The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-26
the late Fisher s. Harris should estab-
lish its "title clear
IT WAS DEFIANCE, NOT RIGHT.

Calling it an exhibition of Ethc spirit
of true patriotism. - the Deseret News
quotes the following from an address
made by Joseph Smith at Nauvoo Just
previous to his death;
l call God and angels to Witness that
l have unshcathed my sword with a
! firm and unalterablc determination that
| this people shall have their legal rights,
and be protected from mob violence, or
my blood shall be split upon the ground
| Ike water ana my body Consigned 10
the silent tomb.
II is true that the sentiment therein
expressed is n very proper one and pa
triotic and it would have had great
value as such had the spirit behind it
been equally righteous. But it is
well-known fact that the spirit that
prompted the utterance was an unjust
and rebellious one While claiming to be
an exponent of the highest Christian
sentiment, Joseph Smith intruded his
ecclcsiasticism into politics in such q
manner aS TO procure for himself and
his coadjutors most unjust and extra,
ordinary political powers, lie procured
for Nauvoo a city charter that prac-
of the State government of Illinois.
Under the provisions of that charter
Joseph became the mayor of the city,
chief Justice Of the municipal court,
head of n military establishment and
general dictator, not only 10 his own
people, but to political candidates and
State officials. He obtained the power
TO do as he pleased. no matter how
great the transgresslon. and then pass
upon the legality of what he had done.
When he made the address quoted
by the Deseret News it was in defense
of these unjust powers and extraor-
dinary privileges that he spoke, He
boasted Of having dragged officials and
political candidates to Nauvoo for the
purpose of lecturing them and abusing
them and bulldozing them into support
Of his claims. Historians have declared
that ii was almost incomprehensible
how a State Legislature could possibly
be prevailed upon TO grant such char
ter as Joseph and his ecclesiastical as
sociates procured for the city of Maui
WOO Were it not for the fact that the
official records show its existence, il
could scarcely be believed that such an
extraordinary document had ever issued.
Under the surprising advantages con-
ferred by that charter, the Mormon
people prospered far more rapidly than
the other citizens of Illinois could pos
sibly do They had grown TO be about
twenty thousand strong in and about
Nauvoo; they owned large tracts of
land, protected by the most eNtraordi-
nary legislation; their leaders were
courted by the political leaders in the
State for the favor of their political
power and for n time they actually
held the balance of power in Illinois,
and under that power they dictated
their own terms. They were, in fact,
specially favored class, and this fact
alone was sufficient 10 arouse the in
dignation of citizenship whose chief
duty under the Constitution it is to pre-
vent all such class distinction and ia
voritism.
And, again. it was assumed by the
IOBHOu ItddtIS ludk IL hutN ItItIN |
declared ii to be a part of their re-
ligion they could engage in any prac
sicc they chose; in fact, that they
could even engage in crime under that
head, and that the Constitution and the
laws of the country would protect them
an it, and deciding that they had a
right to do il. On this account there
was perpetual warfare; Joseph Smith
was continually in some trouble or other,
and never was free from a quarrel Of
some kind. He finally became so de.
iiant that his attitude became obnox-
ious 10 his own people, and they plot
ted to slay him as the only means OF
relief from the troubles into which
he relentlessly plunged them. 1t was
because the people Of Illinois. both
members of the Mormon church and
non-members, declined longer to sup
port him in the exercise of his dicta
torial and extraordinary powers that
Joseph Smith announced his determine
ton to fight. And for that reason his
utterance can not be regarded at all as
an exhibition of ''the spirit of true
patriotism