History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

PREFACE.
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In the history of Utah we come upon a new series
of social phenomena, whose multiformity and uncon-
ventionally awaken the liveliest interest. We find
ourselves at once outside the beaten track of conquest
for gold and glory; of wholesale robberies and human
slaughters for the love of Christ; of encomiendas, re-
partimientos, serfdoms, or other species of civilized
imposition; of missionary invasion resulting in cer-
tain death to the aborigines, but in broad acres and
well filled storehouses for the men of practical piety;
of emigration for rich and cheap lands, or for coloni-
zation and empire alone; nor have we here a hurried
scramble for wealth, or a corporation for the management
of a game preserve. There is the charm of
novelty about the present subject, if no other; for in
our analyses of human progress we never tire of watch-
ing the behavior of various elements under various
conditions.
There is only one example in the annals of Amer-
ica of the organization of a commonwealth upon prin-
ciples of pure theocracy. There is here one example
only where the founding of a state grew out of the
founding of a new religion. Other instances there
have been of the occupation of wild tracts on this con-
tinent by people flying before persecution, or desirous
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