Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-11-27

Uothinandur o. tho Utah expedition, among
Them 4 letter and proclamation from Brig
Aam Ycang.
Col. Alexander was within thirty miles
OF Fort Bridger, which place Is occupied by
Mormon troops, when he received the follow
ing letter from Brigham Young through
ahe commander Of tho "Nauvoo Legion:'
GoyERNoR's OrFrcE, Utah Territory, !
Salt Lako City, Sept. 20, 1851.
TO me officer Commanding he Forces nor
haeading Utah Territory.
SIN: BY reference to the act Of Congress
passed Sept o, 1850, organizing tho Terri
tory Of Utah, you will find the following:
"Scc. 2. aud be 10 further enacted, That
the executive power and authority in and
over said Territory Of Utah shall bc vested
in a Governor who shall hold his Office for
four years, and until his successor shall be
appointed and qualified, unless sooner re-
moved by the President Of the United
States. Tho Governor shall reside within
said Territory, shall DO Commandcrin-
Chief of the militia thereof, &c."
am still tho Governor and Superiutend-
cut Of Indian Affairs for the Territory, no
successor having been appointed and quail
fed, as provided by law, nor have boen
removed by tho President of tho United
States. BY virtue Of tho authority thus
vested in me, have issued and forwarded
to you a copy of my proclamation forbid
ding tho entrance of armed forces into the
Territory. This you have disregarded. /
now further direct that you retire forthwith
from the Territory, by the same route you
entered. Should you deem this impractic-
able, aud prefer to remain until Spring in
the vicinity Of your present cncampment--
Black Fork on Green River--you can do so
fn peace and unmolested, on condition that
SGa deposit your arms and ammunition with
Lewis Robinson, Quartermaster-G General Of
the Territory, and leave in the Spring as
soon as the condition of the roads will per-
init YOU to march; and should you fall short
of provisions, they can be furnished you up
on making the proper application therefor.
Gen. D. H. Wells will forward this and
receive any communication you may have
to make.
Very respectfully, BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Governor and Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
The following is the proclamation refer
rcd to by Brigham Young:
PROCLAMATION by THE GOVERNOR.
CITIZENS OF UTAH; We arc invaded by
u hostile force, who are evidently assailnp
as to accomplish our overthrow and destruc-
tion. For the last twenty-five years we
have trusted officials Of the government,
from Constabes and Justices, to Judges,
Governors and President, only to be scorncd,
held in derision, insulted and betrayed
Our houses have been plundered 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 tho barren wilderness
and that protection among hostile savages
which were denied them in the boasted
abodes of Christianity and civilization.
The Constitution of our common coun-
try guarantees unto us all that we do now
or have ever claimed. If the constitution
nj rights which pertain to us as American
citizens were extended to Utah according to
tho spirit and meaning thereof, and fairly
and impartiallv 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 aspersions against us before the ma
tion. The Government has not condescen-
dcd 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 these 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 instigation OF
anonymous letter writers, ashamed to faith
er tho base, slanderous falsehoods which
they have given to the public; of corrupt
officials, who have brought false accusations
against us to screen themselves in their own
infamy, and of hireling priests and bowling
editors, who prostitute the truth for filth lu-
crc's sake.
The issue which has thus been forced up
on us compels us TO resort to the great first
aaw Of self-preservation, and stand in oul
own defense--a right guaranteed unto US by
the genius of tho institutions of our coun
try, and upon which the government il
based Our duty to ourselves, to our fani
lies, requires US not to tamely submit to b
driven and slain without an attempt to pre-
serve ourselves Our duty to our country
our hoay religion, our God, TO freedom an
liberty, requires that we should not quietl
stand sill and sec those fetters forgn
around US which are calculated to enslav
and bring US in subjection to an unlawft
military despotism, such as can only emanat
in a country of constitutional law, fror
nsurpation, tyranny and oppression,
Therefore !, Brigham Young, Govern'
and Superintendent of Indian Affairs f
the Territory of Utah, in the name of II
people Of the United States, in the Ter
tory Of Utah, forbid,
First All armed forces of every d.
scription from coming into this Territor
under any pretense whatever.
Second. That all the forces in said Teri
tory hold themselves in readiness to mare
at moments notice to repel any and
such invasion.
Third. Martial law is hereby declare
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