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History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

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530<br />

THE UTAH WAR.<br />

allegiance. After dwelling at length on the past<br />

<strong>of</strong>fences <strong>of</strong> the Mormons and the malign influence <strong>of</strong><br />

their leaders, he declares the territory to be in a state<br />

<strong>of</strong> rebellion. "This rebellion," he continues, "is not<br />

merely a violation <strong>of</strong> your legal duty; it is without<br />

just cause, without reason, without excuse. You<br />

never made a complaint that was not listened to with<br />

patience. You never exhibited a real grievance that<br />

was not redressed as promptly as it could be . . . But<br />

being anxious to save the effusion <strong>of</strong> blood, and to<br />

avoid the indiscriminate punishment <strong>of</strong> a whole people<br />

for crimes <strong>of</strong> which it is not probable that all are<br />

equally guilty, I <strong>of</strong>fer now a free and full pardon to<br />

all who will submit themselves to the authority <strong>of</strong><br />

the government." 26<br />

The proclamation, though it served its purpose,<br />

gave <strong>of</strong>fence to both parties. The Mormons did<br />

not regard themselves as rebels; but claimed that<br />

when Colonel Alexander was ordered to withdraw<br />

his forces no successor to <strong>Brigham</strong> had been legally<br />

appointed and qualified, nor had he been removed by<br />

the president, and that in obstructing the entrance<br />

<strong>of</strong> an armed force into the territory he had not ex-<br />

ceeded his powers as commander-in-chief <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Moreover, that their complaints had been<br />

militia. 27<br />

ignored instead <strong>of</strong> receiving a patient hearing, and<br />

that none <strong>of</strong> their grievances had been redressed, were<br />

among the causes that led to the disturbance. On<br />

the other hand, the gentile world declared that if the<br />

Mormon question was ever to be settled, now was the<br />

time to settle it. If the president had excepted from<br />

26 For copies <strong>of</strong> the proclamation, see House Ex. Doc, 35th Cong. 2d<br />

Sess., ii. 1, pt 1, pp. 69-72; Deseret News, June 16, 1858.<br />

27 It does not appear that <strong>Brigham</strong> had been <strong>of</strong>ficially notified <strong>of</strong> Cumming's<br />

appointment when he sent his despatch to Alexander by the hands <strong>of</strong><br />

Wells. In his answer Alexander addresses him as governor, it will be remembered;<br />

and in his <strong>of</strong>ficial report, in House Ex. Doc., 35th Cong. 1st Sess. , x.<br />

pp. 24-6, Van Vliet also speaks <strong>of</strong> him as governor, dimming did not receive<br />

his appointment until the 11th <strong>of</strong> July, 1857, and in view <strong>of</strong> the interruption<br />

<strong>of</strong> the mails, it is probable that no <strong>of</strong>ficial intimation had reached S. L. City<br />

as early as Oct. 4th, when the baggage trains were burned at Simpson<br />

Hollow.

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