Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-12-01
THE MORMON WAR.
BRIGHAM YOUNG.5 PROCLAMATION.
Martial Law Proclaimed IN Utah---The
Mormon Forces Called Out.

Martial Law Proclaimed IN Utah---The
Mormon Forces Called Out.
Col. Alexander was within 30 miles OF
Fort Bridger. which place is occupied by
Mormon troops. when he received the fol |
lowing letter from Brigham Young, through |
the commander Of the 'Nauyoo Legion
Gov ERRORS OFFICE, UrAm TERRITORY,
Great salt Lake City, Sept. 29, 1857.
10 the officer Commanding the Forces nor !
Iavad ug Utah Territory,
SIR BY reference to the act Of Congress
passed sept. 9, 1850, organizing the Terri
tory of Utah, you will find the following:
Sec. 2. And he it further enacted, that the
executive power and authority In and over
said Territory of Utah shall be vested In a
Governor, " no shall hold his office for four
years, and until his successor shall be. ap
pointed and qualified, unless sooner remov-
ed by the President Of the United states.
The Governor shall reside within said Ter
ritorv. shall be COMMANDMENTS Chief of the
militia the. eof, dc, DC.
am still the Governor and Superintend-
ent Of Indian Affairs for the Territory, no
succes or having been appointed ard quail
fed a. provided by law. nor have been re-
moved by the President OF the L United States.
Nv virtue OF the authority thus vested III
me | have issued and forwarded To you a
copy of my proclamation for bidding the en-
trance of armed forces into the Territory.
This YOU have disregarded l now further
direct that YOU retire forthwith from the
Territory, by the same route you entered
should you deem this impracticablc, and
prefer to remain until spring in the vicinity
of your present encanpment- Black Fork
on Green Riyer-you can do so III peace and
unmolested, on condition that you deposit
vour arms and ammunition with Lewis Rob
iusop. Ouartermaster General Of the Terri
tory. and leave IN the spring as soon as the
condition OF the roads will permit you to
march and should you fall short ofproys
ions. they can he furnished you upon max
ing proper application therefor.
Gen. ID. II. Wells will forward this. and
receive any communication you have to
make
Very respectfully, BRIGHAM YOUNG,
Gov. and Sup't of Indian Affairs.
BRIoHAM's DECLARATION or WAR;
CrrIzEvs OF UTAH: We are invaded by a
hostile force who are evidently assaiing us
to accomplish our overthrow and destruc-
ton For the last twenty five years We have
trusted officials of the government, from
constables and juslices to judges, governors
and presidents, only to be scorned, held i'll
derision, insulted and betrayed. Our houses
have been plundered and then burned, our
fields laid waste, our principal men butch
cred while under the pledged faith of the
government Of 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 boosted abodes of christianity
and civilization
! The constitution of our common country
guarantees unto us all that We do now or
have ever c.aimed. II the constitutional
| rights which pertain unto us as 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 avaled themselves
Of pref dice existing against us, because oil
our religious faith, to send out a formidable
host to accomplish our destruction. We
| have had no prl ilege nor opportunity OF
defending ourselves from the false, foul and
unjust aspersions against us before the ma
ton. The government has not condescend
ed to cause an investigating committee or
| other person to be sent to inquire INTO and
ascertain the truth, as Is customary IN such
cases. We know those asperslons to lt
false but that avais us nothing. We ar.
condemned unheard and forced to an ssu,
| with an armed mercenary mob, which has
been sent against us at the instigation ui an
ony nous lettcrwritcrs ashamed to father
the base. sianderous falsehooIs which they
have given to the l'ubilc-of corrupt oitIc
ials who have brought false accusation;
against us to screen themselves in their owl
niamv, and OF hireling priests and how ing
editors who prostitute the truth for filthy
lucre's sake.
The issue which has thus been forced up
on liz compels us to resort to the great frs
law Of self preserv alton, and stand i'll oul
own defence-a right guaranteed unto III
by the genius of the institutions Of oul
country, and upon which the government
is based, Our duty to ourselves, to our fam
lilies. requires us not to tamely submit to b.
driven and slain without at attempt to pre-
serve ourselves. Our duty to our country
our holy religion, our God, to freedom an,
liberty, requires that We should not quetl,
stand still and see those letters torgin!
around us which are calculated to enslay
and bling us in subsection to an unlawful
military despotism, such as only can eman
ate in IL country of constitutional law, froi
usurpa,ion, tyranny and oppression.
Therefore |, Brigham Young, Governo
and Superintendent of Indian Affairs for til
Territory of Utah, in the name of the pcopl
of the United States, in the Territory {
Utah, forbid,
Fgra-AU armed forces Of eoery dercriptio
from. coming into his Territory undr an
pr,tcnce arhdterer.
l .>econd-That all the forces IN SAID TER
, tori hold Themselves IN readiness TO march
a moments notice to repel any and all such IL
ydSions.
2hird-Mdrtial lao as declared to srist !
this Territory from AID after the Pudticatio
: OF his proclamation, and no person shat be u
io,ced TO pass or repass into, or through, G
from tbs Territory, mithout a permit fro
tie progper officer.
Given under my hand and seal, at Gres
/ Salt Lake City, Territory of Utah, this II
teenth day of September, A. ID, eightee
hundred and fifty seven, and of the ind
pendence OF the United States of Americ
the eighty second. BRIGHAM YouNU.
COL ALExANDER's REPLY.
H'dq'trs Tenth Regiment of Infantry,
Camp Winfield, on Hams Fork,
Oct. 9, 1857.
brigham Young, Esq, Cor. Of Utah Ter