Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-29
The Saints Mean to Fight.

The Fort Laramie correspondent of the New
YORK Tribune furnishes some interesting partic-
ulars In regard to the mission of Capt Van Welt,
Of Gen. Harney's staff, who, it will be remem-
bered, was detached by the General, at the be-
ginning of August, to proceed to Utah, to gather
necessary information concerning the disposition
of the inhabitants, the geography of the routes
to the Territory, the condition of the crops. &c .
and to report to headquarters. He returns with
news which, perhaps, Juslifes differences that
the Utah complication will present in history the
most prominent feature of the administration of
Mr.. Buchanan. The expression of a determine
ton to resist the entrance OF the newy-appointed
ofhcals, and of the l. nited States army into tab
is unanimous among the people of the Territory
w hen they Were reminded of the certainty thai
In case their resistance year should be effect
ial force would be dispatched to Utah the next
against which twice their population in arms
would strive in vain TO close this passes they re-
Piled that they had considered all that and that
when such a force had stormed those passes they
would enter valley in which not one shrub
would be green nor one stone would remain uDou
another. They took pains to show him their
gardens and vineyards, their harvest. barns,
houses and live stock, and tn contra their pres
ent prosperity with such a scene OF desoation .
Their object now, they said, was 10 gain time 10
enable the National Government to retrace its
steps, and they intend to present their case to
Congress through their delegate, Dr. BernhiseI
who accompanied Captain Van VIict on his de-
Parture and is now in his camp II was at ore
period his determination not to proceed to Wash
ihSton TINS winter, but that was reconsidered
They said that they would regard the entrance
OF the troops as the beginning of repetition of
their sufeIings at Kirkland, Independence and
Nauvooi that they had learned a lesson from ex :
peflence, and would now meet aggression at the
start, and resist the wedge before il should enter
the wood; IL they could not keep the troops ont
TINS year they would sacrifice all for their re-
llSion, take to the mountains and fight a war of
glery and determination. Brigham Young re-
marked repeatedly that this was the most plo-
rious era of his faith. and that a happier day
never dawned on Mormonism than that on which
the advance OF the troops was ordered, for the
more his church was prosecuted the more il
would thrive
On Sunday, September l3, Captain Van vliet
was asked to attend religious services in the
Bowery, and was escorted to a prominent ,eat
upon the platform, and invited to make an adj
dress, which invitation he declined. BY count
ing the number OF persons upon certain tiers of
benches he estimated the aud fence to exceed 500
After some remarks by Heber C. Kimball a dis
course was delivered by Elder John TAYLOR for
merly editor of The Mormon, the newspaper or
gan or the church in New York city. At the
close MIR. Taylor called the attention Of the peo-
pie to the Captain, and alluded to his business
In the city, recounted the substance Of his con-
versafiOBs, and said that he would make a no.
quest in order that Captain Van Vlet might learn
that he had been made acquainted with the d.
termination Of the whole people he would ask
that all those present who were willing to rsze
their houses, burn their crops, pull down what
they had passed ten years in building up, make
their beautiful valley a desert and retreat to the
mountains, in case the troops should force an
entrance, would rise; and the audience, without
exception, rose 10 their feet and remained stand
ing long enough to enaOle him to see that they
were absolutely unanimous.
During the previous proceedings, in order to
answer practically an inquiry by the captain con-
corning the proportion of foreigners present 10
native born and natural citizens Mr. ia, lor re-
quested all present who belonged to the two lat
ter classes TO raise their hands, and about three
fourths OF the audience complied
The captain confirms the fact of the conce ntra-
tion Of the population Of Utah in Salt Lake VAL
ley by the abandonment Of the remote settlements.
and he estimates the force the Mormons can set
In the Held at between five and six thousand
rhey have abandoned the cObble stone fortifca-
ton at Fort Bridger, and the men employed there
have fallen back about twenty miles to a redoubt
called Fort Supply. He was also given to under
stand that they intend to recall their missionaries
from the States, but not from foreign countries
with regard to divisions in the Mormon COM
munity, he satisfied himself that there does in
deed exist In certain quarters a dislike of the
present authorities Of the Church, but he Is also
satisfied that IL Is In such subsection that nothing
less than the presence Of a commanding gentle
force will enable it to develop itself W.
A review Ut about 500 troops of the Nauyoo
Legion was held In his presence. The arms an ,I
uniforms Of the officers were homogeneous bur
the rank and file were rs eccentric in equipment
as down-east militia in a shirt tail muster A
number Of little boys marched In the companies
carrying wooden guns. Capt. Van Welt states
that there Is no powder mill, to his KNOWLEDGE
In the Territory, although there is a rnanufac tor
OF hre arms. With regard to provisions Brig
ham Young told him that the Morrnons had a
three years, supply on hand to take with them 10
the mountains. So IA. e. 80 -