Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-12-05
Brigham Young's Proclamation.


CITIZENS OF UTAH--Wo are invaded
by hostile force, who are evidently as
sailing us to accomplish our overthrow and
destruction. For the last twenty-five
years we have trusted officials Of the gov
ernment, from constables and justices, to
judges, Governors and Presidents, only to
be scorned, held in derision, insultcd and
betrayed. Our houses have been plundered
and then burned, our fields laid waste, our
J principal men butchered while uBder 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 abodes of Christianity and
civilization.
The constitution Of cur common country
guarantees unto us all that VIC do now or
have ever claimed. If the constitutional
rights which pertain unto US as American
citizens were extended to Utah according
to the spirit and meaning thereof, and
fairly and impartally administered, it is
all that we could ask-all that we have
ever asked
Our opponents have availed themselves
of prejudice existing against us, because of
our religious faith, to send out formidable
host to accomplish our destruction. We
have had no privilege nor opportunity of
defending ourselves from the false, foul and
unjust aspersons against us before the
nation. The government has not conde-
cended 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 aspersions to
be false +; but that avails us nothing. We
are condemned unheard, and forced to an
. issue with an armed mercenary mob, which
has been sent against US at the instigaton
of anonymous letter writer's, ashamed to
father the base, slandcrous falshoods which
: they have given to the public-of corrupt
officials, who have brought false accusations
, agains. us to screen themselves in their own
infamy, and of birelng priests and bowling
editors, who prostitute the truth for filthy
lucre's sake.
The issue which has thus been forced
upon us compels US to resort to the great
first law of self preservation, and stand in
: our defence--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 not to tamely submit
to be driven and slain without an attempt
: to preserve ourselves. Our duty to oul
, country, our holy religion, our God, tt
1 freedom and liberty, requires that W.
should not quietly stand still and see these
fotters forging around ia which are calcu
lated to enslave and bring us in subjection
to an unlawful military despotism, such a.
can only emanete, in country OF consti-
tutioual law, from usurpatiou, tyrany ant
e oppression.
a Therefore T, Brigham Young, Governo
and Superintendent of Indian Affairs 70
the Territory of Utah, in the name Of tn
people OF the United States, in the Territor
10 of Utah, forbid,
i First-Al armed forces ofevery descrir
~ ton from coming into the Territory, unde
!. any pretense whatever.
20 Second That all the forces in sal
lg Territory hold themselves in readiness t
L. march at moments notioo to repel an
= and all such invasion.
u Third-M Martial law is hereby declare
It. to exist in this Territory from and aftt
10 the publication of this proclamation, an
e, no person shall be allowed to pass or r.
~ ~ pass into or through or from the Territor
is without permit from the proper Office
he Given under my hand and seal, at gre
wv Salt Lake City, Territory of Utah, til
fifteenth day of September, A. d., eightec
hundred and fifty seven, and of the Ind
d pendence of the United States of Amerit