Part Three

"'No people exist," says Brigham Young, in his letter to President Fillmore, "who are more friendly to the United States than the people of Utah." Well, if it is so, they have a strange way of showing it. I travelled the whole length of their valley, mingled among their people, spent the night in very many of their families, took the utmost pains to ascertain their feelings toward our government, but in all my intercourse with them I never heard the first syllable expressed of friendship for the United States."
"The predictions of their prophets, that the United States would be overthrown, were constantly repeated, expressing the conviction in tones of exultation, that the time was close at hand when such predictions would be verified. They are taught to believe that in the accomplishment of these predictions, they have an important part to act, and that when our government shall be dashed into a thousand atoms, the dominion will be given to them and they will possess the land."
"That no governor sent there from the states would be received. And in more instances than one, I heard them say that if a governor was sent there "they would shoot him!'"
"Said he, "I [Brigham Young] am the governor of the state of Deseret, I was elected for life, and no other person shall hold that office here while I live.'"
"The emigrants all felt that his language was treasonable, and that he [Brigham Young] ought to be indicted for treason against the United States."
"'No people in the world are more friendly to the United States than the people of Utah!" Why then, sir, are you cultivating so sedulously a military spirit among your deluded followers: Why such zeal in accumulating military stores:"
"Why those deep plans laid for the destruction of an army approaching your country from the United States?"
"Why was it, that at the peril of their lives, they dared not draft such memorial? And why were a company of emigrants thus situated, when they had prepared a flag-an imitation of the banner of our glorious country, the simple stars and strips-afraid to spread it to the breeze, till mountain barriers had placed them beyond the reach of your people? Why were they told by your people, that to raise that flag would be considered by them as an act of defiance?"
"What other people in the world, most friendly to the United States, would consider the stars and stripes a nuisance, and aggression, and act of defiance! Ah, sir, if the world can produce no better friends to the United States than the people of Utah, then I have only to say, God save my beloved country! But further than this, the institutions of the Mormons are at antipodes with the republican institutions of the United States."
"For said he [Brigham Young] there are but three articles in the Mormon creed-believe in the book of Mormon, pay tithing, and obey counsel."
"Brigham is a cunning fellow-he knows he made a blunder when he laid out the Weber City; but it wont answer for him to acknowledge it. And now he gets us to petition to have it all a city for ten miles, and hereafter if any shall say 'your city was a failure'-he can say:'you would not obey counsel; I laid out the city in accordance with wisdom; but you, who are always rebelling against counsel, would not by satisfied, but petitioned me to change it, and to please you, I did so, and now if you all go to the devil it is not my fault-you should obey counsel.'"
"In this connection, I will mention the taxing and tithing. The taxes are enormous-amounting to two and a half and three per cent,. [sic] on all their property. But this is nothing in comparison to the other drafts made upon the purse. One tenth of everything-one tenth of the capital, and one tenth of the income. If a man has been to the mines, and made a raise of $1,000-$100 of it goes at once to the high council. Then of the remaining $900-one tenth of the income of that must be given. If a poor widow as ten hens, Brigham takes one of them-if the remaining nine lay one hundred eggs, he takes ten of them; if from the remaining ninety she raises sixty chickens, he takes six of them, and so on to the end of the chapter. One tenth of every-thing [sic]. One tenth of the cows, and then one tenth of the butter and cheese made from the balance. One tenth of the vegetables of the garden and one tenth of the grain of the farm. [paragraph] If I am asked-"what becomes of this immense income? -perhaps I might as wall answer in the sublime language of Brigham, himself. Said that distinguished personage in a public address, complaining that the brethren were not prompt in paying these dues, said:-"I am sometimes asked by the brethren, what is done with all the tithing of the Saints?" said he-"I TELL THEM IT IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS!" Surely if it is none of the business of the Saints, who have these enormous sums to pay, what becomes of it, it is not the business of up poor gentiles to inquire. A good Mormon woman, however, complaining in the hearing of Mrs. Goodell, that she could get nothing to clothe her children, for every thing they got went to Brigham- saying, it went to support his wives!" (A winter with the Mormons, David L. Bigler, The Tanner Trust Fund, pgs. 47-58, Brackets added)