Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-04-25


To tie Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, attorney Gen
eral Of the United States, Washington CITY, DC:
My DEAR SIR: As I have concluded to resign
the office of Justice of the Supreme Court of the
Territory of Utah, which position l accepted in
A. D., 1854, under the administration of President
Pierce | deem it due to the public to give some of
the reasons why | do so. In the first place, Brig
ham Young, the Governor of Utah territory, is the
acknowledged head of the Church of the Latter
Day Saints" commonly called "Mormons," and as
such head the Mormons look to him and to him
alone, for the lac by which they are to be governed;
therefore no law of Congress is by them consider
ed binding in any manner.
Secondly. know that there is q secret oath
bound orgnization among all the male members of
the church. to acknowledge no law save the law of
the "IIolv Priesthood" which comes to the people
through Brigham Young, direct from God, he,
Young, being the vicegerent of God and prophetic
successor of Joseph Smith, who was the founder
of this blind and reasonable organization.
Thirdly. am fully aware that there is a 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 Che
names of whom 1 will promptly make known at a
future timc).
Fouthly. That the records, papers &C., of the
Supreme Court have been destroyed by order OF
the church with direct knowledge and appreciation
Of Governor B. Young, and the federal officers
/ grossly lnSuileu IOT pIesuLuluS " TdioC u sluSN
question about the reasonable act.
FTtthly. That the federal officers Of the terrific
ry are constantly insulted, harrassed, and annoy
ed by the Mormons, and for those insults there il
no redress.
Sirihly. That the federal officers are daily com
PEELED to hear the form of the American govern
ment traduced, the chief executives Of the nation
both living and dead, slandered and abused from
the masses, as we'll as from all the leading mem
bers Of the church, in tho most vulgar, loathsomt
and wicked manner that TIE evil passions of mar
can possibly conceive,
Again That after Moroni Green had heen con
victed in the District Court before my colleague
Judge Kinney, of an assault with intent to com
nit murder and afterwards, on appeal TO thu
Supreme Court the Judgment being affirmed 0nC
the said Green sentenced to the penitentiary
Brigham Young gave a full pardon to the sale
Green before he reached the penitentiary; alsC
that the said Governor Young p~ardoned a man by
the name of Baker, who had been tried and sen
fenced to ten years imprisonment in the peniten
tiary for the murder of a dumb boy by the nam'
of White House, the proof showing one of mos
aggravated cases of murder that l ever knew beins
tried and to insult the. court and government
officers This man Young took his ~pardoned Grim
inal with him, in proper person, to church on thu
next Sabbath after his conviction, Baker in thu
meantime having received a full pardon from Gov
Brigam Young. These two men were Mormons
On the other hand, l charge the Mormons, ant
Gov, Young in particular, with lmDrlSonlnR nv
or six Young men from Missouri and Iowa VIII
are now in the penitentiary at Utah, withou
those men having violated any criminal law il
; America, but they were nti.Mormons, poor uned
ucated young men, on their way for California
hut because they emigrated from Illinois, Iowa o
Missouri and passed by Great salt Lake City, the.
were indicted by u Probate Court, and most bru
I tally and inhuma1ly dealt with in addition to be
; ing summarily incarcerated in the saiutly prison o
! the territory of Utah also charge Gov, YonnI
with constantly interfering with the federal court
/, directing the Grand Jury whom to indict an
whom not; and. after the Judges charge the Gram
} Juries MS to their duties, that this man Young, IN
yariably has some member of the Grand jury, nd
I yised in advance rs to his will in relation to thel
labors, and that his charge thus given rs the onl
charge known ,obeyed or received by all the Gran
t Jur;es of the federal courts of Utah territory.
These reason with many others that L migl
/, give. which would be too heart rending to inse'
r in this communication, have induced me to resig
the Office of Justice of the territory OF Utah, an
again neturn to my adopted State OF Illinois, "
With an ardent desire that the present admins
1 tration will give due and timely aid to the Officer
5 that may be SO unfortunate as to accept situation
in that territory, and that the whitening ours
: which rests upon this nation by virtue OF the "p'
t culiar" and heartrcnding institutions of the te
ritory of Utah may be speedily removed, to tn
/ honor and credit of our happy country.
now remain your obedient servant,
q W. W. DRUMMOND,
Justice of Utah Territory.
ri March ., A. u. 1857,