---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Alleging that the Mormons had committed a…"
description: "\"“Alleging that the Mormons had committed a long list of treasonous acts, in May 1857 Buchanan dispatched a contingent of federal officials to restore t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg"
---

#  Alleging that the Mormons had committed a long list of…

![“Alleging that the Mormons had committed a long list of treasonous acts, in May 1857 Buchanan dispatched a contingent of federal officials to restore the rule of law in Utah, including a new territorial governor to replace Brigham Young. More ominously, the new president ordered twenty-five hundred…” quote by Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg)

> ““Alleging that the Mormons had committed a long list of treasonous acts, in May 1857 Buchanan dispatched a contingent of federal officials to restore the rule of law in Utah, including a new territorial governor to replace Brigham Young. More ominously, the new president ordered twenty-five hundred heavily armed soldiers to escort these officials into Salt Lake City and subdue the Saints if necessary. For all intents and purposes, the United States had declared war on the Mormons.””

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The U.S. government prepared a military response to perceived rebellion by the Mormons, effectively declaring war.

**In simple terms:** Federal officials sent troops to Utah to enforce law against the Mormons.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the impact of political decisions on religious communities.

Themes

conflict government religion

Mood

tense historical

Type

political historical

When to use this quote

- policy analysis
- historical research
- civil rights discussions
- military strategy planning

Key Concepts

political power civil-military relations

Questions to Reflect On

- What were the Mormons’ responses to the federal troops?
- How do such confrontations shape national policy?

A Different Perspective

The description may lack perspective of the Mormons themselves.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/)

## Related quotes

> [“War. In 1901, he graduated from the Virginia Military Institute, where he marched before Stonewall Jackson’s widow. He soon joined the Army, which then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-ricks-2/war-in-1901-he-graduated-from-the-virginia-military-institute-where/)

[Thomas E. Ricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-ricks-2/)

> [I really feel that the Church leaders have blood on their hands. I feel that there are gay Mormons who have committed suicide or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-really-feel-that-the-church-leaders-have-blood-on-their-hands-i/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [“Balanced atop the highest spire of the Salt Lake Temple, gleaming in the Utah sun, a statue of the angel Moroni stands watch over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/balanced-atop-the-highest-spire-of-the-salt-lake-temple-gleaming-in/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“For a person accustomed to the multi ethnic commotion of Los Angeles, Vancouver, New York, or even Denver, walking across the BYU campus can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/for-a-person-accustomed-to-the-multi-ethnic-commotion-of-los-angeles/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [A doctrine-teaching, character-building university, the Brigham Young University is dedicated to the building of character and faith, for character is higher than intellect .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/a-doctrine-teaching-character-building-university-the-brigham-young/)

[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [Brigham Young had 47 children, and over 50 women as wives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-henson/brigham-young-had-47-children-and-over-50-women-as-wives/)

[Keith Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-henson/)

> [God's command to have dominion over every living thing is a call to service, a test of responsibility, a rule of love, a cooperation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-nibley/god-s-command-to-have-dominion-over-every-living-thing-is-a-call-to/)

[Hugh Nibley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-nibley/)

> [“We encounter many bumps, bends, and forks in the road of life that leads to the eternities. There is so much teaching and correction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/we-encounter-many-bumps-bends-and-forks-in-the-road-of-life-that/)

[James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/)

> [A story contained in the family lore of Brigham Young's descendants illustrates the submissive nature of humility. It recounts that in a public meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-g-madsen/a-story-contained-in-the-family-lore-of-brigham-young-s-descendants/)

[Truman G. Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-g-madsen/)

> [“The feeling against the Mormons as expressed by the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin was: The blood of American citizens cries for vengeance from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-brooks/the-feeling-against-the-mormons-as-expressed-by-the-san-francisco/)

[Juanita Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-brooks/)

> [“The full and free pardon granted by President Buchanan was received resentfully by most of the Mormons, who still felt that the sending of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-brooks/the-full-and-free-pardon-granted-by-president-buchanan-was-received/)

[Juanita Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-brooks/)

> [You go back and tell Brigham Young that I'll give up the Lord's money when he sends me a receipt signed by the Lord,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-brannan/you-go-back-and-tell-brigham-young-that-i-ll-give-up-the-lord-s-money/)

Samuel Brannan

> [Brigham Young observed, "Man's machinery makes things alike" (JD 9:370), while God gives to seemingly like individuals pleasing differences. Secularism is no friend of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/brigham-young-observed-man-s-machinery-makes-things-alike-jd-9-370/)

[Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/)

> [“Brigham Young himself had sent my great-great-grandfather, William Jordan Flake, and others down from Utah to colonize the area. Legend has it that after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-flake/brigham-young-himself-had-sent-my-great-great-grandfather-william/)

[Jeff Flake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-flake/)

> [Yes, President Young did teach that Adam was the father of our spirits, and all the related things that the cultists ascribe to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/yes-president-young-did-teach-that-adam-was-the-father-of-our-spirits/)

[Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/)

## More by Jon Krakauer

> [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“Climbing mattered. The danger bathed the world in a halogen glow that caused everything—the sweep of the rock, the orange and yellow lichens, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/climbing-mattered-the-danger-bathed-the-world-in-a-halogen-glow-that/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/it-is-easy-when-you-are-young-to-believe-that-what-you-desire-is-no/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [He read a lot. He used a lot of big words. I think maybe part of what got him into trouble was that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/he-read-a-lot-he-used-a-lot-of-big-words-i-think-maybe-part-of-what/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [ But \[Everett\] and McCandless, at least they tried to follow their dream. That’s what was great about them. They tried. Not many do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/but-everett-and-mccandless-at-least-they-tried-to-follow-their-dream/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“he was ready, perhaps, to shed a little of the armor he wore around his heart, that upon returning to civilization, he intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/he-was-ready-perhaps-to-shed-a-little-of-the-armor-he-wore-around-his/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [ “Continually question climbing pursuits. Do they draw one back to the climbing community? Or do they lead along the \[inner-directed\] path? This questioning generates… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/continually-question-climbing-pursuits-do-they-draw-one-back-to-the/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“The boy unmasked the gaping void in Franz's life even as he helped fill it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/the-boy-unmasked-the-gaping-void-in-franz-s-life-even-as-he-helped/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“Unlike Muir and Thoreau, McCandless went into the wilderness not primarily to ponder nature or the world at large but, rather, to explore the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/unlike-muir-and-thoreau-mccandless-went-into-the-wilderness-not/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [I'm intrigued by fanatics - people who are seduced by the promise, or the illusion, of the absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/i-m-intrigued-by-fanatics-people-who-are-seduced-by-the-promise-or/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [You are wrong if you think Joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/you-are-wrong-if-you-think-joy-emanates-only-or-principally-from/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [I mean, how can you not be a feminist if you have a brain in your head? If you’re not a feminist, then you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/i-mean-how-can-you-not-be-a-feminist-if-you-have-a-brain-in-your-head/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“...I quickly came to understand that climbing Everest was primarily about enduring pain. And in subjecting ourselves to week after week of toil, tedium,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/i-quickly-came-to-understand-that-climbing-everest-was-primarily/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“going to have to be real careful not to accept any gifts from them in the future because they will think they have bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/going-to-have-to-be-real-careful-not-to-accept-any-gifts-from-them-in/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

> [“He must have been very brave and very strong, at the end, not to do himself in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/he-must-have-been-very-brave-and-very-strong-at-the-end-not-to-do/)

[Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

[Explore all 221 Jon Krakauer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/)

## More Rule of law quotes

> [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/)

[Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/)

> [“When at last we arrived in Mannheim, I found that my apartment had been rented to a family whose young son was an amputee.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-suppresed-i-rise/when-at-last-we-arrived-in-mannheim-i-found-that-my-apartment-had/)

[Captain Hank Bracker, "Suppresed I Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-suppresed-i-rise/)

> [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/)

[Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/)

> [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/)

[Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/)

> [The internal peace of every country depends upon the knowledge that force is available to uphold law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/the-internal-peace-of-every-country-depends-upon-the-knowledge-that/)

[Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/)

> [“If we enjoy the right to freedom, it is because we accept our responsibility not to harm or harass others. If we expect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-visser/if-we-enjoy-the-right-to-freedom-it-is-because-we-accept-our/)

[Wayne Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-visser/)

> [When Estonia reestablished its sovereignty after a half century of successive thuggish, totalitarian, foreign occupations by the Soviets, the Nazis, and then again the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/when-estonia-reestablished-its-sovereignty-after-a-half-century-of/)

[Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/)

> [The vision that the founding fathers had of rule of law and equality before the law and no one above the law, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-vision-that-the-founding-fathers-had-of-rule-of-law-and-equality/)

[James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/)

> [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [It is aspiring tyrants who say that 'civil liberties end when an attack on our safety begins.' Conversely, leaders who wish to preserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/it-is-aspiring-tyrants-who-say-that-civil-liberties-end-when-an/)

[Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/)

> [“There are doubtless those who would wish to lock up all those who suspected of terrorist and other serious offences and, in the time-honored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bingham/there-are-doubtless-those-who-would-wish-to-lock-up-all-those-who/)

Tom Bingham

> [Historically, Hong Kong has served as an important bridge between China and the world. Our freedoms, stability and the rule of law have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/historically-hong-kong-has-served-as-an-important-bridge-between/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [Overregulation corrupts citizens and weakens the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/overregulation-corrupts-citizens-and-weakens-the-rule-of-law/)

[Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/)

> [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/)

[Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/)

[Browse all 620 Rule of law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Alleging that the Mormons had committed a long list of treasonous acts, in May 1857 Buchanan dispatched a contingent of federal officials to restore the rule of law in Utah, including a new territorial governor to replace Brigham Young. More ominously, the new president ordered twenty-five hundred heavily armed soldiers to escort these officials into Salt Lake City and subdue the Saints if necessary. For all intents and purposes, the United States had declared war on the Mormons.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jon Krakauer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed-a-long-list-of-treasonous/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Rule of law"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed-a-long-list-of-treasonous/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/jon-krakauer-1557_rule-of-law_alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed_2074929.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Alleging that the Mormons had committed a long list of treasonous acts, in May 1857 Buchanan dispatched a…” — Jon Krakauer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jon Krakauer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Alleging that the Mormons had committed...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed-a-long-list-of-treasonous/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/alleging-that-the-mormons-had-committed-a-long-list-of-treasonous/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
