Mormon History
Mistreatment of Major Singer - 1851
Saint Joseph Gazette – September 10, 1851
ABOUT THE MORMONS. --
The following extract of a letter, which was handed to us by a friend, describes
a most deplorable state of things at Salt Lake -- so much so, that it might be
difficult to believe some portions of the account, were it not for the
unimpeachable character of the gentleman who penned it. He is well known to
nearly all of our citizens as the occupant of a respectable station in the
United States Army. Considering the writer, and the circumstances under which
the letter was written, we are not permitted even to suppose that its statements
are exaggerated. We omit some passages which treat of domestic relations among
the Mormons and the horrid licentiousness which prevails in them, not because we
discreit them, but because [we] would not shock the sensibilities of our readers
with the repulsive picture they present.
The portions which refer to the expressions and doings of Governor Young, are
worthy of especial attention. We repeat that the letter is from a wholly
reliable gentleman who resides in this city, and bears date: -- St. Louis
Intelligencer.
Carson Valley, East Sierra de Nevada,
En Route for California, May 21, 1851.
Dear Sir -- My fine and favorite horse is gone -- and but two yoke and a half of
cattle were all I had to leave Salt Lake with. When at that sink of perdition it
was my expectation to write you and others of our friends, as we wished to write
by the first safe private opportunity that would offer itself; but none
such having been presented, our expectation of course was not gratified. It is
true, I wrote to D. and M., but then I was constrained by the practice of the
Mormons to destroy letters containing any thing against themselves, from
communicating aught in relation to my own or the grievances of other [visitors].
Now that my family is out of their power, I may venture to speak of that
[accursed] and pestilential people. And would to God that I could make myself be
heard throughout my country and impress my countrymen the truth in relation to
Mormonism, vile, criminal and treasonable as it insolently displays itself in
the boasted security of its mountain-walled home. But no -- no one would be
believed were he to communicate the truth concerning the Mormons. Truly, were an
angel from heaven to tell you of the wicked practices and the base, unprovoked
crimes of this people, you would discredit the report. Such is the enormity of
their conduct, that in a series of resolutions drawn up by a Presbyterian
clergyman, and signed by the emigrants, 'the truth, and the whole truth' was
designedly avoided, lest it would be too shocking for belief.
It is hazarding nothing in saying that never, by savage horde or lawless
banditti, was there exhibited such base turpitude of heart and such
indiscriminate vindictiveness of purpose, as are to be seen in the conduct of
the Mormons of Salt Lake Valley. With them. human feeling has been debased to
worse than beastly passion and instinct, and then all sympathy is consumed by,
or absorbed in lust, while sentiment there finds its lowest degree of
degradation. There is no crime but has its full, free justification there, if
perpetrated against a Gentile, as they term those who are not Mormons. No matter
how good a man's character may be before he becomes a Mormon, and makes common
fellowship with them, after he is fairly inducted he is soon made to yield the
most guilty obedience to the decrees or orders of the Twelve. All are thus
rendered ready and prompt instruments in the perpetration of crime. I had
supposed that, like other religious societies, there were sincere persons among
them, who, [believing] in justice and virtuous principles could not be made the
guilty agents of crime, or commit such offenses as had frequently been charged
against them; but from what I have seen and heard, I am firm in the belief that
the best of them will not [hesitate] to perform the worst bidding of Brigham
Young, their 'Man of God.' Yes, his voice is to them more omnipotent than the
voice of God to the Christian. Let but a Gentile incur his displeasure, or that
of the Twelve, and soon his bloodhounds, the Danites, are scouring the country
in search of their prey; and wo to the Gentile who is known to give the doomed
victim protection or assistance. Far different is it when emigrants first enter
the valley -- then all is kindness and good feeling; but no sooner does winter
lock them in, than the hitherto suppressed volcano of their hate and prejudice
against American citizens burst forth. Then property is seized and confiscated,
the owners thereof deprived of their liberty, loaded like the worst of felons
with balls and chains, without the form of a trial, and in most cases without
even any known accusation. Many emigrants beside myself heard Brigham Young from
the stand declare the most treasonable hostilities against the U. States. He
denied the right of jurisdiction on the part of our government, and pledged
himself that if a Governor came there and attempted its extension, he would
resist it to death! The right of Governorship undisturbed by the authority of
the United States, he claimed as vested in himself for life. "Yes," to use his
own words, "that was about the time I was elected for." To the citizens, he
would say he was not amenable to their government and said, "now as when at
Nauvoo, that he defied the combined powers of the United States and all hell."
Those of us who were known to speak against Mormonism or abuse the Mormons, he
ordered should have their throats cut. To employ his own phraseology, he said,
"Yes, cut their damned throats; if you do not I'll send the boys that will; and
if they don't, I'll come myself and I'll cut their damned throats; I will slay
them, by the spirit of Almighty God!"
From that moment the emigrants became the predestined and proscribed objects of
Mormon vengeance. A report was started that I was a reporter for government, and
soon my property was seized and myself arrested, and subjected to the insults of
one of their prostituted functionaries, without any cause for prosecution, or
any charge to plead against. Shortly after five head of my cattle were shot, and
I was selected a subject to be salted down in their lake. Five of their
assassins took upon themselves the pleasing duty; but I entertained no fear of
them; on the contrary, I came out and declared my defiance of them. My whole
solicitude was for my family, and every exertion was directed toward getting it
out of the valley. Being composed mostly of females, I had just cause to fear
that if deprived of a protector, it would never be permitted to leave that sink
of perdition -- for no intelligence against Mormonism is permitted to be mailed.
Dissenting Mormons and emigrants have told me that they picked up before the
post office parts of letters they had deposited to be mailed for the United
States, but in which they had expressed themselves too freely for Mormons. In
truth, the basest system of espionage prevails that ever was known to exist in
the world.
So far as their religion is concerned, I never felt disposed to meddle with it.
But it should be known that their teachings here, as they term making known
their abominable practices here, are greatly at variance with the preaching of
the principles of Mormonism by their missionary knaves throughout the rest of
the world. * * * *
In nothing do their teachings correspond with Christianity. They deny the
omnipotence of God, but believe in a plurality of Gods as well as wives, and
that old Brigham, part God now, will become a perfect and powerful God after his
physical death.
MORMONISM. -- News from the
Plains. By the emigrants who
have just returned to this city across the plains, we have learned another fact
which shows the disloyal and unfriendly feeling of the Mormon leaders
toward the Government of the United States. Judge Brocchus, one of the Associate
Justices for the territory of Utah, was accompanied on his way out by Elder
Orson Hyde, who is the leader of the Mormons at Council Bluffs, and who had
under his charge two pieces of cannon belonging to the Government. On the 4th of
July, Judge Brocchus requested the use of the cannon, to fire a National salute
near Independence Rock, in commemoration of our independence, which Orson Hyde
denied him, saying that when they "reached Utah he might fire a salute." This is
another of the shameful developments which are constantly being made, by the
leaders of those deluded people, of hostility to the Government, the
institutions, and people, of the United States, and may be set down with the
constant system of oppression, robbery and outrage, to which the emigrants and
other faithful people of the United States, are subjected to, by this
freebooting population, which is assembling itself alarmingly upon many points
along our western frontier. This same Orson Hyde is the editor of a Mormon paper
published at Kanesville, and is an applicant for the office of Surveyor of
public lands in the territory of Utah; before starting out he obtained a
recommendation from Judge Brocchus to the General Government. We have not been
in the habit of [petitioning] the present Administration, or of making any
representations to it in regard to its officers, or its applicants for office,
but we think the President should pause a long while before he will give
countenance to this "band of moral outcasts," by placing so important a trust in
the keeping of this profligate [-----er], who occupies among them the most
dangerous triple position of Elder, spiritual teacher, and [editorial fugleman.]
The total number of Mormons at present in England, is over thirty thousand. In
the last 14 years about 17,000 have emigrated to this country.
Note: An Intelligencer article reprinted in the Gazette of
Nov. 12, 1851 identifies the writer of the May 21st letter as "Major Singer,
of the U. S. Army."