Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-08-25
Prospect of Famine at Salt Lake Pos
sible Dispersion OF the Mormons.

sible Dispersion OF the Mormons.
The several accounts which we have pub
lishcd of the ravages of grasshoppers and
c.ickets in Solt Lake valley poiht TO the
strong probability 0! famine among the
saints during the coming winter. Suppo-
sing those accounts TO be correct, very
large proportion of all kinds of crops will
be cut off, and not near enough OF any
thing lett to feed the inhabitants.
1t has been stated that San Balnardino,
settlement eigh: hundred miles from Salt
Lake City, was the nearest point at which
"a supply could be obtained. But hope Of
assistance from that quarter cannot now be
entertained. We see by letter in the
Mormon from San BarnarIlno, under date
Of the 2Sth OF May, that the wheat crop
there had been materially injured by rust
and slaut, and that there would not proba-
bly, be more than sufficient to supply the
wants Of the settlement.
| This is not the first instapce in which
the Mormcns have had their crops destto y-
cd by these all-devouring insects. The
crops put into the ground in the Salt LAX {
vaii,y by advanced parties at the time Of
their forcea, exodus from this State, and
upon which tic main body in the rear re-
he'd for subsistence during the following
winter, were assailed by tie crickets--
great goggle-eyed, erook-legged. bottle
bodied notwithstanding the gteen fields
to the ground, AID leaving track behind
them as blank as il wasted bs fire.
Bat just when the saints were in despair
these elickeis were discovered By The little
white gulIes which breed emong the IS
lands oil tie lake. and they made such el-
fectu4l war upon them thai Che crops were
saved. ] his natural iatefpositioh tie Nor
mons afterwards speak Of is special!
providence, BY Vaea, like iise Jews Of
old. they Wefs saved from slafrsiion.-
Ffom that time until now they have not
been troubled seriously By grassiioppeFs
or crlekcts. and they "ete eongfaiuit.ting
themselves upon nnexampled abundahce,
when the lnsecl host game and swept their
crops and hopes away together.
The observations q Col. Fremont in the
Salt Lake valley in 1914 indicate that
those eickets and gfasshoppers arc likely
to prove chronic plague othc Aiofmol.s.
He states that from immemofial the native
lnilaHs have been accustomed 20 regard
them as Fdit Of their subsistence. They
made cakes ef gfasshoppers and criekets.
They drive them into trenches with hot
file al the bottom, where their wings and
legs are burned OF, sad they are roasted al
ter the iasAen OF the locnsts Of Africa.
These American incects thus bear the
same relation. aud serve the same pulpo-
SEES, to the wild native tribes as the iocusts
Of the desert Of Asia and Africa in their
respective localities. They are a bar to
the cultivation of the soil; they exist where
there is no soil for cultivation, and where
animal life is limited to insects and rep
files, and they are all eaten from necessity.
The Utah grasshorper Is the African To-
Gust o. smaller size. and the Digger IN.
dian is but lower type of the desert
Arab.
In view Of the above facts. il is no, i'm
possible that these insects may prove
provid entail agency for the dispersion Of
the Mormons, and possibly the breaking
up Of the corrupt hierarchy which now
sets Heaven at defiance and outrages the
highest moral and religious sentiments OF
Christendom. lftheir crops are as badl.
cut off as the published accounts would
indicate, they must either disperse before
winter or starye when winter comes