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Nelson Slater 1805-1886 Fruits of Mormonism (Coloma, CA: Harmon & Springer, 1851 |
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Joseph H. Jackson's 1844 Narrative... | Edward Bonney's 1850 Banditti of the Prairies
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F R U I T S OF M O R M O N I S M, OR A FAIR AND CANDID STATEMENT OF FACTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF MORMON PRINCIPLES, MORMON POLICY, AND MORMON CHARACTER. BY MORE THAN FORTY EYE-WITNESSES, COMPILED BY N. S L A T E R, A. M. . . . . . . . . . COLOMA, CAL., HARMON & SPRINGER. 1851. |
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The mormons are extortionary, overbearing and heard-hearted [sic - hard-hearted?] towards emigrants. They are wanting in the common feelings of sympathy and humanity towards them. They often do not treat them with civility, courtesy or good manners. They sometimes manifest an arrogant and haughty carriage towards them. The following facts illustrate these positions. A Mr. George Randall, from Elkhart county, Ia., came into Salt Lake valley last season, in company with his brother. He was sick on the road before reaching the valley, and was unable to proceed any further at the time on his journey to California. His brother left him in the care of a mormon family, with a yoke of oxen, a good wagon, a sufficiency of bedding, a good supply of groceries, and fifteen dollars in money. Shortly after, the mormon borrowed his money, leaving him penniless. Mr. Randall boarded with the mormon family nine weeks, the two first of which he had some care from the family, but none afterwards. He slept all the time in his own wagon, upon his own bed. At the expiration of the nine weeks he left his boarding place. Some time afterward he went to the mormon in order to settle with him, pay him up and take his property away. The mormon was unwilling to settle and refused to do so, saying he had made up his mind to retain all the property which he had brought there, including the $15 borrowed money, as a remuneration for the nine weeks board and taking care of him two weeks of the time. Thus he was cruelly and iniquitously stripped of his property and his money. The mormon had already received $150 worth of property belonging to the young man, which would amount to $16 2/3 each week he was there; a pretty round bill of board for Salt Lake valley, where the customary price at the best houses in the city was only from $4 to $6 per week. ( 28 ) For such iniquitous extortion, he considered his redress was a resort to civil law. Accordingly, in obedience to the regulations of Salt Lake valley, he went to the bishop of the ward, (the only one to whom he could apply) for a paper to authorize the justice to issue a summons and commence a suit. But the bishop would not grant any such paper, and he was therefore deferred the opportunity of calling the law to his aid. He had no means of redress left except a resort to the authority of the heads of the church, the result of whose action in the premises he considered doubtful. Having been foiled in his attempts to obtain justice, he was disheartened and discouraged from making further efforts to obtain his dues and secure his rights. It may be said, however, to the credit of several individual mormons, that they were indignant at such conduct and offered to befriend him. Yet nothing further was done about it. This transaction shows extortion, hard-heartedness, and dishonesty on the part of the mormons. To treat a young man just recovering from sickness, a stranger among strangers, far distant from home and friends, in this way, shows that the mormon was destitute of neighborly kindness, the feelings of sympathy, humanity, justice and moral honesty. In the summer of 1850, a man by the name of Remington, from Indiana, passed through Salt Lake valley on his way to California. He had a son with him who had been sick a part of the way from the states to Salt Lake, and was still sick. Some of the mormons advised the young man to stop in the valley, saying if he got well he could earn money and pay his expenses, and if he did not they would not charge any thing, and would bury him decently. Some of the emigrants acquiesced in the proposition of the mormons, thinking it best for the son to tarry, as he was very sick. Mr. Remington did not approve of the measure, and very reluctantly consented to the arrangement. In consequence of his dissatisfaction, he left his son only $6 in money, besides some necessary articles, and a sufficiency of suitable medicines. The young man stayed principally at the solicitation of mormons. The father, and his associates on the journey, left the city and traveled on toward California, taking the cut off at the south end of Salt Lake. After his departure, the mormons, it is said, gave the son morphine, (not one of the medicines left by the father,) which was likely to prove fatal. The sheriff and two deputies were immediately despatched after Mr. Remington to bring him back, and his four horse team to ( 29 ) atone for the crime of leaving a pauper upon the mormon community. Mr. Remington was overtaken some fifty or sixty miles out, and brought back by the posse that went after him. He reached the city about an hour before his son's death. He was compelled to pay not only the expenses of the son but also the milage of the three persons who went after him, all charged at enormous rates. The bill which the mormons presented to him and which he paid was $138. The $6 which he left with his son could not be found, and was not accounted for by the mormons. The son had made no use of it because he had bought nothing. Mr. Remington, in being dragged back some fifty or sixty miles with his team, was greatly injured, not only by the payment of the money, but by more than one hundred miles unnecessary travel of his team. -- The balance of the company were detained in waiting for him to make the trip. His horses were so reduced by extra travel, that in keeping up with the balance of the company, two of them died on the way to California. This transaction shows the treachery and falsity of the mormon character, which in these respects is similar to that possessed by the Indians. They hold out fair inducements and immediately violate their most sacred promises. They over-persuaded Mr. Remington to leave his son, promising that he should be no expense to him if he staid, and almost as soon as he gets out of sight sending a posse of men after him to accuse him of leaving a pauper upon their hands, and bringing him back to pay a bill of $138, besides the $6 left with his son, making him $144 out of pocket by this event. The evidence is very strong that it was a contrived plan of the mormons, a mormon trick, to persuade the son to remain, give him a fatal medicine, and send a posse after the father in order to swindle him out of his money. If this was not the design before hand, why did the mormons, after having over-persuaded the son to stay, in so reckless and hard-hearted a manner compel the father to pay $138? If they had been careful not to make unnecessary expense, like a kind and humane people, why should they send three men instead of one? These men could not have brought Mr. Remington back by force if they had undertaken it. There were emigrants enough in the company to protect him. One man could have brought the news as well as three. Two of the messengers were entirely unnecessary, and the expense of their milage ( 30 ) was unnecessary. The mormons in all such cases make as heavy charges as possible for every move they make with their fingers, and insist upon their demands whether the emigrants have or have not the means of paying. Their demands are inexorable and must be met, no matter at what sacrifice on the part of the emigrants. Mr. Remington had not money enough to pay the demand, and was obliged to borrow a part of it from his friends who happened to have a little along with them. Such schemy policy to swindle the emigrants as they pass through Salt Lake valley, deserves the severest reprobation. Such conduct as was exhibited in this transaction, was not only treacherous and false, but was cruel, unneighborly, unjust, and unworthy of a civilized and christian people. On the 18th of July, 1850, a Mr. Almon H. White, a California emigrant from Wisconsin, encamped in Salt Lake City, and turned out all his animals except one to graze upon the common west of the city, at the suggestion of E. T. Benson, one of the twelve mormon apostles. He tied up one animal to ride after the rest in the morning, and fed it with hay for which he paid Mr. Benson fifty cents. After hitching up his team in the morning to start on his journey, he was detained two hours in procuring flour and transacting other business preparatory to starting on his journey, his team the mean while remaining near Mr. Benson's house, and Mr. Benson frequently passing to and fro. At length Mr. White started on and arriving at the extreme limit of the city halted about one hour at the bath house, after which he proceeded again on his journey. When three or four miles out from the city, he was overtaken by two men riding up, one of whom was this same E. T. Benson, and the other was the sheriff, as he called himself. They immediately demanded $12. Mr. White asked for what purpose? Mr. Benson replied, that it was to pay for his horses running on the common last night. * They said they had an execution. He asked them to let him see it, that he might know something about the proceedings and go back to the city and contest them. They said they had the papers in their hats, but would not trouble themselves to show them, and did not show them. Mr. White did not get sight of any paper showing any legal process. He told them he was nearly out of money, had only __________ * He asked why the demand was not presented to him whilst he was in the city, but got no satisfaction. ( 31 ) a few dollars, and could not very well pay it. They said they did not care for that. If he did not immediately hand over $10, they would take one of his horses back to the city; and stepping up, unhitched one of them for that purpose, saying to him, if he did not immediately pay the money, the would charge $2 extra for every minute he delayed the payment. His wife, who was in the wagon, whispered to him to pay it, and he accordingly did. This is another mormon trick to swindle an emigrant out of his money. The common, west of the city, is free to all, to emigrants as well as mormons. Thousands turned out their stock there last season, as Mr. White did, and nobody thought of charging them any thing for the use of the public common. The charge was a mere pretense to extort from Mr. White a portion of his hard earnings. And why did they delay until he had started out of the city, and was several miles on his journey, before they presented this demand? It was because they thought they would be more successful in extorting their demand from him. After having transacted his business in the city, and started out with his team and his family on a long journey, he would be more unwilling to be detained by any incidental cause that might arise. He would not be so likely to contest an iniquitous and unjust claim. This is the reason why they waited for Mr. White to get several miles on his way before they presented the claim. They act upon the principle of making other people's necessity their opportunity. In this transaction, the most arrogant, unfeeling, and overbearing conduct was exhibited. It was nothing more nor less, in principle, than a high way robbery. They might just as well have come up and demanded his money as high way robbers usually do, as to present such a claim as they did, and in the manner they did. Their claim was no more just than a robber's would be. They had the very spirit of robbers in making their demand. They were urgent and peremptory, alike void of sympathy and regardless of justice. Though Mr. White was on a long journey with his family, and needed all the scanty means he had, their hard and unfeeling hearts could not be touched with either sympathy, humanity, or neighborly kindness. If Mr. White could not pay the money, they would forcibly take a part of his team, even though it should prevent him from prosecuting his journey. The mormons will sacrifice another man's interest, for the sake of obtaining an iniquitous ( 32 ) and unjust demand. If he does not instantly comply with an arrogant request, he is peremptorily told that he will forfeit $2 for every minute he delays the payment. What overbearing treatment this! It is said this demand was made of Mr. White because he had argued with the mormons in Salt Lake City against mormonism, and had once been a mormon himself. Then, is a man to be taxed with ten or twelve dollars for telling what he thinks in relation to mormonism, or any other ism, within the limits of the United States whose constitution allows and guarantees liberty of speech upon all subjects? If Salt Lake is not under the jurisdiction of the United States, or if unusual privileges, not enjoyed in other states or territories, have been granted to it, all travelers through that place ought to know it. If Mr. White was robbed of his money because he had once advocated mormonism, and having found it unworthy of confidence, had years ago abandoned it, then he was punished for following his own convictions of truth and duty. Has it come to this, that even in Salt Lake valley people have no right to think for themselves? If the real object of demanding the twelve dollars was to punish Mr. White for speaking freely his sentiments, or abandoning the mormon faith, there was duplicity practised by Mr. Benson and the sheriff in pretending that it was for pasturage upon the public common. In the summer of 1850, Mr. E. L. [sic - E. T.?] Benson, of Salt Lake city, employed four emigrants to harvest five acres of wheat, promising them ten bushels of the wheat as a compensation for their labor, requiring them however, to thresh out their own wheat. The bargain was made several days before the wheat was ripe. In the mean time a Mr. Hopkins, a mechanic, and brother to one of the four men above refered to, was employed by Mr. Benson in the line of his trade. When the time arrived for cutting the wheat, the four men, desirous of accomplishing all they could in the little time they were to remain in the valley, to obtain means to help them on their way to California, exerted themselves to harvest the five acres in a single day, and accomplished their task. -- The next day they threshed out the ten bushels which they were to have. All this was done in the absence of Mr. Benson. When he came to see about his grain, he found that the work had been done sooner than he expected, yet he saw it was well done, and found no fault with it. Having made a tangible and definite agreement, he could not, without prevarication, deviate from it. He grudgingly allowed them to take the ( 33 ) wheat according to agreement, but refused to pay the mechanic his stipulated wages which, according to the contract, amounted to $24. -- Mr. Benson at forst handed Mr. Hopkins only $2, to pay the debt of $24. After some remonstrance against such conduct, he reluctantly forked over another dollar, leaving $21 unpaid. He assigned no reason for withholding this amount. He condescended to no parley upon the subject, but disdainfully turned away, leaving the man whom he had thus swindled out of his wages, to his own reflections and his own course. And why did Mr. Benson do this? Firstly, because it is mormon policy to cheat and swindle emigrants at the last winding up of business with them. When the mormons are through with their services, and have no further use for them, they adopt the principle of cheating and swindling them in every way, and to the greatest extent possible. Secondly, because he had power to resist payment. The mormon courts would not enforce the collection of debts due to California emigrants from the mormon members, and especially from the heads of the church. Mormon laws were not made to reach such men as the twelve mormon apostles. They soar in a region entirely above law, as much as the clouds do above the earth. Mr. Benson knew he had the power to swindle Mr. Hopkins with impunity; that Mr. Hopkins had no means of redress within reach, and therefore he did it. Mr. Hopkins knowing there was no alternative, quietly submitted to this injustice, and bent his course towards California. The following incident illustrates the overbearing disposition, and the haughty and disdainful carriage of Mr. Benson towards California emigrants. Last summer an emigrant was walking along a path in his garden which did not in the least disturb or harm any thing, when Mr. Benson happened to discover him, and called out to him authoritatively in a commanding tone of voice, "come back and go to the road, the road was made to travel in." Then turning to another emigrant, (a Mr. Hopkins, from McHenry county, Illinois, and one of the men employed by Mr. Benson to harvest his five acres of wheat,) said to him, "every damned fool who comes along must tramp through my garden. I will allow it no longer." Here is an instance of one of the mormon apostles using profane language. Did the apostles of our Savior do the same? No. So far from it, they forbade it in the strongest terms of reprehension. This incident shows the uncourteous, and disobliging manner in which he treats California ( 34 ) emigrants. Instead of accosting them in a friendly and polite manner, as strangers, far from home, he, in a surly, morose, and arrogant manner, belches out to them as if they were niggers, and were beneath his majesty's notice. Just as if the United States citizens, whom he thus disdainfully treats, and haughtily despises, were not as good as he, and entitled to the privileges of social and political equality. The emigrants feel themselves by no means his inferiors in point of talent, attainments, or responsibility. If the emigrants hereafter should have no more formidable antagonist in the science of logic than E. T. Benson of Salt Lake city, and one of the twelve mormon apostles, they would have no very great fear of any future disquisitions. He is a man who, it would seem, has been much more liberally endowed by nature with brass than with brains. He generally secures the dislike of the emigrants who have any thing to do with him, and it is said his eratic mind and turbulent disposition, often causes his brethren to keep him in his place: that the other mormon apostles have some difficulty in controlling his naturally unloving temper. In the month of September, 1850, three men, Dr. Phillips, William Hardin, and Henry B. Buchanan, started from Salt Lake city to go to California by what is called the southern route. They went as far as Utah valley, about fifty miles south of Salt Lake city, and encamped for a few days a mile from Utah fort, occupied by mormon families, whilst waiting for the balance of the company to come up and proceed upon the journey. Upon the ninth day of their encampment, they were arrested, thrown into prison, and closely confined, but for what crime they knew not. They were told some property had lately been stolen in the city, and orders had been issued to stop all emigrants from leaving the country. Mr. Buchanan, as one of the company, offered to show by his memorandum book not only when he had bought every article of his property, but also where he obtained every cent of his money with which to purchase it. This, however, was of no avail. Mr. George Grant, the arresting officer, replied that he could not help it. He said the innocent must suffer with the wicked. He said the mormons had been treated in the same way in the states, having been abused and driven from place to place, when they were innocent. Whilst they were in confinement Dr. Philips wrote a letter to general Wells in the city upon the subject but received no answer. ( 35 ) After being detained in custody eight days, they were forced back fifty miles to the city, with their heavily loaded wagons, thus detaining them still longer from starting on their journey, wearing down their teams, and unfitting them for the lengthy and laborious tour which they were about to take. On the following day after their arrival in the city, a court was held, at which the prisoners were required to be present, but their names were not called either as parties in the trial, or as witnesses. After the trial was over, they were released from custody, though not paid any thing for false imprisonment, or the damages they had sustained in loss of time and extra expenses which they had incured. This loss they must sustain without compensation, this injustice they must bear without redress. During their detention, the company to which they belonged, and with which they expected to travel to California, passed on beyond their reach, an in consequence they were compelled to remain in Salt Lake valley through the winter. The disarrangement of their plans for months to come, materially affecting their interests depended upon the ipse dixit, the nod, of mormon authority. Whatever that illegally, unjustly, and arbitrarily demanded, must be submissively and slavishly yielded. The property which it was alleged had been stolen, was afterwards found, not having been molested by any one. Mr. McVickar's jewelry shop was not broken open until after this time. These men were arrested at the insistance of Mr. Hatch, a mormon, who claimed a horse which belonged to Mr. Love, a California emigrant. On the trial Mr. Love proved that the horse was his, yet the court took it away from him and sold it for $55, to pay the expenses of the suit on both sides. It legally belonged to Mr. Hatch to pay the costs, but by a decree of the court Mr. Love had them to pay. This taking an emigrant's horse to pay a mormon's debts. This is another instance illustrating the manner in which California emigrants are treated in Salt Lake valley. Orlando Freeland, a California emigrant, last winter bought cloth and trimmings at Packard's store in Salt Lake city for a frock coat, an overcoat, and a pair of pants, and took them to a mormon tailor, only two or three rods from said store, to be made up. The tailor charged $23 for making the three garments. Before they were all made, Mr. Freeland paid him $13 towards the making, leaving the other $10 to be paid ( 36 ) when he should take the clothes away. Two or three weeks after he went for his clothes, but the tailor had disposed of them, and claimed them as payment for the $10 balance which was due. He would do nothing about it, and have Mr. F. no satisfaction. Mr. F could get no redress in the mormon courts, and had to submit to the extortion. The tailor had the cloth and trimmings for the three garments, and the $13 paid towards the making, without rendering to Mr. F. one cent's remuneration. This was not only extortion, but outright robbery. He might just as well have robbed Mr. Freeland upon the public highway of the same amount, so far as the principle is concerned. This transaction shows the unsafety of Gentiles leaving their property in the hands of mormons. If they can form any excuse for retaining it as their own, they will do so. And sometimes if they can make no excuse, they will keep it, treating the owner with contempt and haughty disdain, giving him no satisfaction for their conduct. A California emigrant, a mill wright, by the name of Treat, worked on E. T. Benson's saw mill to the amount of nearly $500. He received considerably less than $100 of his pay. Just before leaving for California last spring, he went to Mr. Benson for the balance of his pay, amounting to about $400. Mr. B. acknowledged he ought to have his pay, but said he could not pay him. Mr. B. probably felt some more obligation to his mill wrights, because it was acknowledged on all hands that they had made for him one of the best mills in the valley; (of which there were ten or eleven at the time,) than he would under other circumstances. Inasmuch as Mr. B. could not pay him at the time, he asked for his note on the balance due. Mr. Benson refused to give it, saying, he did not wish any of his notes afloat in the community. When pressed to pay the demand, or give his note, he turned upon his heel, and immediately went off out to the country to one of the southern mormon settlements, leaving Mr. T. to his own reflections, without any further opportunity to parley with him. Mr. Treat, not being able to get any redress in the mormon courts, was obliged to come away from Salt Lake valley not only without his pay, but without any legal evidence of Benson's indebtedness to him. Mr. T. is now here in California. This is another mormon trick to swindle California emigrants out of their dues. Mr. Benson purposely refused to pay, well knowing that Mr. T. could get nothing by the mormon courts, and would be obliged to leave the valley and go on to California ( 37 ) without it, unless he saw fit to pay. Mr. Benson, because he had the power to cheat him out of his earnings, did so. This is the conduct frequently exhibited by Mr. E. T. Benson, one of the twelve mormon apostles. Mr. C. Custer, & Co., made a contract last fall to build a mill dam for E. T. Benson for the sum of $1000. The work was done according to agreement and accepted, but it was found that the dam needed to be two or three feet higher than was specified in the contract. Mr. Benson told them if they would raise the dam that much higher, he would pay them for the additional labor in proportion to the other. They raised the dam and completed the work. The raising of the dam amounted to about $200, making with the first contract $1200. On this amount the company received $700. No reason was assigned for the non-payment of the balance. No fault was found with the work. The debt remains unpaid, and probably always will. Mr. Custer was shot by Indians just before starting for California. Mr. Freeland, one of the firm, is now here in California. It would be well for all California emigrants in passing through Salt Lake valley, to avoid all business transactions hereafter with Mr. Benson. His present residence in Salt Lake city is a few rods south east of the council house, on the opposite side of the street. A man who is almost as certain to cheat and rob the California emigrants, and all Gentiles who have any business transactions with him, as the sun is to rise, should be avoided by all decent and honest folks. Being one of the twelve mormon apostles, and beyond the reach of mormon law and mormon courts, Gentiles have no redress, and therefore should not put themselves in his power. A young man, about eighteen years of age, whose father is dead, and whose mother is in the states, came to Salt Lake valley in the summer of 1849, on his way to California. After arriving in the city, he passed a five dollar gold piece which proved to be spurious. For this offence he was sold into servitude for one year, to be kept at hard labor. He was sold by the mormon authorities for the benefit of the church for the sum of fifty dollars paid into the church fund, and his necessary clothes through the year. He was purchased for these considerations by Mr. Scott, a mormon, who lives five or six miles south of the city, and has three wives. ( 38 ) About the end of the year the young man had some difficulty with a boy, whom he whipped. For this offence he was again sold to the same man for the paltry sum of only $10 for six months additional service. Mr. Scott has kept him at hard labor during the whole time, and has not furnished him with either decent or comfortable clothing, as many say who have been in the habit of seeing him during the time he has been at Mr. Scott's. He has often been seen in the winter season drawing wood from the cold and snowy mountains several miles distant, and performing other out-door work, without either boots or shoes sufficiently good to keep his bare feet from the snow. Other parts of his body were often naked. On one occasion Mr. Scott threw him down, put his foot on his breast, and holding his broad axe up over him, swore he would cut off his head. The young man begged for his life. The family were horror-stricken. The children began to cry, and one of his wives ran out and pulled him off. The young man is in constant fear, and as perfectly enslaved, for the time being, as the negroes of the southern states. He dare not assert his rights. He has lost all manly independence, and unless his friends interfere, he may be sold from time to time, under one pretext and another, and kept in servitude for years to come, and perhaps for life. This transaction shows extortion, hard heartedness and cruelty. -- It is extortionary to sell the services of the young man for 18 months for the paltry sum of sixty dollars, and the small amount of clothing which he received, when the services of an ordinary hand in Salt Lake valley during the same period would be worth at least $300. It was extortionary for the church to sell the young man's services or delay him on his journey to California longer than to pay a reasonable penalty for passing counterfeit money, if he did it intentionally, and if innocently, longer than to replace the five dollars. It was hard hearted and cruel to reduce a white man to servitude, work him hard, and not more than half clothe him. It was hard hearted and cruel to not only enslave the body, but also to enslave the mind; to destroy all manly independence, and remove from him every vestige of freedom. Dr. Whitlock, who spent the past winter in Salt Lake valley, made a contract last fall with General Wells, chief agent on the public works of the mormon authorities, to deliver all the lumber he should be able to furnish through the winter, on condition of being paid for the same one ( 39 ) half in cash, and the other half out of the tything office. When he had delivered lumber to the amount of $150, he received pay for the same according to agreement. After delivering some $200 worth more, he asked for the cash part of the payment for the same, and was told by General Wells that he did not intend to pay him any more cash towards lumber, and that he did not intend, at the time he made the promise, to pay him any more cash than he had already received. Dr. Whitlock did not receive another cent in cash from him. General Wells then made a new promise that Dr. W. would have in future for his lumber any thing the tything office afforded. * With this encouragement he continued to deliver it until it amounted to about $1000. When Dr. W. wished to close up the business in the spring, preparatory to leaving for California, the authorities would not allow him to have a single pound of flour from the tything office, and would only pay him in potatoes, turnips, and such like things as he could not bring with him to California, and were therefore of no use to him. When he had [sic] the flour due him at the tything office, he was compelled to go elsewhere and pay $140 cash for 1400 pounds of flour to use on his journey to California. He never got his pay in full for his lumber. This transaction is in keeping with mormon conduct last winter in its treatment of California emigrants. It is a mormon policy to hold out great inducements at first, make fair promises, and then swindle emigrants all they possibly can, at the last winding up of business with them. The mormon leaders knew that Dr. W. was obliged to have flour, and if he could not get it otherwise, he would either pay cash, or exchange some of his other property for it. In this instance, extortion was practised by authority of the church. It is the policy of the mormon church collectively, to swindle and extort from all others but themselves as much of their property as they are able. It is said by persons who have been mormons that it is a requisite of the mormon leaders that their members should treat the emigrants with hard heartedness and severity; and that it is considered a crime against the church to sympathize with them or befriend them, according to the __________ * The tything office, or store-house in which the tything of the members of the mormon church was deposited, contained all kinds of agricultural products raised in the valley, besides some merchandise. Among other things were several thousand bushels of wheat and considerable flour. ( 40 ) demands of humanity or justice. Unless the members suppose their sympathy, humanity, and sense of justice; in fine, all the better impulses of their natures, and harden their hearts, stiffen their necks, and embolden their faces, they are not prepared to perpetrate the crimes required by mormon policy. They cannot treat emigrants and the Gentile world in the manner required by the leaders, without such hardening process. This principle is in perfect accordance with the conduct of the leaders and many of the members. It explains a large portion of mormon conduct towards California emigrants, especially in the winter season, when they have no opportunity to get away from Salt Lake valley. Such a system of hard heartedness, extortion, oppression, and swindling, countenanced and demanded by the authorities of the mormon church, on the part of the members, must necessarily have a deteriorating influence upon the moral principles and social virtues of the people. Its tendency is to foster the worst principles of action among mankind. It is contrary to improvement and civilization.
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( 41 ) earth; and if they put forth their hands and help themselves, now and then, to a few of the good things of this life which legally belong to other folks, they are only fulfilling the designs of Providence, and hastening on the consummation of those events which are to make them instrumental in the salvation of the world. The method of acquiring property by theft is not as laborious as by honest industry. Besides, when the business can be carried on successfully, the gains are often much more rapid than by any other mode of acquiring wealth. Head work, to those who are averse to laborious toil, is very congenial. If they can get their living by their wits, instead of their muscles, they are sure to do so, even at the sacrifice of all moral principle. Theft was practised by the mormons in Kirtland, Ohio, in Missouri, in Illinois, and now in Salt Lake valley. Whether the disposition is partly natural and partly acquired, or wholly acquired, it has been so long continued, and under such sanction from the heads of the church, as to become a second nature, and have all the force of an inherent and innate propensity. Several months after the mormons had been driven out of Missouri, and had settled in Illinois, they built boats for the purpose of running off stolen property from Missouri into Illinois. They kept a company in Missouri in disguise whose business it was to steal property of all descriptions, and bring it to the banks of the Missouri river, for boats to take and run into a large slough, a little above Quincy, Illinois, where they kept it secreted for a short time, until it could be privately taken away and disposed of. After awhile, the mormons bought the ferry across the Mississippi river between Nauvoo and Montrose on the Iowa side, and brought the horses which they stole in Missouri across the south east corner of Iowa to Montrose, and took them in their own ferry boats across to Nauvoo, where they were kept until arrangements could be made for their disposal in remote parts of the country. Here was an extensive system of theft carried on by numerous mormons, sanctioned by the church. They stole from the people of a particular state, not because they could steal to better advantage from that state than any other, but because they owed it a special grudge, and wished to inflict upon it an injury. Stealing being one of their inveterate propensities, whenever they could have as good a pretext for stealing as the punishment of their enemies, they readily embarked in an ( 42 ) enterprise so congenial to their feelings, hoping thereby to enrich themselves and the church at the same time. About the time they were stealing every thing they could lay their hands upon, from the state of Missouri, and running it off out of the state, or very soon after, (having by this time got their hand in a little, as the saying is,) they began an extensive system of stealing in Illinois. They would start from home with their horses and wagons some time in the day, according to the different distances they wished to travel out into the surrounding country, closely observing, as they went along, the different articles of property in the vicinity of the road which could be conveniently stolen and taken off. Thus passing out from Nauvoo in different directions through the day with their teams, their minds constantly on the alert in contriving the best ways and means of getting this, that, and the other article of property which they happened to see on their journey, they would start back in time to reach home in the course of the night, loading up their wagons as they returned, with such property as had been selected through the day for the purpose. -- Thus, through the live-long night, mormon teams, heavily loaded with stolen goods, would be nearing and entering the city of Nauvoo from different points of the compass, and passing through different streets into the interior of the commercial metropolis, somewhat after the manner in which industrious bees, in the day time, instead of the night, come in from all directions, heavily laden with the sweets of the flowers of the surrounding country, and enter their respective hives. These marauders were in the habit of taking and carrying off almost every species of property which the country afforded. Grain would often be taken from the granaries, some times from the stock yards, whether cleaned or in the chaff, and some times from the fields when left out over night in bags to be sown the next day. Many a parcel of choice seed wheat thus suddenly disappeared, under cover of night, to the great annoyance and vexation of the owners. No doubt it made excellent flour for the tables of the saints at Nauvoo. Farming tools were also taken off in the same way. Some times they remodeled stolen articles to change their appearance, so as to prevent the owners from identifying them, should they ever get their eyes upon them. The mormons were so fond of honey, it was with great difficulty the people in the surrounding region could retain their bee hives in the bee houses over night, especially as the cool weather approached in the fall, ( 43 ) when the hives were heavily loaded, and the bees less active than in hot weather. The night was selected as being better adapted to their removal than the day. The mormons, though remarkably fond of daring adventure, and extensively versed in its practice, nevertheless preferred not to encounter the little industrials, except in favorable times, lest they should offer some resistance to a transfer of ownership from the Illinoians to the mormons. In one instance, two hundred dollars worth of leather was stolen and taken off. Not content with stealing such property as they could carry off on foot, and on horse back, they must needs take their teams and wagons and ransack the surrounding country and carry off such property as they could find convenient to their hand, because in wagons they could better conceal large articles and gather a larger amount. They wished to do a wholesale business. They despised petty retail. They embarked in every such enterprise extensively. They had no narrow, contracted, and circumscribed notions upon such matters. Numerous wagons going out from Nauvoo, as the great centre of operations, into the country in different directions, some farther, and some to a less distance, and returning home at different hours in the night, load by load, enrich the mormon city. The revenue from this source, though it did not pass through the custom house, was considerable. Business was lively in Nauvoo both day and night. No wonder it prospered. But the mormons were in the habit of stealing fat hogs and fat cattle, and driving them to Nauvoo. They were hastily killed to supply the latter day saints with fresh meat, of which they were very fond, especially when obtained without money and without price. Under such circumstances their appetites were voracious, and economy and frugality were virtues difficult to practice. That which costs little or nothing will not naturally be used sparingly. The mormons in Nauvoo and the adjacent country were so annoying in their thefts to the Illinoians, that many of the inhabitants, in order to retain their property and prevent the light fingered mormons from carrying it off, were obliged to watch it nights with dogs and guns by their sides. They often had to move their horses from the stables to their fields, on succeeding nights, lest the thieving mormons, having observed them in one place, on the succeeding night, if they should be put there again, lay hands upon them and take them off. Some ( 44 ) times when the mormons were taking stolen horses to Nauvoo, if so closely pursued that the horses were likely to be found before they could be run off, they would leave them with some of their brethren living a little out of the city, and pass on. If the owners happened to find them, those who had them in possession would pretend they had purchased them of some stranger who had passed on, and whose name they did not know. A man living on the east part of Hancock county, Illinois, had some property stolen by mormons, and taking his horse, rode to Nauvoo and found it, but the mormons would not give it up. He commenced legal process to recover it, but failed to do so through false representations of mormon witnesses who swore that the property had been purchased of another man. The horse which he rode to Nauvoo was taken to pay the costs of suit, and he was obliged to return home without either the property stolen from him, or his horse on which he rode to attend to the business. This fact shows that even in Illinois, as well as in Salt Lake, justice could not be obtained in the mormon courts by Gentiles. When the mormons were about leaving Nauvoo in the year 1846 for Council Bluffs, on the Missouri river, a part of them crossed the Mississippi near Montrose, on the Iowa side, quite early in the spring, and went out four miles and encamped on Sugar Creek, waiting for the rest to get ready and come on from Nauvoo and join them. It was about three weeks from the time the first families arrived upon the camp ground before all reached it, and were ready for their departure. On the evening before the camp was to move on its journey, a Mr. Hancock, living near Montrose, went out to the camp and spent the night with two of his brothers, who were mormons as well as himself, in order to make them a visit and see them start the next morning. Mr. Hancock had taken with him a bushel of beans which he intended to divide with his brothers before leaving them, for them to use upon their journey. Shortly after arriving at the camp, he took the bag containing the beans and set it down by the wagon of one of his brothers to remain there until morning. In due time, the evening having passed away in cheerful conversation upon various topics, all retired to rest for the night. As the morning dawned, Mr. Hancock arose, and looking for his beans, soon discovered that they had been taken by some one. At length it was ascertained that a Mr. Huntington, a mormon, occupying a high position in the ( 45 ) mormon church, as high priest, Indian interpreter, and an ordained baptiser for the dead, had taken them in the dark and rainy night, supposing that the bag contained corn, oats or some other kind of horse feed and emptied a part of its contents into his feed box at the hind end of his wagon, leaving his horses to wait upon themselves to their stolen suppers. But the poor animals, hungry as they were, and as much as they needed a good night's rest, and a hearty meal, preparatory to their long and laborious journey, either from instinct or principle, had more honesty than their owner. They had practiced such rigid self denial, that with an ample supply of food before them, they had scarcely put their noses down to the beans all night long. They were found in the box the next morning untouched. Mr. Hancock had discovered them in their quiet resting place before Mr. Huntington was up. He awoke him and accused him of having stolen his beans. Mr. Huntington, supposing that his horses had eaten the grain which he had given them the night before, at first denied it. But when told that a part of the beans were still in his feed box, could no longer resist the evidence. The truth was out, too plain to be mistaken. Chagrined and guilty, he offered to pay for the beans, but Mr. Hancock would take nothing. No sooner was this transaction over, than Mr. Hancock, in looking about the camp of latter day saints, discovered a span of horses belonging to one of his neighbors, Mr. Rowe, of Montrose, and remarked, "here are Mr. Rowe's horses, they have run away." The mormon who had them in charge, said they did not run away, they were brought here. Mr. Hancock asked if they had bought them. He replied no. -- Brigham Young said that Rowe was a damned apostate, and told him to go and get a team to assist in taking the brass band along on the journey. In obedience to instructions given him by Brigham Young, who was, at this time, the head of the mormon church, he had gone in the dead of night and taken a span of Mr. Rowe's horses out of his stable. He had four horses in it at the time. The two best were taken. Mr. Hancock told him Mr. Rowe was sick and not able to be out, and he would take the horses back to him. There being an unwillingness to give them up, he finally said, if the horses were not given up, he would have the sheriff after them before sun down. The horses were delivered up; and Mr. Hancock, without waiting to see the company start, bade his brothers adieu and started for home, having had some fresh experience that morning of the iniquities of his mormon brethren. Mr. Hancock ( 46 ) arrived at Mr. Rowe's, in Montrose, with the stolen horses, whilst the family were at breakfast. Here, in this professed camp of the church of latter day saints, several vices were exhibited. Here was theft in stealing the beans and horses, and that not by transient and unprincipled members who had joined them from sinister motives, and whom they had incautiously taken into the church, but by persons high in authority and influence in the mormon church. Brigham Young, the head of the church, and reported to be at least as holy as the best among them, had sent one of the brethren to steal a span of horses in the dead of night, contrary to law, justice, and the precepts of the christian religion. By doing so, he encouraged and sanctioned a dishonest practice among his people. It is not surprising that under such a leader, and under such an influence, the mormon people should be adicted to stealing. Brigham Young was guilty of swearing in calling Mr. Rowe a damned apostate. Profaneness is a common and inveterate habit with him. He hesitates at no time, even in his Sunday discourses, to use some profanity. It is not to be wondered at, when he has such unbounded influence over the people, that they should imitate his example and practice profanity. The reason assigned by Brigham Young in justification of the stealing of the horses, was, that Mr. Rowe, from whom they were taken, was an apostate. Then, because he had tried mormonism, found it unworthy of confidence, and had abandoned it, he must be punished by having his property suddenly taken away from him without his consent. The fault was not in him, but in the mormon system, which had not excellencies enough in it to recommend it. Yet Mr. Rowe must be made to suffer by the mormon church, for its own offences. This punishment was to be inflicted, not in pursuance of a trial by civil law, but at the instance of one who, according to his caprice or passion, could order it to be done. It appears from numerous facts, and from the history of mormonism, that it has ever been its policy to bring down vengeance upon all who forsake it, instead of suffering them, if not pleased with it, to voluntarily and quietly depart. The mormons seem disposed to compel those who join them, to remain with them. If they will not stay with them, they persecute them to the last extremity; often murdering them in cold blood. mormonism, in the treatment of apostates, is perfectly akin to Romanism. But more of this anon. ( 47 ) In the course of the journey across the state of Iowa, in the year 1846, it so happened that a portion of the mormon church, then under the guidance of George A. Smith, one of the twelve apostles, and cousin to Joseph Smith, Jr., the fallen prophet, were camped one night in a certain place where bears were plenty. Their stock was turned out to graze, and some persons were sent out with it to guard it. Near the herd ground, a large black fat hog, weighing three or four hundred pounds, was discovered walking about. The herdsmen immediately bethought themselves that it would be well for their camp to have that hog to eat. But it being a fundamental principle of mormonism, that all the members of the church must obey their leaders, and must ascertain their counsel in all important matters before acting, they sent out one of their number to the camp to ascertain the mind of George A. Smith, their captain, upon the subject, telling him they had seen a large bristley bear, and asking his advice as to the expediency of killing him. He replied, a little fresh meat would revive their spirits. The hint was understood. The had killed bristley bears, or bears with bristles, before. In a short time, several persons, having put their knives in readiness for the occasion, started to accompany the messenger who had brought the news. Presently, all reached the place where the animal had been seen. A Mr. Biley, who had come out with them, but who had not as yet learnt as much as some of the rest of the company respecting the mysterious ways of this strange people, remarked that the animal was not a bear. The messenger replied that it was a squealing bear. They killed it and dressed it, taking off the skin, because they could not conveniently scald it. They had no effectual means of concealing the skin, hair and entrails, except by burning them up. If they should bury them, they might be dug up by dogs, wolves or other animals, and thus expose their doings. Accordingly they took them to the camp and buried them up in their fires, to be there consumed. The skin, with its weighty coat of hair and huge bristles, was put into the captain's fire and covered over with coals so completely that it could not be seen. The meat was speedily divided among the different families and messes in the camp. But no sooner was the duty of division and putting the offals under their fires performed, than a stranger was seen wending his way towards the camp. He neared Mr. Smith's camp fire, enquiring as he approached, ( 48 ) of they had any where in that vicinity seen a very large fat black hog, minutely describing the one they had just disposed of. The most profound ignorance respecting it was professed. Mr. George A. Smith, for the double purpose of engrossing his attention, and thus preventing him from making discoveries, and also to convert him to the mormon faith (having had a pious streak suddenly dart over him as the stranger inquired for his lost hog) commenced with much zeal to lecture him upon the great principles of mormonism. The man was astonished at such doctrine. His attention was so completely engrossed by the marvelous subject that although standing near the fire where his hog skin was being consumed, and within the limits in which his olfactories might have detected the smell of burning fresh meat, yet he made no discoveries respecting his hog. It is said Mr. Smith well nigh converted him to the mormon faith. At length the man concluded he must go in further pursuit of his lost hog. Thus ended this extraordinary mormon lecture in elucidation of the mormon system. No sooner had the stranger departed a few rods away from the camp, than irrepressible snickerings and rejoicing began to break forth audibly, regardless alike of good manners, and of the iniquity of their course. The saints were highly pleased with the deception they had triumphantly practised, and in view of the rich prize they had obtained, and which would, many a time, revive their drooping spirits. Directly hasty meals were prepared and loud thanks were offered at the different festal boards for the bounties of divine providence. -- Here was another instance of theft encouraged and sanctioned by the mormon leaders. They took property not their own and appropriated it for their own use. On the same journey through Iowa, a cow was stolen by the mormons from one of the inhabitants on the route, and driven on the way forty miles before the owner, being absent at the time, could return and overtake the train. His own daughter saw them ride around the cow, not far distant from the road, and drive her off. He pursued and overtook the mormons. He went into their camp, and was asked by them what his business was. He told them he was looking for his cow which he described and immediately selected out from the rest. The mormons were not willing he should take the cow away. One of them pretended he had bought her, and others swore they saw him pay the money ( 49 ) for her. But he told them he knew his own cow, and was ready to die, if necessary, in the attempt to get her. He drew out his revolver and told them it would be death to the first man who should attempt to drive back his cow. He drove her off and took her home. Thus, the latter day saints, as they call themselves, have not only the malignity to steal other people's property, but the dishonesty and effrontery to make efforts to retain property by perjuring themselves. What crimes will not such a people commit? They are prepared to perpetrate the most abominable enormities. In the year 1849, a bell, which belonged to the new school presbyterian church in Iowa City, was about to be removed from that place to another church. It had been purchased by subscription at an expense of nearly $1000, when hung and ready for use. This amount was obtained only by great exertion from the inhabitants of the surrounding country. On occasion of its removal, several persons, among whom were the minister and some of the officers of the church, assembled at the meeting house for the purpose of taking down the bell. They placed the wagon, which was to bear the bell away, by the side of the house to receive it as they should let it down by a long rope. All things preparatory being arranged, with a suitable rope the company ascended aloft. It was in the twilight of the evening. The removal of a church bell from its wonted habitation would naturally superinduce sacred meditations, but the shadowy aspect of the horizon and the approaching darkness rendered the scene still more solemn and impressive. With care and deliberation they slowly lowered the warning monitor from the belfry towards the ground. Just as this was being done, a mormon by the name of David Lamoreaux happened to be driving past with a span of horses and wagon, and instantly bethought himself that an opportunity was afforded to obtain a prize. He immediately stopped, jumped out of his wagon, removed the one which had been placed to receive the bell, and drove his own into the same place. By the time the bell had descended within reach he was ready to take hold of it with his hands and guide it into his own wagon. He immediately unfastened the rope, grabbed his lines and drove off. A few rods rook him out of sight. -- Such exploits did not very much disturb his equanimity, as he had been accustomed to them before. They had become to him familiar scenes. Very probably his wagon had been employed in the marauding excursions which had been carried on at Nauvoo. Such a performance might ( 50 ) seem, at first view, to indicate a good degree of shrewdness, cunning and smartness; but when it is recollected that he had taken lessons in this kind of business for years, and that such trickery flourishes most luxuriantly under mormon influence, such a feat is no great marvel. It indicates aptness or scholarship. The company which went up aloft, slowly wending their way downwards, at length arrived at the place where they expected to see the bell. But behold! no bell was there. The wagon itself had taken the liberty to start from its moorings. The force of gravity had not been able to retain it in its position. There it stood, a rod or two aside. No bell was in it. Could it be they had not lowered the bell? A moment's reflection confirmed their convictions that the bell had been lowered to the ground. They felt its weight drawing heavily upon the rope as they gave it out in the bell's descent. When a sufficient length of rope had been given out to reach nearly to the ground, they suddenly felt a cessation of weight pulling upon the rope, and supposed the bell had reached the wagon placed to receive it. They were convinced that they had done their duty, but by what means the bell had played truant was more than they could tell. Immediately the disappearance of the bell was noised about the village, and astonished the natives. By what superhuman power a sanctimonious church bell should take a freak and suddenly skulk away out of sight and hearing, was marvelous to all eyes. Had the inhabitants known that a light fingered mormon was in the region, they could have readily deciphered the mystery. All was query and doubt. The darkness had come on apace, and very little search could be made that night. The marvelous event was a topic of enlivened conversation throughout the place. A thousand solutions were suggested, but nothing was known with certainty as to the whereabouts of the bell or the manner of its departure. At a late hour of the evening the inhabitants of the place, with minds solicitous and somewhat disquieted; retired to rest. On the following morning there was a general turn out of the people to search for the bell. They looked dilligently for about a week, on the land and in the water of the river passing through the place, but could find no bell. They supposed it might have been sunk in the turbid water to keep it out of view until a favorable opportunity should arrive when it could be taken away. No discoveries could be made except to trace the tracks of the wagon which carried off the bell about three ( 51 ) miles when it went into the grass and could be followed no farther. The proprietors of the bell, feeling deeply their loss, and ardently desirous to obtain a solution of the mystery, offered a $400 reward for the bell, either whole or in pieces. Still no bell was produced, no information was elicited. Its whereabouts remained a profound secret. All was left to uncertain conjecture In the mean time Mr. Lamoreaux was wending his way as best he could under the circumstances across the country far distant from Iowa City, taking every precaution to avoid suspicion and detection. By covering up the bell with other loading in his wagon, by traveling nights, and by the aid of other brethren, he was enabled to elude the watchfulness of the inhabitants. As he rode along through the country, almost constantly would his thoughts recur with feelings of proud triumph to the wonderful achievement he had just accomplished. Often whilst traveling alone he would heartily laugh in his sleave, and when perchance he might now and then fall in with some of his mormon brethren, and make boastful mention to them of the surprising exploit of which he had just been the author, loud outbursts of irrepressible laughter would instantaneously break forth from every heart in rejoicing strains at the chicanery practised upon the Gentiles. At length Mr. L., having passed carefully and watchfully across the state of Iowa, arrived at Council Bluffs in the fall of 1849, where he sank the bell in the Missouri river, to remain unknown to any except mormons, and undisturbed until the following spring. In the spring of 1850 there was to be a large emigration of mormons (nearly 4000) from the states to Salt Lake. Mr. L. with his family was to accompany them, and as they were on the eve of starting, he raised the bell from its watery hiding place, loaded it into his wagon, concealed by other articles, and took it with him in his journey across the plains. In the early fall, as the mormon trains neared Salt Lake valley, and arrived upon the mountains, not of Israel of old, but the Bear River mountains, bordering Salt Lake valley upon the east, it is said they merrily rang the stolen bell to listen to such unwonted tones in the western wilderness, and give token to the inhabitants of Salt Lake city of their approach. The trains reached the valley. The families distributed themselves about the country, making arrangements for the coming winter. It was expected the mormon church would soon be furnished ( 52 ) with a bell through the indefatigable exertions and benevolence of a mormon brother. At length Mr. David Lamoreaux came forward and offered to sell his church bell to the mormon church for the modest and unpretending sum of only $1600. When it was ascertained that he had rather more zeal to enrich his own pockets than to promote the interests of the church, the mormon authorities rejected his proposal as being extortionary, since the bell cost him only the labor of bringing it from Iowa City to Salt Lake valley. It had been supposed that Mr. L. was doing business for the church instead of himself. The leaders, in order to show a semblance of honesty and obtain the color of a title to the bell, wrote to the owners informing them that a certain church bell had been stolen from them by an individual and brought there, and if they would take some four or six hundred dollars for it they would purchase it of them, well knowing they would sell it for much less than its value in the states, rather than transport it back again to its former home. Mr. Blair, a mormon, now in Salt Lake city, states attorney for the organized state of Deseret, formerly merchant on the valley, but now engaged in the manufacture of beer, and who has been a Texian [sic] ranger, was heard not many months since to make his boast that he had stolen property of all values, from a picayune up to a steam engine. He had followed stealing as a business. On one occasion, a few years ago, he stole a steam engine at some point on the Mississippi river, and having loaded it upon a raft was conveying it away. Being pursued, and not able to make very great speed with his unwieldy vessel, having a steam engine it is true, but neither fire, steam or wheels, he directed, as well he could, the course of his water craft towards an island in the river, hoping to reach the shore. But finding it impossible to do so before being overtaken, he sank the engine, swam ashore and hid himself upon the island. This Mr. B. spoke of boastingly as a praiseworthy deed. He made mention of it of his own accord. According to mormon notions, stealing from Gentiles is a virtue. So commendable, in their estimation, is the business of stealing, that instead of being ashamed of it, as all people ought to be, they exultingly boast of it as creditable and meritorious. Many of the instances of theft which the mormon people have perpetuated, would never have come to the knowledge of the Gentiles had it not been for their own needless boastings. The fact that they exultingly ( 53 ) boast of such conduct, not only among themselves, but sometimes in the presence of emigrants, is proof that they justify it, and that it is sanctioned by the principles of their religion. Last September a mormon in Salt Lake valley sold an emigrant a horse for $125. The next night after the sale the horse either strayed or was stolen. The purchaser thought the horse might have gone back to his former owner. He went there and inquired for the horse, but was told he had not been there. The loss of the horse rendered him unable to come to California according to his intention at the time of purchasing him. A short time after this some property was stolen in the city. It was pretended by mormons that emigrants had done it. An order was immediately issued to bring back all emigrants just starting for California [by] the southern route. Accordingly men went out for that purpose, and brought back such as they found in order to detain them until it should be ascertained who was guilty of the theft. Among the rest an emigrant was brought from Utah who had in his possession the horse above named. The emigrant who had paid $125 for him knew him and claimed him, pointing out the mormon of whom he purchased the horse. The other emigrant stated that he had bought the horse of the same mormon. The purchaser commenced legal process for the trial of the right of property. Both emigrants proved in the trial by both emigrants and mormons that they had each bought the same horse of the same mormon, the one two days before the other. The court decided that both the litigants and their witnesses were mistaken as to the horse in question, and decreed that the horse should be sold to pay the expenses of the trial, which was accordingly done. -- The testimony of a large number of witnesses must be impeached and set aside when it implicates a mormon brother. The mormon court, rather than condemn a mormon brother, according to the evidence adduced, for stealing a horse of an emigrant and selling him the second time in the space of two days, would accuse an array of witnesses of being mistaken, because it would affix less stain upon mormon character. But these witnesses gave in their testimony under such circumstances that it is unreasonable to suppose thay should be biased or give false evidence. The two litigants were emigrants. The witnesses of each consisted of emigrants and mormons. All these witnesses on both sides recognized the horse as being the one sold on each occasion to each of ( 54 ) the litigants. And yet the court has the audacity and effrontery to aver that all the witnesses are mistaken, whilst the court can see and judge better than all of them put together. In this instance the court needed no witnesses. It performed the double duty of giving testimony and judging the matter. The expenses of the mormon court must be paid at all hazards. If a verdict cannot be rendered in favor of one or the other of the litigants, both jointly must pay the bill. Each of them must lose the price of a horse for such a purpose, and each of them must consequently pay the entire costs of the suit. The two emigrants were impoverished, the court was amply compensated for its time, whilst the mormon who had committed the rascality was greatly enriched by getting twice paid for his horse. If the mormon court had any sense of justice, or had transacted its business upon the principles usually adopted by civilized communities, it would have compelled the rascally mormon to pay back to one or the other of the emigrants the amount he had received from him as well as the entire costs of the suit. But no. The mormon brethren must be favored at the expense of all others, no matter what their conduct is. C. M. Drown, a mormon in Salt Lake valley, stole a yoke of oxen of an emigrant just before the time of starting last spring to California, and sold them immediately to another emigrant. On July, 1850, an emigrant had four horses stolen from him at the mouth of Parley P. Pratt's Canyon, the first night after reaching Salt Lake valley. Just before dark several mormons came to him and inquired on what terms he would sell those horses. He replied he did not wish to sell them, but was going on with them to California. The horses were taken that night and never afterwards found by the owner. Last season an emigrant who passed through Salt Lake valley, was stopping a few days in the city and fastened his horse in the big field, as it is called, adjoining the city on the south, to eat grass. The next morning he went for his horse, but he had been taken and turned out in a distant herd. He hired a mormon to go with him that day for $5 and look for the horse. They separated, one going to one band and the other to the other band. The mormon found a horse answering the description in the band to which he went, but passed directly on, afterwards saying to the emigrant he did not see his horse. In the course of ( 55 ) the day the pursuit was abandoned, and the emigrant having previously sold his oxen, and having now lost his horse on which he intended to pack to California, was obliged to make arrangements with some of his fellow emigrants to take him through to California. The next morning after the search for his horse, he started, in company with other emigrants, for California. The same day the same mormon who had been employed the day before to hunt for the horse, went out and brought in the same horse, and kept him through the past winter. Emigrants who spent the winter there often saw the horse in his possession and knew him. Thus, the mormon, by having a minute description of the horse, was enabled to find him the day he was employed, and get $5 for his services. The next day he gets the horse. having now both $5 and the horse, but the emigrant was suffering the loss of both. This is a trick the mormons have often practised with the emigrants. They often drive off their stock to a considerable distance, not likely to be visited by the emigrants, and if asked by them to help find their stock, they will advise to go in the opposite direction. Thus, many an emigrant, who in good faith has applied to mormons for aid in finding his stock, has been most cruelly robbed of it by the same mormons. Those whose aid he solicits as friends, often act the part of treacherous enemies. A man from near Independence, Jackson county, Missouri, went to California in 1849. Among his animals which he took with him were a certain horse and cow, known to those traveling with him to be his. After reaching California he, in company with several others, kept a ranch. Afterwards mormons came and formed a settlement near the ranch. A few months ago the company sold out to two of their number, and went into the mines. One of the two was the man above referred to as having come from Missouri. He still had the same horse and cow which he had brought from the states two years ago. Soon after a mormon stepped up and claimed them, and brought forward about twenty mormon witnesses who swore that the animals belonged to the mormon, some four or five of them being personally knowing to the fact that the Missourian had brought them from home in 1849. The herdsman's witnesses being absent in the mines at the time and out of reach, the animals were taken from him. This same herdsman and those who have been associated with him have lost six thousand dollars worth of ( 56 ) property within the last two years, stolen principally by mormons in California. Any people who will write and swear falsely in behalf of each other, either to shield their own members from justice, or extort property from other folks to enrich any of their number, or follow stealing systematically or by wholesale, are dangerous and unworthy citizens in any country. It has been stated to the emigrants on good authority that the mormon leaders in Salt Lake valley employ persons expressly for the purpose of stealing stock from emigrants and running it off to distant herd grounds out of reach of the emigrants. Some of the islands in Salt Lake are occupied as herd grounds for the church. These cannot be reached except by fording a shallow portion of the lake. These are remote from the settlements and difficult to access. Emigrants seldom visit them. It was stated to some of the emigrants last March, by persons of veracity, and whose testimony would not be questioned in the states, that the mormon church had at that time more than two hundred head of stock in its possession which had been either stolen or fraudulently obtained from the emigrants within the last few months. Thomas Williams, a merchant now in Salt Lake valley, and who has been in jail in Quincy, Illinois, for stealing horses, during the Mexican war, robbed a Spaniard in Mexico of some property. The Spaniard made no ado about it, but waited for a favorable opportunity to reciprocate the favor. At length such a moment arrived, and he robbed Mr. Williams of a much greater amount of property. Mr. W. complained bitterly at the loss of his property, but the Spaniard remained inexorable, saying they were now even and he was willing to quit. Dr. Whitlock, a California emigrant, who spent the past winter in Salt Lake valley, about forty miles west of Salt Lake city, had two horses, five oxen and a cow stolen from him in the spring, before he started on his journey for California. He does not know positively who took them, but believes, from circumstances, they must have been taken by mormons. He started on his journey the first day of May, encamped the first night near E. T. Benson's saw mill, about eight miles from his own house. He had another span of horses stolen, (the last horses he had,) and all his cattle driven off in different directions several miles away from him camp. In the morning when he arose and not one of his animals could be found. In the course of the day he found his cattle, but ( 57 ) not his horses. It appeared his horses had been stolen, and his cattle driven off in different directions some miles in the course of the night, as a blind to prevent the discovery of the theft of the horses, making it appear as if the Indians had undertaken to run off the stock. The next day he drove to the Jordan bridge, within two or three miles of the city, where he encamped with his family about a week. While encamped here he got track of one of his stolen horses. It was in the possession of a young man twenty years of age who had stolen the span of horses from him on the first night after he started on his journey, and drove off the cattle so cunningly in different directions, as has been since ascertained. The young man's name is Campbell Bilingsly, who lives with his father in the city, both mormons. Dr. W. went to see him about the horse which he understood he had in his possession. He had started about two hours before with the horse for Utah, some thirty or forty miles distant. The cause of the young man's starting just then, probably was the fact that Dr. Whitlock was in the city looking for his stolen horses. He went to Willard Snow and obtained a warrant for the young man, but could get no mormon officer to go after him. He told them they connived with the thief. He then went to the father of the young man and told him as his son was under age he should hold him responsible for the horse his son had stolen. The father agreed to bring him the horse the following Monday, and accordingly did so, but would not suffer his son to come within reach of the Dr.'s warrant. Dr. W. did not know at this time that the young man had stolen both his horses. A mormon in the city cautioned him to guard against theft, because the mormons intended to steal his animals. This Dr. left the city on his way to California. When he had traveled a little over forty miles, he encamped for the night between Brownsville and Ogden. Some other emigrants were in company with him. That night several head of animals were taken off about five miles and tied up in a deep ravine, surrounded by bushes so as to prevent any one from finding them. In the course of the day, all the animals except one horse, which belonged to the Dr., and which was the only one he had left, were found. The horse was not found. He came to California without a horse, having had four horses, five oxen, and one cow stolen from him in the short space of about two months. His loss was nearly $1000. On account of these thefts he was obliged to buy ( 58 ) some additional team[s] to bring his family and effects through to California. That the mormons stole the whole of this property, the emigrants have very little doubt. That they stole a part of it is certainly known. One of Dr. W.'s horses was traded off by a mormon to an emigrant from the states, since he came away, and has been brought into California since he arrived. He recovered his own horse here from the emigrant by the laws of California.
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At the time the mormons were residing in Kirtland, Ohio, and when the members of the fraternity were constantly harping all over the country upon the ability of the mormon leaders to perform various miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, and the like, Joseph Smith gave out word that at a certain time he would walk upon the water, confirmatory of his declarations often made that he was in such communications with the Deity he could work miracles. A small stream ran through the place. Some short branches of sufficient height to reach from the bottom of the river nearly to the surface of the water were prepared by Smith's direction and placed in the stream several feet apart. Upon these a number of planks were placed, making a foot-bridge across the central portion of the stream. The planks did not exceed quite to the surface of the water, and the water being a little turbid, persons upon the shore could not discover them, nor could any one directly over them see them very distinctly. ( 59 ) Before the hour for the performance, some person having found out the secret, and being somewhat more roguish than religious, took the liberty to remove one of the central planks from its position. At the appointed time, the prophet of the Lord, accompanied by a large multitude of his followers and others, came down to the river. Some of the people believed he was able to walk upon the water, as did the Savior of old. They had no lack of confidence in the supernatural power of the prophet. Others were wavering and doubting, half inclined to believe, half inclined to disbelieve. All were eager to see the performance. The celebrated Joseph had a small boat brought up along shore by some one designated beforehand. He very sanctimoniously and majestically stepped into the boat and was rowed out a little into the stream, the boatsman taking good care to run the side of the boat up against the end of the nearest plank as he had been instructed by Joseph to do, so that he could easily step out of the boat upon it. He slowly walked along out towards the centre of the stream, exulting in his triumph over the incredulity of the people. The believers in his system were more confirmed than ever: the wavering began to be firm, and the scepticism of the unbelieving began to give way. But when the prophet had advanced about to the center of the stream, as all eyes were intently fixed upon him, having arrived at the end of the plank upon which he was promenading, and extending one foot beyond its termination in order to walk further across the stream, the force of gravity so disturbed his balance that he was participated headlong into the stream. After disappearing for a short time, he was seen again above water, and made the best of his way to the shore, the people wondering as to the cause of the prophet's taking such a ducking. No sooner had he reached the shore than he unfolded the whole mystery. He had the cunning and audacity to say to the people that the reason why he fell into the water was, that just at that instant their faith failed, and the moment that failed, God would not enable him to walk. He could not walk upon the water unless the people had faith. His ability to perform the miracle depended upon the faith of the people, instead of his own. ( 60 ) Upon this principle, the people were required to exercise faith before the miracle should be performed which was designated to create and establish that faith; before the evidence could be adduced upon which their faith should be heard. This is requiring belief without evidence, and faith without substance. Mormon faith, then, needs no foundation or evidence. After being exercised it is already in existence, and needs no subsequent proof. The mormons, on this principle, can as easily believe one thing as another, no matter how absurd or ridiculous. Evidence does not produce their faith but their faith produces the evidence. This is setting imagination above reason, instead of reason above imagination. It is not making a proper use of the rational powers of man. It is derogatory to the dignity of the human soul to make such a use of its powers. We would naturally expect to find the mormon people very fanciful, imaginative, and erratic in the cast or habit of their minds upon all religious subjects: and so we find them. Their faith is nothing more nor less than a conjuration of the imagination, and one thing may be imagined as well as another. Such a people are prepared, by the habit of their minds, to believe any thing which may be proposed. They have but little reason, philosophy, or scripture in their religious system. They depend more upon what the call revelation, than upon any or all of these, for their guide. The mormons do not work miracles on the same principles as the ancient prophets and apostles did. These holy men and servants of God wrought miracles by virtue of their own faith, when there was none exercised by the people, and for the express purpose of producing faith in the people. In apostolic times faith followed miracles, and resulted from them. We will mention, in this connection, one other circumstance illustrating the mormon view of faith. In the year 1835 a presbyterian minister visited Kirtland, Ohio. The mormons at that time were very active in their efforts to make proselytes. They were in the habit of lecturing almost every one they saw upon mormonism, and were often very annoying, especially to strangers. On the occasion above referred to, almost immediately after the minister reached the house, a mormon came into the room and began in a very clamorous and vociferous manner to exhort him to become a mormon, telling him he would certainly go to hell if he did not embrace it. ( 61 ) He stood up upon tiptoe and stretched out his hand over the minister's head, talking almost incessantly, giving little or no opportunity for reply. Now and then he would partially pause and ask him if he believed mormonism, to which the reply was that he did not. The mormon would then begin louder and more vehement than ever, some times setting forth the claims of mormonism, and at others dealing out denunciations and anathemas upon all others but themselves. Frequently in this harrangue he would make mention of their supernatural powers, such as the working of miracles, talking in unknown tongues, &c., as a proof that mormonism was true. The minister told him if he would work a miracle before his eyes, he might perhaps believe mormonism. The mormon, as if conscious he could perform any miracle, and one as well as another, asked him what miracle he wished to have him perform. He told him there was a lame horse at the gate, which, if he would instantly cure, he would think he had the power of working miracles. He offered to go immediately and show him the lameness of the horse, urging him to perform the cure at once. The mormon asked him if he believed he had the power to work the miracle or instantly effect the cure. He replied no. The mormon then said he could not work the miracle because the minister did not believe he could do it. He said it was necessary in all cases that the people for whom miracles were wrought should believe in the ability of the worker to perform them, as a prerequisite to his being able to do so. -- This is precisely the same sentiment on the subject of working miracles by faith which Joseph Smith advanced. The following narrative shows trickery and chicanery, carried on to a very unusual extent by the mormons in order to accomplish their designs. Some fifteen or sixteen years ago, whilst the mormons were residing in Ohio, a Mr. Jack Reden, a mormon preacher, and one of Joseph Smith's life guard, undertook to convert his uncle to the same faith which he had embraced. He frequently appointed meetings for preaching at his uncle's house, by which means his aunt was led to embrace mormonism, be baptized and join the church. The uncle, however, still remained unbelieving. After awhile this Reden had a vision, in which it was revealed to him that his uncle should obey the gospel. If he did not obey, the Lord would convince him of the truth of the work of the latter day saints by taking away his property by piece meal, so that he could not prosper, ( 62 ) but would gradually decline until he should believe. This would be done by the wrath of God being visited upon him. The mormon preacher hastened to his uncle, gravely and piously telling him the revelation which he had, and exhorting him to embrace mormonism. Still he could not see sufficient evidence of its truth to satisfy his mind that it was his duty to comply with the wishes of his devoted nephew. At length, in order to operate upon his uncle's mind, and convince him of the truth of mormonism, the faithful nephew began to fulfill the prophecy contained in the revelation he had previously received of the Lord. His first step in this work was to steal a span of his uncle's horses in the night, and take them to the heads of the church, who had them run off immediately out of reach, so that the uncle could get no trace of them. Not long after, the uncle still remaining unbelieving, the nephew took some more of his stock in the same way. From time to time his animals were missing from his farm, always taken in the night and no where to be found. The uncle was greatly crippled and hindered in his business by the loss of his stock. He was dispirited and vexed but not converted. This process was continued with the knowledge and sanction of Joseph Smith and the heads of the church, until the man was so destitute of personal property that he sold his farm, and with the avails bought stock and other personal property to replace that which had been taken from him, and rented a farm on which to live. Being once more in comfortable circumstances, with teams, tools and other necessities for the prosecution of his business, he pursued his wonted avocation of husbandry, to provide a subsistence for himself and family, believing that he who would not provide for those of his own household was worse than an infidel. Whilst thus industriously, lawfully, and happily employed, hoping to regain by diligence and frugality, at least a portion of what he had lost, his stock and other property began again most cruelly to take to itself wings and fly away, he knew not where. As before, no traces of the truants could be found, far or near. His naturally honest and candid mind was open to conviction, but could not see sufficient evidence in favor of mormonism to believe it true. His property continued to diminish from time to time until the man was again stripped of nearly every thing he had, and reduced from affluent circumstances to abject poverty. He had now neither farm nor stock. He was severely tried, and began to consider his way. ( 63 ) The singular arguments which had been so long employed, had by this time very sensibly affected his purse, if not his head, or his heart. About this time the devoted and faithful nephew was called off from his labors of love, with his uncle, to remove to Missouri. In process of time the mormon difficulties in that state arose, and the mormons, after being driven out of the state, finally located at Nauvoo, Illinois. Mr. Jack Reden, the nephew, accompanied them. In the mean time, the uncle remaining in Ohio, and reflecting upon the mysterious ways of Providence in taking away his property by piece meal, and not allowing him under any circumstances to retain it, was led gradually to change his views respecting the mormon faith. He thought possibly it might be true, especially, when it could make prophecies which should be so exactly fulfilled as had been those in relation to himself. These things were strange and marvelous in his eyes. He felt that they were of the Lord's ordering, and that it was with the Lord he had emphatically to do. He could resist no longer, His incorrigibleness entirely gave way. He placidly yielded to his convictions, embraced the mormon faith, and joined the mormon church. He now, having heartily adopted the mormon creed, felt a community of interest with the latter day saints, and ardently desired to reach their gathering place at Nauvoo, that he might enjoy their blissful society and learn the words of wisdom from the leaders of the church. Being poor, and unable, with his own resources, to take the journey from Ohio to Nauvoo, he wrote to his endeared nephew, informing him of the marvelous change which had taken place in his views and feelings since his departure from Ohio, and requesting him to send such aid as he needed to effect his removal to Nauvoo. The nephew did so, and the uncle at length arrived. Amazing were the things he beheld in Zion. He was highly gratified with his new residence. He had found the best spot upon earth. Though destitute, he was contented and happy. But his situation was rendered still more joyful by the various presents which he received from different members of the church. These presents were generally such as he needed, and were therefore the most valuable to him on that account, and their bestowment showed the greater wisdom. They were not all bestowed at once, but came along at timely intervals, secret arrangements having been previously made with the members by the leaders to bring forward their various presents ( 64 ) at certain specified times, for the double purpose of relieving the man's necessities, and fulfilling the prophecy which the nephew, many years before, had said should come to pass, visiting the uncle with unwonted prosperity in case of obedience to the commands of God. The first present he received was ten acres of land from Joseph Smith. Directly he received a horse from another, a cow from another, &c., until he was made quite comfortable. It appeared to the uncle that these presents were gratuitous, but those who bestowed them were compensated for their gifts from the funds of the church. In order to effect this conversion from gentileism to mormonism, more pains were taken than were ever employed in making a proselyte by the hypocritical Jews of old. A crime was committed against law and justice to accomplish the object. The church, which had the benefit of the property taken from the uncle, never returned as much as it had received, and made quite a speculation by the operation. It had the use of all the property taken for years, a part of it permanently, and secured the conversion of a valuable member. Whilst the mormons were residing in Ohio, Joseph Smith, in the early part of a certain Sabbath, after the immense congregation had assembled in the temple for divine service, stated that he did not feel himself to be holy enough to be there, and wished to go home and spend the day in fasting and prayer. He immediately retired. The people, seeing their prophet manifest such regard for sanctity, felt themselves admonished, and were quickened in duty. They devoutly spent the sacred day in the services of the sanctuary. Some time after, the manner in which the mormon prophet spent the day was ascertained. It was in contriving ways and means to swindle some New York merchants out of about $50,000 due them for goods already received and sold out. This was the burden that rested on his mind. He professed the greatest piety and practiced the basest wickedness. This was another effort at deception. About the same time, on private conversation, Joseph Smith acknowledged that the gold plates which he had pretended to the world to have ( 65 ) found near Palmyra, in the state of New York, were nothing more nor less than a small box of sand which he brought from the field into the house, and having succeeded in deceiving his wife in relation to it, he thought he would see how far he could fool mankind. These two last facts were related by a mormon who afterwards became a useful baptist minister. Martin Harris, one of the first witnesses to the mormon bible, and who had testified in the most solemn manner that he had seen, and handled the golden plates, was asked one day after he had apostatized, if he actually saw the gold plates. He said that he did not see them with his natural eyes. He only saw them in his mind. In other words, he imagined that they existed, because Joseph Smith had told him they did. Here, deception was practised by the witnesses in pretending that they saw gold plates, when, in point of fact, they never saw any, and none existed. Prevarication was employed in using language which, according to its obvious and legitimate import, conveyed the idea that they saw with their eyes what they saw only with the mind, or imagined to exist. This was in keeping with the practice of Smith in former days when he was a money digger. He was in the habit of putting his head into an old black hat, pulling it up so as to exclude the light, and then by various motions with his head, as if looking here and there, he would pretend that he saw money beneath the surface of the ground. In this way he often kept a pack of fools employed for weeks digging up the earth, but finding nothing but dirt and stones. Had the gold in California been discovered at that time, he might have been more successful. A Mr. Washburn Loomis, from Niagara county, N. Y., though generally considered innocent, was nevertheless sentenced by the mormon authorities to wear the ball and chain two years, and was pardoned by Brigham Young on condition of his paying $200 cash in hand. -- Mr. Young immediately reported that he had given him a free pardon, and it was generally supposed he had; when, in point of fact, he had sold him his pardon for $200. He required Mr. L. to keep it a profound secret. We are told that Brigham Young pardoned Mr. Loomis first, and then told him if he did not immediately pay him $200 he should lose his head before he could get out of the valley. He had not the money to pay it, ( 66 ) and was compelled to sell some property at a reduced price, and borrow some money of a Mr. Haskell to meet the demand. He was not allowed to come the northern route to California with California emigrants, but was required to go the southern route in company with a large mormon train of about 500 persons, which left Salt Lake last March to settle near the Pacific coast in southern California. Some fears were entertained by the emigrants for his safety. His friends would do well to enquire after him. In this transaction Mr. Young had practised deception and duplicity. He pretended to the community he had given Mr. Loomis a free pardon, when he had just sold it to him for $200. He extorted this amount from him by threats that his life would be taken of he did not pay it. The mormon preachers and missionaries who go abroad to proclaim their tenets, never bring forward any thing before an uninitiated audience, except what they are pleased to call the first principles of mormonism. In their introductory efforts they wish to make their sentiments as palatable as possible. In order to [do] this, they bring forward only those parts of their system which are the least objectionable to other denominations. The most of their tenets are not presented, but are kept behind the curtain. Even the private members of their own church know only a part of the secrets of the mormon scheme. Often, in conversation, do they intimate this. Instead of openly and frankly avowing their sentiments in full to either the Gentile world or even to such of their own members as are not in office, they studiously conceal a part from their view. All this shows deception on the part of the leaders. They have plans and schemes which it is not safe to divulge to the world at large. They do not court the light. They shun free enquiry. |
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[ 84 ]
The most beastly and unblushing system of polygamy prevails in Salt Lake valley. * Men have from one to sixty wives each. It is true, that only a part, as yet, have more than one wife; but they are increasing the number as fast as women can be obtained. The number of women already in the valley is computed to be more than double that of the men. Among the wives belonging to one man, are frequently found several sisters, and often a widow and several of her daughters. The following facts illustrate the system: Mr. Dana, a justice of the peace at Ogden, has two wives. Mr. Graham, living at Brownsville, has three. Among them is a mother and her daughter. Capt. Brown, of Brownsville, has four wives. Among them is a mother and two daughters by the name of Abbott. Mr. Holmes, living about twenty two miles north of the city, has two wives, E. Richardson has three wives. Josiah Canfield has two sisters for __________ * The first attempt to introduce polygamy among the mormons, was made at Kirtland, Ohio, by Joseph Smith. He pretended to have received a revelation, about the year 1837, authorizing it. He began himself, to practice it, but it was opposed by the church. His wife found the revelation among his papers and destroyed it. This was the only written copy extant. The attempt to introduce polygamy caused a quarrel and separation between him and Oliver Cowdery, his amanuensis in writing the Book of mormon. Polygamy was practiced at Nauvoo, to a considerable extent, before Joseph Smith's death, in 1844. Previous to that event, Brigham Young delivered over to Joseph Smith all his wives except one. Not long after, Smith had a revelation that Young should be his successor as head of the mormon church. ( 85 ) wives. Willard Snow has two wives. A Mr. Stewart has three wives, a mother and daughter being among them. Mr. Turpin, near the old fort, has three wives, among them a mother and her daughter. Mr. Scott, living some five miles south of the city, has three wives. Mr. Gardner, a little farther south, and the owner of a grist and saw mill, has four wives. The leaders generally have a greater number, varying from half a dozen to thirty wives each. They also have sisters, mothers, and daughters, among their wives. "In some instances they have their own nieces for wives. We are informed that Dr. Willard Richards, one of the twelve mormon apostles, lost one of his wives last winter who was his niece. It is said that he has one of his own sisters for a wife. Heber C. Kimball has more wives than any other one except Brigham Young; who says he does not know how many he has, but is generally reported in the mormon community, to have sixty or seventy. The cases we have mentioned, bear a small proportion to the whole number existing in the valley. Polygamy is extensively practised, and strenuously advocated and encouraged. Various arguments are used by the leaders in favor of the practice, such as the following: 1. It is scriptural. Many of the old testament saints and ancient patriarchs were permitted to have concubines. 2. The greater the number of the wives and children which a man has, the more glory will he have in the future world. The more numerous his family or tribe, the more honored will he and they be in the world to come. * The mormons use every stratagem to increase the number of women in the valley. They are diligent to induce as many as possible to come __________ * The mormons are divided into twelve tribes, headed by the twelve mormon apostles. Not being of the same kindred, but of different nations, they have instituted a ceremony which they call "sealing," for the purpose of uniting individuals to families, families to tribes, and all the tribes to Joseph Smith, the head of the latter day saints. By this process a relationship is established among them which unites them in one common brotherhood. The mormon members are sometimes told by the leaders that they belong to some one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and are their literal descendants. Do not the mormons know that they, in common with the people of the United States and Europe, are the descendants of Japheth, and not of Shem? The mormons also hold that heaven is to be on earth, and all the social relations of life, conjugal, parental, filial, and fraternal, will exist then the same as now. ( 86 ) there, and to retain them after their arrival. Efforts are sometimes made to seduce emigrants' wives, and prevent their accompanying their husbands to California or elsewhere. They do not hesitate to separate husband and wife, if they can retain the wife among them, and induce her to become the wife of a mormon. Instances of this kind occured during the past winter and spring. Among the children in the same family you will find brothers and sisters who are at the same time cousins, uncles and nephews, aunts and nieces, &c. &c., having all sorts of kindred relations, and sustaining several of these relations at the same time. Such people ought certainly to be very affectionate, sustaining so many close, endearing, and intermingled relations. The families are wonderfully commingled in their relationships. It would puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer to trace their genealogies. We understand it is the intention of some of the patriarchs, who have the most numerous progenies, not to allow any of their children to marry out of their own families. Consequently, half brothers and half sisters will be required to marry each other! This is said to be the intention of Brigham Young. A mormon told an emigrant, in the summer of 1850, that Heber C. Kimball, one of the twelve mormon apostles, and one of Brigham Young's Counselors, had eighteen children so young that not one of them could walk alone. Probably the oldest were not over two years of age. Brigham Young remarked to a mormon woman, in the spring of 1850, that he had fourteen boys under seven years of age. A mormon woman told an emigrant last winter, that Brigham Young last year had nine children, five by his own wives, and four by the wives of Joseph Smith, who are living with him. * It is also stated on good authority that he had nine children born in a single day, last March. This system of polygamy makes many of the females very unhappy -- makes them wretched in the extreme. The jealousies, heart-burnings, distrusts, strifes, contentions, and quarrelings, which exist among them, are notorious throughout the valley. The secret miseries many of them endure are untold. Sometimes they are shamefully neglected by their husbands. Especially is this the case with first wives, after other wives, younger and more beautiful are taken into the household Those __________ * The avowed object of this abominable and scandalous arrangement is to increase the tribe of Joseph, so that it may not be less honorable in the heavenly state than the other tribes, for lack of numbers. ( 87 ) wives who can make themselves most attractive and agreeable to their common husband, usually receive the greatest share of his attentions. He cares so little about them, and feels so little respect for them, that they are obliged to resort to various stratagems, to secure any share of that esteem to which wives are entitled from their husbands. In short, the mormon women are degraded and subjected by the system to a state of mental and physical slavery more abject and perfect than attaches to the inmates of a Turkish harem. The uncomfortable, and even painful, situation of many of the emigrants in Salt Lake valley during the latter part of the winter and spring, is graphically set forth in the following communication which appeared in the Sacramento Union of June 28, 1851. THE MORMONS: -- Messrs. Editors, -- It seems that these people, in the fancied security of their mountain stronghold, or from some other cause, are beginning to give a pretty loose rein to their inclinations. and seem to carry out publicly that line of conduct which they have heretofore been able to practise only by stealth and in secret, and which has caused their expulsion from every place where they have ever tried to get a foothold. ( 88 ) the "Saints" more than ever. They publicly discussed the propriety of driving the "Gentiles" from the valley. The emigrants claimed the rights of American citizens, on American soil. Brigham Young declared that "God had made him Governor, and that while he lived he should govern." That he was "the law and the order," and that "if any man stuck himself up above him, he would bring him down -- by the eternal Gods." That he "was not afraid of Mr. Justice, nor Uncle Sam, nor all Hell;" and that "if he heard another Gentile curse or abuse the Saints, he would cut his d____d throat!" ( 89 ) purchased teams, hired hands, and prosecuted the work to the amount of nearly $3000, when, his cash receipts amounted to less than $500, deemed it advisable to discontinue operations until the arrears were settled. But no sooner did these "Saints" see that there was a probability of their getting no more out of him in that way, than they sent out an armed posse, who seized his teams, and in fact every thing they could lay their hands on, and without giving him a hearing, or even a notice, they confiscated it all, claiming a violation of the contract by Mr. Turner; and this when it was notorious that they were deeply in his debt, and that the mormons had been ordered to pay out no more money to emigrants. Mr. Turner remonstrated and protested, and threatened them with a suit for the recovery of this money, and the result was, he was obliged to make his escape the best way he could, and conceal himself in the mountains to save his life. The emigrants of course sympathised with him; and the excitement became intense. Armed parties were despatched in every direction, with orders to kill him wherever he was found. Persons who were suspected of knowing his place of concealment were arrested and placed in chains, and their property afterwards confiscated to pay the expense of their imprisonment. But all this proving of no avail, and not satisfied with all his labor, and all the capital he had invested, they seized his household furniture, his clothing, and finally followed Mrs. Turner, who had been confined to her room all winter, by sickness, and robbed her or her common wearing apparel -- even her night clothes, her bonnet and veil; refusing to leave her even a cloak or a change of dress. ( 90 ) them for signatures. But they had become so scattered that they could not be seen without great inconvenience, and therefore had no opportunity to sign them. Nineteen out of every twenty of those to whom they were presented, signed them unhesitatingly, as expressive of their sentiments upon the topics mentioned in them. ( 91 ) Resolved, 4. That liberty of speech is greatly abridged in Salt Lake valley, by being frowned down by public sentiment, and by various efforts to produce intimidation. The full freedom belonging to citizens of the United States is not there enjoyed. The gag-law of arbitrary, monarchical governments, is virtually enforced, to all intents and purposes. ( 92 ) valley, on account of increased distance, or to depend on purchasing supplies, or making exchanges of property there, on account of extortionary prices, unless compelled by stern necessity so to do. ( 93 ) of the same, and protect United States citizens, and secure to them their lawful and inalienable rights of life, liberty, and freedom of speech, guaranteed to them by the Constitution of the United States. *
( 94 )
The foregoing papers present a candid expression of the opinions entertained by the emigrants generally. These views are strongly expressed, but without the least intentional exageration. We firmly believe the facts and truth demand such a representation. We wish the subject candidly and thoroughly investigated. If it can in truth be shown that the principles, the policy, and the practice of the mormon people, as developed and enforced by the leaders, are not as bad as represented, we should be glad of it. But we believe we have given a fair representation of the legitimate Fruits of mormonism, as exhibited in Salt Lake valley. The emigrants are indignant at the treatment they received from the mormons the past winter and spring, and feel in duty bound to protest against such conduct towards United States citizens while passing through Utah territory. That their situation should be made uncomfortable, and almost intolerable, by abridging their rights of speech, by examining and destroying their letters deposited in the U.S. mail to be sent to their friends in the states, unlawfully taxing their property, threatening their lives, &c. &c., whilst the emigrants were peaceable, quiet, and law-abiding, was wanton and most iniquitous on the part of the mormons. It was a violation alike of the laws of hospitality and humanity. We appeal to our friends in the states, to all United States citizens, and to Congress. We ask our government to protect its citizens in the exercise and enjoyment of their just rights and privileges in Utah territory, against arbitrary and injurious encroachment. |
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