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Show 259 ceptance to the pardon. In so doing the church had swallowed considerable pride. To partake of the pardon was tantamount to admitting guilt; one is not pardoned for crimes not committed. The army also had to be accepted another bitter pill, as the people had vowed never to accept the troops under any cir-.. cumstances. Now they would be marching right through their capital city. But the Mormons, too, received some concessions. The army was only to pass through the city; none would be allowed to remain there. The soldiers would not.be allowed to molest the citizens or destroy property. And, of course, the charges of treason and rebellion were dropped. In speeches made during the day, church leaders did not admit defeat. In one eloquent address, George A. Smith assented to the pardon but claimed the proclamation contained forty-two false charges. "I am a man of peace, not of war," proclaimed the Apostle. I accept the pardon. I may have some serious objections to the form in which it is couched, and to the forty-two false accusations therein. But friends, should we throw ourselves in the attitude of defense against the advancing columns of the army, it brings on hostilities and bloodshed immediately. Let us drop upon this army and crush it to pieces, and it will not end there. One hundred thousand men would probably come here to exterminate us, and to wipe out the adminstration's disgrace,... Then Smith put tbe army on notice: When I say, walk in gentlemen, fulfill your orders and don't interfere with our gardens, fields and pastures, and I want it perfectly understood that the first man that ravishes or seduces a wife or daughter of mine, I fully intend to blow out bis brains. Hundreds with the army came for that purpose. Turning his attention to Governor Cumming, he expressed his satisfaction that he |
