The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-12-09
Proclamation by Brigham Young
Governor Of Utah.


Citizens Of Utah We are invaded
by hostile force who are evidently as.
sailing US to accomplish our overthrow
and destruction. For the last twenty
Eve years we have trusted officials Of the
government, from constables and justices
to judges, Governors, and Presidents on.
ly to be scorned, held In derision, insult.
ed and betrayed Our houses have bean
pluudered and tb burned, our fields
laid waste, our principal men butchersd
while ubder the pledged faith of the gov
erument for their safety, and our fami.
lies driven rom their homes to fnd shell.
ter in the barren wilderness and that
protection among hostile savages which
was denied them in the boosted abodes
of Christianity and civilization.
The Constitution Of our common ooun-
try guarantees unto US all that we do now
or have ever claimed If the oons,itu.
tonal rights which pertain unto US as
American citizens we're extendod to Utah
according to the spirit and anjng there.
Of. and fairly and impsrtially administer
ed, it is all that Me could ask-all that
we have ever asked.
Our opponents have availed them.
sslve. of prejudice existing against rs,
because of our religious faith. to send out
. formidable boat 10 accomplish our des.
truction. We have bad DO privilege nor
opportunity Of defending ourselves from
the false, foul and un3uat saperaions a.
Qainst 10 before the nation. The govern.
fnsnt has not eondesoended 10 cause an
investigating committee or other person
60 be sent to inquire into ard ascertain
the truth, as is customary in such cases
We know these aspersions to be false ;
but that avails US not hing. We are con.
dempsd unbeard, aud forced to an issue
with an armed mercenary mob which has
been sent sgaipst US at the instigatiop Of
anonymous letter.writers, ashamed to
father the base, slauderous falsehoods
which they have given to the public--of
corrupt officials; who have brought false
accusations against US to screen them
selves in their OVID infamy, aud of hire
ling priests aud bowling editors, who
prostitute the truth for filthy lucrss
sake.
The issue which has thu. been forced
upon US compels us to resort to the first
law Of self preservation. and stand in our
own defepce-a right guaranteed unto US
by the genius of the institutions Of our
country, and upon which the government
is based. Our duty to ourselves, to our
families, requires Us rot to tsmely submit
to be driven nud slain without an attempt
to preserve ourselves. Our duty &c our
country, our holy religion, our God, to
freedom and liberty, requires thar we
should not quietly stand still and nee
those fetters forging around Us, which are
calculated to enslsve ard bring Us 10 sub,
lection to an unlawful military despotism
such - can only emsnatsin a country Of
constitutional law, from nsurpation, tyr.
amy and oppression.
Therefore, I, Brigham Young, Cover
nor and Superintendent CT Indian Affairs
for the Territory of Utah, 10 the name of
the people of the United States, in the
Territory Of Utah, forbid
First-All armed forces Of every des-
crip,ioo from coming into this Territory
under spy pretense whatever
Second-That all forces in said Tel
ritory hold themselves in readiness to
march OF moments notice to repel all
such invasion.
Tbird-Mortial law is hereby declared
to exist in this Territory from and after
the publication of this proclamation aud
DO person shall be allowed to pass into or
through or from this Territory without
permit from the proper officer.
Given under my hand and seal, at
Great Salt Lake City, Territory Of Utah
this fifteenth day of September, A D.,
eighteen hundred and ffty-seven, and of
tho Independence Of the United States Of
America the eighty.second.
RRIauAN HousG