The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-06
THE NAUvoo INsURRECTIoN.

For the purpose of showing one Of
the causes for the trouble which over
took the Mormon people at Nauvoo,
we will again 20 to the book of Hon.
Adlai j.. Stevenson, Something of
Men ! Have known which the Dcs'
eret News brought into this contro-
vcrsy. Mr.. Stevenson quotes the late
Governor Ford as follows:
a city charter drawn UP to suit the
Mormons was presented to The LeGis-
laturc. No one opposed IL. b1t both
parties were active In getting II through.
This charter and others passed in tho
same manner, incorporat ted NauNoo. pro-
yided for the election OF mayor, four
aldermen and nine councillors, and gave
them power TO pass all ordinances ncccs-
sary for the benefit Of the city which were
not repuenant 10 the Constitution. This
seemed to give them power TO pass ordi-
nanCCs i'm viola tlon OF the laws OF inc
state and to erect n system OF govern
mcnt for themselves. This charter also
Incorporated the Nauvoo Lcgion.-cntlrc-
ly independent OF the military organ'za-
tlon OF the state. and not subject 10 the
commands OF It's officers Provision was
also made for a court rtial Tor the Lee
gjon TO be composed OF It's own Officers
and In the exercise of their duties they
were not bound 10 regard tho laws OF the
State Thus II was proposed 10 establish
for The Mormons government within 4
government. a Legislature with power tc
pass ordinances at war with the laws
| OF the state. These charters were un-
| heard OF. anti-rcpublican and capable "i
| infinite abuse The great law of the
separation OF the powers OF government
was wholly disregarded. The mayor was
at once the executive power. the judi
ciary ard part Of the Legislature. Ono
| would have thought that these charters
stood poor chance OF passing INC Leg
| islature of republican people. Jealous
| OF their liberties, nevertheless they dc
pass both houses unanimously. Eacl
party was afraid to object IN tncui' tol
| fear of losing the Mormon vote.
In connection with, and in corrobora
tion Of, this description Of the mon
strous provisions contained in the Nau
VOC charters, we shall quote a little from
an address made by Joseph Smith at Nau
WOO, June 80, lS43, as we fiud it il
the Journal OF Discourscs. volume .
page 1874, as follows:
Relative TO our city charter, courts
| right OF habcas corpus, etc. wish yol
To- know and publish that VIC have al
power; and II any man from this tim
forth SAYS anything 10 the contrary, cas-
IL into his teeth. There Is secret II
this; II there Is not power In our charte
and courts then there is not power II
| the State OF Illinois, or IN inc 'OnRTes
or Constitution OF the United States, 70
the United States gave unto Illinois he
constitution or charter. and Illinois CAV
unto Nauvoo her charters, ceding unit
us our vested rights. which she has NJ
right or power to take from US; all TN
power there was IN Illinois she gave 4
NauVoo; and any man that says To I'll
contrary is fool
So II will he observed that. eIercisin
the power Of the church TO iuterfer
in and influence the affairs of state
the Mormon leaders had practicall
forced the Legislature of Illinois I
grant them powers and privileges sue
as never were before heard of under
republican form of government. Th
Mormon leaders could use their follow
crs in any manner they pleased, rt
lieious, political or commercial. Firs
they commanded them To gather int
, compact body at and around Nauvo'
Then they directed their votes Mt clc'
tions. threatening any party that ol
. posed them with defeat at the poll
By their complete domination Of thci
) people the Mormon leaders had thu
, built up within the church polite;
machine that could dictate to either {
5 both OF the two parties. because the
. had the largest voting entity in Ill