The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
"The character of this state has suffered almost beyond redemption, from
the character, conduct, and influence that you have exerted; and we deem
it an act of justice to restore her character to its former standing
among the states by every proper means. The orders of the governor to
me were that you should be exterminated and not allowed to remain in
the state. And had not your leaders been given up, and the terms of the
treaty complied with, before this time you and your families would have
been destroyed, and your houses in ashes. There is a discretionary
power vested in my hands, which, considering your circumstances, I shall
exercise for a season. You are indebted to me for this clemency.
"I do not say that you shall go now, but you must not think of staying
here another season, or of putting in crops, for the moment you do this
the citizens will be upon you; and if I am called here again, in a case
of a non-compliance of a treaty made, do not think that I shall do as I
have done now. You need not expect any mercy, but extermination, for
I am determined the governor's orders shall be executed. As for your
leaders, do not think, do not imagine for a moment, do not let it enter
into your mind, that they will be delivered and restored to you again,
for their fate is fixed, their die is cast, their doom is sealed.
"I am sorry, gentlemen, to see so many apparently intelligent men found
in the situation you are; and O! if I could invoke the great spirit,
the unknown God, to rest upon and deliver you from that awful chain of
superstition, and liberate you from those fetters of fanaticism with
which you are bound, that you no longer do homage to a man. I would
advise you to scatter abroad, and never organize yourselves with
bishops, presidents, etc., lest you excite the jealousies of the people,
and subject yourselves to the same calamities that have now come
upon you. You have always been the aggressors: you have brought upon
yourselves these difficulties by being disaffected, and not being
subject to rule. And my advice is that you become as other citizens,
lest by a recurrence of these events you bring upon yourselves
irretrievable ruin."
General Clark then marched with his prisoners to Richmond, where the
trial of all the accused began on November 12, before Judge A. A. King.
By November 29 the called-out militia had been disbanded, and on that
date General Clark made his final report to the governor. In this
he asserted that the militia under him had conducted themselves as
honorable citizen soldiers, and enclosed a certificate signed by five
Mormons, including W. W. Phelps, Colonel Hinckle, and John Corrill,
confirming this statement, and saying, "We have no hesitation in saying
that the course taken by General Clark with the Mormons was necessary
for the public peace, and that the Mormons are generally satisfied with
his course."
In his summing up of the results of the campaign, General Clark said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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