, 1857-05-29


with intent to commit murder ; and after
wards, on appeal to the Supreme Court the
Judgment being affirmed and the said Green
sentenced to the penitentary, Brigham
Young gave a full pardon to the said
Green before he reached the pcnitentiary /;
also, that the said Governor Young par
doned a man by the name of Baker, who
had been tried and sentenced to ten years
imprisonment in the penitentiary for the
murder of a dumb boy by the name of
White House, the proof showing one OF the
most aggravated cases of murder that l
ever knew being tried and to insult the
court and government officers, this man
Young took this pardoned criminal with
him, in proper person, to church on the
next Sabbath after his conviction, Baker
in the meantime having received full par
don from Governor Brigham Young
These two men were Mormons.
On the other hand, charge the Nor
mons, and Gov Young in particular, with
imprisoning five or six young men from
Missouri and Iowa, who are now in the
penitentiary of Utah, without those men
having violated any criminal law in Ameri-
ca, but they were anti-Mormons, poor un-
educated young men, on their way for Cali
fornia but because they emigrated from
Illinois, Iowa or Missouri, and passed by
Great Salt Lake City, they were indicated
by Probate Court, and most brutally and
mhumanly dealt with, in addition to being
summarily incarcerated in the sanity prison
of the Territory of Utah. l also charge
Gov. Young with constantly interfering
wit the federal courts, directing the Grand
Jury whom to ndict and whom to not /;
and after the judges charge the Grand
Jures as TO their duties, that this man,
Young, invariably has some member of the
Grand Jury advised in advance as to his
will in relation to their labors, and that
his charge thus given is the only charge
known, obeyed, or received by all the Grand
Jures of the federal courts Of Utah Terri
tory.
Again, sir, after O careful and mature
Investigation, have been compelled to
come to the conclusion, heartrending and
sickening as it may be, that Capt. John
W. Gunnison and his party of eight others
were murdered by the Indians in 1858 un-
der the order, advice and directions of the
Mormons that my illustrious and distin-
guished predecessor, Hon. Leonidas Sha-
yer, came to his death by drinking poison
GUS liquors given to him under the order of
the leading men of the Mormon church in
Great Salt Lake City; that the late Sec
retary of the Territory, A. w. Babbtt,
was murdered on the plains by band OF
Mormon marauders, under the particular
and special order Of Brigham Young, He
Der G. Kimball and j. NJ Grant, and not
by the Indians, as reported by the Nor
mons themselves and that they were sent
from Salt Lake City for that purpose, and
that only and as members Of the DANTE
Band, they were bound to do the will Of
Brigham Young, as the head Of the Church
or forfeit their own lives.
These reasons, with many others that
might give, which would be too heart-rend-
ing to insert in this communication, have
induced me to resign the Office Of Justice
of the Territory Of Utah, and again return
to my adopted State of Illinois. My rea-
son, sir, for making this communication
public is, that the Democratic party, with
which have always strictly acted, is the
party now in power, and therefore is the
party that should nO1o be held responsible
for the reasonable and disgraceful state oi
affairs that now exists in Utah Territory.
| could, sir, if necessary, refer to cloud Of
witnesses to attest the reasons have given,
and the charges, bold as they are, against
those despots who rule with an iron hand
their hundred thousand souls in Utah, and
their two hundred thousand souls out Of
that notable Territory, but shall not do so
for the reason that the lives of such gen
tlemen as | should designate in Utah and
in California would not be safe for single
day.
In conclusion, sir have to say, that in
my career as Justice of the Supreme Court
of Utah territory, have the consolation
of knowing that did my duty; that neither
threats nor intimidations drove me from
that path; upon the other hand, am pain
ed to say, that accomplished little good
while there; that the Judiciary is treated
only as q farce. The only rule of law by
which the infatuated followers of this curl
GUS people will be governed is the law Of
the church, and that emanates from Cover
nor Brigham Young, and him alone.
do believe that if there were o man
put in Office as Governor of that territory
who is not member of the church, (Mor-
mon, and be supported with a sufficient
military MD, that much good would result
from such course; but, as the territory is
now governed, and has been since the
administration of Mr. Fillmore, at which
time Young received his appointment as
Governor, it is noon-day madness and folly
to attempt to administer the law in that
territory. The officers are insulted; haras-
sed and murdered for doing their duty, and
not recognizing Brigham Young as the
only law giver aud law-maker on earth
OF this every man can bear incontestibe
evidence who has been willing to accept an
appointment in Utah, and l assure you,
sir, that no man would be willing to risk
g., IL.