The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-08 00:00:00

The Mormon Settlement at Utah.

The American Government have issued a report
made by the " House Committee of Territories" on
the condition of Utah. The commissioners ap-
pointed to make an investigation say that the tes-
timony discloses the fact that the laws of the United
States are openly and defiantly violated throughout
the territory, and that an armed force is necessary
to preserve the peace and give security to the lives
and property of citizens of the United States resid-
ing therein. The only witness introduced at the
request of the delegate from Utah admits the ne-
cessity of maintaining United States troops in the
territory, in order to secure protection and safety to
persons and property. The committee have been
unable to adopt the suggestions made by some of
the gentlemen examined for the abolition of the pre-
sent territorial government of Utah, and the estab-
lishment of a military government. They also re-
gret to state that they have been unable to agree
upon and submit for the action of the House a plan
which seemed to them to promise a practical solution
of the abuse and evils complained of, and which are
admitted to exist. They do not deem it advisable
either to divide the territory and annex it to Nevada
and the territories adjacent, nor do they favour the
establishment of a military government. They have
therefore been compelled to postpone the further
consideration of the matter until December next.
On the 18th June, Mr. Hooper, the delegate from
Utah, addressed a letter to the chairman of the
committee, in which he denied the statements of
some of the witnesses, and asks that no report be
made to the House until the people of Utah could
be heard in reply to the charges made against them.
He also asked for a copy of the testimony already
taken, which the committee declined to furnish him.
He subsequently appeared before the committee,
and requested that a select committee or a sub-
committee from the Territorial Committee be sent
to Utah by direction of the House, with authority
to examine and report on all the allegations made
by the witnesses examined, and also on the condi-
tion of all classes residing in the territory. The
committee were unable to satisfy themselves that
any material facts could be obtained even if a sub-
committee should go to the territory; they therefore
declined to ask the house to make an order, which
would necessarily involve a large expenditure of
money in sending such a committee to Utah. Among
the witnesses examined was Joseph Smith, the son
of the founder of the Mormon Church, who says
that the Book of Mormon explicitly condemns and
forbids polygamy, which was not known, acknow-
ledged, or held as an article of faith until Brigham
Young became the leader of that part of the church
which went west with him. The church did not,
under the presidency of his father, nor does it
now under his. The witnesses testify that the
Presidency teaches hostility to the Government of
the United States. Gen. Connor, who hasbeen mili-
tary commander of the district of Utah since 1862,
testified that polygamy is taught as a fundamental
princil,le of the Mormon religion, and disloyalty and
treason to the Government is a practice enjoined by
its tenets. It is regarded by good Mormons not only
allowable, but meritorious, to assail and despoil the
Federal Government in every way. Gen. Connor
has no doubt the Mormon leaders have assumed to
authorise and justify homicide. He believes it from
their own record, from current report among them-
selves, and from a Mormon who confessed to him
that he had committed murder by direction of the
Mormon leaders, and believed at the time he was
doing right as taught by them. As further evidence
the witness submitted the following copy of a special
order issued by Brigham Young for the murder of
80 innocent men, discharged teamsters of General
Johnston's command, then at Fort Bridger, Utah,
who were en route for California. Fortunately the
officer designed to execute the order was a humane
person and did not execute it, and lately gave the
original order to a Federal officer in Utah, and it is
now in Gen. Connor's possession. The signature of
James Ferguson is authenticated by the affidavits of
two respectable merchants of Salt Lake City :

(Special order.) " Salt Lake City, April 9,1858.
" The officer in command of escort is hereby or-
dered to see that every man is well prepared with
ammunition, and have it ready at the time you see
those teamsters a hundred miles from the settle-
ments. President Young advises that they should be
all killed to prevent them returning to Bridger to
join our enemies. Every precaution should be taken
and see that not one escapes. Secrecy is required.
—By order of " DANIEL H. WELLS, General.
" JAMES FERGUSON, A.A.G."
Other witnesses testified to the demoralised con-
dition of the Mormons.

THE ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS AND THE
LIFEBOATOAUSE.—TheAncientOrder of Foresters have just
sent to the National Lifeboat Institution, as a contribution
for the current year, the munificent sum of £3431s 11. d. in
aid of the support of their lifeboat stationed in Cardigan
Bay, and of the general purposes of the Lifeboat Institution.
Altogether the order, to which upwards of 300,000 persons
belong, has contributed to the institution, through the prin-
cipal and able Secretary, Mr. Samuel S hawcross, £ 689145. 2d.
The contributions have varied from a penny to one shil-
ling from members of this groat body, and a more substan-
tial token of sympathy and support for a great and national
work has probably never before been recorded in the annals
of any benevolent institution. It should be remembered
that the Lifeboat Society contributes every year to the sav-
ing of between 600 and 700 lives from shipwrecks. Pro-
bably many of the persons thus snatched from a watery
grave are members of this beneficent and popular order,
which accomplishes so much in mitigating the sufferings
of its members, their widows, and orphans.