The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-10-08

/ that law when is the cOSlllullOndi IAN VI
the land;
:. And as pertaining to law of man. what =
soeTer Is more or less than these cometh OF
evil.
g. 1, the Lord Cod make you free, there
fore ye are free indeed; and the law aiso
maketh YOU free;
9. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the
/ people mourn.
| 10. Wherefore, honest men and wise men
/ should be sought for diligently, anu SOou
/ men and wise men We should observe 70 , ul1,
mold; Otherwise whatsoever IS less Ii4''N
these cOmeth OF evil.
II. And 1 give unto you commandment l,
/ that We shall fOrsake all evil and cle8Ne -
! all good, that We shall live by every WOIG =
which prOceedeth forth out OF the mouth "a
God;
/ y. For he will give unto the faithful line
upon line, precept upon precept; anu " III
/ tl'y you and prove you herewith
/ j. And whose layeth down MS ne III my
cause, for my names sake, shaA hIu il
+ again. even life eternal:
/ X. Therefore be not afraid of your enc
/ mics, for have decreed IN my heaft, Satin
/ the Lord, that / Will prove you IN ali Things
( whether YOU will abide in my covenant even
unto death, that you may be found worthy
/ 10. For If We viii not abide IN my COVE
nant, ye are not worthy OF me.
/ Fiftv-tWO wears have passed since
! this was given to the Church, and we
are now witnessing its fulfilment. The
Saints are required TO do whatsoever
the Lord commands them, TO live by
every word which pToceedeth forth out
OF the mouth of God. They are also
instructed to befriend every constltu-
tiOnal law of the land; for such laws
support the principle of freedom; they
maintain rights and privileges. This,
as people, we have striven 70 do from
the beginning of our organization. we
have ever been q laW-abidlng people.
| Times without number we nave SUI
fered the most grievous wrongs With
out reSenting them. We have ever
( thought it better to suffer wrong taan
to do wrong.
Such was the case when we suffered
eXpatriatiOn from the State of Mis-
souri,. We were robbed and plllaged,
despoiled and prosecuted, yet we had
no idea of retaliating on account OF
these wrongs upon the government
and its institutions, which to US are
sacred. The same loyal spirit animated
US when we were beSet by blood
thirsty mobs IN Illinois, one of which
murdered Joseph Smith, our Prophet,
and Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, while
they were under the pledged protection
of the State, given through the gov
ernor. On the same occasion one Of
Signers of this address was also
brought to the gate of death, by being
shot by the same band of aSSassins.
When driven from the homes we had
established in Illinois, we hal no
disposition to hold the nation
at large nor the government
of our beloved country responsible for
those inhuman deeds, nor to allow the
spirit of vengeance to rankle in our
hearts. We took the first opportunity
to exhibit the spirit of true patriotism.
While undergoing great hardship on
account of being subjected to COM
pulSory exodus, when called upon by
the government to furnish body of
men to take part in the war with
Mexico, 500 of the flower of our camp
responded with alacrity, and in ac-
cOrdance with the call OF our country,
trayerSed the great American desert,
penetrated to Mexico, and COM
pleted an arduous and hazardous
campaign, and journey to California.
You have no doubt read, through the
papers, an account of the terrible af-
fair which recently occurred at Rock
Springs, in Wyoming Territory. We
could not help feeling little anxiety
lest some OF our people should have
been connected with that bloody riot,
and Immediately requested Brother
Cluf, President of Summit Stake, to
inquire into the matter. So far as we
have obtained information to the pres
ent, however, we find that not more
than one has been in any way mixed up
with that matter, and he a person of
doubtful standing. We are pleased to
learn of this, because we cannot as
sociate with any deeds so revolving
and inhuman, and we take this oppor-
Lunity to express our opinion on this
subject to the Saints. A great number
of secret societies are being formed
with which we cannot affiliate. Such
organizations are generally inimical to
law, to good order, and in many in
stances subversive of the rights of
man. We cannot amalgamate with
them. They are very distinctly spoken
against in the Book of Mormon, as
among the calamities which should af-
fiict the people.
We are expressly commanded, and it
becomes our duty, to uphold and sus-
tain every law of the land which is con-
stitutional 1--WE have always had strong
desire to obey such laws, and to place
ourselves in harmony with all the in
situations of the country.
We repeat that we desire that all
men should be aware of the fact that
we have been the upholdeTS of the
Constitution and laws enacted in pur-
suance of that sacred Instrument.
We still entertain the same patriotic
disposition, and propose to continue
acting in conformity with it to the last.
Neither have we any desire to come in
active conflict even with statutes that
we deem opposed to the Constitution
both in letter and spirit. Whatever
opposition has been offered in that line
has been only of such q character as
is justified by the usages and GUS
toms of this and all other civilized
countries, and such as the laws and in
StitutionS of this nation provide, Nor
have we the least desire to shun the
consequences of our acts in their rela-
tionship to the laws to which we refer,
providing there were any assurance
that our cases would be submitted to a
fair and just adjudication. Events of
the past few months give no ground
for hope that such treatment
would be accorded. 1t must be con-
tended, however, that, as stated else
where, connected with this disposition
to have our conduct passed upon as
provided by law administered in the
genius of justice, there never can be
any nope of our yielding up, under any
circumstances, a principle of cOnSci-
entiouS or religious conviction. Were
we to make such surrender our con-
duct IN that reSDect VyOUld NOT no i,