The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-25
DISFRANCHiSEMEUT.

OF the Mormons in general as citizens over
the average of members of its own party :;
but it urges that in certain other duties of
citizens that may possibly arise in the
future, the duty of bearing arms ard going
to battle, for example, the Mormons would
be inferior to the non Mormons in this i'm
agined case, and should therefore be dis
franchiseo
Now, we know of no rule of reasoning
by which it can be inferred that men who
are the best citizens in all the ordinary
requirements of citizenship. viii suddenly
become the worst citizens in the extraor-
binary ones: that servant who is faithful
IN small things will not in the heavier
responsibilities be more trustworthy than
those who are unfaithfll in their lesser
duties. We dispute this theory of the
Liberal organ at every step. The organ
states its argument in these words:
THE HERALD continually harps upon the in
justice OF seeking to disfranchise people who
are, in the general acceptation of the term,
good people, while giving the ballot 10 men OF
doubtful character OF course the whole field
has been gone over hundred times, and can
ne explained IN few words. II q war were to
break out between this country and any 9th er.
and there should be call for volunteers
great many of these men whom THE HERALD
says are bad men, would spring TO arms, and
gladly offer their lives for their country. At
the same time ii notice should be served on
these people, whom THE HERALD says are good
people, a notice from the head of the church
that he did not approve of the war. and did not
wish any of his people to join the army, it
would be command and not one would join
Ii i
injustice of seeking to disfranchise good
people. 1t is the common sense of man
kind, the universal idea of justice, the
consultation of our country, and the decla-
ration of all great statesmen without dis
sent on that subject, that declare all men
are free and equal, that the supposed
thoughts of man are not sufficient ground
Tor Furnishing him. and that people can be
punished for their actions only The
quarrel Of the advocates of disfranchise.
ment and other punishment for belief only,
is not properly with The HERALD but with
the sages snd philosophers of all ages and
with the grandest result OF the civilization
of our own age-that the political equality
of men is not affected by their supposed
opinions.
2-lt is not The HERALD, but the Gentle
court records that denominate the Nor
mons as good people, and the nom
Mormons as "bad people" We have
made no such assertion; but the
court records show that the non Mormon
element furnishes a large majority of the
criminals. And we urge this simply to
Offset the Liberal charge that all Mormons
had hacanca q fau of har -
lated certain law.
3-''f war were to break out. etc.,
Well, war did break out just at the time
the Mormons Were driven from their homes
in Nauvoo. Many of the people felt bitter
toward the government, which had neg
lected to protect them from the armed ruff
fans who had burned their houses and muir
dered their relatives. Nevertheless. when
call was made upon them for five hundred
aole-bodied men for the Mexican war. they
were furnished with promptness, per-
formed one OF the longest and severest
infantry marches known to history. tool,
possession of this western country in the
name of the United States and discovered
the first gold in California, thus throwing
that great region open to settlement. The
terrible experience of that Journey over
the deserts of America, left nearly every
member of the Mormon battalion disabled
in one way or another, for life A few of
them still survive, most of them rest in
the earth, enduring examples of mormon
traitors to their country
4-"if a notice should be served, etc
not that such notice ever was served or
is ever likely to be served, but 'sif.', We
could make the same charge against the
Liberal ring and with just as good reason.
but 1t is unnecessary TO argue about an
imaginary and totally improbable suppo-
sition.
A little further on the Liberal organ de-
clares that no Mormon served the
country in the time of the civil
war. We commend to this reckless
prevaricatora few paragraphs of history.
In the spring of 1S62, the Indians were
troublesome on the overland mail route.
and stopped the mails. They DESTROYED
nearly every mail station between Fort
Bridger and North Platte, they
burned the coaches and mail bags, ran off
the stock, and killed the drivers. Acting
Governor FULLER and others teIegraphed
TO Secretary STANTON about the matter;
and three days later, Ex-Governor BRIGHAM
You've sent telegram to the Utah Dele
gate at Washington, saying ''the militia of
Utah are ready and able, as they have ever
been. to take care of all the Indians. and
are able and willing to protect the mail line
If called upon to do sou
A few days later, the following order
was received from Washington:
WASHINGTON, April IS, 1862
Mr.. Brigham Young, Salt Lake City:
BY express direction of the President of
the United States, you are authorized to
raise, arm and equip one company of cav
airy for ninety days service
This company will be organized as fol-
lows: One captain, one first lieutenant
one second lieutenant, one first sergeant
one quartermasters sergeant four sergeants.
and eight corporals, two musicians, two
farriers, one saddler, one wagouer, and
ffty-six to seventy-two privates.'
Then follows the special instruction as to
the destination and service of the company.
The order is signed by L. THOMAS. Adult
nt-General
The company under COL r. L. Burton
performed thirty DAYS service, clearing the