The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-29
THE INJUSTICE DONE.

The Tribune has q copy of docu-
ment which throws some light upon the
nature of the injustices which were
practiced by the Mormon hierarchs at
Nauvoo, even toward their own brethren
in the church, 1t is in the form of one
of a set of resolutions in protest which
were passed by gathering of the
saints, and which were published in the
Nauvoo Eypositor. Here is the par
ticular resolutions:
Resolved, first. That we will not en-
church for the trial of any OF It's mem
bers which will not suffer the accused
10 be. present and plead their own cause
we therefore declare our decided disap-
probation to the course pursued last
Thursday evening (the 18th lnst) April
lS441 In the case Of William Law, Wilson
ter. as being unjust and unauthorized by
the laws OF the church. and consequently
null and void; for our law judgeth no
man unless he be heard, and to all those
who appreciate a course so unwarranted,
unprecedented and so unjust we would
say beware lest the unjust measure you
mete TO your brethren be again meted
unto you.
The Nauvoo Expositor deserves cred
II as a competent and reliable witness
in matters characterizing the events
Of those days, because it was printed
right on the ground and therefore
speaks at first hand concerning con-
temporary happenings. According to
that paper Elder R. D. Foster was on
April ID, 1874, served with notice
to appear before the Nauvoo high coun~
ell on the following Saturday, April
20th, to answer to charges preferred
against him by Joseph Smith. Elder
Foster announced that he would be pres
ent at the meeting with his witnesses;
and in the meantime he proceeded to
notify those witnesses, forty-one in all.
On the Saturday he was fully prepared
to meet the charges against him; but
10 and behold! he was met previous to
the meeting hour. by President William
Marks of the high council, and Informed
that his trial had occurred the preced-
ing Thursday and that there and then
he had been excommunicated from the
church. Similar action had been taken
in the cases of William Law, Wilson
Law and Mrs. William Law.
Now, it must be evident that there
was potent reason for this dishonest
action on the part Of Joseph and Hy
rum Smith and their willin~ tools The
Laws and Foster had expressed perfect
willingness to submit to trial before an
authorized and fair tribunal, and that
they were prepared to meet the charges
made against them by Joseph. The Ex-
positor saws that these elders in the
church had made accusations against
Joseph of a very serious character. and
William Law having been counselor to
Joseph Smith, his participation in these
accusations gave them great weight.
| Therefore there was great eommotioD
among the people, and it WINS evident
that action of some kind was an abso-
lutte necessity to settlement of the dis.
turbance The charges made against
Joseph and Hyrum were of unchastity;
teaching false and corrupt doctrines in
secret; inveigling Jealous Mormon fe-
males into private quarters and gradu-
ally accomplishing their ruin: land
frauds in inducing converts TO hurry
to Nanvoo for the purpose of unloading
upon these confding people land at
enormously advanced prices; revelling
dancing, freQuenfing dram shops anG
theatres; the practice Of deceit and
chicanery to screen themselves from
consequences under the law; harborinf
fugitive criminals for a price. under
the unjust habeas corpus law enforced
at NauyOo. attempts to unite chlIrCl
and state; promising TO those who obey
ed the secretly taught doctrine of po
lygamy absolution and consecratioI
from all consequences of all crimes