, 1858-08-20
Of The President 10 The
MOrmOnS.

rTOCldWdllOu Vi inc froSlueuL 10 Ilo
MOrmOnS.
The President of the United States has
addressed the following proclamation to the
residents Of Utah Territory. We insert
sub-heads III it:
MsDEEDs OF THE MoRMoNs.
Whereas, the Territory Of Utah was set
tied by certain emigrants from the States
and from foreign countries, who have for
several years past manifested q spirit Of in
subordnation to the constitution and laws
Of the United States. The great mass Of
those settlers, acting under the influence of
leaders to whom they seem to have surren-
dered their judgment, refuse to be controlled
by any other authority. They have been
often advised to obedience, and these
friendly counsels have been answered with
defiance. Officers of the federal govern
ment have been driven from the Territory
for no offence but an effort to do their
sworn duty. Others have been prevented
from going there by threats of assassina-
ton. Judges have been violently inter-
rupted in the performance of their func-
tions, and the records of the courts have
been seized, and either destroyed or con-
cealed. Many other acts Of unlawful vio-
lence have been perpetrated, and the right
to repeat them has been openly claimed by
the leading inhabitants, with at least the
silent ncquescence of nearly all the others.
Their hostility to the lawful government Of
the country has at length become so vio-
lent that no officer bearing commission
from the chief magistrate Of the Union can
enter the Territory or remain there with
safety; and all the officers recently appoint
ed have been unable to go to Salt Lake or
anywhere else in Utah beyond the immedi-
ate power Of the army. Indeed, such is
believed to be the condition to which o
strange system Of terrorism has brought
the inhabitants Of that region, that no one
among them could express an opinion fa-
vorable to this government, or even pro
pose TO obey its laws, without exposing his
life and property to peril.
RESISTANCE TO THE U. s. TROOPS.
After carefully considering this state Of
affairs, and maturely weighing the obliga-
tion | was under to see the laws faithfully
executed, it seemed to me right and proper
that should make such use of the military
force at my disposal as might be necessary
to protect the federal officers in going into
the Territory of Utah, and in performing
their duties after arriving there. l accord
ingly ordered detachment of the army to
march for the City Of Salt Lake, Of within
reach of that place, and to act in case Of
need as posse for the enforcement Of the
laws. But, in the meantime, the hatred Of
that misguided people for the just and le-
gal authority Of the government had be-
come SO intense that they resolved to meas
ure their military strength with that Of the
Union. They have organized an armed
force far from contemplate in point Of
numbers, and trained it, il not with skill, at
least with great assiduity and perseverance,.
While the troops of the United States
were on their march, train Of baggage
wagons, which happened to be unprotected,
was attacked and destroyed by portion
Of the Mormon forces, and the provisions
and stores with which the train was laden
were wantonly burnt. In short, their pres
ent attitude is one OF decided and unre-
served enmity to the United States and to
all their loyal citizens Their determine
tiou to oppose the authority of the govern
ment by military force has not only been
expressed in words, but manifested in overt
acts Of the most unequiVocal character.
PERSISTENCE WILL LEAD TO RUIN.
Fellow-citizens of Utah, this is rebellion
against the government to which you owe
allegiance. 1t is levying war against the
United States, and involves you in guilt Of
treason. Persistence in it will bring you
to condign punishment, to ruin and to
shame; for it is mere madness to suppose
that, with your limited resources, you can
successfully resist the force Of this great
and powerful nation.
If you have calculated upon the forbear-
ance Of the United States-if you have
permitted yourselves to suppose that this
government will fail to put forth its strength
and bring you to submission-you have
fallen into a grave mistake You have
settled upon territory which lies geograph-
ically in the heart Of the Union. The
land you live upon was purchased by the
/ United States, and paid for out Of their
treasury. The proprietary right and title
to it is in them, and not in you. Utah is
bounded on every side by States and Ter
ritories whose people are true to the Union.
1t is absurd to believe that they will OF eau
permit you 10 erect in their very midst a