Called Unto Liberty, 19th Century Sermons, George Q. Cannon
While the people are pure, while they are upright, while they are willing to observe law, the best results must follow the establishment and maintenance of a government like this; but, on the other hand, if the people become corrupt, if they give way to passion, if they disregard law, if they trample upon constitutional obligations, then a republican form of government like ours becomes the worst tyranny upon the face of the earth. An autocracy is a government of one man, and if he be a tyrant, it is the tyranny of one man; but the tyranny and irresponsibility of a mob is one of the most grievous despotisms which can exist upon the face of the earth.. .
Source: George Q. Cannon, 3 July 1881, Delivered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Journal of Discourses, Volume 22, p. 136. George Q. Cannon (1827 – 1901) was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow. He was also five-time Territorial Delegate from Utah.
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Called Unto Liberty is a project of Steve Farrell and The Moral Liberal. In some cases, spelling has been modernized, abbreviations removed, paragraphs broken up for easier reading. As edited, reformatted, and arranged in this collection Copyright © 2009-2012 Steve Farrell and The Moral Liberal, except where otherwise noted. There were no alterations made in the above quote by George Q. Cannon.
