"Horrible Massacre of Emigrants!!" The Mountain Meadows Massacre in Public Discourse

 

INTERESTING FROM UTAH. 

Preparations of the Army for the March on Salt Lake City.

ARRIVAL OF COL. HOFFMAN AND CAPT. MARCY.

Provisions Plenty and Transportation Ample.

The Burning of the Supply Trains in October—Other Mormon Outrages.

Interesting Particulars of Capt Marcy's Trip to New-Mexico.

Peculiarities of the Indian Tribes in Utah.

From the Special Correspondent of the New-York Times.

CAMP SCOTT, Bridger’s Fort, U.T., Friday, June 12, 1858.

My next communication will be dated on the march towards Salt Lake—for the present week has brought in all the supplies and troops for which the army of Utah have been postponing its advance. First came Colonel HOFFMAN with his supplies of provisions, clothing and forage; and on the 9th instant Captain Marcy came into camp with over 900 mules and about 150 horses of the stock which he went to New-Mexico to purchase. This gives us over 5,000 animals of all kinds, which will furnish abundance of transportation. Fortunately, the loss of animals during the Winter was scarce a twentieth part as great as was anticipated in view of the conditions of the herds when the army went into Winter quarters. Under the judicious care of Mr. Miller, the head wagon-master, I believe less than 50 mules were lost during the Winter out of somewhere about 1,000 heads, and his stock this Spring is in fine working condition, although Wintered upon the dry grass which the animals hunted out from under the snow. MARCY'S stock also is in fine order, so that there is nothing to be done now but pack up and be off towards Zion.

In anticipation of these arrivals the commanding General issued the following preliminary order on the evening of its date:

HEAD-QUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF UTAH, CAMP SCOTT, U.T., June 5, 1858.

GENERAL ORDERS NO. 26-1. Means of transportation and renewed supplies being near at hand, this army will, in execution of the orders of Government, at an early day resume its march to Salt Lake City.

2. In the meantime the transportation present will be held in readiness, and each Chief of Staff and each Commander will complete the preparations for the march in his own department or command. Transportation will be furnished at the rates established in General Orders, No. 25, Head-quarters', troops, serving in Kansas, of 1857.

3. Commanders will, without delay, make requisitions for such clothing now on hand as is needed for immediate issue and for the march, and have prepared, by the arrival of the trains, requisitions for shoes and stockings.

These requisitions will be made only on personal inspection and examinations, by company commanders, into the wants of their men, in order that no articles may be drawn except those needed for the march.

A small supply of clothing, for issue according to necessity, to the respective commanders, after arriving in the Valley, will be turned over to the Regimental and A.A. Quartermasters for transportation.

4. A command of at least three companies, to be designated in Special Orders, will constitute the guard at this Depot.

The Medical Directors, on or before the arrival of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel HOFFMAN, will designate medical officer to remain with the command. The sick who are not able to march, will be left at this Depot.

Supplies to be taken from those in charge of the Medical Purveyor will be liberally furnished the hospital attached to each regiment and to this Depot. The remaining hospital supplies will be prepared as required in paragraph 997 Army Regulations, and turned over to the Depot Quartermaster (to be designated) for transportation at a future day to Salt Lake Valley.

By order of Brevet Brigadier-General A. S. JOHNSTON.

F. J. PORTER, Ass't Adj.-General.

The publication of the second clause of the fourth paragraph of this Order had a remarkable effect upon the hospitals, rapidly depleting them of their tenants for every man is anxious to move forward to the Valley. There has been very little sickness in camp, however—much less than might have been anticipated, in view of the hard fare to which officers and men were alike subjected during the Winter, and also in view of the extraordinary changes of temperature peculiar to this region—where the thermometer ranges from 18° to 70° often within twenty-four hours. The principal ailing is what is known as mountain fever—a modified and easily managed intermittent. We have had several hail storms during the last week, and, on the morning of the 10th, were visited by a furious snow-storm, which lasted until noon. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is usually very dry—so much so that we often witness the fall of condensed vapors from clouds overhanging the heights all around us—the vapors never reaching the earth, being entirely absorbed by the atmosphere in their descent.

The week has been one of busy preparation for the march, and yesterday the whole army rejoiced when the following order, directing the movement, was issued:

HEAD-QUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF UTAH, CAMP SCOTT, U.T., June 11, 1859.

>GENERAL ORDERS NO. 28—The troops will march from this camp in three divisions, in as many consecutive days, commencing with the First Division, and moving in the order of their number.

Special instructions with regard to advanced, flank rear guards will be given immediately after the execution of the preliminary movement herein directed.

The following will be the order of march, subject to an additional changed on leaving Muddy Creek:

1. Division composed of the Second Dragoons, PHELPH'S Battery, and the Volunteer Battalion: to advance to the Muddy and await the arrival of the Second Division.

2. Division composed of the Fifth Infantry, RENO'S Battery, and Company "B," Seventh Infantry.

3. Division, composed the Tenth Infantry, and Col. LORING's Battalion.

The morning after the arrival on the Muddy of the Second Division, the First and Second Divisions (RENO'S Battery and "B" Company, Seventh Infantry excepted,) forming one division, will continue the march.

RENO'S Battery, Company "B," Seventh Infantry, and the Third Division, now constituting the Second, will continue to march on the second day. The Head-Quarters will be with the Second Division as far as the Muddy; beyond that with the advance.

By order of Brevet Brigadier-General A.S. JOHNSTON F.J. PORTER, Ass't Adj.-General

Detailed orders have also been issued to the force comprising the First Division, directing them to take up the line of march to-morrow, the 13th inst. It will be seen that the route to be pursued is not designated in the orders, being kept from publication here, at present, from motives of military precaution.

Lieutenant W.D. SMITH's squadron of dragoons left camp yesterday morning with pack mules, to escort Capt. NEWTON, of the Engineers, who goes to reconnoitre the road and examine its condition and report. He is expected also to go to the Bear River, ascertain whether or no the bridge over it is still standing, and if not to select a suitable place for throwing across another. Gen. JOHNSTON had had several strong portable bridges made here in camp, which will be carried along in the advance of the army, and used if occasion requires. The route which the army will take is not absolutely settled yet, but unless I am much mistaken, it will avoid the Cañons. The General wisely argues that military roads should never lie through Cañons for the reason that if assailed therein two important arms of the service—the artillery and cavalry—are nearly paralyzed, as they cannot be brought to bear upon an enemy under such circumstances except it be just at the point of attack. If there was any probability of Mormon resistance it would be the part of prudence to avoid the Cañons, and if there is no such danger, there is no need of special haste upon the march. In either event, therefore, the General probably sees no reason why he should not break a new road over the table lands north of the Cañons, or along the valley of the Bear River; in doing which a new road will be opened of advantage, perhaps, to emigrants and traders as well as to the military forces.

It is believed that a good route for a road lies between Echo Canon and Bear River Lake, which would be only thirty or forty miles longer than the Canon road, and I have little doubt that be the route pursued by our army. If unexperienced obstables are met with there, the course of the Bear River will probably be followed all the way into Salt Lake Valley. This route would be very circuitious, adding two hundred miles or more to our march, as the river, form where we strike it, runs northward on the east side of the Wasatsh Mountains until it turns the northernmost spurs of the range and then hugs the same range again, as it pursues its course southward on the westerly side of the mountains. There is hardly a possiblitliy, however, that this longer route will be found necessary or advisable. The time occupied in the march will be longer than I anticipated in my last, and we shall do well to find ourselves in Salt Lake City by the 1st of July.

The officers of the army of Utah are all required to keep a journal an itinerary, on which the geographical and topographical facts coming under their observation are all carefully noted. Suitable books for this purpose were provided by Gen. JOHNSTON, one of which is handed to each officer as he starts out upon a scout, or to visit any portion of the surrounding country. It will readily be seen that these notes are rapidly accumulating a mass of valuable data, upon which to get out a complete and accurate topographical map of this entire region. Already Capt. NEWTON has sketched, from these and other data collected during the past Winter, a very complete map of the route to the Valley, on which all the water courses, comprising grounds and settlements, are marked. Capt. MARCY's observations during his recent trip to New-Mexico will prove a valuable contribution to geographical science;—but of that more in another branch of this communication.

It is now nine days since the Peace Commissioners and Governor CUMMING left the Camp for Salt Lake City, but are yet without any intelligence as to the result of their conferences with the people of the Valley; but that fact will not retard the movements of the army for an hour now that it is ready to advance.

Early on the morning of the 8th instance a Mormon party arrived here from the city, headed by GROESBECK, the man who carried up a train of supplies to the city late last Fall, including more or less powder. His companions, in conversation smooth, quiet and plausible, carried with them, with an exception or two, the veriest coundrelly faces that I have met in some time. They brought down a few horses and provisions to sell, while on their way to Platte Bridge, whence they go to carry up part of their train left there by GROESBECK last Fall, for fear it should fall into the hands of Colonel JOHNSTON. In order to forestall the latter result, they pretended to sell the train out to JOHN RICHARD, the rader whose post is at the Bridge, having first caché all their goods that they could not pack on mules. These men state that they met Governor CUMMING and the Peace Commissioners on the Weber River, whence they would reach the city on Monday the 7th instant. They state further that BRIGHAM YOUNG was not in the city to meet them, but had gone down to Provo, and that they people were still moving to the southward, not give hundred of them remaining in the city.

When the party came into camp, one of their number, named John HOAGLAND, was immediately recoginized by a volunteer as one of the ruffians engaged in burning the supply train on the Big Sandy, on the 5th of October last, and who robbed JACK GUNN, one of the teamsters on that occasion, of his Colt's revolver. Complaint was made at once, and Lieut. GROVER, Provost Marshal, "jerked" Brother HOAGLAND suddlenly, and pfaced him in the guard tent of the 10th Infantry, whith a file of well armed soldiers, to keep him company. Before the arrest was made another volunteer, who was also a teamster, stated to Mr. GROVER that he could identify GUNN'S pistol, having often used it on the road; that it was a Colt's revolver, number 26 328. The Provost Marshal took the weapon from his prisoner's belt, and found the number corresponded with that stated by the witness. Thus man and pistol were clearly identified. A complaint was filed against him for robbery, and the preliminary examination was had on the 9th, before Mr. CARTER, an excellent and conscientous merchant, who is acting Justice of the Peace for this county. The winesses testified to the facts above stated, and gave the following account of the proceedings of the Mormon party:

The train had camped in a hallow near what is known as the bend of the Big Sandy, when a party of Mormons under LOT SMITH, well mounted and armed rode up, with their rifles cocked and held in position for instant use. A glance at the surrounding hills showed that there were others of the party poted as a sort of picket guard, to give notice of the approach of any relief which might possibly be in the vicinity. The assailants declared themselves Mormons, said they had come to burn the trains, and ordered all "the boys" to get out their arms and lay them down in a pile. Conceding at once that resistance was useless, the teamsters obeyed the order. After some conversation, which resulted in SMITH'S agreeing that the attacked party should keep two of the wagons, with rations, to enable them to join their friends, the leader told his men to "get to work."—whereupon the Mormons proceeded to break up the ox yokes and bows, nad to pile them up on the wagons preparatory to burning. This done, they set fire to the train, with all its contents.

About the time the fire was kindled, HOAGLAND by permission of LOT SMITH, went to GUNN and told him he wanted his pistol—that they were going after Captain MAGRAW, of the Wagon-read Expedition, and would prably have use for it, which he (GUNN) would not. HOAGLAND and GUNN had been acquanted before in Salt Lake City, and HOAGLAND, while taking the weapon. without GUNN'S consent, promised to return it to him when he should meet him in the Valley. Telling the teamsters to stay where they were and see the trains burn, SMITH and his party rode off. When they reached the neighboring heights SMITH fired his pistol, at which signal a party of his men not before visible, rode up and joined him as they moved away from the scene of their villainy.

The prisoner is a son of the Mormon Bishop of the Eleventh War of Salt Lake City. He is a young man 22 or 23 years of age, with sharp features, a narrow, low and receding forehead, with bluish-gray eyes and two-colored hair. The expression of his face is stolid, betokening a man ready to execute unfalteringly and without question the will of a superior intellect to whose influence he had once surrendered himself. Of course, he was not without means to emply a lawyer. His counsel at first put in a plea of not guilty, but after the evidence for the prosecution was developed, he withdrew that plean and put in the President's Problamation, claiming that his client had been guilty of treason—the lesser crime having been merged in the greater—and demanding that the accused be set free under the provisions of the pardon offered by Mr. BUCHANAN for all the seditions and treasons of the past. The Ustice anticipating this plea, had consulted Judge ECKELS, and at once decided to release the defendant. Thus it will be seen that every species of crime in the past that can be made directly or indirectly a part of the sytem of outrage perpetrateed by the Mormons in opposition to the Government is to be held to be covered by the Proclamation, even though the sufferer is a private citizen, and the property stolen or destroyed is private property. I leave to the legal profession the discussion of the interesting question involved in this connection.

It is evident that these emissaries of BRIGHAM YOUNG have been schooled into a sentiment of perfect contempt for the authority and the power of the Union. Some of them have behaved in a most inprudent and unbecoming manner while here, swaggering about the camp, boasting of their participation in the burning of the supply trains, and describing all the details of their arrangements for the accomplishment of that act of treason, as if it were something to be proud of. Said one, in a group of three of them, speaking to attachés of the camp, "It's d—d lucky that we are pardoned—for if we were not, we would burn up the whole d—d army." This is a fair specimen of the men upon whom the Presdient of the United States has obtruded "a full and free pardon," before they had sued for it, and while they exhale treason in every breath. Nothing but the strict discipline of camp could have saved the coundrel, whose remark I have quoted, from summary and severe personal chastisement. But his case is not an isolated one. It has its daily counterpart, as often as the "Saints" are met with, inside or outside the pickets. As the case stands, the soliders give vent to their indigation in energettically cursing the insulting traitors, and most religiously damning JAMES BUCHANAN.

Conversing with a bright-eyed, good-looking young Mormon, a day or two ago—one whose face betckened more of frankness than one could expect of most of his fellows—I asked him about the outrages upon Gentile merchants and United States officials in the "Valley." He did not attempt to deny, nor offer to excuse them. To him they were eveidently pefectly natural and appropriate results. "If a man comes into the Valley." said he, "and minds his own business, he has no trouble; but if he geins to meddle with affairs that don't belong ti him. I'll be d—d if he don't get h—l." Pressing him as to what he meant by intermeddling, he replied that the Gentiles had offended by writing to the States and to Europe abusive statements in regard to affaris in Utah, or had harbored and attempted to protect prersons who had been "cut off" from the Church, or had spoken evil of the Prophet, &c. The same complaint applied to the civil officers, who he declared , and other good men, by official acts or decisions obnoxious to the interests of the Church, and therefore deserving of severest reprehension. " What else could they expect ?" continued my young expositor, "If a man comes into this Valley, and lets us alone, he would have no trouble." It was the old story of tyranny and oppression, which has been dinned into the ears of the Government and the people of the United States for a year or two, but which seems almost impossible of realization by those who live at a distance from the influence of this accursed Theocracy. The Church finds itself unable to endure free criticism of its faith as exemplified in the lives of its exponents, and so feels justified in resorting to outage and murder in order to suppress the liberty of speech. A man witnessing the enormities of the Valley, must not " meddle" so far even as to write to his friend in New York or Massachusetts or Louisiana, narrating the facts. Neither must he respond to the demands of common charity and give food or shelter to the help less female who has been turned out to perish in the pitiless winter storm, because she shrieks from the touch of some vulgar "Saint," who desires to add her to his polygamic household. Nor must he resist the spoliation of his property when the Church has need of it. Nor venture an appeal to the Courts for redress. All this is " meddling," and justly subjects the imprudent perpetrator to the Mormon inquisition and is mysteriously executed penalites, Your Utah correspondence, a year or more ago, presented case after case, each well authenticated, illustrating forcibly the foregoing interpretation of what the Mormon Theocrat means by Gentile meddling. The United States Courts were " meddling" when they undertook to assert the rights of the citizen HOCADAY,agains, the interests and the edicts of the Church; and to they were broken up by violence and dispersed. Surveyor General BURR was meddling when as the agent of the Government, he undertook to cut wood in the Canons to make laud section sakes,and so he was driven from the Territory. Captain GUNNISON" meddled" when he published to the world his observations of the iniquities of Mormondom, and as a consequence, he was butchered with all his band by Mormon Thugs ; and the followers of BRIGHAM YOUNG seem to believe that in thus punishing "meddling" they do nothing deserving reprobation or rebuke. It is to such a people as this that JAMES BUCHANAN has yielded in such meek submission, flinching from the stern execution of a high duty, and imploring them to accept a pardon, and save him from the labor of hanging them.

A trifling incident, the other day, illustrated the servile subjection to which woman is reduced under the Mormon harrow. Among the party who recently arrived here from Salt Lake, on their way towards the Missouri, was a Frenchman, who, though glad to escape from the tyranny of brother BRIGHAM, was still fast in the faith. He had with him three women, one of whom was his legal wife, and another his mother. The third was a German woman, who having occasion to appeal to the judicial authorities here for all, presented the following statement, which was confirmed in its essential points by fellow-travelers The Frenchman, whom she met as a Mormon preacher in St. Louis, made love to her there, and as she was already a convert to the faith, easily persuaded her to go with him to Salt Lake to be " sealed " to him as a " spiritual " or second wife, promising her that the ceremony should be performed as soon as they came into the presence of the Prophet. This promise he failed to keep, but on arrival in the Valley, he sent his victim out to herd his cattle, which she did all last summer and winter. This spring, when the Frenchman was about to leave the Valley, she insisted upon his taking her back to the States. To this he consented on condition that she should give up her bed and spare clothing to be sold in order to aid in the purchase of the team and necessary supplies for the journey. Accordingly she made over her furniture, and stripped herself of every article of apparel which could be spared without absolute indecency—the value of which was equal to half the cost of the rickety "out-fit " in which the party finally started. It seems to have been the fellow's intention to drive her out of his company as soon as possible afterwards by cruelty ; and in the trip from the Valley to this point, he compelled her to walk all the way, quarrelling with her and abusing her continually. Arrived here, she determined to join our Camp, where she could find abundant employment as laundress—and accordingly she took legal measures to obtain a return of her share of the outfit. The District-Attorney and DAVID A. BURR, with myself, proceeded to the Mormon Camp, and made the demand in her behalf. The fellow did not dispute her story in the least, but put on airs of the most lordly superiority, sneering at the idea of a woman's being able to bring complaint against one of the "Sons of Zion." Until the fact was suggested to him, he had evidently forgotten that he was no longer in a Mormon cornmunity, but in one where a woman has rights of her own. As the suggestion dawned upon his mind, his lordly air vanished, and he burst into a vehement passion, applying an opprobious epithet to the woman, which was instantly resented by one of his own associates, who warned him not to repeat the slander. Finally, under threat of being subjected to suit for the value of his victim's property, and also for wages as a "herdsman," he paid up and was permitted to depart.

It is to be feared that the very enormity of the wrong perpetrated in Mormondom, or under is influence, have rendered the Eastern public incredulous as to their commission. It Is difficult to conceive that humanity can become so debased under the cloak of religious fanaticism. The class of facts which it has been my duty to cite from time to time, illustrative of the practical working and disastrous effects of the Mormon system, have been attested time and again by many living witnesses, sneaking from personal knowledge and experience—witnesses who certainly appear to be honest and reliable, and who are certified as veracious by those who have known them long and well. I have had oppurtunity to test the accuracy of some of their statements by questioning other parties in reference to facts which they have detailed, and a comparison of notes thus obtained, would seem to afford irrefragible evidence of their truth. Take, for instance, the narrative of Mr. LOBA, who the St. Louis Republican thinks "sold' your correspondent. I seriously have no fault to find with their incredulity, nor have I any personal interest in having Mr. LOBA sustained and indorsed, as I gave his interesting story avowedly upon his own authority, making myself responsible only for his intelligence, his apparent truthfulness, and the reputation for honesty and veracity which he enjoys in the circle of gentlemen in which I found him.

It is of a good deal of importance to the public, however, that his reliability should be ascertained, so that baseless suspicion of his integrity may not destroy the impression which his startling declarations ought to make upon the public mind—for, depend upon it, this Mormon question is no trifling, ephemera issue, but one which is destined to force its importance in upon the future, compelling politicians, statesmen and citizens of all classes, to take earnest, decisive position in regard thereto. I have had frequent opportunities during the last month to learn of Mr. LOBA from those who know him both Gentiles and seceding Mormons. All speak well of him, and vouch for his truthfulness. I had heard of him, and something of the particulars of his escape, from Mr. BURR, of Washington, late U. S. Surveyor-General in Utah ; and the Mr. MORELL who went among the Snake Indians to rescue himself and wife, and carry them to Laramie, is our Postmaster in this camp. JNO. M. HOCKADAY, U. S. Attorney for the Territory, also knew him, and their testimony fully corroborates Mr. L.'s statement in various particulars with which they were familiar. I have questioned also some of the seceding Mormons now here in regard to specific; facts slated in his narrative, and their answers, without having read his statements, are identical with his own. I have questioned these particularly in regard to the journey of death made by the hand cart train, the sad remnants of which Mr. L. saw enter the valley in the depth of the Winter. Mrs. SUTHERLAND, to whom I before have had occasion to refer, tells me that she started from the Missouri only four days behind that train, frequently coming up with it on the way, and then falling behind, as it was not the desire of her party to pass them. With her own eyes she saw pits dug into which fifteen to twenty corpses were rudely thrown at once. Although this occurred before the poor emigrants arrived at their point of greatest suffering and mortality, the deaths were too numerous to admit of providing them with separate graves.

At last it was found impossible to do more than throw a thin covering of earth over the bodies, which the wolves speedily displaced. So callous did the survivors become at last, Mrs. SUTHERLAND informs me so horribly used to the presence of death—that she frequently witnessed the living sitting upon a corpse for convenience, while eating their scanty meal, upon a corpse awaiting burial. The lady whose authority I give for this statement is fitted by education to grace any salon in your City. The few remnants she has been able to preserve of the fine library which she carried into the Valley add silent but impressive testimony of her refined and culitvated tastes.

Mr. SUTHERLAND was of the party who came out from the Valley to meet the emigration, and he estimates the number of the party in question who entered the Valley at not to exceed three hundred.

Mr. LOBA'S estimate (for he did not profess to have counted them) was two hundred and forty. We know that the party numbered 2,500 on leaving Liverpool, and that at least 2,300 of these started together from the banks of the Missouri. A Gentile merchant of Salt Lake City, also, now in camp, tells me that the general understanding was, that less than three hundred of the party arrived alive. Another mentions a fact, which I heard from L., but believe I omitted to state before—to wit : that BRIGHAM YOUNG sent out a party of men to scatter the human skeletons from the road side, so that the ghastly evidence of past horrors might not be visible to those who should follow them, and thus become a scandal to the Church. So, too, I have confirmatory testimony in relation to the persecution of JARVIS, and in relation to various other facts ; but why extend the list ? Those who would resist such evidence as this would not yield their credulity though an angel of revelation were to vouch for its accuracy. The suggestion of somebody at Washington, that LOBA is an, agent of BRIGHAM'S to deceive our Govenment, and prevent the reinforcement of the army here, is unworthy of consideration.

On two points Mr. SUTHERLAND states that the condition of the Mormons has been improved since Mr. LOBA left the Valley. They have now two or three six pounders, which were either brought from the Pacific coast last Summer, or were carefully concealed prior to that time. They have recently, also, got some good gunsmiths among them, who are making a small outliner of very fair looking revolvers, although several of these have burst in the hands of their owners, showing that they are far from perfect. As to army reinforcements here, it is the opinion, I believe, of every officer of any note in camp, that the present force of 1,800 men is amply sufficient to force a way easily into the Valley, despite all opposition of the Mormons, and to march over any portion of it. General JOHNSTON has collected a mass of information in regard to the physical character of the great bug-bear Echo Canon, and does not hesitate in the belief that it could be forced if necessary, even admitting the wildest Mormon boasts of their fortifications to be all true. The evidences accumulate that BRIGHAM YOUNG never dreamed of armed resistance to the United States, and that his impudent braggadocio has always been his reliance for maintaining his influence over his own people, as well as for deterring the present, as he has former National Administrations, from persisting in an effort for his subjection to law. He now seems likely to avail himself of the lendered pardon, covering his retreat as well as may be. You will remember how defiantly, a few months ago, he declared in a letter to the commander of these forces, that if he persisted in bringing the troops into the Valley, he would hurl swift destruction upon them. Then our Army was to be "sent to h-l across lots" if they did not go back whence they came. Well, the Army is here, just about to march into the city—the President's proclamation says they shall go in, and BRIGHAM will accept it with all its conditions, without a blow. Had no pardon been tendered, the result would have been the same, except that BRIGHAM and the other leaders most deeply involved in crime, would have tried to evade the law by keeping out of the clutch of its ministers. A month or two of firmness on the part of the President would have effectually wiped out the stain which the Mormon theocracy has fastened upon the National , and that with little shedding of bleed except upon the traitors' scaffold. The pretence that a universal pardon was necessary, in order to save the effusion of innocent blood, and the punishment of the least guilty with the leaders in the rebellion, is puerile ; for the President would always have had it in his power to pardon the lesser offenders in detail, while making terrible examples of those whose superior intelligence and position among the Saints have enabled them to bring about a state of affairs so lamentable.

I do not believe, however, that the pardon will prevent ultimate collision between the troops and the Saints. On the contrary, its tendency will be to encourage and provoke collisions ; for the ignorant masses of Mormondom will look upon the unasked pardon as an evidence of our weakness, either moral or physical, and will thus be more easily led into resistance to the officers of the lax than they would have been had the army entered the valley without qualifications or conditions. The President, of course, cannot prevent nor interfere with civil suits, of which there will be many brought at once upon the return of the Gentiles to the Valley. The Church of Latter Day Saints is a corporation, holding property and liable to suit. It will be sued for damages to private citizens ; judgments whlbe obtained, and these will he collected at any and all risks, Various prominent men in the Church will be sued also by those who have suffered at their hands, and many of them will be prosecuted for murders, robberies and other crimes committed prior to, and therefore not constituting any part of the acts of "sedition and treason" covered by the President's Proclamation. The lenient course of the Executive is well calculated to embolden the Mormons when thus followed up to venture upon resistance, especially when some sudden element of excitement is thrown in as a torch to light the flame. It is the general belief of those here who have had longest experience among the Saints that the volunteered pardon has created the only probability of armed collision, but this effect will not be immediately developed.

What has become of the Associate Justices of this Territory, Mr. POTTER, of Ohio, and Mr. SINCLAIR, of Virginia, without whose presence no term of the Supreme Court can be held? Judge ECKLES, the Chief Justice, received his commission on the 21st July last, took the oath of office on the 22d, and was on the road on the 27th. His associates were appointed earlier than he, but neither of them have yet been here. Surely they should either betake themselves at once to their post, or vacate in favor of others who will; for there ought not to be a day's delay in opening the United States Courts upon the arrival of the army in the Valley to sustain and protect the civil authorities, JOHN HARTNETT, Secretary of the Territory, who has been absent for some months, returned yesterday and started to-day for Salt Lake City to join the Governor.

In my last I noticed the statement, made upon Mormon authority, that Colonel THOMAS L. KANE was rebaptized in the Mormon Church, and received his endowments, upon his arrival in the Valley from California. I have heard since then that Governor CUMMING denies the statement very emphatically, although how he should be possessed of this negative sort of knowledge in respect to a matter which was not subject of discussion until after the Colonel started for the East, I can not well understand. I give him, however, the benefit of the Governor's disclaimer, which has had little effect upon opinion here.

Captain MARCY'S trip to New-Mexico and back, has developed some points of considerabie interest. You will remember that he left Port Union upon his return on March 13 last, and proceeded to a place called Rayado, where the expedition was organized. Leaving that point on the 17th, he took the Raton Road to Fort Leavenworth, which he followed to Purgatorie (pronounced Pick-a-twa) Creek. Thence he struck out in a direct line for the Old Puebla, on the Arkansas River, at the mouth of the Fontaine Quiboille, which followed to the Congress Water Spring, at its head, and from which it takes it name. Here, nearly about 300 miles from Fort Union in nearly a northerly direction, he found an excellent encampment, where he remained thirty days, awaiting the escort which had been ordered to accompany him from New-Mexico. On April 28, the escort having arrived, the entire party moved forward, and encamped upon the crest of the elevated ridge which divides the waters of the Arkansas from those of the Platte. The weather had been clear, mild, and exceedingly pleasant all day, but about dark a terrific snow-storm set in, impelled by a violent gale of wind, and continuing with unabated fury for sixty hours. The snow fell to the depth of three feet upon a level, while the drifts piled up from ten to twenty feet in height.

During the storm, a herd of about 300 mules and horses stampeded, breaking away from the control of the herdsmen, and ran back to the Arkansas River a distance of 50 miles, below they could be turned. Of three herdsmen who followed them, one perished from the cold, actually freezing to death, while endeavoring to force his way in the teeth of the storm; and another was found crawling over the prairie, after the storm ceased, in a state of temporary insanity, with his limbs badly frozen. He was brought into camp, and subsequently recovered. Another man perished within 200 yards of the camp, and the charred remains of a fourth were found where a fire had been built, with the flesh entirely burned off. It was supposed that the latter had lain down by the fire when so chilled and benumbed as to be quite helpless, and that while in this condition he accidentally fell into the flames, from which he could not extricate himself. The deceased were all New Mexicans. After the storm subsided, the stampeded animals were found scattered over the country on the Arkansas, but nearly all of them were recovered. Two veteran mountaineers, who were in the party, state that during twenty years experience in this region, they never witnessed so fearful a storm.

The party were detained here seven days, and then marched on to the South Platte, which they found too high to admit of fording. They accordingly constructed a flat-boat, with which to ferry over the seventy-five wagons attached to the train, From the South Platte the party proceeded to Cashé la Poudré Creek. For a distance of 200 miles up to this point, from the base of the Raton Mountains, the road had skirted the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, passing through a beautiful country, abounding with luxurious grass, plentifully watered, admirably adapted for stock grazing, and perhaps for general agriculture. Capt. M. pronounces it by fair the fittest country which he has yet seen in the great interior between Missouri and the Sierra Nevadas. The New-Mexicans have frequently attempted to occupy it, and commenced settlements upon its water courses, but have invariably been driven off the Arrapahoes, Cheyennes or Utes. Another attempt was to he made during this season by a party of Americans and New-Mexicans already organized, who, probably are now upon the ground, at the head-waters of the Arkansas. It is to be hoped that their enterprise will be more successful than that of those who preceded them.

Capt. MARCY'S road now, bearing to the left, turned into the mountains, and ascended by very gradual slopes to the waters of the North Platte—passing several branches of the Laramie River—until it intersected Bryan's Bridger's Pass Road from Fort Kearney, at a point about 80 miles distant from Fort Laramie. Bearing around the northern base of the Medicine Bow butte to the Cherokee crossing of the North Fork of the Platte, and thence crossing several branches of Lage Creek, the road next passed for a hundred miles over an elevated plateau—the highest level between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans—to the head of Bitter Creek, and down this stream to its confluence with Green River, and thence by the old Laramie road to Bridger's Fort. The entire road thus masked out by MARCY'S train is solid, firm and smooth, devoid of abrupt ascents, or declivities, and with the exception of the Raton, crosses no mountains. The Rocky Mountain chain seems to be intercepted upon this route, and the interval being an elevated mesa or plain. Throughout the entire distance there is an abundance of the best grass and water, with the exception of that portion lying between the north fork of the Platte and Bitter Creek—a distance of about 120 miles, where, in a very dry season, there would be a scarcity of water. The distance between this point and New-Mexico or Fort Leavenworth, is quite a 100 miles shorter by this than by the road via Laramie and the South Pass, As a route for the Pacific Railroad, it would seem to be preferable to any other.

The Captain started from Fort Union with about 1 200 horses and mules, and has brought them here in much better condition than at the beginning of the journey, having lost on the way only the small number always incident to such a trip. If it had not been for the detention en route in waiting for his escort, he would have been in Camp Scott on the 1st day of May. The party suffered not the least attempt at interruption by the Indians or Mormons, nor did they discover the least indication of a hostile disposition towards them anywhere. The forty men whom the Captain took over the Mountains with him, and who suffered so severely, have all come back with him except two, in five health and spirits. The Captain speaks in the highest terms of their energy and faithfulness. On the return trip they have obtained any quantity of game, grizzly bear, buffalo, elk, deer, antelope and mountain sheep. Quite a contrast this to their experience on the outward journey, when for twelve days they subsisted entirely on mule and mare meat. It is astonishing how much of this food men will eat under such circumstances. Captain MARCY states that he would kill a mule at night, and his 69 men would dispose of it all before morning, the average consumption being about six pounds per man.

The route which Capt. MARCY took on his journey out, was that through Kutchetope Pass, which was examined by Capt. GUNNISON, to ascertain its practicability as an avenue by which to carry a railroad across the Rocky Mountains. It is found to traverse on exceedingly broken and mountainous region, and the country, for nearly two hundred miles, is covered with deep snow all winter ; so much so, as in Capt. MARCY'S opinion, as to render it wholly impracticable for winter travel. This expedition has established the fact that animals and supplies can be brought from New-Mexico to this point, so as to reach here much earlier in the spring than they can be brought from Missouri. The total distance between Fort Union and Post Bridget is estimated at nearly 800 miles, by MARCY'S return route, which is an 100 miles longer than the route he took on the outward trip. The Captain's eminent success in the execution of the duty confided to hint, has elicited the cordial approbation of General JOHNSTON and General SCOTT, who, it will be remembered, complimented him handsomely in official orders upon receiving the report of his outward trip.

During the winter, while up in the Mountains, the Captain found the White Ptarmigan, a bird of the Grouse species, whose range it has heretofore been supposed did not extend south of 54° north latitude. He obtained several specimens and sent them to the Smithsonian Institution, being the first ever found within the limits of the United States. Indeed, only two or three specimens are known to exist in any Ornithological collections in the world. It is it bird about the size of a Northern Pheasant, with plumage white as snow, and is only found in the highest part of the Rocky Mountains.

The provision rations of the army are now found abundant, but we have no vegetables, except a small quantity of the dessicated article. Our beef is now pretty fair—quite a different article from the "Russell and Waddell" upon which the army were fed upon during the Winter. These were the starved cattle of RUSSELL & WADDELL'S trains, who began to die in great numbers from sheer exhaustion, after the troops got in camp last season. Poor as they were, the commander of the forces saw that they were the only reliance for his men. So, "to save the lives of the beasts" they were killed, and all hands set at work to cut up the blue stringy looking meat into strips to be smoked and dried for preservation. Stepping into the dépôt at the Fort, the other day, my attention was called to a pile of it which still remains. A more miserable apology for meat could not well be imagined. It is no exaggeration to say that it resembled more a pile of bark strips or of Buffalo chips, than anything else—dry, tough, utterly devoid of fatty particles, and seemingly possessing little or no nutrition. The most successful mode of treating it seems to have been to grind it in a mill, reducing it to a sort of ash, You may well suppose that those who fed on such fare during three months or more, know how to appreciate their present improved circumstances.

In a former letter I gave a brief description of our camping ground and its arrangement. The mountains which I referred to as "the Wasatch," are known as the Uinta range, although, in fact, a great spur of the Wasatch, and running nearly at right angles with the general course of the latter. The Uintas are thirty or forty miles distant from us at the nearest point, while the highest peak is about eighty. In an ordinarily clear day the view of them from Camp is very fine, especially when they are covered with the freshly fallen snow, which never entirely leaves them, even in midsummer. On several occasions we have seen the snow falling upon them, while in the valley all was sunshine. One does not often witness a prettier natural scene than these mountains present the day after a storm, with the clear noonday sun shining on their dazzling white peaks, and a dark shadow sometimes crawling along their sides as a heavy bank of overhanging clouds is impelled before the wind.

One who has not tried it would hardly think it possible to endure life in tents, much less enjoy it. We have here some hundreds of those canvas habitations, dotting in picturesque litres many acres of the valley. Indeed, we have nothing else except some half a dozen cabins with sod walls and canvas roofs, erected by a portion of the civilians. The United States Court-house bears not the slightest resemblance to the same institution anywhere in the States. It is a large hospital tent, furnished with a carpet of gunny bags, a pine table, several long wooden benches, a bull's hide chair for the presiding Judge, and an old-fashioned box-stove, with its pipe fastened to a post, poking through the canvas roof. Besides these fittings, you may generally find half a dozen saddles and bridles stowed in one corner, and a pile of bedding in another. The post-office is a large belt tent, pitched against a sod chimney, such as have been erected for most of the wall tents occupied by officers. My own tent is a Sibley. The peculiarity of these tents, is a hole in the top of them from which the smoke of a fire in the tent may intake its escape. Its support is an upright pole or column, standing upon three iron legs, between which the tire is usually made. When in a somewhat permanent camp, they are often stretched noon poles, after the fashion of an Indian lodge. My mansion is rigged after this "gorgeous" style. In its centre stands an inverted sheet iron tunnel stove, which warms it comfortably with little fire,—although the door of the tent—a slit in one side—is always more or less open We have a convenient table made of the tail-gate of a supply wagon, perched upon green willow legs For chairs we end-up our valises. The seat of a wagon, suported upon four sticks driven in the ground, affords us a somewhat permanent sofa. My "room-mate's" bedstead is constructed of willow frame work, with slats of an odoriferous whisky barrel. For myself, I am content to make my couch of grizzly bear skin and Mackinaws, upon the "floor," so neatly carpeted with grass, except in spots where the salæratus comes up too freely to admit of healthy growth. Our company sofa consists of an inverted feed trough ; but the chief article of luxury in the establishment, is a small Powhatan pipe, at which my comrade labors incessantly. He has puffed away one trunk full of Lynchburg since our arrival, and bids fair to end in smoke. We eat voraciously, and sleep so soundly as seldom to hear the reveille, although sounded almost in our ears.

What can be the matter with out mails? I have no letters from New-York latter than the 26th of April, although we have straggling New-York papers to the 8th of May. The complaint is general in camp. The difficulty lies somewhere in the States, for the overland service from the Missouri River is now being performed in fine style. By the last mail we received an occasional paper of November's date, and the manner of making up of the letter mails betrays grossest ignorance or carelessness somewhere. Postmaster General BROWN will do well to have some investigation instituted into the affairs of the North Western offices, Before I left the States I was informed that St. Joseph's, Mo., had been made a distributing office in view of the fact that that town was to be the Eastern terminus of the Salt Lake route. No instructions to that effect, however, have reached the office here, and the mails are accordingly made up for Independence, by which New York packages are delayed about twenty-four hours. The Department will remedy the evil, I am sure, when its attention is called to the necessity therefore.

I omitted to mention among the army items, that Col. LORING, of the Mounted Rifles came up with Captain MARCY in command of the escort, consisting of three companies of the 3d. Infantry and of Rifles. These troops having been placed at General JOHNSTON'S disposal by General GARLAND, to enter Salt Lake City, will proceed with us into the Valley, and thence return to their posts in New-Mexico. The mail of the 22d ult, arrived here night before last, in eighteen days from St, Joseph's, Mo. The intelligence of the death of General SMITH did not surprise us, for it has long seemed evident that his days were numbered. His decease leaves a Brigadier Generalship vacant, and the universal expression of hope by this army is that it will be conferred upon Brevet Brigadier General JOHNSTON, who combines military genius of a high order, with uninflinching courage and great caution. In view of the possible future of the Utah question, it is eminently desirable that a man of these ualities and eminent rank should be in commaed of the military forces here-one who will risk nothing rashly, precipitate no conflict, yet never shrink from whatever duty presents itself for accomplishment. Such a man, is General JOHNSTON, whose soldierly qualities, unfailing equanimity and unaffected urbanity, challenge the admiration and love of his entire command. S.

CAMP SCOTT, UTAH TERRITORY, SATURDAY, June 12, 1858.

Your other correspondent from this Camp, may have given you an account of the recent assembling here of sundry Indian tribes for the purpose of making treaties of peace and friendship; but some further notice of these Rocky Mountain savages may be made, I think, with profit and interest. The Territory of Utah is occupied by various tribes, all speaking the same language, except the Snakes (or Shoshonees) and Bonnacks,—who more properly belong to Oregon, but spend a great portion of their time among the Snakes, with whom they are closely connected and allied by intermarriage. The Utahs, who are by far the most numerous, are divided into various bands, known as the Uinta Utes,—or those who live in the vicinity of the Uinta range of Mountains—the Valley Utes, the Piedes living in the South, and the Diggers—the most numerous of this division—who inhabit the mountains, and live principally upon roots which they dig from the ground with sharpened sticks, or with knives when fortunate and wealthy enough to possess them.

The traveler in these regions who has derived his ideas of the American Aborigines from the depictions of the novelist, and who expects to find the whole tribes of Deer-Slayers" and "Leather-Stockings" is sadly disappointed. If ever the Red Man of our continent justified the eloquent word-paintings in which a COOPER has presented them, contact with civilization, or some other cause, has effaced nearly every trace of their former title to such gloing pictures. As a general rule, the remnants of the race which once contained the undisputed masters of the New World are degraded, and wretched almost beyond conception. True, here and there we see some brilliant exception to the rule—some single chief who shines out from the ignorance and bestiality of his nation like a meteor flashing across a darkened sky. But it is an exception. There are degrees, too, between tubes, some of them, even in this distant wilderness, exhibiting much more of intelligence than their neighbors, and sinking less deep in the abyss of squalid poverty and misery.

Contact with the white man unquestionably has been most disastrous in its effects upon the Indian. It is a melancholy, but, I believe, well-established fact, that such contact speedily destroys what little native dignity the aborigine has preserved prior to this strangely fatal association. In this view I am inclined to coincide with the opinion of many intelligent men who have had opportunities of careful observation in this connection, to the effect that the policy of our Government in distributing presents among them is productive of serious evil. The Indians are constitutionally indisposed to labor, and necessity, alone, impels them to it. When supplied by the Government with clothing and blankets, and sometimes even with food, they become exceedingly indolent, refusing even to hunt ; but devoting their time to gamblmg, begging and stealing; while in the expectation or hope of getting something more from the white man, they will hang about him continually, copying and exaggerating all his vices, without appropriating any of his virtues.

The Snakes and Bonnacks seem to have suffered least from these causes mentioned. Indeed some of them still preserve a dignity of manner and a native nobility of character as remarkable and gratifying as it is rare in these days of aboriginal degeneracy. The Utahs; certainly, are the most degraded Indians I have met with. The denizens of Camp Scott have been seriously annoyed by them throughout the Winter. If any man in camp was generous enough to divide his greatly abbreviated ration with one of the miserably looking half-starved red devils, the latter was sure to return at precisely the same hour next day with half a dozen companions as ravenous as himself, and if the impromptu host was imprudent enough to extend his liberality to these also, the day following was sure to find his tent or shanty swarming with Indian Bucks, Squaws, Papooses and dogs, all expecting to be fed to the extent of their gluttonous appetites ; and nothing less than the rudest ejection, accompanied by demonstrations of more dangerous violence, could convince them that one's stores were not inexhaustible and their company not desirable. They consider it a great breach of etiquette not to eat up clean everything that is set before them —an error into which they never are in danger of falling. It was no uncommon thing for them to besiege the cook-houses of the camp or of the civilians residing therein, and the nuisance became so great that it was necessary to lock all doors at the approach of meal time. Finding themselves debarred an entrance, the wretches would hunt for some hole or crevice through which they could watch the operations within, seeming to derive some satisfaction from seeing the food, even though beyond their reach. Rather than undergo the fatigues of hunting, they would devour the entrails of the miserable cattle butchered for the army,—picking them from the filth in which they had lain sometimes for days and weeks. Indeed, it is a mooted question in camp which ate the filthiest, the ravens, the wolves, the Indians or their dogs. I confess that I should question the prudence of committing such statements as these to paper, were they not attested by every officer or soldier who spent the last Winter here. These Indians scarcely ever wash themselves; and their hair, innocent of combs, is permitted to hang in matted masses around their faces, filled with dirt and with disgusting life. They are extravagantly fond of red paint, which they daub profusely over their faces, whenever they can get it of the traders, in business they are very shrewd, making the must of a bargain. Make them an offer for the skins, they may have brought a hundred miles or more to dispose of, and they straightway affect the most perfect indifference about telling, asking, the while, five or ten times as murk value in exchange as their articles are worth, or as they expect to take.

Loathsome disease, which has become constitutional and hereditary among these Indians, is rapidly wasting them away, and a few generations hence will probably extinguish their lodge-fires forever. So, too, the game, which once covered the valleys and mountains of their wilderness homes, is rapidly disappearing before the white man's advance. Not a solitary buffalo of the great herds which, a few years ago, teamed over the extensive tract of country between the Sierra Nevadas and the Rocky Mountains, is now to he seen; and the elk, the deer and the antelope, also, are fading from the land past passe with the decline of their Indian co-inhabitants. Man and beast—the hunter and his game—seem alike doomed to speedy extinction.

The Snakes would seem to illustrate in their own history the proposition that the Indian's condition is best when furthest removed from contact with white men, for they are far superior to any of their neighbors. Never, before last year, have they received any presents from the Government. It was their chiefs who complained of this to Judge ECKLES, shrewdly suggesting that they had been thus neglected because they had never killed a white man. This chief, WASH-A-KEE by name, is the only noble looking specimen of an Indian in this region. He is tall, straight as an arrow, with features of Grecian mould rather than Indian, and a form full of graceful dignity and conscious power. His hair is slightly gray, and his eyes are keen as the eagle's. Untutored though he his every word or step clearly marks the soul of a nobleman of nature's own commissioning. Taught in no school, totally unskilled in the conventionalities of polite society, this proud chieftain, nevertheless, is as nobly jealous of the respect due to him, and as truly polite to others, as is any cultivated gentleman of the East. His is a politeness of the soul, born in him, and as natural as are the rays which beam from the morning sun. All feel its attraction, and no white skinned gentleman falls to respond with sympathetic warmth to his outspoken demand for the deferential civility, which is the true nobleman's due. Such is WASH A KEE.—for this is no overdrawn picture. At the recent conference at Camp Scott, called by Dr. JACOB FORNEY, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, he declined accepting any presents for himself, saying that he had money sufficient to purchase all that he needed. The quiet dignity with which he refuted, satisfied the superintendent that to press the gifts upon him would he an insult. When an effort was made to reconcile his tribe to the "Utes," with whom he has been many years at war, he replied in a brief, sententious speech, full of poetic fire and beauty, displaying rare power as an orator, almost reconciling one to faith in the truthfulness to nature of that remarkable production which an American statesman has placed in the mouth of LOGAN. He frankly declared that he had no confidence in the Utes,—that he feared any treaty with them would lead only to temporary peace, for they had made repeated treaties, and always violated them. The contemptuous scorn with which these suggestions were made could spring only from the heart of one to whom bad faith is a loathing. At the request of the Great Father at Washington, however, he was willing to make peace again. He evidently had a high appreciation of the Great Father—the chief of so powerful a people—and he especially charged Dr. FORNEY to write to the President, and tell him that WASH A KEE had always been a friend to the white man, and that he made peace with his red brethren now only because he wished it. He was perfectly willing, he said, to comply with his request; henceforth let their horses drink from the same stream, and feed together upon the name grass,—that they should sit together in the same Wick-a-ups, (lodges.) smoke the same pipe, and hunt the elk, the mountain sheep, the deer and the beaver together in the mountains. He proudly declared that he had no apologies to make and no favors to ask of the Utes,—that he had in no single instance ever broken his word to them,—that they had invariably commenced hostilities with his people by stealing their horses or attackimg some of his hunters while alone in pursuit of their game. I was to him matter of indifference whether they decided upon having peace or war. If they wished peace and would preserve it, so let it be. The Chief's whole bearing, as he stood out in front of the assembled tribes, was characterized by consciousness of truth, honesty, and unflinching courage.

Dr. FORNEY, who is evidently exceedingly desirous of fulfilling faithfully the duties of his position, exhorted the several tribes to keep faith with each, and when any of them was wronged to make complaint to him or their proper Indian Agent, who would see him righted. He assigned the boundaries between them, which had never been done before, each party agreeing to adhere strictly to the limits thus set. He is the only Government Agent, I am told, who has ever had any official communication with the Bonnacks and Snakes. They expressed themselves much pleased with him,—and at their request he promised to make a reconnoissance of the Valley of Henry's Fork to see whether it is suitable for the purposes of an Indian reservation. WASH A KEE stated that his people had never begged, but that the game was gone, and unless the Government did something for them, by teaching them how to plant and reap, they must soon starve. I understand that the Superintendent will report all his operations to the Department of the Interior at the last of June.

The Bonnacks are by some supposed to have a different origin from that of the other tribes in this country. Certainly there is a marked difference in their features. Their camp, while here at the conference, was situated in a semi-circular bend of Black's Fork, where it approaches the base of a high bluff, closing in this Valley on the north. The Indian lodges were itched in the willows skirting the creek, which sheltered them from the wind. The first thing attracting the attention of the visitor as he approached their camp was the multitudinous bear, buffalo, elk, antelope and deer skins spread out upon poles, being supported by forked sticks, which the squaws were busily engaged in dressing, for, as you already are aware, it is the squaws who perform all the labor in an Indian camp. The process of dressing these skins is very simple, yet perfect in its results. A skin after being thoroughly saturated with water is scraped on the flesh surface with a flat stone having sharp edges, until all the fleshy matter is removed. It is next spread out smoothly upon a flat surface and rubbed with the brains of some animal until it becomes measurably dry and very soft, which completes the operation.

Passing from this primitive tannery, the next scene challenging the attention was that of a number of squaws seated in a circle upon the ground, (each, with a solitary exception, having an infant strapped upon her back with its black eyes peering over the mother's shoulder,) so completely absorbed in a game of "stick" as scarcely to be conscious of the approach of strangers. The parties opposed to each other were some Bonnacks and some Ute visitors. The game resembles in its general features the well-known Western game of "Nuts in the hand," or "Hull Gull." It is played with Elk teeth, two of which the player dexterously passes from one hand to the other, moving his hands now horizontally and now perpendicularly, accompanying the motion with a continuous humming or whining noise, in which all participate. The opposite party when ready to guess in which hand the player holds the "cache," as the teeth are called, indicates his purpose by a clap of the hands, end then by a movement of the finger to the right or left the guess is made. The hands are now opened, and the "caches" displayed. If the guess is correct the "caches" are passed over to the opposite party ; if wrong, a stick is thrown over to the winner, and he continues to play until the entire twenty sticks are won and the game decided, or until the opponent makes a right guess. To a looker-on this game, of course, possesses no interest, but the tribes of Utah are passionately fond of it. They bet their horses, their skins, lodges, trinkets, and even their clothes, frequently returning home with nothing save a scanty breech-cloth to cover their nakedness even in the coldest weather. I am assured by those who have lived long among them in the mountains that so violent are their gesticulations and so intense their excitement at times while engaged in this game, that the blood frequently gushes from mouths and nostrils in consequence of the rupture of some blood vessel. They will continue the game night and day without cessation until one or the other party is reduced to beggary. Although the Indians become very expert in this game, it is said that the white man seldom fails to beat them, as by continually watching the motions of the eye, he can judge more accurately in which hand his Indian opponent holds the cache."

These Indians have all left the camp, with some straggling exceptions, and returned to their homes. Whether the peace which was here celebrated is to be preserved is a problem still to be solved. Certainly it will require the most careful and judicious management, on the part of the Indian Agents here, to prevent new outbreaks—for the Utes are invaterate thieves, as WASH A SEE so pointedly and frankly told them at the conference. Not an hour had elapsed, after the Peace-pipe had been smoked, ere the Utes were detected in stealing again from the Snakes, notwithstanding almost all their wars have bad their beginning in these petty robberies, for which the red man knows no other redress than the bloody chastisement of the thief and his band.

From all the information collected here by Dr. HURT, the excellent and intelligent Indian Agent, it does not seem probable that any large body of the Indians of Utah will, in any event, join the Mormons in offensive demonstrations against the United States Army, although there are a few hands which are and long have been under BRIGHAM YOUNG'S control, doing his bloody work for him upon offending Gentiles or apostate Saints, whenever it was desirable to transfer the responsibility of demoniac deeds to the savages, of whom little better things could be expected. I referred to one of these bands in a former letter, as the Paravants. The true name is Pah-vantes, or "Small Creeks." It was these who, under Mormon influence and guidance, murdered Capt. GUNNISON and his party,—a deed the responsibility for which is boastfully claimed by the Mormons among themselves. I have made this a subject of careful inquiry since my arrival here, and am satisfied that the evidences of Mormon complicity in the butchery of GUNNISON and his command are ample and complete. A party of Ute Indians, having reason to suspect the truth of the case, inquired of the Pah-vantes why they killed "the American Captain," who had always been kind to them, and given both tribes so many presents. They replied that the Mormons had told them that the Captain had "plenty money," that he was not the Indians' friend, but that the Mormons were, and that if they would kill the Captain and take his money, they could trade with the Mormons and buy flour and meat. It is also clearly established that it was this band which, under Mormon instigation, attached several of the smaller parties of the Arkansas emigration last Fall, not long prior to the Mountain Meadows Massacre. This massacre was perpetrated by the Piedes, or Santa Claras, under Mormon leaders. Your readers will remember the case—one in which one hurdled and fourteen men, women, and children, were butchered almost before they had time to see their assaliants.

A trusty Indian spy, who was sent down among the Piedes to ascertain the facts, reported that they expressed deep regret for this act, and said they never would have perpetrated the outrage, except for the counsel and exhortations of JOHN D. LEE, President of the Mormon Stake at Cedar City, Iron County. LEE came to them, they said, told them that the Americans "always killed Indians whenever they saw them, and advised them, therefore, to go and kill them." He stated, also, that the Americans killed Mormons, (this was not long after PARLEY P. PRATT was killed,) and therefore that they didn't like them either. The Indians expressed the fear that they were not strong enough to attack the large emigrant party with safety. LEE replied, that if they would undertake it, the Mormons would help them—a promise which they fulfilled by furnishing a party of Danites to lead the fray and make it horribly successful. LEE also told the Indians that they should have all the plunder, including the blankets and cattle, except the wagons which the Mormons wanted for themselves. After the massacre, the Mormons cheated their savage allies, and appropriated the cattle also, which came near creating a row between them at the time, and left the Indians in no amiable mood toward their saintly employers, who left them with all the responsibility and scarcely any of the spoil. It was this bit of bad faith, probably, which made the Indians so ready to expose their prompters in the evil deed.

Intelligent Mormon seceders now in our Camp testify to the fact that there was a sort of general understanding among the "Endowed" brethren and sisters confirmatory of the foregoing story, and that the Mountain Meadow massacre was intended both to avenge the death of P. P. PRATT and to punish imprudent strictures upon Mormonism made by some of the murdered emigrants while passing through the settlements. These disclosures of the secret workings of Mormondom give an idea of the exceeding difficulty of dealing succeesfully with this people so as to repress outrage and give security to life and property, so long as they are permitted to live together in separate communities, overpowering in numbers, and bound together by secret ties and oaths far more powerful in their hold upon them than any statute laws can be practically made to be. There is reason to fear that Mr. Lena and others, who have had long experience in the Valley, are correct in their belief that the evil can never be abated, and can scarcely be modified, except by the absolute extermination of the Mormons, or their entire disintegration as a sect or people. S.