1871 October 20 Letter to Ben Holladay

Title

1871 October 20 Letter to Ben Holladay

Description

The hostilities of the Utah Governor toward the Mormon community has led to biased legal proceedings. Holladay is encouraged to stop these persecutions which could economically harm the western region.

Type

Correspondence
Financial/Legal
Government/Legislature

Sender

Brigham Young

Recipient

Ben Holladay

Date

1871 October 20

Location

Portland, Oregon
Salt Lake City, Utah

Number of Pages

2

Subject

Government
Legal Matters
Financial Matters
Business Matters

Salt Lake City, U. T.
October 20. 1871.

Ben. Holladay, Esq.
Portland, Oregon.

Dear Friend,

Hoping this will find you well and prospering, I take the liberty of writing you on a subject of great importance to the people of Utah.

We have a Gov. at present with whom I believe you are well accquainted. His course and conduct, I am sorry to say, is bitterly hostile. Facts indicate that he is using his official position to stir up strife. Under his administration and with his public patronage, juries are packed, and "Mormons" excluded as Jurors solely on account of their religious belief.

Indictments were gotten up on the testimony of a self-confessed murderer, maliciously, and without just foundation, charging innocent men with murder, and jeopardizing the lives and fortunes of our best citizens. You will observe, from the language of the Chief Justice on the bench, that it is not Brigham Young and others -- for murder or unlawful cohabitation,-- that are being tried, but it is the question of the "Federal Authority against Polygamic Theocracy" and murderers, and packed juries and federal bayonets are the tools they mean to use in the trial.

We ask you therefore as a friends, and for the sake of humanity that you use your powerful influence to stop these proceedings either by the prompt removal of this man, (which we think you have the power to accomplish), or, to cause him and them to cease their persecutions, until the good sense of the nation shall be awakened to a dispassionate consideration of the questions at issue?

It is patent to all thinking men, even at a glance, that this man's policy makes him dangerous to society, and his present course ruinous to every commercial interest here. Railroad men, Bankers, Mining men, and Capitalists generally foresee, and many of them declare that if this crusade is persisted in it must seriously affect and probably ruin the business of this whole western country

Mr. Ortis called today in company with your old friend, Delegate Hooper and we had a brief but very interesting conversation.

Hoping to hear from you soon, and wishing you every success,

I remain, as ever, your friend,
Brigham Young