The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-27
THE WHITNEY BOOK.

So much has been said about the
Whitney book. '.The Making Of a
State" which was unwiscly adopted
for use in the public schools by the
State text book commission, that We
feel it only just to the public and fair
10 Apostle Whitney, the author of that
book, TO state more specifically than
heretofore some of tho objections we
have to il.
Passing over preliminary chapters.
which are, however, blemished by much
bias, We turn 10 cha pter s, utah Under
Martial law beginning ou page Of.
We gather from the account given by
which included the coming OF Johnston s
little army 10 Utah rose through a
Misunderstanding. this misunder-
standing being precipitated by the false
and wholly unjustifable statements Of
certain Federal officials. notably Judge
Drammond. who is alleged to have made
certain false statements about condi-
! tions IN Utah, among others that the
records OF his court were said to have
| been DESTROYED, which was untrue. The
statements made by Judge Drummond,
confirmed afterwards by Judge Cradle.
baugh, were clearly TO the effect that
il was impossible to hold independent
and fair sessions OF court in Utah by
reason Of the dominance of the tbeo-
cratic influence. Judge Cradlebaugh
went into this at great length, and
afterwards, when the Judge was elected
TO Congress, he set forth in greater de-
tail than before the difficulties courts
met with in Utah in those days in. hold
ing proper sessions in Utah, and the
impossibility of administering impartial
justice There is carried by Whitney in
the same connection, an imputatiou up
on the moral character of Judge Drum
mond, based apparently on mere rumor,
and altogether ne is put in a shameful
light.
But when it comes 10 stating the acts
Of the local authorities of the dominant
sect here, there is no imputation upon
anybody's motives. no one is called to
account, no one is supposed to have
done anything wrong. Reference is
made by Whitney to the assemblage
at the head Of Big Cottonwood for the
purpose OF celebrating Pioneer Day in
1857. But Mr.. Stenhouse states that
at that meeting declaration of seces.
sion from the United States and the or.
ganization Of an independent govern
Ia,
nothing about this, although, of course,
he knows the facts. But he sets forth
that Brigham Young, as Governor of
the Territory, called out the militia TO
resist the advance of Johnston S army:
be shows that General Wells as com.
mander of the militia, assembled his
forces for the purpose of contesting
the advance Of the Federal troops. that
Lot Smith attacked the government sup
ply trains. and IN general that state |
of insurrection was active in Utah |
against the coming Of that army, which |
represented the authority Of the United |
States. And yet, there is not one
word that would indicate that in Whit |
ney's view this active resistance was
Illegal and tIea aSonable. There is no |
criticism of il in any way, much less |
condemnation. It was all perfectly |
natural outgTowth, according to his mar
rstive, quite the proper means to employ
in order TO preserve the liberties of the |
people, As If an army of the United |
States, uuder orders of the President
duly and legally given, was or could be
an afflictive force, an instrument for
rapine and pillsgel
In all this Apostle Whitney is plainly
the speaker for the insurrectiou and |
against the Federal authority,
Proceeding further We 6nd Con page
l03) Mr. Wbitney's brief reference to
the Mountain Meadow Massacre. Ac.
cordiDg to that, the Indians did il all.
The truth is that the Indians down
there were paying no attention at all TO
that company Of emigrants. They
were stirred up to the attack by white
men, melted primarily by John D. Lee,
and when the Indians failed in their
attack upon those emigrants, the au-
thorities down there, by consent of
Colonel Dame and under the leadership
OF 1t. Col Haight and Major Higbee,
proceeded to the scene, negotiated the
capture of the emigrapts. formed
them in line of march. and while the
Indians were killing the women and
children the white militia shot down
the men. And yet Whitney suppresses
tho participation of white men in that
massacre, laying IL all 10 the Indians
He knows the unvcrity Of his account.
Again. coming to the suppression OF
the parade of the Nauvoo Legion in
the summer OF 1871, Apostle Whitney
says that committee representing
ali classes WAS appointed for the