The Mormon Prophet and His Harem

ondence.-Sermons of Young and Kimball.-Proclamation of Gov. Cumming.-His Echo Canyon Adventures.-

ridding themselves of all the federal authorities, and we

atter was taken in hand by Floyd, Sec

sufficient for their protection and the enforcement of the laws. Accordingly, President Buchanan, during the summer of 1857, made the following appoint

and equipped, and ordered to march

as subsequently deemed inadvisable to detach that officer from the special duties of his depart

in his report, dated D

n as Mormons. . . . They have substituted for the laws of the land a theocracy,

ived from revelations received by him from Heaven. Whenever he finds it convenient to exercise any special command, these opportun

rom which they are now sending defiance to the sovereign power, their whole plan has been to prepare for a s

nfer some direct benefit upon themselves, or contribute to circulate public money in their community. . . . I need not here recite the many instances in their conduct and his

ibited, under circumstances when respect for its own authority has frequently counselled harsh measures of discipline. And this forbearance might still be prolonged, and the evils r

s who roam over the vast, unoccupied regions of the continent, to the pillage and massacre of peaceful and helpless emigrant families traversing the solitudes of the wilderness. The rapid settlement of our Pacific possessions; the rights, in those regions, of emigrants, unable to afford the heavy expenses of transit by water and the Isthmus; the facility

at nothing should seem to excite apprehension of any action on the part of the army in the least conflicting with the fixed principle of our institutions, by which the military is strictly subordinate to the civil authority. The instructions of the commanding officer were deliberate

and of assuring the people of the Territory of the peaceful intentions of the Government. This officer found, upon entering the Territory, that these deluded people had already, in advance of his arrival, or of any inf

ssued his Proclamation, substantially declaring war against the United

a copy of this ce

CLAM

nor Brigh

o judges, governors, and presidents, only to be scorned, held in derision, insulted, and betrayed. Our houses have been plundered and then burned, our fields laid waste, our principal men butchered, while under the pledged faith of the G

itutional rights which pertain unto us as American citizens were extended to Utah, according to the spirit and me

th, to send out a formidable host to accomplish our destruction. We have had no privilege or opportun

othing. We are condemned unheard, and forced to an issue with an armed, mercenary mob, which has been sent against us at the instigation of anonymous letter-writers, ashamed to father the base, slanderous falsehoods which they h

s based. Our duty to ourselves-to our families-requires us not to tamely submit to be driven and slain, without an attempt to preserve ourselves. Our duty to our country-our holy religion-our God-to freedom and liberty, requires that we should not quiet

Indian Affairs for the Territory of Utah, in the name of the

description, from coming into this T

hold themselves in readiness to march at a mome

e publication of this proclamation; and no person shall be allowed to pass or repass

this fifteenth day of September, A. D. eighteen hundred and fifty-seven,

ham Y

r of the United States forces, then on the Plai

er, Septemb

ncy Governor Young, together with two copies of his proclamation, and a copy o

instructions of Governor Young. General Robinson will deliver these

dictated by a proper respect for the rights

respec

el H.

l commanding N

Office, Ut

ke City, Sept

0, organizing the Territory of Utah, published in a copy of the La

hall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President

Territory, no successor having been appointed and qualified, as provide

the same route you entered. Should you deem this impracticable, and prefer to remain until spring in the vicinity of your present encampment, Black Fork, or Green River, you can do so in peace, and unmolested, on condition that you deposit your arms and ammunit

d this, and receive any commu

respec

ham Y

and Superi

airs, Utah

cer commandi

ing Utah

y spare into uniforms for the troops. Accordingly the "brethren" appeared arrayed in pieces of bed-quilts, carpets, and old clo' made over, and presented to the eye as motley and miserable a crew as those of "the right valiant Sir John Falstaff." If we look at the leaders of these classical armies, however, the parallel fails. The chivalric Jack had at least the courage to march at the head of his soldiers; whil

heir Zion was threatened,-their institutions in danger,-and with the fire of revenge burning i

hoes to their feet, wading through snows several feet dee

ot be better expressed than by extracts from the

6, 1857, Brigham Young, in

law, and we have no occasion to do so, neither do we intend; but as for any nation's coming to destroy this p

part. And I am not going to have troops here to protect the priests and hellish rabble in efforts to drive us from the land we possess; for the Lord does not wa

ld pumpkin that has been frozen seven times, and then melted in a harvest sun. Come on with your thousands of illegally orde

an army in here, and have peace; and I intend to tell them, and show them this, if they do not stay away

same day, the "lion" a

ed States Senators came to receive a pledge from us that we would leave the United States; and then, while we were doing our best to leave their borders, the poor, low, degraded curses sent a requisition

een sent here,-and we have reason to believe that they are, or they would not come where they know they are not wanted,-they are poor, miserable blacklegs, broken down political hacks, robbers and whoremongers; me

g or everything of their property that would be of use to an enemy if left, I wanted them to go out of the Territory. And I again say so to-day; for when the time comes to

imes gone by, there shall not be one building, nor one foot of lumber, nor a stick, nor a tree, nor a particle of grass or hay tha

mball, first counsellor to Brigh

s the word that sounds nearest to what I mean. But now the thread is cut between them and

this time henceforth and forever. No, never. And there shall no wicked Judge with his w-- ever

s of our Father and our God, and he is that man that stood next to Jesus Christ,-just as I stand by brother Brigham. . . . You think our Father and our God is not a lively, sociable, and cheerful man; he is one of the most lively

's notice, and flee to the mountains,-and this too, as the snows of winter were falling around them. They were commanded to have the torch ready to set fire to their dwellings, and the axe to cut down all their fruit-trees; and they were ready to obey! The question naturally presents itself, Can bli

to choose, at least one half would have remained a

ment will be laid to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.'" This means, in plain English, that any man who refused to obey Young should be put to death; and the people

es were heaped up along the borders of the precipices, ready to be dashed against the troops, as they should essay to

in Green River County, near Fort Bridger, a distance of 118 miles from Salt

County, near

ry, 21st Nov

ple of Utah

bly be detained some time, in consequence of the loss of animals during the recent snow-storm. I will proceed at this point to make the preliminary arrangements for the temporary organization of the terr

f Justice Eckels, held in this county, which court will supersede the nec

e Constitution, and the organic law of this Territory,

the inhabitants of this Territory, and will only resort to a military posse in case of necessity. I trust this necessity will not occur. I

which it is not the province of the Government or the disposition of its representatives in this Territory to interfere. In virtue of my authority as commander-in-

s command will subject the offender

Cumm

of Utah

forces. Being familiar with the country, they had greatly the advantage; and could break suddenly upon a herding party, from some side canyon, c

he animals of the United States troops on their march, to set fire to their trains, to burn the grass and the whole country before them and

, on Green River, three of our supply trains, consisting of seventy-five wagons, load

Utah" arrived at Bridger, and made an

approved by President Buchanan, and the War Department. He went incognito, and by the southern route, and arrived in Utah in the month of January. He was accompanied by a servant only, and while on the desert to the south of Salt Lake City, was taken sick, and came near losing his life. Amasa Lyman and others were out exploring, with a view of ascertaining whether the Mormons could be attacked from t

was well understood at Salt Lake that Col. Kane was baptized by the Elders some years before, while on a tour of exploration to the Rocky Mountai

s of the Army of Utah," at Fort Bridger. He was escorted by Porter Rockwell, and Daniel Kimball past the limits of the Mormon camp. He hel

ey Governor C

. I was escorted from Bear River Valley to the western end of Echo Canyon,-the journey through the canyon b

es, I am gratified in being able to state that, in passing through the settlements, I have been universally greeted w

e object of concealing the barricades and other defences. I was therefore agreeably surprised by an illumination in honor to me. The bonfires kindled by

Cumming into the Valley of Salt Lake, and may go to explain to

ified this canyon at several points. They also had four camps, or places of rendezvous, at convenient distances. Upon arriving at Cache Cave, the first "post," the party of the Governor came to a halt. His Excellency was escorted into camp with due honor, and an ox was sla

smoothly until they reached the third station, when it suddenly occurred to Col. Kimball that the pickets at that post had not been apprised of their coming. He remarked, on nearing the camp, that "he saw no pickets, and he guessed the boys were in ambush." He therefore mounted a horse, and telling the driver to be sure and "halt" as soon as he heard the word, rode off. In a moment more, the guard shouted, "Halt! who goes there?"-and before a reply could be given, the crack of a rifle was heard. The Governor, trembling with fright, cried ou

undreds of camp-fires gleamed along the rugged sides of the canyon, furnishing incontestable evidence of the great number of the Mo

alt Lake City, they were met by a large concourse of citizen soldiery, preceded by a band of music, accompanied by the roaring of cannon. The Echo Canyon boys were also there, to see the fun. The Governor was quite be

and tendered to him "the hospitalities of the city." Governor Cumming was delighted, and in a few days called at the office of Governor Young. This wily personage put on one of his blandest smiles,

able records about which so much had been said? They were; and the Mormons had been belied, and the Gover

nerable friend James Buchanan, who read with delight these "signs of repentance"

ed States Government. But the following extract from a letter to him, written by President Buc

y encountering the perils and dangers of a journey to Utah, at the present inclement season of the year, at your own expense, and without official position.

o, the humiliation of seeing the streets of the city filled with the federal soldiers, against whom he had been hurling his anathemas. Finding this catastrophe could not possibly be averted, he promulgated an order, purporting to emanate from the Almighty, commanding the people to leave their homes and start for the South. This order was prompted partly by the fact that th

e principal men, also removed their families from their comfortable homes, again to encounter the toils and privations incident to life on the Plains. They

Mormon authorities. They were instructed to say to the Mormons, in the language of the proclamation, "If you obey the laws, keep the peace, and respect the just rights of others, you will be perfectly secure, and may live in your present faith, or change it for an

rt of the Commissioners will serve t

ce in the Territory; they spoke of the wrongs and injuries hitherto done them; they said they desired to live in peace, under the Constitution of the United States. They denied that they had ever driven any officials from Utah, or prevented any civil officer from entering the Territory. They admitted that they burned the army trains, and drove off the cattle from the army last fall, and for that act they accep

heir orders within the Territory. In short, they agreed that the officers, civil and military, of the United States, should

and should not encamp until they crossed the Jordan. These conditions were substantially complied with. "On the 26th of June General Johnson marched the army under his command through Salt Lake City, and encamped on

ived orders to return to their homes. With joy and

od" sent forth his mandate, each man sprang to his feet as if by magic, rushed to his teams, and b

he Dug Out," to prevent collision with the Mormons on their return to

teen persons could have been compressed into a small-sized trunk. One evening I saw two or three women cooking supper, and observing that they had neither tea nor coffee, I questioned them, and th

ted homes, and began, as well as the lateness of the se

against the modern Moh

TNO

t News, Novem

Fillmore, by the advice and intercession of Col. Kane, who had emb