Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1865-11-22
Interesting from Utah,
HosTILITY To THE GovERNNEST-CHANGI
OF TONE N TUE MORMON LEADERS.

4 letter frcm Salt Lake City TO the
New York Tribune, dated Oct Sth, says
Last June in Brigham long conference
with Colfax party, he professed a desire
that the conversation should be entirely
frank on both sides. lie assured US tha-
Polygamy was not an original, vital fea
ture of their faith, but a later revelation
and to most privilege, not an obligation
And, without distinctly saying so, he lef
the impression upon the minds of all of u
that the MOrmons saw that il must sue
GU NIB to contact with advancing settle
ment ane civilization and would, ere long
Rnd some excuse to abandon it. | dC
not say that he wilfully deceived US, bu
he certainly gave us this idea. james
NJ. Ashley of Ohio, Chairman of the
House Committee on Territories, here {
few days later, had two interviews with
Brigham, and if the San Francisco papers
report him faithfully, he left the same
belief. J. Ross Browne, the well known
tourist and author. who was here still Ia
ter, formed the same opinion.
In this faith | endeaVered to write o
the people and leaders with the utmos 81
kindness; to say nothing of their disloy
ality in the past; nothing of the grave
crimes alleged to have been committed
in the name of the ChGrch; nothing of the
revelting details of polygamy, which al
the Gentiles poured into my ears. i
they were willing to abandon the one il
legal and obnoxious feature of their so
cial life, which they call part of theiI
religion, it seemed wise not to reopen any
old issues, or hold them to strict account
ability for anything done while they
were smarting under supposed religion;
persecution.
But Brigham simply deluded us. With
in few hours after the interview with
Mr.. Colfax and his friends, he solemnized
three polygmous marriages. One of the
bridegrooms was Mr.. John Myers, keeper
of the Myers stage station at Bear
Lake. The other parties will be named
if the statement is authoritively denied.
The public tone of all the leaders has
radically changed. They preach that
Polygamy is their religion, that they will
adhere to it, living or dying, even by force
of arms, if necessary; that the people and
Government of the United States are
their bitterest enemies, and desire to de-
strOy them, but must be resisted to the
death if they adopt violent measures.
have heard sermons here so disloyal that
they brought the blood to my cheeks.
At Toole City, Sunday, August 2S, sew
eral of the leaders addressed q congrega-
ton. Portions of their remarks are thus
reported by James w. Gibson, a soldier
in the United States service. He is ready
to make affidavit to the literal accuracy
of the report and Col. Milo George, of
lst Nevada Volunteers, cOmmandant OF
this post, vouches fully for his veracity.
BRIGHAM YOUNG INsTRUCTING HIS FOLLOWERS
The following sentences are from the
Sermon" of Brigham Young:
"Our Constitution has been violated
and misused: the whole nation and the
whole world had been arrayed against the
Latter Day Saints our Government had
tampered with the Mormons when it had
no right to he had told the Govern
ment often that he was willing to be tried
here by the law for any accusation
brought against him, nothing could be
done with him. The MOrmons had the
law in their own hands and would do as
they pleased.'
Brigham-"If they undertook to try
him in Gentle court he would see the
Government in hell first, and was ready
to fight the Government the rub. He
had his soldiers and rifles, and pistols,
and ammunition, and plenty of iG and
cannon, too and would use them. He
was 'on itv The Governor of this Terri
tory was useless. and could do nothing
He (Brigham) was the real Governor of
this people. and by powers of the Most
High he would be Governor of the Terri
tory forever and ever. If the Gentiles
did not like this they could leave and 90
to hell. Ninetenths of the people of the
Territory were Southern symDathizers {;
the North was wrong, and this people
sympathized with the South.
Huber Kimball, George A. Smith,
Bishops Hardy and Raleigh, and Elder
Byrd spoke at the same meeting, and all
in abuse of the Government and denoun-
cling its officers and arrests, and all evi-
IDENTIFY intent on exciting feeling of hos
tilily against it. The follwoing extract in
the same letter of the Tfib,ns's cores
pondent is significant:
According to statements published in
the Mormon papers, and the concurrent
testimony of all Gentiles, whether in civil
life or connected with the army, the Nor
mons are perfecting their military organ
izations, which extend throughout the,
Territory, drilling the people, and Of late
with peculiar earnestness and zeal, Oh
tanning all the arms and ammunition
they can purchase from discharged sol
iers, miners and others.