The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-22
The PRESIDENT.
fPERsoSAL.l

[PERsoSAL.l
PHILADELPHIA, July IL, 1851.
My DEAR Sin: trust the accompanying letter
(ioho) meets your views, and that have not erred
In supposng you to require of me. not an elaborate
argument in yindication of Governor Young, and
disproo of Mormon libels in general, but simply a
repetition Of my oral statement in responsible form
and over my own signature. At least, you will
not accuse me of being non -commttal.
find nothing new, however, in the Courier
charges against Governor Young, except that he
"levied high and unjust taxes on men selling pro-
perty at Salt Lake to aid them on their journey"
which Is go far true that the little municipal coun-
Gil of the Salt Lake city didat its first organza-
ton, however, and before the United States or any
other government had noticed its existence enact
that tax should be levied all sales of sprituous
liquors within the city bounds This tax must
have been heavy, too, Tor think it intended
to be almost prohibitory, the Mormons a sect IA
voring and enforcing temperance measures, and do
ing their best to prevent the sale of whisky to the
savages around them. have only to say, that if
our emlgrant citizens everywhere could be placed
under such restraint your War Department
would hear much less of their suffering from In
dian outrage.
The other accusations are a mere rehash of old
hbels, the most deserving of them only rough
mythic embodments of avulgar notion of Mormon
Jaets" prevalent in certain regions of the western
country. And, since the apotheoss of Joseph
Smith, these seem to connect themselves with the
name OF Brigham Young, not only the present
head and front of Mormonism, but also the
|
geraion is set aside, history has still TO character
lie as truly remarkable and heroic expedition
can refer you to my friend, Judge Douglas, for
the best account of the "charges in Illinois,
against MIR. Young, which, / presume, may be
taken to mean divers bills ignored by different
grand juries in the circuit over which Judge d.
presided, and which included Nauvoo and the Nor
mon precinct. have equal pleasure in directing
your attention to the fine refutaton of the charge Of
insult to the California emigrants," afforded by
the cards OF emigrant companies, published in
| rious western newspapers, thanking the Mormons
Tor hospitality and in distress. But you
must permit me. in the matter Of the remaining
charges, to speak from my own knowledge, more
diffusely, too, upon of them, at least there
Is not probably now living any better witness than
myself, and my failing health admonishes me it
may be well TO have my record in your memory.
am not certain that sent you "A copy of
pamphlet printed year ago, to spread the truth
about the Mormons, though ] am clear that DR..
Bernhisal asked one OF me for your inspection.
With your permission, will your time by di-
recng you to portions of it, upon pages 2S, 80 TO-
! II, and between 81 and So.
My brief narrative (page 2S, 29) Of the enrol
ment and departure of the Mormon battalion was
written with the express view of giving the lie
the charge against the Mormons of q want of pa
triotism and attachment to the Union. If, by
| chance, any allegation of this kind has reached
your with the countenance of a name of
weight you will find the want of patriotism and
forth, laid as OF the time of the outbreak of the Mer
icGn tUar and previous to its decisive and
before the netrs had reached the Indian territory of
the settlement Of difficulties tpit Great Britain.
At this very date, by my lecture, the Mormons are
found, at serious sacrifice OF interest, despaching
battalion OF five hundred of their best men con-
/ quer from Mexico the country, on a portion of
4 which they now settled
II happens fecitously enough for the purposes Of
accusation before you that Brigham Young was the
man of all others whose influence carried through
| that measure with the church. 1t was his Ameri-
can flag that was brought out to float over those
hills for the first time; his drums beat; and his brave
ANA haa
people. have given name in my pamphlet,
but ii was he who said there: ssYou shall have your
battalion at once if has TO be class Of eders
/ regret that have never been authorized to make
use of the paper, copy OF which encl lose you it.
self copy OF letter TO President Polk, written at
n time of the severest trial. Its author believe,
was the talented gentleman whose name offered
to you for the post of Secretary of the Territory,
| Dr. Richards; but it is signed by Brigham Young,
and know expresses the genuine feelings of his
| heart. want you TO remark, sir, that this, their
first communication irih Government after their
expulsion from their homes in Illinois, dates of Au-
! gust Q, 1876.
'eThe best Government on earth' ''The Con-
stitntion of the United States most precious among
| nations" This is its language.
The remaining charge connects itself with that
unmixed outrage, the spiritual wife story, which
was fastened on the Mormons by poor ribald
scamp, whom, though the sole surviving brother
and representative of their Jo Smith, they were
literally forced to excommuncate for his centious
ness, and who thereupon revenged himself by edit
ing confessions and disclosures of SAVIOR to please
| the public that peruses works in yellow paper
| covers.
! Young is hard working, conscientious, we'll
tried man, whose erotic inclinatons may ftly
match those of the Utah Church Patriarch, vene
rable octogenarian and long respected Presbyte
ran elder who also stands accused of the appetite
| for Eleusinian froic. Young is fortunate in his
| family, too l remember him wrapped up in his
| youngest child an infant, whose health was suf
| iering from the hardshps Of the march; and re-
collect also that he had son of the finest promise
Withal, be is so true fellow, and has so much else
| 10 look after-being consulted by his people, as it
| seemed to me- upon nearly every emergency from
| an Indian foray to a broken leg or funeral-that
suspect he pays no mapner OF heed to any sort of
| abuse. His wife, however, who comes of very
| respectable New England stock, charitable as St.
| Bridget, and proud of her husband as Queen Vic
| toria, frets am told-as pious women will do in
such cases-over every fresh piece of nastiness as
if it were awful and dignifed message OF Pro
| vidental chastisement.
During long attack of malignant fever from
| which my constitution has not yet recovered, this
lady showed me Kindness never can forget, and
you must not wonder that my blood bols to think
that upon her mainly recoil these brutal SANDERS.
| | have headed this personal" rather that /
might feel at in writing TO you in haste, than
! for any betttr You are at liberty, there
! fore, TO make what use you please of its
| tents. l am not minuely familiar with the af-
| fairs of the Mormons since they have become so
full of the cares of prosperity, and ike not
fast forgetting me and the little was able TO do
for them. But my esteem for them continues I'M
abated, and shall have great pleasure in writing
the Salt Lake at TO obtain for you the exact
history of the liquor tax, and what had almost
forgotten TO notice, the something else about "Mr
Young's" experimenting men and trying them for
| supposed participation in the death of 'Jo Smith"
Mr. Young's office among Mormons is that of pre-
sident Of the church, and, spce my knowledge be-
gins, he has not ofiicated as sheriff. sheriff 8 off
Ger, judge. or justice
am, sir, very respectfully and truly, your
friend and servant, THOMAS l.. KANE
Mr.. FILLMORE.
The New ORLEANS DUEL.-Col. Theodore 7
Hunt and Isaac M Marks, the contestant Wing
candidates for the nomination to Congress, at New
Orleans, and in the discussion of whose respective
claims the late duel originated, have both with