James Buchanan and the Utah War
Long before Mitt Romney happened on the scene, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormons) were an issue in Presidential politics. During the middle of the 19th Century, the male leadership of the church supported and widely practiced polygamy or "plural marriage" as they called it. Historians estimate that 20% to 25% of Latter-day Saints were members of polygamous households with the practice involving approximately one third of Mormon women who reached marriageable age. Some in the church leadership viewed plural marriage as a religious sacrament.
Mainstream American society rejected polygamy and during the Presidential Election of 1856 a key plank of the newly formed Republican Party's platform was a pledge to prohibit polygamy and slavery in the new territories. The Republicans tried to use the issue against the Democratic Party, but the Republicans were not yet a formidable force to win the election.
In March 1857, newly inaugurated President Hames Buchanan received conflicting reports from federal judges in the Utah Territory that their offices had been disrupted and they had been driven from their posts by the Mormons. To address the issue, Buchanan sent the Army to Utah in November of 1857 to replace Brigham Young as Governor with the non-Mormon Alfred Cumming. Some questioned whether Buchanan's action was a justifiable or prudent response to uncorroborated reports. Young had not received notice of his replacement because the Pierce administration had annulled the Utah mail contract.
When Young learned of the news, he reacted to the military action with a two-week period of guerilla tactics, destroying wagon trains, oxen and other Army property. The Mormons, feared that the large U.S. military force had been sent to annihilate them and made preparations for war. Firearms were manufactured, scythes were turned into bayonets, and long-unused sabres were sharpened.
Rather than engaging the enemy directly, the Mormon strategy was one to hinder the soldiers by stampeding their animals, setting fire to their wagon trains and burning the countryside on which the army planned to forage. One order read "Keep them from sleeping, by night surprises; blockade the road by felling trees or destroying the river fords where you can. Watch for opportunities to set fire to the grass on their windward, so as, if possible, to envelop their trains. Leave no grass before them that can be burned. Keep your men concealed as much as possible, and guard against surprise." The Mormons blocked the army's entrance into the Salt Lake Valley, and weakened it by hindering them from receiving provisions. There were no direct battles between the two forces, but on September 11, 1857, more than 120 California-bound settlers from Arkansas, Missouri and other states, including unarmed men, women and children, were killed in remote southwestern Utah by a group of local Mormon militiamen. There were other incidents of violence against non-Mormon settlers.
Buchanan sent Thomas L. Kane as a private agent to negotiate peace. Mormon leader Brigham Young had also appealed to Kane for help. Kane had helped the Mormons in their westward migration and had some trust with both sides. Kane was successful and what became known as the "Utah War" ended. Kane successfully convinced Young to accept Buchanan's appointment of Cumming as Territorial governor. As part of the negotiated peace, Buchanan granted amnesty to all inhabitants who would respect the authority of the government. He moved the federal troops to a non-threatening distance for the balance of his administration.
Tensions continued and in 1858 in April, Buchanan sent an official peace commission to Utah consisting of Benjamin McCulloch and Lazarus Powell, which arrived in June. The commission offered a free pardon to the Mormons for any acts incidental to the conflict if they would submit to government authority. The commissioners promised the Mormons that the government would not interfere with their religion. In spite of the concessions, Buchanan maintained a tougher stance in his public statements. Brigham Young accepted Buchanan's terms and pardon, although he denied Utah had ever rebelled against the United States
Mainstream American society rejected polygamy and during the Presidential Election of 1856 a key plank of the newly formed Republican Party's platform was a pledge to prohibit polygamy and slavery in the new territories. The Republicans tried to use the issue against the Democratic Party, but the Republicans were not yet a formidable force to win the election.
In March 1857, newly inaugurated President Hames Buchanan received conflicting reports from federal judges in the Utah Territory that their offices had been disrupted and they had been driven from their posts by the Mormons. To address the issue, Buchanan sent the Army to Utah in November of 1857 to replace Brigham Young as Governor with the non-Mormon Alfred Cumming. Some questioned whether Buchanan's action was a justifiable or prudent response to uncorroborated reports. Young had not received notice of his replacement because the Pierce administration had annulled the Utah mail contract.
When Young learned of the news, he reacted to the military action with a two-week period of guerilla tactics, destroying wagon trains, oxen and other Army property. The Mormons, feared that the large U.S. military force had been sent to annihilate them and made preparations for war. Firearms were manufactured, scythes were turned into bayonets, and long-unused sabres were sharpened.
Rather than engaging the enemy directly, the Mormon strategy was one to hinder the soldiers by stampeding their animals, setting fire to their wagon trains and burning the countryside on which the army planned to forage. One order read "Keep them from sleeping, by night surprises; blockade the road by felling trees or destroying the river fords where you can. Watch for opportunities to set fire to the grass on their windward, so as, if possible, to envelop their trains. Leave no grass before them that can be burned. Keep your men concealed as much as possible, and guard against surprise." The Mormons blocked the army's entrance into the Salt Lake Valley, and weakened it by hindering them from receiving provisions. There were no direct battles between the two forces, but on September 11, 1857, more than 120 California-bound settlers from Arkansas, Missouri and other states, including unarmed men, women and children, were killed in remote southwestern Utah by a group of local Mormon militiamen. There were other incidents of violence against non-Mormon settlers.
Buchanan sent Thomas L. Kane as a private agent to negotiate peace. Mormon leader Brigham Young had also appealed to Kane for help. Kane had helped the Mormons in their westward migration and had some trust with both sides. Kane was successful and what became known as the "Utah War" ended. Kane successfully convinced Young to accept Buchanan's appointment of Cumming as Territorial governor. As part of the negotiated peace, Buchanan granted amnesty to all inhabitants who would respect the authority of the government. He moved the federal troops to a non-threatening distance for the balance of his administration.
Tensions continued and in 1858 in April, Buchanan sent an official peace commission to Utah consisting of Benjamin McCulloch and Lazarus Powell, which arrived in June. The commission offered a free pardon to the Mormons for any acts incidental to the conflict if they would submit to government authority. The commissioners promised the Mormons that the government would not interfere with their religion. In spite of the concessions, Buchanan maintained a tougher stance in his public statements. Brigham Young accepted Buchanan's terms and pardon, although he denied Utah had ever rebelled against the United States