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The Republic
June 1857

National News

Trouble in Utah Territory
Controversial Mormon sect on collision course with Feds

SALT LAKE CITY - While a tenuous peace holds for the time being between pro- and anti-slavery factions in Kansas, new trouble is simmering further west in Utah territory where Governor Brigham Young is reportedly fomenting open rebellion among his Mormon followers against the United States government. There are accounts of schools being formed to drill militia and Mormon preachers urging the faithful to take up arms. There are reports that the official news outlet for the sect denies the right of the federal government to impose its will upon the territory -- especially in regard to the sect's controversial practice of polygamy.

W.W. Drummond, who served as Chief Justice of the Territory, resigned his post last year, and in a long letter addressed to the U.S. Attorney-General, made several serious accusations against the Mormons. He said that the Mormons look to Brigham Young as the sole source of law, and consider no acts of Congress binding upon them; that there is a secret organization among them, embracing all the male members of the church, who are bound by oath to acknowledge no laws except those emanating from Young; that there is a body of men, whose names he can disclose, set apart by the church to destroy the lives and property of those who question the decrees of the hierarchy; that the records of the court have been destroyed at the instigation of the rulers of the Mormons, and the Federal officers have been insulted for questioning the outrage; that the Government of the United States is openly abused, and its offices in the Territory insulted and annoyed without redress; that Young constantly interferes with the Grand Jurors, directing who shall and who shall not be indicted, and that his directions are invariably complied with; that Mormons convicted of aggravated crimes, have been summarily pardoned, while those not belonging to the Church, though guilty of no crime, have been wantonly imprisoned. He also affirms that the murder by the Indians, in 1853, of Captain John W. Gunnison and his survey party, was really committed at the instigation of the Mormon leaders; that his own predecessor, Hon. L. Shafer, was poisoned by them; and that Mr. Babbitt, late Secretary of the Territory, was killed by them, and not, as reported, by the Indians. He says that if a Governor were sent out, who is not a Mormon, and if he were supported by a sufficient military force, something might be effected; but as matters now stand, it would be madness to attempt to administer the laws in the Territory, and that no man who has once tried the experiment would be willing to risk life and property by accepting an appointment there.

It is said that President Buchanan has been strongly influenced by this and other reports from former territorial officials. Reportedly, he has made finding a non-Mormon governor for Utah a high priority since his inauguration. A source close to the administration says the President and his cabinet are prepared to dispatch federal troops to the territory since they are convinced the Mormons will resist any attempt by the federal government to replace Brigham Young as governor. Political insiders believe the President has to take a hard-line against the Mormons to counter charges by the Republicans that the Democrats favor the "twin relics of barbarism--polygamy and slavery," especially after the administration has thrown its support strongly behind the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision.

The Mormons have had a turbulent history. The sect's founder was Joseph Smith (1805-1844), a resident of Palmyra NY. His family of origin were called "Seekers" - Christians who were not affiliated with a church, but who respected the teachings of all denominations. In his teens, his mother and most of the rest of the family converted to Presbyterianism. However, Smith was deeply troubled by the multiplicity of Christian sects which existed in his time and wondered which was the "true" Christian religion. He reportedly experienced a vision in 1820, at the age of 14 in Palymra, NY. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him as separate entities and told him that all of the Christian sects and denominations were in error and that he should not join any of them.

In 1823, at the age of 17, he supposedly received three visitations from an angel named Moroni at the time of the Autumn Equinox. The angel is said to have revealed to Smith the location of golden tablets on which was written the history of two early American tribes.

He went to the site and claimed to find: a breastplate, such as might have been worn by an ancient Israelite; golden plates upon which ancient American authors Ether, Mormon, Lehi and Nephi had recorded additions to Biblical history; the Urim and Thummim, two mystical stones mentioned in Old Testament scriptures which priests consulted to determine the will of God;and brass plates upon which another author, Laban, quoted from Hebrew Scriptures and recorded genealogies. At the time, he was not permitted to remove the plates. He was instructed to return to the spot at each Autumn Equinox. Four years later, in 1827, he was finally allowed to take possession of the material.

A friend of Smith, Martin Harris, attempted to authenticate the tablets by taking copies of some of the inscriptions to Professor Charles Anton and is said to have received verbal confirmation that the tablets were written in "reformed Egyptian" hieroglyphics. Prof. Anton later denied making this statement, and wrote that the symbols that he saw were a combination of Greek, Hebrew, inverted or sideways Roman letters, and elements from a Mexican calendar.

Accounts say Joseph Smith positioned himself behind a curtain and used the special stones to translate the inscriptions on the golden plates. Emma Smith (his wife), Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery served at various times as scribes. A 116 page Book of Lehi was translated over a two month interval. Martin Harris showed the only copies to his wife, Lucy, who promptly lost them. There is speculation that Lucy Harris was a skeptic and she believed the book to be a fraud. By forcing Smith to retranslate the book, she hoped to demonstrate discrepancies between the two versions, thus proving that the book was a hoax. Smith stated that God was so angry at this loss that he temporarily took away the special stones. Smith later translated the plates of Nephi which described the same events as the Book of Lehi.

Later, Smith and Cowdery claimed that John the Baptist appeared to them, investing them in the Aaronic Priesthood and showing them how to baptize each other by total immersion in water. Still later, the Apostles Peter, James and John appeared and invested Smith and Cowdery in the Melchizedec priesthood and commissioned them as the first two elders of the new church.

Smith founded The Mormon Church in 1830. it attracted 1,000 members during its first 12 months. Smith and a small band of followers first moved to Kirtland (near Cleveland OH) and later to Jackson County, MO, which he called Zion. Relations between church members and Missouri citizens began a downward spiral following the arrival of Joseph Smith and church leaders from Ohio in 1838. Church members were heavily persecuted, largely because non-Mormons believed that the church was promoting the establishment of a religious dictatorship (a theocracy). They were also distressed at the Mormon's belief that the Book of Mormon was the revealed work of God, with the same status as the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and Christian Scriptures (New Testament). In spite of the opposition, much of it state-sponsored or condoned, the church increased greatly in numbers. The church was expelled from Jackson County and settled in Far West, MO, in Caldwell County.

In late 1838, violence broke out, as the original settlers attacked the Mormons; they were concerned that the Mormons might become a political majority in their locality. The attack appears to have started as a method of preventing Mormons from voting. The state militia became involved. Sampson Avard, an officer in the Mormon militia, persuaded his men to become a "covert renegade band" and to avenge outrages against the Mormons. Armed encounters between disputants escalated. The violence culminated with the Massacre at Haun's Mill, where 17 Mormon settlers were murdered.

Faced with diminishing supplies, the approach of winter, an aggressive militia and an anti-Mormon extermination order from the Governor of Missouri, the Mormons surrendered. The church moved again. Their destination was Commerce IL, which Smith renamed Nauvoo in 1839. It was there that polygamy was introduced - the concept of a man taking more than one wife. It has been variously called the Law of Abraham, or the Patriarchal Order of Marriage, or Celestial Plural Marriage. Associated with these was the Law of Sarah -- the belief that a man's first wife must give permission for her husband to marry again. Smith personally assigned women to some of the Mormon men.

At the age of 38, Smith decided to run for the presidency of the US. He chose Sidney Rigdon, a trusted associate and a figure whose importance was second only to Smith in the fledgling church, as his vice-presidential candidate. A local newspaper (the Nauvoo Expositor) was critical of Smith's political platform, and revealed to readers that Mormons were practicing polygamy (a practice that Smith denied at the time). In order to silence the opposition, he ordered his followers to destroy the presses. In 1844, Smith and his brother Hyrum were arrested for the crime. A mob later broke into the jail and assassinated both of them.

The death of the founder provoked a major crisis for the Mormons. Many in the church felt Rigdon was a logical choice as a successor. However, he fell out of favor with the church's leadership council, called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and was excommunicated. Brigham Young, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, began to act as leader of the church. At this time, several splinter groups broke away from the Mormons. These included: the Community of Christ, led by Joseph Smith III and Emma Smith (the son and wife of the founder); the Bickertonites; the Strangites and the Church of Christ.

In 1846, Young led most of the church on a 1,300 mile (2100 km) trip to the Great Salt Lake in Utah, where they established Salt Lake City. Because of past persecution, Mormon anger against the Gentiles (non-Mormons) has reportedly remained high and is fueling the current tensions in Utah between the settlers and the federal government.

New Orleans Gives Walker Hero's Welcome
Famous American Filibuster Arrives in New Orleans After Setback in Nicarauga

President of Lower California, Emperor of Nicaragua, doctor, lawyer, writer — these have been some of the titles claimed by William Walker, an American adventurer who has gained much fame for his wild-eyed military exploits south of the United States border. Arriving last week in New Orleans, he was greeted as a returning hero and has been busy delivering speeches to masses of adoring people about his exploits in Nicaragua.

Born in 1824 in Tennessee, Walker graduated from the University of Nashville at the age of 14 and by 19 had earned a medical degree. He practiced medicine in Philadelphia, studied law in New Orleans, and then became co-owner of a newspaper, the Crescent. When the paper was sold, Walker moved on to California, where he worked as a reporter in San Francisco before setting up a law office in Marysville. When he was 29, his freebooting nature led him to become the leader of a group plotting to detach parts of northern Mexico.

Taking the expansionist concept of Manifest Destiny to heart, Walker hired a small army of soldiers of fortune and in October, 1853 sailed to Baja California where he conquered La Paz. He then declared himself president of Lower California. He later decided to extend his empire to include Sonora, and renamed it “The Republic of Sonora.”

Mexican forces finally were able to expel his army from the country in 1854, as Walker's supplies ran out and his men began to desert. Back in the United States, Walker was tried for breaking neutrality laws. Public sentiment, however, was so strongly supportive of him for pursuing the Manifest Destiny of the United States, that he was found not guilty. One result of this incursion was that Mexico sold a part of Sonora to the United States.

Acquitted of criminal charges, Walker next turned his attention to Central America. Throughout this region, chaos reigned, as forces known as Democrats and Legitimists fought each other. The leader of the Democratic faction in Nicaragua invited Walker to bring an army and join the struggle against the Legitimists. In 1855, with his army of 58 Americans, later called "The Immortals" by stateside romantics, he landed in Nicaragua. Within a year Walker's forces, combined with the native rebel force, had routed the Legitimists and captured Granada, their capital. Walker obtained recognition from the United States for the new government, and then declared himself president of Nicaragua in July, 1856.

His success roused concern in the other Central American countries, especially Costa Rica, which sent in a well-armed force to invade Nicaragua. Walker's army repelled the invasion, but his counter attack into Costa Rica failed, and a war of attrition continued, in which an epidemic of cholera killed more soldiers on both sides than enemy bullets. With supplies again running low, Walker withdrew from Nicaragua. He surrendered himself to the U.S. Navy this past May and was repatriated.

While Walker likely will be tried again for violating neutrality laws, his popularity, especially among Southerners, should save him once more.

Politics

Abraham Lincoln: Republican's Rising Star.

At the Illinois statehouse in Springfield, lawyer and politician Abraham Lincoln delivered a strongly worded speech criticizing the Supreme Court and its Dred Scott decision. Lincoln, a former Whig, was instrumental in establishing the Republican party in Illinois. Known as a man of humble origin who has made good, Lincoln's fortunes have been on the rise in the new Party.

At the first Republican convention last year, Lincoln received 110 votes for the vice-presidential nomination which brought him much national attention. During the last election, he actively campaigned in Illinois for Republican presidential candidate, John C. Frémont.

Lincoln has spoken out against slavery on many previous occasions. However, he has avoided extreme views and rhetoric on the issue making him attractive to moderates as well as abolitionists. It is rumored that Lincoln is the party's front-runner to oppose incumbent Democrat Stephen A. Douglas for the Senate next year.

International News

Revolt in India

In the month since this uprising began in Meerut in May - British rule has ceased to exist in the northern plains of India. Muslim and Hindu rulers alike have joined rebelling sepoys, militant peasants, and other nationalist fighters.

Thus far, Indian soldiers have been able to significantly push back Company forces. The sepoys have captured several important towns in Haryana, Bihar, Central Provinces and the United Provinces and British forces at Meerut, Cawnpore, Lucknow and Ambala are said to be under seige.

The Republic hopes to imbed one or more of its journalists with British forces to give readers a first-hand account of the crisis as it develops.

Chinese War

Despite an urgent request of the British government, a spokesperson for President Buchanan says the United States will take no immediate part in the Chinese war. The Administration, however, has decided to take active measures to protect American interests in that quarter and have authorized that our squadron in Chinese waters be strengthened. The Honorable William B. Reed, of Philadelphia, has been appointed Minister to China.

Technology and Science

U.S. to help lay Transatlantic telegraph cable.

The new United States steamer Niagara, the largest man-of-war afloat, has been ordered to assist in laying the cable of the oceanic submarine telegraph. She sailed from New York, April 20, and will proceed to London, where she will take on board one-half of the cable. The other half will be taken by the British steamer Agamemnon, lately the flag ship in the Black Sea. Both vessels will proceed together to a point midway between the two continents, where the two portions will be joined, and the Niagara will proceed to the American coast, while the Agamemnon returns to Great Britain, each paying out the cable as she advances. These steamers will be accompanied by other vessels to afford assistance if needed. The distance between Valentia Bay, in Ireland and St. Johns, Newfoundland, the termini of the telegraph, is 1650 miles; but 2500 miles of cable are to be taken on board the vessels, to provide against any deviations from a direct line by currents or other causes.

Safety Elevator Could Revolutionize Cities

Earlier this year in March, the world's first passenger safety elevator went into service inside a five-story department store building on Broadway and Broome Street. Designed by Elisha Graves Otis, the safety elevator draws upon earlier elevator designs but incorporates an automatic brake system that will prevent the car from falling if its cable or rope snapped -- a common occurrence in the early days of elevator innovation.

A master mechanic at the Bedstead Manufacturing Company in Yonkers, New York, Otis began designing the safety elevator as part of an assignment to create a freight elevator to move the company's goods throughout its warehouse. During its testing phase, the longtime struggling Bedstead Company went bankrupt and was forced to close down, leaving Otis jobless and his elevator design abandoned.

While making plans to travel west and join the Gold Rush, Otis received an unsolicited order for two of his safety elevators from a nearby furniture manufacturer that had recently lost two employees in an elevator accident caused by a broken cable.

Committed to having his elevator produced, Otis opened his own shop in a section of the abandoned Bedstead building on September 20, 1853. Within a year, he demonstrated the first safety elevator at New York City's Crystal Palace Exhibition. Before a startled crowd, Otis cut the rope and a safety spring quickly locked the fully loaded car firmly in place. Orders soon skyrocketed.

Further innovations in the safety elevator produced an all-passenger version, designed to allow visitors to travel to the upper floors of taller buildings without having to climb lofty staircases. In March, Otis sent the world's first passenger version of the safety elevator into service in a department store on Broadway and Broome Street in Lower Manhattan. This success could revolutionize our cities, clearing the way for the creation of taller, more accessible buildings. In the future, structures of 30 to 40 stories might not be uncommon sight in our cities -- and all will use Otis' safety elevator to carry patrons up and down.