The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-18
CORRECTING THE RECORD.


The Tribune prints this morning
letter from the Rev. A. T. Rankin OF
| Brigham City. I'm which he points out
some things from the record OF Nor
mon doings and professions that Will
be very interesting reading at this
| time.
First of all with respect to the set
| tlcment of the Mormons I'm Commu-
| nifty by themselves for the purpose OF
| forming an Independent State. Mr.
Rankin shows that this was recon-
mended by the special friend of the Nor
| mons, Colonel Kane. as we'll as by Gov
| ernor Ford OF Illinois 1t also appears
| and the fact is that the Mormons had
no intention OF settling I'm this interior
| country. but meant to go to the Coast
and take from Mexico sufficient area
to form that Independent State. Prior
10 that. John Taylor had written TO
Queen Victoria Offering the services of
the Mormon people TO go to Oregon
10 take and hold the Oregon Country
as n colony OF the British crown: but
|
1t was what the Mormons had In View
from the time they left Illinois. and
their intent In sending Sam Brannan
and the first colony around Cape Horn
10 settle in California, was unauestion-
ably In pursuance OF the Mormon idea
OF forming an Independent State there
which would be independent not only
-
countries. The proof of this Is un-
doubtedly conclusive
Again Mr.. Rankin exposes the false
claim that the Mormons have been in
culcatlng among their people ever since
the settlement of Utah, that the United
States made a draft upon them of Ave
hundred OF their able-bodied men to
form battalion for use in the Mexican
war. But there was no draft during
the Mexican war. The truth is. as the
record shows. and as Mr.. Rankin
prings forward in bis communication
that the supplying of these five hun
dred men was accepted by President
Polk at the solicitation OF the Mormons
themselves. who sent their agent. Col
Jesse G, Little. to Washington for the
purpose of obtaining Government aid
IN their purpose 10 cross the continent
10 the Pacific Coast There can be no
doubt of the accuracy of this state
ment Colonel Little years ago printed
In The Tribune mis- letter giving the
whole history Of the matter, and show
ing conclusIvely that the Mormon bat
talon was accepted by the United
states al the OFFER and solicitation OF
the Mormons themselves: and its ac-
ceptancc wes acknowledged at the time
10 be great concession In their favor
by the Government.
Further than that. the pay of this |
battalion at its first muster in Santa |
Fe was the money with which Brigham
Young outfltted his expedition In lS47 |
when he came out into this country.
He sent his agents to Santa Fe to get
that money as the Government paid 1T |
to tho battalion, His emissarles went |
and received the money and brought it |
back to him. This also. Is a matter |
of record. which cannot be disputed.
The matters treated of further In
Mr.. Rankin's letter are also evidently
true. as he gives them. since he speaks
from the record. We bespeak for his
letter the careful attention of all who
would wish to get matters right on
these Incidents of Utah history which
have been so much befoggcd and dis
torted py Mormon speakers and writ
ers. 1t Is fortunate that the records
are clear on these points. and that liv
ing men know the facts and are WILL
ing to state them from their own re-
membrance and utter the sentiments
which they themselves have felt all
along with respect TO these matters
Mr.. Rankin's is a good letter and we
should be glad. in order that the truth
may be fully known, TO have Others
Disclose TO the public these matters
which they have knowledge
and which the Mormon tools of the hie-
rarchy have been at such pains to dis
tort