The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-05-03

and dreary, trackless wastes between
themselves and a civilization which to
to them had proved barbarism. Across
the rolling prairies of Iowa, through
fever-laden morass, over spring swollen
streams, they reached. with incredible
toll, Council Bluffs. The graves of those
who fell a prey to disease would, i
equally distributed, have more thar
marked every mile of the way.
While waiting on the banks of tn,
Missouri. the demand for the Mormon
Battalion was made. A body of hardy
disciplined men to secure California wa,
needed. Far the greater part of tn,
able-bodied, young, unmarried mel
were either needed in the van a.
pioneers or had remained behind
widely scattered, working for wage:
wAerewith to forward supplies fol
the sick, the needy and the destitute
But the response was $50 men, nine
tenths of whom were the only support
of families. They made the long march
They arrived i'll time to help save Cali.
fornia, which had barely escaped British
occupation. What greater evidence
could the Mormons give of their patriot
ism and loyalty to the government OF
the United States.
Time will not permit me to follow the
journeying of our people across the
plains, to recite the hardships they en-
dured, nor recount the many acts of
heroism displayed during that weary
march. Suffice it to say, that nearly
thirty-eight years ago a little band of
American citizens, the pioneers of a
homeless people, began the work of re-
claiming the desert valley of the Great
Salt Lake. One of their first acts, after
returning thanks to Almighty God, who
had preserved them from the perils of
famine. disease, and savage foes, was to
scale Ensign Peak and unfurl to the
breeze the American flag. They were
then on the soil Of Mexico, with whom
the United States were at war.
They thus virtually took posses
sion OF this country in the name
of the United States. This was no
ordinary manifestation of patriotism.
To preserve the peace, to prevent blood
shed, to secure an asylum where they
and their posterity might enioy
domestic tranquility, the blessings of
liberty, the free exercise of religion, the
freedom of speech, and of the press.
and the inherent right of community
government, they had voluntarily left
the land of their birth. At the end of
their perilous journey, finding them
selves in the territory of a foreign
power, they raised the flag under which
they were born, and dedicated their
new found home to liberty, and repub-
lean government.
Notwithstanding the forbidding sur
'oundings, the young colony grew and
orospered. The Mormon pioneers
we're an agricultural and pastoral peo-
de. They believed that the sure end
permanent foundation of a communities
wealth and greatness was in tilling the
oil. They stood firm to their faith
through all the mad excitement of 1S49,
nd succeeding years, while the gold
ever ragged. They cultivated friendly
Citations with their Indian neighbors.
ealt fairly and honestly with
hem as they have always
one with the rest of mankind,
Common trials, dangers, tribulations
nd sufferings had taught them self-re-
lance and constancy. An abiding
aith in God was the well-spring of their
wonderful success. This and commu-
lity cooperation were and still are the
ecrets of the unexampled growth of the
dormon people. / venture nothing in |
that no other people would
ave dared to undertake the removal
# large colony more than thirteen
luudred miles across trackless plains, |
earring with them the implements of |
industry, means of subsistence, herds |
# cattle, fiocks of sheep, droves of |
lerses, seed grain, and all the essentials |
# domestic economy. The best |
quipped and most thoroughly disci-
lined army could scarcely have accom- |
'lished the journey. Any other people |
you'd have been disheartened when |
heir eyes first rested upon the valley |
f the Great Salt Lake. 1t was not an |
INVITING land of promise, with all its |
atural beauty-grand, snow-capped |
fountains and lake-studded plains |
5 they viewed them from the mouth of |
canyon. An oppressive |
isolation brooded over a sagebrush |
lain, which makes even the hope |
I'll heart of the enthusiast sink and |
he eye of faith grow dim.
,ontemn our faith, scoff at our credul- |
ty, despise our creed, but look at what |
Te have accomplished and see what we
re. (Applause.)
In 1850 the census showed II $50 souls |
n the Territory of Utah. A far differ
Mt sight now met the eyes of the emf
rants, weary, footSore, emaciated with
unger and suffering, as they gazed |
rom the mouth of Emigration Canyon
n the prospect before them. Fields of
Taying grain, bright, silvery streams of /
7ater, growing fruit trees, houses and
be signs of human life. A city of more
han 5000 souls, witt broad streets,
reen, grass-covered plats, neat homes,
in bright flowers, surrounded
Y well-tilled gardens, had sprung up as
by magic, where three years before
My desolation relgned.
In 1S49 a form of civil government
tas demanded. The people were of one
eligious faith. Their church organiza-
ON, acknowledged to be the most per-
set in existence, was complete. Here
as an excellent opportunity to
stablish an ecclesiastical govern
lent. Not a government of
hurch and State of which carpers
rate so much. but government of the
hurch without the State. For there
as no State. Was such a government
rgznized? 1t was not. On the con-
AIRY, convention was called, to which
elegates were appointed, who when
ley met adopted a constitution, mo-
eled alter the constitutions of other
tates. 1t was republican not only In
,rm but in essence. We designated it
provisional government and resolved
lat it should supply our wants until 1
lie Congress of the United States should
sherwise provide" Remember, that
0 form of government had at this