Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-04-18
THE SAINTS IN UTAH.

Serious Charges Against the Mormons by
Judge Drummont, the Chief Justice of the
Territory. His Reclamation and Eyncun-
tion in Disgust, and Through Fear of his
Life.
TO the Hon. Jeremiah s. Black Aiorney. General ofhe
United States, Washington city, ID. Co.
My Dear Sir:-As | have concluded to re-
sign the Office of Justice of the Supreme Court
of the Territory of Utah, which position | ac-
copied in A. ID. 1854, under the administration
of President Pierce, ! deem it due to the pub
lie to give sumo of the reasons why do So
In the first place, Brigham Young, the Cover
nor Of Utah Territory, is the acknowledged head
of the "Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints commonly called "Mormons," and as
such head the Mormons look to him, and to hin,
alone, for the laic by which they are 10 be gov
erned therefore no law of Congress is by them
considered binding in any manner.
Secondly, know that there is secret oath
bound organization among all the male mem-
bers of the church, 20 acknowledge no law save
the law Of the "Holy Priesthood" which comes
TO the people through Brigha m Young, direct
from God, he, Young, being the vcegerent of
God and prophetic successor Of Joseph Smith,
who was the founder of this blind and treason
able organization,
IhUdly, am fully aware that there is a set
of Toen set apart by special order of the church,
10 take both the lives aud property of persons
who may question the authority Of the church
(the names of whom will promptly make
known at future iime)
Fowthiy, That the records papers, &C., of
The Supreme Court have been DESTROYED by Or
der of the church, with direct know ledge and
appreciation OF Governor B. Young, and The fed
eral officers grossly insulted for presuming to
raise single question about the reasonable act.
Fythly, That the federal officers of the ter
ritory are constantly insultcd, harassed and an
noyed by the Mormons, and for those insults
there is no redress.
Sirthly, That the federal officers are daily
compelled to hear the form of the American
government traduced, the executives of the ma
ton, both living and dead, slandered and abused
from the masses, as we'll as from all the lead
ing members of the church, in the most vulgar
loathsome and wicked manner that the evil pas
sions of man can possibly conceive.
Again That after Moroni Green had been
convicted in the District Court before my col
league, Judge Kinney, of an assault with in
tent 10 murder and afterwards, on an appeal
TO the Supreme Court the judgement being af-
fitmed and the said Green sentenced 10 the PEN
itentary, Brigham Young gave full pardon
TO the said Green before he reached the peni-
tiary also, that the said Governor Young par
doned man by the name of Baker, who had
been tried and sentenced 10 ten years imprison-
ment in the penltentiary for the murder of
dumb boy by the name of White House. the
proof showing one Of the most aggravated cases
OF murder that ever knew being tried /; and 10
insult the court and go, ernmen officers this man
Young took this pardoned criminal with him, in
proper person, 10 church on the next Sabbath
after his conviction, Baker in the meantime
having received full pardon from Gov. Brig
ham Young. These two men were Mormons
On the other hand, / charge the Mormons,
and Gov. Young in particular, with mprison-
ing five or six young men from Missouri and
Iowa, who are now in the penitentary at Utah
without those men having violated any criminal
law in America, but they were ant-Mormons,
poor uneducaed young men, on their way for
T"lifn-n;" H.. L---.--~ 49,. ---:~--.-I
Illinois, Iowa or Missouri and passed by Great
Salt Lake City, they were indicted by a Pro-
bate Court, and most brutally and inhumany
dealt With in addition to being summary in
carcerated IN the sanity prison of the territory
of Utah. | also charge Gov. Young with con-
stantly interfering with the federal courts, d.
recting the Grand Jury whom TO ndict and
whom not; and, after the Judges charge the
Grand Juries as 10 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, obeyed, or re-
ceved by all the Grand Juries of the federal
courts of Utah territory.
Again, sir, after careful and mature inves-
tigaton, | have been compelled to come TO the
conclusion, heart rendng and sckening as it
may be, that Capt. John w. Gunnison and his
party of eight others were murdered by the In
dams in 1858, under the order, advice and di-
reclions of the Mormons; that my illustrous
and distinguished predecessor, Hon. Leonidas
Shaver, came to his death by drinking poison
Gus liquors given to him under the order of the
leading men of the Mormon Church in Great
Salt Lake City that ,he late Secretary of the
territory, A. w. Babbt, was murdered on the
Plains by band of Mormon maIauders, under
the particular and special order Of Brigham
Young, Heber G. Kimball and ]. M. Grant,
and not by the Indians, as reported by the Nor
mons themselves; and that they were sent from
Salt Lake City for that purpose, and that only
and as members of the Dante Band they were
bound TO do the will Of Brigham Young, as
the head of the Church, or forfeit their own
lives.
These reasons, with many others that might
give, which would be too heart-rending TO in
sert in this communication. have induced me 10
resign the Office of Justice of the territory OF
Utah, and again return to my adopted State Of
Illinois. My reason, sir, for making this COM
munication thus public is, that the democratic
party, with which have always strictly acted,
is the party now ia power, and therefore is the
party that should now be held responsible for
the reasonable and disgraceful state of affairs
that now exists in Utah territory. could sir,
il necessary, refer 10 cloud Of witnesses to at
test the reasons have given, and the charges
bold as they are, against those despols who rule
with an iron hand their hundred thousand souls
in Utah, and their two hundred thousand souls
out of that notable territory hut shall not do Sc