feeling of many Church leaders. Young and several other Church apostles were often quick to remark on the dangers of racial intermixture especially through marriage. Young believed that any white man guilty of mingling his seed with the seed of Cane. could redeem himself or have salvation only by having his head cut off and his Blood [spilt] on the ground7 According to the Compromise of 1850 the territory of Utah was left open to slavery. A U.S. census taken in 1860 calculated that Twenty-nine slaves resided in the Utah territory8. In 1852 Utah territorial legislature outlawed all black-white racial intermixture, as well as the right of African Americans to vote, hold public office, and joining the Territorial militia9. Church leaders for the first time began to speak out publicly about their practice of black priesthood denial. Elders further affirmed the subordinate position of Blacks by barring them from any Temple visitation rights. Any marriage that occurred by African American members of the Church could not take place at a Mormon temple. As the separation of the slave and non-slave states approached, the Mormon Church came under increasing fire for the practice of polygamy. Government officials, mainly the Republican Party, began to pass strict laws concerning anyone practicing plural marriage. Many Republicans spoke out about the moral injustices of both slavery in the south and the practice of polygamy by the Mormon Church. In return Young along with other Church leaders began to accuse the Republican party of tearing the Union apart because of their abolitionist ideas. Several non-Mormons began to associate polygamous church leaders with African Kings that were known to participate in the practice of plural marriage. The Church was quick to deny any connection with African polygamy and often pointed out their beliefs in the subordinate position of anyone of African descent. Young and Church leaders also expressed ...
