The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and ChildrenWaite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
History
The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children
Waite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
Latter Day Saint churches; Young, Brigham, 1801-1877
"If they could get the power, as they want to do, to have the
Marshal choose jurors of cut-throats, blacklegs, soldiers, and
desperadoes from California, and we are to be tried by such
men, what would become of us?
"In regard to the war now desolating the country, it is but
the fulfilment of the prophecies of Joseph Smith, which he
told me thirty years ago. Brother Joseph said that the South
would rise against the North, and the North against the South,
and that they would fight until both parties were destroyed;
and for my part I give it God speed; for they have spilt the
blood of the Prophet. [To which the audience responded
vociferously, 'Amen!']
"I would like to live in peace with the Government of the
United States, but have no desire to live with the people who
have brought ruin and disgrace upon their own heads. I do not
wish to live in, or have anything to do with the United
States; I will have a free and independent government for
myself, where I may live and enjoy my civil and religious
liberties. [Loud cries of 'Amen,' and 'Yes, yes,' on the part
of the entire assemblage.]
"When our rights, and the protection of our liberties are
taken from us, what is there remaining? [Voices, 'Nothing,'
'Nothing.'] Yes, service to despots,--service to tyrants."
Brigham also said that money had been appropriated for the purpose of
turning the mail by the way of Panama; and these men were not above
taking money for such a purpose, under pretence of other business.
The injustice and falsity of these statements concerning the bill
introduced into Congress, and which was the immediate cause of this
outbreak, will be manifest, when it is stated that so far from
authorizing soldiers to sit as jurymen, it was expressly prohibited in
the bill itself. Again; the right of suffrage was actually extended by
the bill, because, while by one section the militia officers were to be
appointed by the Governor, the bill in other sections provided that
nearly all civil officers of the Territory, who were before elected by
the Legislature, should be elected by the people.
The effect of the bill would have been, to enable the people, when they
became generally dissatisfied with the spiritual tyranny to which they
were submitting, as many of them were already, to throw off the yoke of
despotism, by having every question that might arise fairly and
impartially adjudicated upon in the courts. This was foreseen by
Brigham. He saw that he was about to lose the powerful enginery of the
judicial system of the Territory, then under his control. Hence the
demonstration.
There are but two ways in which this theocratic despotism can be met and
overthrown. One is, by the people of the Territory, aided by some such
legislation as that proposed. The other is by the strong arm of military
power. The former would be more congenial to our institutions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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