The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-12-01
THE PROSPECTUS WAR IN UTAH.
Important Dispatches from the Army
Brigham Yosng's Declaration Of Var.

WAsHIsorox, Nov. 81, 1857.
Colonel Johnston's letter together with
Col Alexandcrs, was received at the War
Department to-day, confirming the destruc-
ton of the supply trains; together with a
letter and proclamation from Brigham
Young, and Col. Alexandcr's reply ~ al
Col. Alexander was within thirty miles
of Fort Bridgcr, which place is occupied
by Mormon troops, when he received the
following letter from Brigham Young. thro'
the commander Of the "Nauroo Legion"
Goy,rsscs's oy.lsr. ZIG. , Utah u oTGe1,iI.sS,v,}
To the 0Geer Commanding the Forces Ho~ fnrading
Utah Territory
SIR:-By reference to the act Of Con
gress passed Sept. 0, 1850, organizing tho
Territory of Utah, You will find the fol-
lowing:
Sec. 2. And be il further enacted, that
the executive power and authority in and
over said Territory of Utah, shall be vest
ed in Governor, who shall hold his Office
for four years, and until his successor shall
be appointed and qualified, unless sooner
removed by the President of the United
States. The Governor shall reside within
said Territory, shall be Conmander.in-
Chief of the militia thereof, DC, DC.
am still tho Governor and Supernten-
dent of Indisn Affairs for the Territory,
no successor having been appointed or
qualified, as provided by law, nor have |
been removed by tho President of the Uni
ted States. By virtue of the authority
thus vested in me, | have issued and for
warded to you a copy of my proclamation
forbiddng the entrance of armed forces into
the Territory. This you have disregarded.
| now further direct that You retire forth
with from the Territory, b. the same route
you entered. Should you deem this i'm
practicable, and prefer TO remain until
Spring in the vicinity of your present en-
canpment--B Black Fork on Green River
YOU eau do So in peace and unmolcstcd, on
condition that you deposit your arms and
ammunition with Lewis Robinson, Quar-
tcr-nasrcr G,ncra Of the Territory, and
leave in the Spring as soon as the condi-
ton Of the reads will permit you TO march;
and should you FIJI short of provisions,
they can be furnished You upon making the
proper application therefor.
Gen. d. II. Wells will forward this, and
receive any communication you may have
to make. Very respectfully,
BRIGHAM You've,
Governor and Sup't. Of Indian Affairs.
The following is the proclamation refer
red to by Brigham Young:
PROCLAMATION BY THE MORMON GOVERNOR.
Citizens of Utah: We are invaded by
hostile force, who are evidently assailing
us to accomplish our overthrow and destruc-
ton. For tie last twenty five years we
have trusted officials of the government,
from constablcs and justices to judges,
Governors and Presidents, only to bc
scorned, held in dcrision, insultcd ami be-
trayed. Our houses have been plundcred
and then burned, our fields laid waste, our
principal men butchered while under the
pledged faith of the government for their
safety, and our families driven from their
homes to find that shelter in the barren
wilderness, and that protection among
hostile savages which were denied them in
the boasted abodcs Of Christianity and civ
ilization.
The constitution of our common country
guarantees unto us all that we do now or
have ever claimed. If the constitutional
rights which pertain unto us rs American
citizens were extended to Utah according
TO the spirit and meaning thereof, and
fairly and impartially administered, it is
all that we could ask-all that We have
ever asked.
Our opponents have avaitcd themselves
Of prejudice existing against us, because of
our religious faith, to send out formda.
bic host to accomplish our destruction.-
We have had no privilege nor opportunity
Of defending ourselves from the false, foul
and unjust aspersions against us before the
nation. The government has not conde-
scended to cause an investigating commit.
tee or other persons to be sent TO inquire
into ard ascertain the truth, as is custom
ary in such cases. We know those asper
sons to be false; but that avails us moth
ing. We arc condemned unhcard, and
forced to an issue with an armed merccna-
ry mob, which has been sent against us at
the instigation of anonymous letter writers,
ashamed TO father the base, slanderous
falsehoods which they have given to the
public-of corrupt officials, who have bro't
false accusations against us to screen them
selves in their own nfamy, and Of hireling
priests and bowling editors, who prostitute
the truth for filthy ucre's sake.
The issue which has thus been forced up.
on us compels us to resort to the great first
law Of self-preservation, and stand in our
own defence-a right guaranteed unto us
by the genius of the institutions Of our
country, aud upon which the government
is based. Our duty to ourselves, to our
families, requires us not to tamel, submit |
to be driven and slain without an attempt |
to preserve ourselves. Our duty to our
country, our holy religion, our God, to
freedom and liberty, requires that we sho'd
not quietly stand still and see those fetten
forging around us which are calculated TO
enslave and bring us in subjection to an un-
lawful military despotism, such as can on
ly emanate, in county Of constitutional
law, from usurpation, tyranny and oppres-
sion.
Therefore, |, Brigham Young, Governor
and Superintendent Of Indian Affairs for
the Territory Of Utah, in the name of the
people Of the United States, in the Terri
tory af TTtab fo.l;d r