A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
"Second, that the inhabitants, whether native or alien born, known
as Mormons (and they constitute the whole people of the territory)
are bound by horrible oaths, and terrible penalties, to recognize and
maintain the authority of Brigham Young, and the government of which
he is head, as paramount to that of the United States, in civil as
well as in religious affairs; and they will in due time, and under the
direction of their leaders, use all the means in their power to subvert
the government of the United States, and resist its authority.
"Third, that the Mormon government, with Brigham Young at its head,
is now forming alliances with Indian tribes in Utah and adjoining
territories--stimulating the Indians to acts of hostility--and
organizing bands of his own followers under the name of Danites or
destroying angels, to prosecute a system of robbery and murders upon
American citizens who support the authority of the United States, and
denounce the infamous and disgusting practices and institution of the
Mormon government."
Mr. Douglas based his remarks upon these rumors against the Saints, in
the course of which he said: "Let us have these facts in an official
shape before the President and Congress, and the country will soon
learn that, in the performance of the high and solemn duty devolving
upon the executive and Congress, there will be no vacillating or
hesitating policy. It will be as prompt as the peal that follows the
flash--as stern and unyielding as death. Should such a state of things
actually exist as we are led to infer from the reports--and such
information comes in an official shape--_the knife must be applied to
this pestiferous, disgusting cancer which is gnawing into the very
vitals of the body politic. It must be cut out by the roots, and seared
over by the red hot iron of stern and unflinching law._ * * * Should
all efforts fail to bring them [the Mormons] to a sense of their duty,
there is but one remedy left. _Repeal the organic law of the territory,
on the ground that they are alien enemies and outlaws, unfit to be
citizens of a territory, much less ever to become citizens of one of
the free and independent states of this confederacy._ To protect them
further in their treasonable, disgusting and bestial practices would
be a disgrace to the country--a disgrace to humanity--a disgrace to
civilization, and a disgrace to the spirit of the age. Blot it out of
the organized territories of the United States. What then? It will be
regulated by the law of 1790, which has exclusive and sole jurisdiction
over all the territory not incorporated under any organic or special
law. By the provisions of this law, all crimes and misdemeanors,
committed on its soil, can be tried before the legal authorities of
any state or territory to which the offenders shall be first brought
to trial, and punished. Under that law persons have been arrested in
Kansas, Nebraska and other territories, prior to their organization as
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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