The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-20
The Mormon War.

I
seems to be fully determined on. Hereto
fore these wars have been carried on by
States only or by the mob. From Ohio
| the first stake Of the followers of the Pro
phet Smith, they were driven out by TIT
mob. Missouri next endured their they
ings and general characterization until pa
thence ceased to be a virtue, and they were
driven out by state authority into Illinois
Here, becoming still more thieving, arrogant
and domeneering, as their numbers increas
cd, their prophet was slain and they were
driven to Utah. In that distant xegon
their impudence and arrogance increased IL
proportion to their fancied additional secu
rity. and instead of defying State only
they undertake to snub Uncle Sam himself
Of course this the old gentlemep has M
thought of enduring, and he forthwith sets
himself about preparing an army to reduce
the rascally "sain.s" to proper Subsection
But about that army. Have our rulers
fully considered the difficulties of sending
an expedition of $500 men to Utah thu
present season? We confess the following
article which we copy from the st. Loui:
Republican strikes us as presenting thoughts
worthy to be considered. There is new:
from the borders that the Cheyenne Indians
have commenced hostilities. These Che
yenncs are beyond question the most pow
erful and daring Of all the tribes on the
plains. They have murdered an emigran'
party almost within gun shot of Fort Riley
and threaten to attack others. Might it not
be wise, as the Republican suggests, that
this force of $500 men should be employed
to chas:ise these redskin rascals first, and
then make their descent on the Mormons
next Spring? The following is the article
of the Republican:
This expedition goes on. 1t is in vain for
us, perhaps to protest against an adventure
which can hardly hope of success, but we
regard it as our duty do SO, and we shall
persist in it. Had this expedition been de-
terrnined upon in early sprng-had We been
told that ,, 800 men were TO be sent across
the prairies of the West, with view 10
take position where they could enforce ODE
dience to the laws Of the United States, not
only from the M0rmons, but every one else
in that Territory-if it had been given out
that horses, mules and cattle were wanted
in early spring for such an eXpedtion-is
there any one who supposcs the Commissa-
~ and Quartcr-master's departments would
now find themselves in the predicament in
which they are placed-short Of supplies,
and driven day and night to extraordinary
cxertions to comply with their orders. We
assume as a settled fact that no military eX-
petition, fully equipped for active field oper-
atoms, can be fairly put upon the field be
fore the fifteenth of July to the first Of Au
gust, and that it will take sixty days before
they can reach the Reserve" within forty
there before the last Of October, and they
they will be without quarters, almost with
out tents, and exposed to the heavy SHOWS
of that region, and, if the Mormons should
be disposed to be hostile, to attacks from
wel-trained men in that quarter and 10 all
the annoyances which they can bring TO
bear upon the troops.
Look at the actual condition Of affairs.
We propose TO send $500 men in military
array to Utah, but this number, when they
come to be mustered will not exceed 500
reliable men. Il is hardly possible that less
than six or eight hundred wagons will be
wanted TO carry supplies for the troops, and
the civilians who viii 60 in charge OF this
part of the expedition. IS we have already
said, this expedition will be hardly started
before the end Of July, ana it will be well If
they find themselves at the Reserve" by
the first Of November. Winter viii be up
on them at that early period. and no one
can say what will become Of them in that
region. The cold is enough to
kill them, even if the Mor.nons should DO
10 ..a-. ---:l 81, - -
TO their fate. But new enemy is on their
route, as our last nights news tells Us, and
it may turn out TO be as much as the troops
can do to hold the Cheyennes in check, and
10 protect the emigrants in their persons
and property. The troops must at once be
employed in this new field Of service; and
we trust the Government will give up all
thought Of the Utah expedition and 60 to
work to punish the savages for their depre-
lations upon the pr perry, and the sacrifice
IF the lives Of the cnisrants TO California.
" DO not know that it will be necessary at
my future time 10 turn the army Of the |.
states against the Mormon people, but so
sure as we do we shall find that We will
rave TO whip the Indians as well as the
lormons, and then il will be no chid's play 7
or long while to come.-St L0n!s RepEt- I
lcIH