Hosea Stout records Brigham Young's rejection of the authority of the U.S. Government over Deseret.
Hosea Stout, Journal, September 6, 1857, MS 8332, Chruch History Library
President B. Young in his Sermon declared that the thre[a]d was cut between us and the U.S. and that the Almighty recognised us as a free and independent people and that no officer appointed by government should come and rule over us from this time forth.