My Friends—I arise on the present occasion to address you, with my
heart filled with emotions that are not easily described, apart from
feelings which pervade my mind resulting from the present celebration
of the anniversary of our country's independence. It is with a high
degree of pleasure that I witness such an immense assembly, and
compare it with celebrations of this ever-memorable day which I have
attended in my native State, in my early life. The anniversary of the
day on which our fathers declared the independence of the American
States I have ever felt a disposition to celebrate, whenever
circumstances and situation would possibly admit of it, as the day on
which our fathers declared the independence and freedom of millions
of people yet unborn. It was a great step for a few colonies to take,
to attempt to wring from the hands of the king of the most powerful
nation upon the face of the earth their liberties, the right of
self-government—of choosing their own rulers—those inalienable rights
which belong to man, and are the boon of his Creator, and which kings
had held in their grasp for ages. Our revolutionary fathers were
unwilling longer to be ground down by iron rules and cast-iron notions
of one stupid and corrupt ruler that oppressed them, and struggled for
their freedom. Under the guidance and fostering care of the God of
heaven, these colonies were made free—free to act in obedience to all
those principles he has given the sons of men their agency to act
upon.
This is a great illustration of the importance and power of the
principle of union. When the signers of the Declaration of
Independence put their names to that heaven-born instrument, they were
perfectly aware that the success of their cause depended upon their
being united. It was absolutely necessary that they should all hang
together; for if they did not, they were perfectly sensible they would
all hang separately. The united colonies at that time were ready to
sustain the leader of the revolution almost en masse. There were a few
districts where divisions took place, and those divisions caused more
cruelty, bloodshed, and sorrow than any other circumstance pertaining
to the whole revolutionary struggle.
By this grand step our fathers secured to us the right of
self-government. However much wicked men may have opposed and abused
the institutions the revolutionary fathers have established and put in
motion—whatever corrupt officeholders may have done in violation of
them, the great point is gained which enables the American people to
choose their own rulers and produce such a form of government and such
protection as are necessary for their growth, their freedom, and their
continual well-being.
It was through the most flagrant violation of these sacred rights and
principles of the Constitution of our country by perjured officers,
who were sworn to do their duty and suppress mobs and violence, that
the rights of freemen, which were bequeathed to us a priceless legacy,
sealed with the blood of our fathers—that the Latter-day Saints were
driven, en masse, from their peaceful homes in the United States, and
were obliged to flee, destitute, into a desolate wilderness, where we
are laying a foundation for a State in the great Federal Union, where
we can enjoy our own religious institutions and form a government, and
where we are organizing our own community, agreeable to the general
Constitution of our country, that we may be made partakers of the
blessings which are actually guaranteed unto us by that sacred
instrument. Under these circumstances we rest until the day shall come
that shall so revolutionize our American Government as to put every
treacherous scoundrel where he ought to be, to reap the reward of
perjury and corruption, that he may have the privilege of being
banished by his Maker—that he may enjoy the society of the father of
lies, until he is satisfied with that kind of fare. [At this point of
the speaker's remarks, a small round table, that had been brought for
the Honorable Judge Kinney to lay his papers upon, fell from the
stand upon which the speakers were sitting, and was broken by the
fall.] So, the end cometh suddenly, the day of corruption is short,
and its downfall is sure. [Great laughter.] The old fabric of
corruption is getting so rotten, it will fall of itself and crumble to
dust, without any effort to overthrow it; and the pure principles of
good government, justice, righteousness, and purity will become so
clearly unfolded, that we shall wonder that it was ever possible such
a mass of corruption ever shrouded our country, or that so great a
number of the rulers of the American States should ever give
countenance to the rule of mobs, or the destruction of the people's
rights by any common convention of scoundrels.
The circumstances and pleasures of the day which have so far passed
would have been without alloy or a pang of grief; but I behold on this
platform the vacant seat of one who was associated with us on the last
celebration—one who addressed us on that occasion with such a flow of
natural eloquence and pathos of feeling, and to whose talents and
instruction we were indebted for a great portion of the interest of
that occasion. The Honorable Leonidas Shaver, Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court, and Judge of this judicial district, has been
suddenly called from the busy scenes of this life into eternity—a
worthy man and profound jurist, who, by his straightforward and
upright course, has honored his profession. His studious attention to
his duty, his fine intellect, polished education, and gentlemanly
bearing have won for him the universal admiration and respect of this
community. It was only necessary to be acquainted with him to love
him. Our worthy instructor and expositor of the law has been called
from our midst suddenly. He not only administered the law, but
honored it himself. Hear it, O ye judicators of the law, and pattern
after him. And we this day look round upon those that surround us,
with this solemn reflection, that but a short season can pass until it
will be our turn to follow him.
This circumstance should caution us against sin of every description,
and prompt us to live uprightly, walking in accordance with all the
laws and principles of human right and Divine revelation, that we may
be prepared for so great and solemn an event, when it shall
come, when it will be our turn to participate in the realities of
death.
It is well understood that the principles of truth are bound to
prevail. It makes no difference what the opposition may be, or what
length of time that opposition may continue, or how much sin is
perpetrated to prevent it, or rivers of blood and millions of treasure
wasted to oppose it, yet truth will ultimately prevail; and the day
will come when a "Mormon" can be respected in other portions of the
world as much as any other man—yes, exactly as much as though he
professed any other religion. Why? Because "Mormonism" is truth, and
truth will prevail. Those principles which are laid down in the very
formation and genius of the General Government of the United States
knew no religious sect: all were alike. And when these principles can
prevail as our fathers handed them down to us, freedom will not be a
name: and the day is approaching, and it is not far distant, when all
the corruption and wickedness which serve to bring distress and misery
upon a considerable portion of the community will be done away. That
order of things will vanish, and this people will have the opportunity
of enjoying all their privileges and rights in every portion of their
loved country that they can in these mountains.
If ever William Tell was happy when he found himself free from the
grasp of his enemies, so this people felt to rejoice when they were
encircled within these vast deserts and almost impenetrable mountain
walls. It was not the beauty of the country, the barren deserts, the
rocky mountains, this isolated position, that invited us here: we
came here simply because it was the only place of refuge which offered
to us security from the hands of our persecutors, where we could
actually enjoy our constitutional rights. We are here, thank God,
enjoying all the privileges of American freemen, and all the blessings
and ordinances and powers which lead to an eternal exaltation in the
celestial kingdom of our God.
And I will tell you, my friends, what I hope. I hope that the first
mob that rises in these valleys will experience the same sensation
(and worse, if possible) that a certain gentleman, a leader of a mob
in Jackson County, Missouri, did, whose name was James Campbell, who
had been long famed among his comrades as one of the bravest men in
that county. It was on the occasion of the Battle of the Blue. He
gathered up his men and fired fifty-three rifles into a small party of
the "Mormons" that were hastily gathered together for mutual
protection. There were only fifteen or sixteen guns among the
"Mormons." They returned the fire, at which many of Campbell's
comrades left in a hurry; but he concluded to stay and tussle it out
with the "Mormons." There was an old revolutionary soldier, named
Brace, in the "Mormon" company, who had fought in many battles under
Washington, in the war of Independence. He fired his musket at
Campbell without effect, and he fired at the old soldier also without
effect; but Campbell being able to load quicker than he could, there
was no alternative for Brace but to run at him with the butt end of
his gun before he could reload: so he commenced yelling like ten
thousand Indians, and charged Campbell with the butt end of his
musket. Campbell, to save himself, suddenly wheeled his horse and
plied the whip. This gave the old veteran a chance to re-load. He then
fired his piece, and killed Campbell's horse as he was jumping over a
fence, which left him hanging there; but Campbell in his terror did
not know whether he was running on his feet or riding on his
horse. So he ran across the country with all the power he possessed,
whipping behind him, as he supposed, his horse, crying, "Get up, or
the Mormons will kill us! Get up, or the Mormons will kill us!" So I
want the first mob that rises in this country to feel, and all those
who hold power and influence in the nation, who, by that means seek to
distress and afflict the innocent—I want all such men to feel like
the illustrious Campbell. I want the same terror to fall upon them
that fell upon him, and the same powers of locomotion to clear out,
crying, "Get up, or the Mormons will kill us!" as he did, although his
horse lay on the fence dead, near a mile behind him.
With these sentiments, these few ideas, which are offered without
having had time for studied reflection and preparation, I say, May we
long live on the face of the earth, and enjoy the blessings and
privileges of American Independence! Amen.
- George A. Smith