The Mormon Prophet and His Harem / Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children

by C. V. Waite

The Secretary of War, in his report, dated December 5, 1857, says:—

"The Territory of Utah is peopled almost exclusively by the religious sect known as Mormons. . . . They have substituted for the laws of the land a theocracy, having for its head an individual whom they profess to believe a prophet of God.

"This Prophet demands obedience, and receives it implicitly from his people, in virtue of what he assures them to be authority derived from revelations received by him from Heaven. Whenever he finds it convenient to exercise any special command, these opportune revelations of a higher law come to his aid. From his decrees there is no appeal; against his will there is no resistance. . . .

"From the first hour they fixed themselves in that remote and almost inaccessible region of our territory, from which they are now sending defiance to the sovereign power, their whole plan has been to prepare for a successful secession from the authority of the United States, and a permanent establishment of their own. . . .

"This Mormon brotherhood has scarcely preserved the semblance of obedience to the authority of the United States for some years past; not at all indeed, except as it might confer some direct benefit upon themselves, or contribute to circulate public money in their community. . . . I need not here recite the many instances in their conduct and history on which these general allegations are founded, especially the conduct they have adopted within the last twelve months towards the civil authorities of the United States.

"It has, nevertheless, always been the policy and desire of the Federal Government to avoid collision with this Mormon community. It has borne with the insubordination they have exhibited, under circumstances when respect for its own authority has frequently counselled harsh measures of discipline. And this forbearance might still be prolonged, and the evils rife among them be allowed to work out their own cure, if this community occupied any other theatre, isolated and remote from the seats of civilization, than the one they now possess.

"But, unfortunately for these views, their settlements lie in the great pathway which leads from the Atlantic States to the new and flourishing communities growing up upon the Pacific seaboard.

They stand a lion in the path; not only themselves defying the civil and military authorities of the government, but encouraging, if not exciting, the nomad savages who roam over the vast, unoccupied regions of the continent, to the pillage and massacre of peaceful and helpless emigrant families traversing the solitudes of the wilderness. The rapid settlement of our Pacific possessions; the rights, in those regions, of emigrants, unable to afford the heavy expenses of transit by water and the Isthmus; the facility and safety of military, political, and social intercommunication between our eastern and western populations and States,—all depend upon the prompt, absolute, and thorough removal of a hostile power besetting this path, midway of its route, at a point where succor and provisions should always be found, rather than obstruction, privation, and outrage. . . .

"From all the circumstances surrounding this subject at the time, it was thought expedient, during the past summer, to send a body of troops to Utah, with the civil officers recently appointed to that Territory. . . . Great care has been taken, in preparing for the march to Utah, that nothing should seem to excite apprehension of any action on the part of the army in the least conflicting with the fixed principle of our institutions, by which the military is strictly subordinate to the civil authority. The instructions of the commanding officer were deliberately considered, and carefully drawn, and he was charged not to allow any conflict to take place between the troops and the people of the Territory, except only in case he should be called upon by the Governor for soldiers to act as a posse comitatus in enforcing obedience to the laws.

"In conformity with this sentiment, and to assure these people of the real intention of the movement, an active, discreet officer was sent in advance of the army to Utah, for the purpose of purchasing provisions for it, and of assuring the people of the Territory of the peaceful intentions of the Government. This officer found, upon entering the Territory, that these deluded people had already, in advance of his arrival, or of any information, except as to the march of the column, determined to resist their approach, and prevent, if possible, and by force, the entrance of the army into the Valley of Salt Lake. Supplies of every sort were refused him.