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

 

FROM UTAH. 

The conflict of Authority in the Territory—The Mormon Leaders Returning from the Mountains—The Mountain Meadow Children, &c.

Correspondence of the New-York Times,

GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, Friday, June 10, 1859.

The action of the Administration in regard to the conflict of authority between the Executive and Judicial Departments in this Territory, by which the conduct of Gov. CUMMING has been fully sustained. has greatly elated the Mormons. The Bishops, Elders, &c., who fled to the mountains to avoid arrest for the terrible crimes committed by them of late years, have returned to their homes, confident that they cannot be arrested without the intervention of the troops, the assistance of which is now practically denied to the United States Marshal and Judges.

The Valley Tan, which was established here as a "Gentile" paper, you may now consider as a Mormon organ, more dangerous to the truth than the Deseret News, for the News is openly Mormon, whilst the Valley Tan pretends to be "Gentile." You are aware of the change which has taken place in the publication of the paper. KIRK ANDERSON, its late editor, has been compelled to retire from the editor's chair, because he did not support Gov. CUMMING ; and Mr. HARTNETT, Secretary of State for the Territory, a warm supporter of Gov. C., and the proprietor of the press, has taken it in his own hands, and refuses to sell it to any one who will not support the Governor.

During the last few days this City has worn the aspect of times past—of last year, at least. Yesterday a large train of merchandise —thirty-eight mule-wagons—arrived for LIVINGSTON, KINKEAD & Co., having spent the Winter on the plains. This be the first train in from the East this year, through several had come in from California. Within the past week numerous emigrants from Pike's Peak have reached this place, and, after recruiting and exchanging their stores and animals have passed on for California. They represent the "Peak" as the tallest humbug of America.

We may consider the present a season of arrivals. The last mail coach from the East brought as passenger the Hon. J. M. Bernhisel, Congressional Delegate from Utah. By last evening's California coach we had the person of Capt. COOPER, agent of Col. KINNEY, set down among us. Whether he again comes to sell to the Prophet the fee simple of the Mosquito Kingdom or not, we are not informed. Chief-Justice ECKELS, and the newly appointed Indian agent, are soon expect in, as they were at Kearney on the 15th ult.

Another of the Mountain Meadow children has been recovered from the hands in which they have been held since the massacre of their parents. Still another remains undiscovered, whose age is greater than that of any yet obtained. The Indians, who have heretofore been accused of that horrible murder, say they know the child, and will find her if she lives. Of the sixteen already in Dr. FORNEY'S charge, we have seen several, little boys from five to eight years of age. All of these seem to have a recollection of that bloody time, and to hear them lisp the story of their wrongs, with childish sorrow in their countenances and voices, is enough to sadden one.

The following petition has been addressed to Gov. CUMMING by Mrs. PARISH:

DEAR SIR : I have heard that you have come here to execute the laws of the land; if so, I would like to have the murderers of my husband and son taken care of, for they intend to be gone before Court sits;—A.F. McDonnel, Wilber Earl, A. Durfey and—Carnes Captain of the Police. I had one span of horses stolen out of the stable at Springville and LYPANDER GEE has got my horses at Tooila. Please rescue those horses, and arrest the man who has got them in his possession and make him tell where he got them. From your friend

[signed] ALVIRA L. PARISH.

The following is the petition of citizens of Springville, praying for the protection against Mormon outrages:

We the undersigned petitioners, would present that we are inhabitants of Springville, Utah County, U.T. that we have been long been satisfied of the wile and corration of the Mormon theocracy. The most of us are anxious to leave here and all are desirous to be relieved from Mormon tyranny and oppression. The statute law, as practiced here is only a farce : the law is given by the Mormon priesthood from time to time, as it suits our rules. Our rights and privileges are taken away our citizens are seized and taken into private rooms or places, and there extraordinary confessions are extorted, and oaths administered that they will never at any time, or under any consideration go before any Court of the United States to give evidence against those in authority, who have been guilty of the commission of crime. Our property is driven off, and men, whose names are here up to aprended, have been dragged out in the night, with bowie knives to their throats or pistols to their breasts; to seek redress would be certain death. Our lives are threatened, and we have the most undoubted evidence that the secret council has passed sentence of death upon many of us, which we have only been able to elude by our own vigilance. We are watched by a lawless, mmurderous police; our house are turned into sentry boxes, to our danger and annoyance—evils which increase with the lapse of time.

Our only hope at present is that you will detail a military force, to be stationed here ; for, if not, many of use must soon fall by the already blood stained hands of an unholy priesthood. We would, therefore ask that if consistent with your instructions and authority, you will send us the military protection herein petitioned for. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

Dated at Springville U.T., Feb 2, 1859. (Signed) H.G. WHITLOCK THOMAS SPRAGUE, and 24 others

MORMON OUTRAGES—RESULTS OF JUDGE CRADLEBAUGH'S INVESTIGATIONS.

KIRK ANDERSON writes from Salt Lake City to the St. Louis Republican:

"Since the adjournment of Court at Provo, Judge CRADLEBAUGH has traveled South through his district as far as the Santa Clara—a distance of near three hundred and fifty miles from here —visiting the scene of the Mountain Meadows, &c. He says that he did not see a bishop, bishop's counselor, or president on the route, although particular to inquire to them, and reports that all have been non est comatibus, except the Bishop of Spanish Fork, a Danish settlement some twelve miles south of Provo—this being the only settlement, to his credit be it said, throughout his journey, in which he was not saluted with reports of horrid murders committed within the last two years. The Judge took affidavits, and issued warrants for about sixty of the offenders—forty in the massacre of the Mountain Meadows, ten in the murder of the AIKENS and others, making in all from eighty to one hundred persons that has issued for. He reported that more than eighty white men were engaged in the massacre of the Mountain Meadows ; that after reaching Pariwan—eight miles this side of the Santa Clara—at almost every camp the herders and soldiers gathering good, would come across skeletons, some indicating that they had been killed last Fall and Winter by their condition. To such an extent was this that the herders with the command that Judge C. accompanied could not be induced to keep the herds out at night. No doubt teamsters and discharged soldiers wending their way to California, most of whom no doubt have been killed by the Indians, in pursuance of the example set them by their Mormon allies in the Mountain Meadows massacre, and who they see act impertinently and with impunity in that matter.

Atrocities too horrible to be related, and which seemed to shock the brute savages themselves are related by persons who claim to have been compelled to join in that massacre. The number of persons in the train was about one hundred and fort : seventeen small children alone are saved. The property confiscated amounting from $60,000 to $80,000, counting 700 cattle, horses and mules, some very fine stock, and forty wagons and carriages. The personal effects were taken to the tithing office in Cedar city, and there sold out. Many of the clothes, stripped from the murdered persons, were piled in a room in the tithing office, and not selling readily on account of being filled with blood, were allowed to remain in that condition until the room has become so mush scented that it is very offensive to stay in. May it remain a stench in the nostrils of such saints for all time to come.

And here let me say, at a time when Judge CRADLEBAUGH has been using every exertion to expose these horrible transactions, word has reached here that he has been removed, and the Mormons are consequently rejoicing. The last mail brought certain instructions to both Gov. CUMMING and Gen. JOHNSTON, the tenor of which is to place the military, for civil purposes, entirely at the disposal of the Governor. The effect of this, in my judgment, will be to paralyze to a greater degree than ever any efforts upon the part of the Judges here to execute the laws."