comprohond; for as all men act from motivo, tho di-lliculty di-lliculty was for mo to find out what object ob-ject federal olljcors could havo in flccU- i ing to destroy the interests of this Tcr-; Tcr-; riiory. Smo havo asscrtod that it was i a religious persecution, and that, after ! Culloni, Cnigin and is'ewman had failed, i the judges were set on by their pious j coadjutors to carry out thoir pro-! pro-! gramme. Olhors havo staled that it was ' a political plot, ami was inaugurated by president Oram to glut the ferocious ' appetites of religionists, that through tlio sacrilicc of a few thousand "Alur-; "Alur-; mons' ho might bti rc-elcclcd. Others hnvo though L that it. was i of a more jirivnto and financial i nature, and was gotten up "for tho pitr-: pitr-: jioso of levying black mail." His honm- judge McKoan,howovor, has dispelled tho : mist in which it was shrouded, and has ! plainly given us to understand, that it is nono of these; that all of their ostensible acts have heretofore bui-u a mere sham, a blind, a pretext; that oven in the prosecution pros-ecution oflirighaiu Y ting, that guutle-man guutle-man is not intended; and to use his own words, "While tbo ca n nt tho bar is called Tho 1'ooplo vs. Jirigham Young, ' its other and real title is I'udcral Authority vs. Polygamic Theocracy;" or, in other words, liio. United States against tho Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. lie has not so stated il; but by a very fair inferenco wo muat conclude that tho United States has, if not openly, covertly (as tho judges have heretoforo acted,) proclaimed WAll AGAINST UTAH AND THE "MOJt HONS," Of which ho is the avant courier. Now this is honest, so far as that term can bo applied to such men. Onoahva3Ts prefers pre-fers tho straightforward acts of a highwayman, high-wayman, who meets you in tho road ana demands your mouoy or your life, to thoso of the poor sneak who stubs you in the dark. Tho conscience oven of the judfio may havo boon pricked at tho equivocal position that ho occupied in "ways that aro dark, and tricks tuat aro vain," and ho ha3 concluded to lot out tho socroL this at loast augurs well for his religious training, but how docs it affect his ormine? Now, if this statement bo triio (which it is very hard for us to believe), then Prosident Grant, with or without tho consent of his cabinet, is making war , upon tho citizens of Ltah fur their religious re-ligious belief for privalo political purposes, pur-poses, which 1 think his better judgment judg-ment would not dictate; for whi'lo to congress belongs the power to make war oven on foreign nations, neither it nor Iho prosident possesses tho power to make war on its own citizens without revolt, especially for religious opinions. While wc do not like to dispute tho vc-: vc-: racily of his honor the judge;on t!e oilier . I hand wo very much disliko to impeach j the President, and cannot beliovo that i ho would lend himself as a tool to such a cabal. Wc havo road of wolves devouring de-vouring ono another, and of porcincs tearing" in pieces and eating their own oll'spnng; hut wo cannot bclicvo that tho president of the United Slates would mako war upon tho citizens over whom ho presides, for religious opinion. I am afraid, therefore, that this onus will rest upon his honor tlio judge and his coadjutors, coad-jutors, for tho following reasons they havo tried by every possibly means to MA.KL IliEMSLVi,3 ODIOUS To the people, and it must be acknowledged acknow-ledged that they havo succeeded admirably, admir-ably, for never were a set of men more thoroughly despised anywhere in tbese United Slates, l'.y tho unprecedented method of procuring juries, tho ignoring ignor-ing of Territorial law and Territorial courUand olhcer;, aud other outras they have evidently been trying to pro vuko seditions, that a good pretest could be had for calling out troops, that lhe lires of war might bo kindled, and that they might have tho privilnge, like tho Chicago incendiaries, of spreading broadcast firebrands, arrows and death". But the people would not revolt, and the moro they wore inccnnd nnd gondfM to it, tho more they would not do it-. Tho authorities, like the-man who desired de-sired some one to kick him, could not get kicked. They wero exceedingly nntriotic, and anv of Ihr-m would have been quilo willing that another than themselves should die for thoakeof thf cause; but none wero sutficiently patriotic patri-otic to bo the victim. At lnt, when everything else failed, as a dernier vs. tort, they tried it on our presidency, fenling confident that this would goad u to desperation, and th'-'y TEi.noRAPiirn for. troops beforehand. But oven this did not go j oil". So puzzlod, perpleied, annoyed and baffled in tliehkgroat aim, his honor : the judge conies plainly out, makes a clean breast of it, and tells us that every- I thing else has been strategy, a feint, a ruse, but that war upon tho church of Jesus Chri-t of Latter-day Saints was the object which ho had in view. And in this I would not misrepresent his honor. Ho stales that it is "Federal Authority versus Polygamic Theocracy." Theocra-cy." "Wo all understand, to our cost, what federal authority i.,as administered admini-stered here; but it may be necessary to inquiro what is tho meaning of lhe term theocracy. Wbftcr delines it as, "Tho government of a State by tho immediate im-mediate direction or administration of God." Now let us inquire into tho position po-sition of our Stliio or Territory, and find out, if we can, how it. is governed, nnd it may bo necessary here lo go bark tn first principles. IS Ting THEOCRACY f After our exodus from Nauvoo, and while en route to this place, the government govern-ment still looking upon us as citizens, called upon us for live hundred troops to assist in tho subjugation of Mexico, the very country wo wero fleeing to. Thoy wero furnished, and those men wero the most efficient in conquering California. Wo camo hero a thousand miles from civilization inlo Mexican territory, and organized the Slate of Deseret, and applied ap-plied for admission into tho United States. -Was this theocracy ? Congress refused our petition, but admitted ad-mitted us as a Territory and furnished us with an instrument entitled, "An Act lo establish a Territorial government govern-ment for Utah," approved September 3d, 1S0O, and commonly known as iho Organic Act. This act provides for a governor, secretary of State, judges, altoniP' and marshal, and defines their several duties. It provides for tlio election, by lhe people, of a council and house-of representatives, and proscribes their powers and duties. It provides that tlio laws passed by tho legislature shall be submitted to tho congress of tho United Stales, and if disapproved shall bo null nnd ofno effect. Is this theocracy theoc-racy f It provides for tho appointment or election of all township, district and county officers. It provides for a judiciary ju-diciary nnd describes its powers and tho jurisdiction of tho several courts, federal or Territorial. It also provides for a delegate to congress to to olected by the people. Is all tho abovo theocracy ? or, as Webster has it, "tho government of a Stale by tho immodiato direction or administration ad-ministration of God." Our federal officers of-ficers aro nominated, and by and with tho consent of tho senate appointed by . tho president of tho U nited Stales. Our legislaturo and dolegato aro olected by tho people, who, according to tho provisions pro-visions of said act, havo passed laws and appointed Territorial, township, district and county officers. And tho organic act itself was passed Dy tho congress of the United Stales to whom our laws havo been submitted, and have not been disapproved. Is this theocracy? Is this tlio government of a Stalo by tho immediate direction or administration of God? If it is, then all tho Territories, at least, of lhe United Statos are thooc-racies. thooc-racies. Whatdoos his honor moan? It cannot bo our Territorial government- II is true, ho says, that it is a government govern-ment within a government,an imperium inunperio; but it is such as tho United States has made it, and certainly is not a theocracy. His honor cannot therefore there-fore moan that tho United States is at war with our Slate or Territorial government, gov-ernment, which is not a theocracy. I think from tho abovo it is very plain that it is not the Slate or Territory that his honor refers to; it must, therefore, be tho church, and stripped of all its tinsel and wrappings, it simp.y resolves itself into this that tho government of tho United States is" at war with tho church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1. would not misrepresent, but tho abovo is tho only conclusion that 1 am capable of arriving at, and, disguise it as wc will, theso aro itio facts. 1 will not atop to onquiro, if Methodism is to bo tho national nation-al religion, how Presbylorianism, the Baptists or Koman Catholics will faro, or, if the Catholics havo the predominance, predomin-ance, how Protestants will bo treated, as 1 intend recurring to this subject; bitf jL is clearly demonstrated thai tho chief justice ol Utah, as tbo representative of iho United States, has PROCLAIMED WAR AUAIN3T Til B RblLUI ION Of tho "Mormons," or in other words tho Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This point boing settled, it may bo necessary to inquire inlo another. We areinformod by his honor Lnl'lu. system is on trial in Iho person of Jirigham Young; let all concerned keep this fact steadily i:i view." Now, as has boon 6howu that it is not aud cannot in the very nature of things be a system of political rule, it must therefore and can only bo a religious system which is on trial in the person of Brigham Young. Assuming this position lo bo correct, what then becomes of tho charges against iijigham Young? lie is indicted and on trial "for lewd and lascivious association and cohabitation with sixteen women, not being married to them;'f but in the opinion it is asserted th.it a systeji is arrnignrd in the person of Brigham Young Thus ostensibly Brigham Voting is on trial for "lascivious cohabitation," and not for polygamy or treason, and contrary con-trary to. this siatoment his honor gives us to understand that he has been ACCUSED 01- ONE TllINti AND 13 BEING TRIED f'Oll ANOTHER, and furthermore he is already prejudged of guilt so assert several gentlemen on the dofenso before uuy one of Iho accusations accu-sations has been proved against him. I would not treat his honor discourteously, but quote lho language of. the Washington Washing-ton Capital, "That it is our judiciary and not polygamy that is being tried, and sorely tried" "Thoughtful "Thought-ful minds will concur in expressing the belief that we procure its annihilation ut a heavy cost when wo destroy our courts and fetch justice Into such contempt." con-tempt." In the abovo it has been shown, that when these gentlemen canto hero, thuy found us in a very happy, orderly, aud prosperous condition; that with or without with-out tho knowledge of the administration they have been conspiring against tho liberties of lhe people; that under the false protenso of a Stale or sucular power inimical to the U. S. government they have mado a violent attack upon our religion; that thoy havo repudiated and trampled under loot our laws and ignored ig-nored our courts, organized by congressional congres-sional enactment; that thoy havo arraigned ar-raigned our citizens for one thing and aru trying them for another; that thoy have obtained juries in a manner unknown un-known to the Territorial laws, prejudged prejudg-ed casea, and acted as tlio most violent, vicious, nnd malignant partizans, and by their ncls havo sought to provoko anarchy and revolt. I would not bo discourteous to our federal officers; they aro appointees of tho president of tho United States, and their appointment is sanctioned by the senate thereof. They aro, or ought to be, honorable men; but as public men their acts must be scrutinized, aud when tho liberties of tho pooplc aro tampered with, and their interests jeopardized, as they havo been of lato in this Territory, it is time that iho people look after their own interests and not ! stiller themselves lo bo despoiled of j moralf social, judicial, religious and constitutional rights without a remonstrance. remon-strance. And if in tho abovo some of my strictures may appear sevcro, it may be accounted for in the necessity of speaking speak-ing of acts as they ciist, ralher than to rutikoan oli'eusivo personal attack, ll must bo remembered that whilo tho court has persons at its bar, tho court itself is at the bar of public opinion; for it is a fact that judges arc as amenable to law as are other citizens uf the United States, and to all men of reflection it is becoming a torious question how fur federal authority shall be permitted to lend itself to factionisU and party and political cabals; how far it shall bo permitted per-mitted lo interfere with private, social, political aud religious rights, and whether whe-ther under the uumo and guiso of lle-publicanism, lle-publicanism, wo aro not breaking down all tho safeguards and bulwarks of society so-ciety nnd rushing thoughtlessly and recklessly lo tho worst kind f anarchy and despotism. lipUUJIy, A: -.. John Tavloii. |
