New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-10-28
pECOURSES By BRIGHAM AND HIS ELDERS.
INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR DOUGLAS.
THE INDIANS OF THE PLAINS
TIE UTAH EXPEDITION

Fort LARAMIE, N. T., sept. -, 1904.
a.. Va, vsst member Of Gen. Harney's
s,.s arrived at this post yesterday mornlng, on
ri. NAV TO The States from Great Salt Lake Cry.
us uas detached BY the General, at the beginning
ri Apsust to proceed to Utah, to gather necessary
Information concerning the disposition Of the in
Aabitapts, the geography of the routes to the Terri
tory, the condition Ct the crops, &c, and to report
70 headquarters. He returns with news WHICH,
verhaps. iustifes differences that the Utah comph
cation will presen. in history the most prominent
feature of the administration OF Mr. bichanan.
The EXPRESSION of 3 determination to resist the
entrance of the sewy appointed Off sis and OF the
T. army into Utah, is unanimous among the
people Of the Territory. You ae probably aware
Already of the result Of his nission for courier,
bearing dispatches to the headq Of the NY
preceded his arrival here one day, reaching this
post on the evening of Saturday the Goth, ard de-
parting the same night. But, in view of its im-
portant character, the following details cannot fail
70 be interesting.
Capt. Van Vliet arrived at Salt Lake City on
Sept and remained there a week. His measure.
nent Of its distance from th, post, by the OdOme.
TER, was 5l5 miles, corresponding very nearly with
that Of Capt Stansbury in IS49. Adding to il the
distance of Fort Laramie from Fort Leayenworth,
CPS miles, as measured by Brevet Col. Smith, who
arrived here on Saturday in command of COmpa-
MES A and ID of the Tenth Infantry, who were de-
tanned in Minnesota from their regiment, the total
distance of the city from Fort LeavenwOrth is lI6
miles, % miles lees THAI that given by Capt.
Stansbmy.
He left his escort on Hams Fork, about twenty
miles west Of Green River, and proceeded to the
city, attended only by his own servants He had
been assured by every party he encountered en-
route for the States that his visit would be attended
with personal danger; but on the contrary, he was
received and treated with the utmost hospitality
offered many facilities for ascertainpg the condition
Of the Territory and the disposition of the inhabit
ants, aid no obstacle was put TO bis departure.
An official dinner was given in bis honor by Heber
c. Kimbsl, and he had daily interviews with Brig
ham Young and the other dignitaries Of the Mormon
Church.
Their expressed determination, from first TO last,
was bs TO re,ist at all hazards the Dgress of the
troops this Autumn. When they were reminded
ofthe certainty that in case their resistance one
scar should be effec .ual, a force would be dis
patched to Utah the next against which twice
their population in arms would strive in vain to
elese the passes, they replied that they had cOnhd'
cred all that, and that when such force had
s.ormed those passes they would enter valley IN
which not one shrub would be green nor one stone
remain upon another They took pains TO show
him their gardens and vineyards, their harvest,
barns houses and live stock, and to contrast their
present prosperity with such scene OF desola
ton. Their object now, they sad, was t, gain
time 10 enable the National Government to retrace
is steps, and they Intend TO present their case to
Congress through their delegate, DIR. Bernhsel'
who accompanied Capt Van Vet on his departure,
and is now in his camp 1t was at one period bis
determination not TO proceed to Washington this
Winter, but that was reconsidered.
They eaid that they would regard the entrance of
the troops as the beginning OF repetition of their
mffe1ir &c at Kirkland, Independence and Nauvoo;
that tbey had learned lesson from experience,
and would now meet aggression at the start, aud
resist the wedge before it should enter the wood;
if they could not keep the troops out this year they
would sacrifice all for their religion, take to the
mountains, and fight war of glory and extermns-
ton. Brigham Young remarked repeatedly that
this was the most glorious era of his faith, and
hat happier day never dawned on Mormonlsm
than that on which the advance Of the troops was
orderei, for the more his church was prosecuted
the IN re il would thrive
On Sunday Sept -, Capt Van Wet was asked
70 attend religious services in the Bowery, aud was
-@e1 30 a nj .ont he natf nd
invited 10 make an address, which invitation he de-
cined BY counting the number of persons upon
certain tiers of benches he estimated the audience
70 exceed 1850. After some remarks by Heber G..
Kimbap. discourse was delivered by Elder John
Taylor, formerly ei!or Of the The Mormon, the
newspaper organ Of the church in New-YOrk City.
At the close Mr. Taylor called the attention Of the
people 10 the Captain and alluded to his business 10
tie city, recounted the substance of his converse
tons, and raid that he would make a request
in erder that Captain Van Vliet might learn
that he had been made acquainted with the deter
ninssIon Of the wbOe people; he would ask that
all those present who We're willing to raze their
houses, burn their crops, pull down what they had
passed ten years in building up, make their beauti-
fu valley desert, and retreat to the mountains, in
case the troops should force an entrance, weuld
ri,e; and the audience without exception, rose to
their feet and remained standing long enough to
enable him to see that they were absolutely uusni-
nous.
DuIisg the previous proceedings, 10 order tC
answer practically an inquiry by the captain con-
eerDing the proportion of foreigners present to ma
tive born and naturalized citizens. Mr.. Taylor 70