Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-05-02

from which it derives all power, and body
forming q aaclgas around which are gather
ing the ignorant, the superstitious, the bigot
the outlaw, and the disaffectod of all coun-
tries in the world, who are taking refuge,
as they suppose, under the wings of the
angel of the last dispensation However de-
ludcd the great mass of their followers may
be, the leaders are not deluded, but arc
knaves from choice, wilfully misleading the
masses for the purpose Of obtaining and
welding power, boldly predicting The over
throw Of the Republic, when they will re-
sumo the rcins of government, and proclaim
Mormonism to the bcnigllted nations of the
world.
Every species of information is studiously
kept from the people, except their own doe
trines, which az so Ingenious and faseinat-
ing that they bewilder rather than enlight-
on, till the feeble mind becomes lost in the
mazes of metaphysical theories, and, locking
around for some sure anchor of safety, dos-
pairing falls PROSTATE at the feet Of the
monster, imploring him, in the language of
scripture, Il believe; help thou my belief"
The cndearins appellajion of "brother
and sister" is applied to all classes indiscrIn-
inately, which, with the plurality wife sys-
tenn, and the marriage of blood sisters. breaks
up and oblterates every ycstigo of the fam
lily relation
onc-tenth Of all property, and one-tenth
of all products, are demanded as ''tithing;"
and then, not only the man, but his wives
and children, aud his property entire, are
,conseerated to the Church. All are at the
disposal of Brigham
The entire male population Of the State
are enrolled in the militia, who are under
weekly (some daily) military drill, every
one Of whom, from the boy Of twelve to the
man of eighty years, is required to keep on
hand ono hundred rounds of cartridges, one
gun or rifle, one Or mere pistols, swords
sabrcs, knives, &c, all he can obtain and
then, in the event of war, the women and
children are to fight with whatever weapon
they can command. Now, when we con-
slider their location, thousand miles inland
on every side, in the mountain Businesses of
the continent: their numbers. which, accord
ing to Chief Justice Drunm ond, are
one hundred thousand in the Territory
States and Territories: their appliances of
war; their secret agents in every nook and
corner Of the Republic; their emisSarios a
fmoag every Indian tribe On the continent,
teaching them mechanic arts and military
tactics, they amount to something more
than we have been accustomed to regard
them They have settlements on Salmon
River, near Puget Sound in Washington
Territory, ana in Carson Valley and at San
Barnardino, California. They instigated
the Indians to revolt in Oregon and Wash
ington Territories in the late war, and were,
in my Judgment, the cause that created the
necessity for the proclamation Of martial
law by Governor Stevens aud when the
Governor forwarded a supply train Of goods
up to and for Nez Pcrces III payment OF
debts contracted with them when returning
from treating with the I}laekfeet or Grows,
lin the winter of 1906, on the arrival Of
the train at Col. Craig's the Indian agency
for the Nez Perces, they had been induced
to fayer Kom-in-kun, the Yakima war chief,
refused to receive the goods either i'll pay
Iment of debts or as presents, and ordered all
the whites TO leave their country. Colonel
Craig the Indian Agent, was retained in
case of need the train returned hastily to
the Dalles; but other whites among the Nez
Pereos, instead of coming to the Dalles and
claiming the protection of the United States
Army, weat hroRgh the country q tie rar
Indians, to the Mormon settlement, on Sal
mon Ricer, fof protection In Col. Shaw
last battle with the Indians in the Grand
Ronde, among the camp equipage of the en-
iomy, he captured anmuaition chh Mormon
Ifade{s on them.
Now, permit me to conduct you to San
Francisco, CAL, on the ever memorable 18th
day of August, 1856, and behold the streets
Of that Inflated city thronged with men and
arms. The Federal Constitution has been
upheaycd. the laws overthrown, and the
'"Commlttee Vigilantes' have instituted Il
reign of terror. The Committee lays down
its power and calls out its adhcrents to cele-
brate its retirement to law and order. The
streets are decorated aud hung with flags
but, alas the tar-spangled flag of the free
was set asidel 1.-THE all-soeing eye over
the crescent" on which was inscribed Wig
ilantes,' occupied the foreground, with u
United States flag on either side Immedi-
ately in the rear of these, also hung the
Mormon emblem (worn by them as military
badges) Of '.hee-hivc and bees" in the rear
of these, between other United States flags,
was the lone Star" ON blue ground. sur
rounded by constellation. These are the
prominent ensigns Of Mormonism, except
the secret signs Of the priesthood, which arc
worn on under garments, and are of course
invisible. No one knew the oljeet Of the
secret order ..%'igilantcs' but those who re-
cognize Brigham as their Prophet, Priest
and King. The Vigilance Committee Of
1851 was an experiment of Mormon strength
headed by Samuel Branan, Farley Z. Pratt
and others, and the Vigilance Committee o
1856 may be regarded in the same light
II not Mormon, let some one assign reasons
for the setting aside of the United States
flag and the display of ensigns Of Mormon
ism.
Throughout the States and Territories, a
various ard convenient localities, the Nor
mons have what are termed "Stakes il
Zion" and each stake is governed by "a pres
ideney. 1t may not be known to many tina
there is stake in the city of New York
whose president is editor of paper callc,
The Mormon at Council Bluffs IS anotlo
stake and another paper; at Independence
another stake; at ST. Lous. &c. Their agent
and spies are in every city III the Union