American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-06-13
From the Philadelphia Ledger, June ..
THE MORMON INVASION.

ouoiPhid, oh foute 10 Uldn-h0w Phlla.
delphia Reporter Tried to Explore and
Couldn't. a ELT 4.t
On Sunday afternoon, the packet
ship Westmoreland, arrived at this port,
laden with an extraordinary freight of
five hundred and fifty-two Saints, 'sall
bound for the land of Utah. A large
porvion Of this arrival is made UP of
females bearing the most healthy as.
pect. Not u small number are children
Of both sexes, and the men generally
are of a sturdy build, apparently able
to do days work anywhere; although,
ifjudged by their conduct in the pas
sengers' galley, Cooking house, they
could not be recommended as willing to
obey their wives in the matter of do
mestic duty on board ship. Among
this vast hive of Norwegian Mormons,
who profess to be journeying to the
land of which they believe it has been
said "the Lord would give it them,".
are to be found.a high priest or presi-
dent and ten prophets. +, ,...
The namo Of the Presidents Cowley,
With reference to the minor prophets,
our reporter was able only to secure
the names Of four: Linguist, Lunt,
Christison, and Thurston. These dig
nltaries are possessed of all power over
the Saints, of which fact the Captain
and the mate of Westm0reland are
gladstone witnesses; for, whenever eth
ers OF these officers required anything
done on the part of the passengers,
they passed the commands to the Pro
Iphcts, and immediate compliance was
the result, At an early hour in the
evening, at the command of the High
Priest, CoElcy, the Saints were order.
led below, to,selcct and prepare for their
places of retirement for the night
After 8 o'clock, T. NJ, no woman was
allowed to come on deck nader the
slightest pretext. During the day,
and throughout the night, sentries
We're placed at the fore and main hatch
ways, to prevent others than the pas.
tscngers (the Saint$l going below, unless
accompanied by an Elder. This sys-
TEN was also applied tothe second cabin
entrance, under the break of the poop.
The sentry system prevented our re,
porter perambulating the tween decks
yesterday, when exploring. the float
ing regions of Mormondom, as found
on the Delaware. The prophets, some
of whom arc English and American,
looked upon any attempt to gain in
formation as an invasion, and treated
interested persons rather contemptu-
ously. One Of the first duties pcrfor-
med on board the ship, before leaving
Liverpool, was that of organization,
which was done with such perfection as
to preclude the necessity of action on
the part Of the Captain during the sub
sequent passage. The ship was kept
perfectly clean, and, as the result, the
passengers all look well and hearty,
and bear the aspect of cleanliness. n
The officers Of the ship could not
Undertake to tell how the passengers
! Saints behaved themselves tween
decks, although the stringent scntries
excited their suspicious.
Only three deaths have occurred du-
ring the entire passage; two children
were buried at sea, and man, 90 years
Of age, was buried on shore yesterday,
having died just as the ship came to
pilot ground. One male child was
born, and named partly after the ship
and partly, after the Captain: West
poreland Deacon; this, our reporter
informs me, was the cause of general
holiday throughout the length and
breadth Of the ship, with the exception
Of the forecastle, the inmates of which
stood at a reluctant distance from the
associative tendencies of the Saints.
q Two women, foreseeing the joys of
emigration and Mormonism, took a vol.
untary departure from their sanity
husbands, just as the party was about
to leave Denmark. 1t is stated that
the glorious company Of Saints have
heard nor seen nothing of the two ab-
scondants since their departure.
Another fair damsel, who had tried
che emigration part of the busitiess,
but was unwilling to proceed to the
Territory Of Utah to be anybody's
body, made her declaration Of indopen.
dencc yesterday morning and left the
ship, determined to make herself use.
ful in some other way, and to wait the
appointed hourwhich shall set her free
from earth's pains and penalties, and
open the sanity realities Of happier
Canaan than Utoh to her aspiring eyes.
The Saints leave for the West today.
per the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and
Baltimore rail6ad.
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4 n a., ,,n..nan.,t A.