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Show LOYALTY OF RULERS AND PBOPLB. 145 battalion for service during the Mexican war. While in the heart of an Indian country, and on the eve of a long and uncertain pilgrimage into an unknown wilderness, they were suddenly called upon to surrender five hundred of their best men to the hazards of a hostile campaign, and to the exposure and vicissitudes of a march of two thousand miles across trackless deserts and burning plains, to fight the battles of their country. Their peculiar circumstances presented almost insuperable objections to a compliance with the requisition, yet not the slightest hesitation was evinced. " You shall have your battalion at once/' was the reply of President Young, " if it has to be a class of our elders;" and in three days the force, recruited principally among fathers of families, was raised and ready to march. Here certainly was no evidence of a lack of patriotism.* * The following extract from a sermon of Brigham Young to his people will, I think, confirm the correctness of my views as to the sentiments of the Mormon leaders, at that time, on this subject:- " I want to say to every man, the constitution of the United States, as formed by our fathers, was dictated, was revealed, was put into their hearts by the Almighty, who sits enthroned in the midst of the heavens; although unknown to them, it was dictated by the revelations of Jesus Christ, and I tell you, in the name of Jesus Christ, it is as good as I could ever ask for." " I say unto you, magnify the laws. There is no law in the United States, or in the constitution, but I am ready to make honourable." Many more expressions of a like character might be quoted, but the above are sufficient to show what were the opinions of the rulers. The following language, used by General D. H. Wells, at the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the advent of the Mormons into the Valley, will show, I think, what was the feeling of the people:- " It has been thought by some, that this people, abused, maltreated, insulted, robbed, plundered, murdered, and finally disfranchised and expatriated, would naturally feel reluctant to again unite their destiny with the American republic." * * * " No wonder that it was thought by some that we would not again submit ourselves ( even while we were yet Bcorned and ridiculed) to return to our allegiance to our native country. Remember, that it was by the act of our country, not ours, that we were expatriated; and then consider the opportunity we had of forming other ties. Let this pass, while we lift the veil and show the polioy which dictated us. That country, that constitution, those institutions, were all ours; they are still ours. Our fathers were heroes of the Revolution. Under the master spirits of an Adams, a Jefferson, and a Washington, they declared and maintained their independence; and, under the guidance of the Spirit of truth, they fulfilled their mission whereunto they were sent from the presence of the Father. Because demagogues have arisen and Belied the reins of power, should we relinquish our interest in that country made dear to us by every tie of association and consanguinity ?" * * * " Those who have indulged suoh sentiments concerning us, have not read Mormonism aright; for never, no never, will we |