Year: 1867

Reply to the Gentle MerehanIs---A


Suggestive Production.


In a recent issue we printed a COM
munication addressed to the members
of the Mormon Church, by the promi-
nent "Gentile" merchants of Utah,
agreeing to leave the Territory If the
Saints would buy them out at a fair
valuation. To this communication
Brigham Young replies as follows:


of December 20, addressed to The Lead
ers of the Mormon Church. was re-
ceived by me last evening. In reply, l
have to say, that we will not oblige our
selves to collect your outstanding ac-
counts, nor buy your goods, merchan-
disc and other articles that you express
yourselves willing to sell. If you could
make such sales as you promise, you
would make more money than any
merchants have ever done in this coun-
try, and we, as merchants, would like
to ind purchasers upon the same basis.
Your withdrawal from the Territory is
not a matter about which we feel any
anxiety; so far as we are concerned, you
are at liberty to stay or go, as you
please.


"We have used no intimidation or
coercion toward the community to have
them cease trading with any person or
class, neither do we contemplate using
any such means, even could we do so,
to accomplish such an end. What We
are doing and intending to do, we are
willing that you and all the world
should know. In the first place, we
wish you to distinctly understand that
we have not sought to ostTacise any
man or body of men because of their
not being OF our faith. The wealth that
has been accumulated In this Territory
from the earliest years of our settle
\
with us religiously, and the success
which has attended their business op-
erations, prove this.


"1n business we have not been eXclu-
sive in our dealings, or confined our
patronage to those of our own faith.
But every man who has dealt fairly
and honestly, and confined his atten-
ton to his legitimate business, what
ever his creed has been, has found
friendship in US. To be adV verse to Gen
tiles because they are Gentiles, or Jews
because they are Jews, is in direct op-
position to our religion. 1t matters not
what a mans creed is, whether he be
Catholic or Episcopalian, Presbyterian,
Methodist, Baptist, Quaker or Jew, he
will receive kindness and friendship
from US, and we have not the least OBJ
yection to doing business with him, if in
mis- dealings he act in accordance with
the principles of right and deport him
self as good, law abiding citizen
should.


There is class, however, who are
doing business in the Territory who,
for years, have been avowed enemies OF
this community. The disrupture and
overthrow ofthe community have been
the objects which they have pertina-
ciously sought to accomplish. They
have, therefore, used every energy and
all the means at their command to put
into circulation the foulest ISLANDERS
about the old citizens. Missionaries OF
evil, there have been no arts too base,
no straIagemS too vile for them to use
to bring about their nefarious ends.
While soliciting the patronage of the
people, and deriving their support from
them, they have, in the most shameless
and abandoned manner, used the means
thus obtained to destroy the very peo-
pie whose favor they found it to their
interest to court.


with the regularity of the seasons
have their plots and schemes been
formed; and we are warranted by facts
in saying that, could the hearts blood
of the people here be drawn and coined
into the means necessary to bring their
Vaccinations to successful issue,
they would not scruple to use it. They
have done all in their power to encour-
age violations of law, to retard the ad-
ministration of justice, to foster vice
and vicious institutions, to oppose the
unanimously expressed viii OF the peo-
pie, to increase disorder, and to change
our city from condition of peace and
quietude to lawlessness and anar-
chy. They have donated literally to
sustain a corrupt and venal press,
which have given publicity to the most
atrocious libels respecting old citizens.


And have they not had their en-
missaries in Washington TO misrepre-
g. !, H. ESt.s
tory? Have they not kept liquor and
surreptitiously sold it in violation OF
law, and endeavored to bias the minds
of the Judiciary to give decisions
favorable to their own practices Have
they not entered into secret combine
tions to resist the laws and to thwart
their healthy operation, and refuse to
pay their taxes and to give the report
TO schools required by law?


"What claims can such persons have
upon the patronage of this community?
And what community on earth would
be SO besotted as to uphold and foster
men whose aim is to destroy them
Have we not the right to trade at what
ever store we please


"Or does the Constitution of the Uni
ted States bind US to enter the stores of
our deadliest enemies and purchase of
them? If so, we should like that pro-
vision pointed out to us. 1t is to these
men whom I have described, and to
these alone, that I am opposed, and 1
am determined to use nv influence to
have the citizens here stop dealing with
them, and deal with honorable men.
There are honorable men enough in the
world with whom we can do business
without being reduced TO the necessity
of dealing with the class referred to.


''I have much more to say upon this
subject. BRIGHAM YoUSG.


"Great Salt Lake City, Dec. 2I, 1866 -