Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-04-25
Resignation of Judge Drumlno,ld.

4 resign the office OF justice OF the supreme
Court of the Territory of Utah which posi-
ton accepted in a, D 1854, under the
administration Of President Pierce, | deem
it due to tue public to give some Of the rea-
sons why do so. III the first place, Brig
ham Young, the Governor Of Utah Terrific
ry, is the acknowledged head of the Church
Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, COM
monty called "Mormons, and as such head
the Mormons look to him, and to hi;a, alone,
for the law by which they are to be govern
ed therefore, no law is by them consider
ed binding III any manner
Secondly, I know that there is q secret
oath bound organization among all the male
members of the church, to acknowledge no
law save the law of the ''Holy Priesthood, .
which comes to the people through Brig
ham Young, direct from God, he Young
being the yicegerant of God and prophetic
successor of Joseph Smith, who was the
founder Of the blind and reasonable organ
ization
.Thirdly. am fully aware that there is
set Of men set apart by special order of the
church to take both the lives and property
of persons who may question the authority
Of the church (the names of whom | will
promptly make known at Il future time.)
Foathly. That the records, papers, &c,
Of the Supreme Court have been destroyed
by order of the church. with the direct
knowledge and appreciation of Governor b.
Young, and the Federal Officers grossly in
suited for presumins to raise single ques-
ton about the reasonable act.
Ftfth{g. That the Federal Officers Of the
territory are constantly insulted, harassed
and annoyed by the Mofmons, AMI for those
insults there is no redress.
Siethlg. That the Federal Officers are
daily compelled to hear the form Of the
American Government tradueed. the chief
executives OF the nation, both living aud
dead, slandered and abused from the masses.
as well az from all the leading members Of
the church, III the most vulgar, loathesome
aud wicked manner that the evil passions ef
man can possibly conceive.
Again That after Aiorori Green had
been convicted in the District Court before
my colleague, Judge Kinney. Of al assault
with ii4tellt to commit murder and after
wards. On appeal to the Supreme Court the
Judgment being affirmed and the said Green
sentenced TO the peaitentiary. Brigham
Young gave a full pardon to the said Green
before he reached the penitentiary; also,
that the said Coy. Young pardonod \ man
by the mae Of Baker, who had been tried
aud sentenced to ten years Imprisonment Ill
the penitentiary for the marder Of dumb
boy ~ The name If Hhitehouse. the proof
showing one Of the most aggravated eases
Of murder that | ever knew being tried !;
and 10 insult the court and government Ell
cc.s, tbs 6an Iouu,s suck this criminal with
him, in proper person, to church on the ncst
Sabbath after his conviction, Baker in the
meantime having received full pardon frolu
Coy brigham Young. These two men
were Mormons.
On the other hand, charge the Normous
and Gov. Young in particular, with impris-
onng five OF six young men from Missouri
and Iowa, who are now in the penitcntiary
of Utah, without thosa men having violated
any criminal law in America, but they were
anti MoFmons, poor. unodueated young men,
on their way for California; but because
they emgrated from Illinois. Iowa, OF Mis-.
soari, and passed by Great Salt Lake City,
they we're indicted by Probate Court, and
most brutaily and in.umauly dealt with in
addition to being summarily incareeratcd in
the sanity prison of the Territory Of Utah.
[ also charge Gov. Young with constantly
interfering with the federal courts, directing
the Grand Jury whom to indict- aud whom
not, and. after the Judges charge the Grand
Juries 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,
obeycd or received by the Grand Juries of
the Federal Courts of Utah Territory.
Again, sir, after careful and mature in
vestigation, | have been compelled to come
to the conclusion, heait-rending and sickon-
ing as it may he, that Capt. John W. Gun
nisou and his party of eight others were
murdered by the Indians in 1858, under the
order, advice and directions Of The Mormons;
that my illas,rious and distinguished prede-
cossor, Hon, Leonidas Shaver. came to his
death by drinking poisonous liquors given to
him under the order of leading men of the
Mormon Church in Great Salt Lake City !;
that the late Secretary Of the Territory, A.
". Ba6bitt, was n4ardered on the plains by
band Of Mormon marauders, under the
particular and special order of Brigham
Young, Heber c. Kimball and j N. Grant,
and not BY the Indians, as reported by the
Mormous themselves; and that they were
sent from Salt Lake City for that purpose,
and that only aud as members of the Da-
mite Band they are hound to do the will of
Brigham Young as the head Of the church,
or forfeit their own lives.
These reasons, with many others thai
might give, which would be too heart-reud=
iug to insert in this communication have in
ducod me to resign the office Of Justice OF
the Territory of Utah, and again return to
my adopted State Of Illinois. Ny reason,
sir, for making this communication thus pub
lie is, that the Democratic party, with which
have always strictly acted. is the party now
in power and therefore is the party that
should aoe be held responsible for the trea-
sonable and disgraceful state of affairs that
now exists in Utah Territory. | could, sir,
+ if necessary, refer to a cloud Of witnesses to
attest the reasons | have given, and the
charges, bold as they are, against those des-
pots who rule with an iron hand their hun
drel thousand souls IN Utah, aud their two