Brigham Young Declares War on the United States of America - 1857
CITIZENS OF UTAH:
We are invaded by hostile forces, who are evidently assailing us to accomplish our overthrow and destruction. (1)
For the last twenty-five years we have trusted officials of the
govern–ment, from Constables and Justices to Judges, Governors and
Presidents, only to be scorned, held in derision, insulted and
betrayed. Our houses have been plundered and then burned; our fields
laid waste, our principal men butchered while under the pledged faith
of the Government for their safety, and our families driven from their
homes to find that shelter in the barren wilderness, and that
protection among hostile savages, which were denied them in the boasted
abodes of Christianity and civilization. (2)
The constitution of our common country guarantees unto us all that we do now or ever claimed. (3)
If the constitutional rights, which pertain unto us as American
citi–zens, were extended to Utah, according to the spirit and meaning
there–of, and fairly and impartially administered, it is all that we
could ask. (4)
Our opponents have availed themselves of prejudices existing against
us, because of our religious faith, to send out a formidable host to
accomplish our destruction. We have had no privilege, no opportunity of
defending ourselves from the false, foul and unjust aspersions against
us before the Nation. The Government has not condescended to cause an
investigating committee or other person to be sent to inquire into and
ascertain the truth, as is customary in such cases. We know those
asper–sions to be false, but that avails us nothing. We are condemned
unheard, and forced to an issue with an armed mercenary mob, which has
been sent against us at the instigation of anonymous letter writers,
ashamed to father the base, slanderous falsehoods which they have given
to the public; of corrupt officials who have brought false accusations
against us, to screen themselves in their own infamy; and of hireling
priests and howling editors, who prostitute the truth for filthy
lucre's sake. (5)
The issue which has been thus forced upon us compels us to resort to
the great first law of self preservation, and stand in our own defense,
a right guaranteed unto us by the genius of the institutions of our
country, and upon which the Government is based. (6)
Our duty to our families requires us not to tamely submit to be driven
and slain without an attempt to preserve ourselves. Our duty to our
country, our holy religion, our God, to freedom and liberty, requires
that we should not quietly stand still and see those fetters forging
around, which are calculated to enslave and bring us into subjection to
an unlawful military despotism, such as can only emanate (in a country
of constitutional law) from usurpation, tyranny and oppression. (7)
Therefore, I, Brigham Young, Governor and Superintendent of Indian
Affairs for the Territory of Utah, in the name of the people or the
United States in the Territory of Utah, (8)
First - Forbid all armed forces of every description from coming into this Territory, under any pretense whatever. (9)
Second - That all the forces in said Territory hold themselves in
readi–ness to march at a moment's notice, to repel any and all such
invasion (10)
Third - Martial law is hereby declared to exist in this Territory, from
and after the publication of this Proclamation; and no person shall be
allowed to pass or repass, into or through, or from this Territory
without a permit from the proper officer. (11)
Given under my hand and seal at Great Salt Lake City, Territory of
Utah, this fifteenth day of September, A.D. eighteen hundred and fifty
seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the
eighty -second. (12)
(Signed)
BRIGHAM YOUNG
1) After Federal Judges and administrators had been
threatened and left, President Buchanan ordered a small army to restore
order in the Utah Territory.
2) Law abiding citizens from three different states had to drive the threatening Mormon religious fanatics away for peace to exist.
3) The constitution of the United States guarantees freedom to law abiding citizens.
4) Murder of innocent people is not a freedom guaranteed in the constitution of the United States of America. (Mountain Meadows Massacre)
5) Mormons have always falsely accused others of the very crimes that they are guilty of. The lives of federal judges and administrators had been threatened.
6) Armed internal insurrection against the United States of America is rightly called treason. Brigham Young was guilty of treason for years.
7) Murder of innocent people in the name of any religion is never holy.
8) Brigham Young was the dictator of the Utah Territory for thirty years and proclaimed himself as such in a April 7, 1869 sermon.
9) The United States Army marched unopposed through Salt Lake City on June 26, 1858.
10) The murderous Mormon Danite gangs would have been no match for the United States Army.
11) Wagon trains on their way to California were plundered by Mormons of their livestock on a regular basis.
12) Brigham Young should have been hung for murder and treason against the United States of America.