The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-15

Exgent affairs in the west demanded the removal of
those two regiments from Florida TO the Territory
Kansas, but they have been replaced by volunteers and
the pursuit OF the Indians has been continued by the lat
ter troops TO the present time The services rendered
by these volunteer troops have been spoken of in
OF mered commendation In the reports of officers in
maad
Two very important and momentos subjects forced
themselves upon the attention of this department at
early period Of my incumbency These the compli
cations growing out of the troubles in the Territory of
Kansas and the still involved and difficult relations
borne by the Territory of Utah towards this government
The latter has recently assumed very threatening at
tude, of which l viii presently speak
The very anxious and earnest representations OF dan
ger to the public peace which made by the governor
of Kansas growing out of exasperatons between the diff
feent political parties there and his call for
large body of troops required the transfer of the tenth
regiment of infantry and the fourth regiment of artillery
to Fort Leavenwoh and also the recall of Col Summer
command then In the field, and that engaged in marking
the southern boundary of Kansas under the command of
Johnston, of the first cavalry From
other quarters, likewise, troops moved to Kansas
until force concentrated there sufficient, in the
opinion of the governor, to repress all nsuboinaon
and TO insure the peace of the Territory The result has
fully answered the expectations of that distinguished
functonay The peace of Kansas has been undisturbod
The requisite provision however for this desirable OBJ
ec agreeaby the wishes of the governor necesstated
very important modification of the plans then already
determined upon with regard to the movement of troops
to Utah large portion of both horse and foot intend
ed for this distant service, detached and remained
behind leaving the expedition to proceed with the fifth
and tenth infantry the batteries of Captain Phelps and
Reno with part of the second dragons, which fol-
lowed long after the head of the column had set out
the march. .. ......... ....
UTAH EXPEDITION TnITHER.
This subject has very recently assumed extraordinary
and important attitude that deem il proper to dwell
upon it somewhat at length than under other cir
cumstances would have been required
The Territory of Utah is peoped almost exclusively by
the religious sect known Mormons From the time
their numbers reached point sufficient to constitute
community capable of anything like independent action,
this people have claimed the right deach themselves
from the binding obligations of the laws which governed
the communities where they CHANGED to live They have
substituted for the laws of the land theocracy having
for its head individual whom they profess to believe
prophet of God This prophet demands obedience and
receives it implicitly from his people, in virtue of what he
them to be authority derived from revelations
ceived by him from Heaven Whenever he finds it
venent to exercise any special command these opportune
revelations of higher law to his aid From his de-
there is appeal against his will there is
sisance The general plan by which this system is per-
petuaed consists in calling into active play the very worst
traits of the human character Religious fanacism sup
ported by mposture fraud is relied enslave the
dull and ignorant whilst the crafty and less honest
held together by stimulating their selshness and IL
censng their appetes and lusts. Running counter,
their tenet and practices do to the cherished truths OF
Christian morality it is not to be wondered at that
wherever these people have resided dscord and conflict
with the legal authorities have steadily characterized
their history. .E
From the first hour they fixed themselves in that
and almost inaccessible region of Territory from
which they sending defiance to the sovereign
power their whole plan has been to prepare for
full secession from the authority of the United States and
permanent establishment of their They have prac-
tsed exclusveness unlike anything before known
in Christian country, and have incucaed jealous dis
trust of all whose religious faith differed from their own,
whom they characterize under the general denomination
| of Gentes. They have filled their ranks and harems
chiefly from the lowest classes of foreigners although
parts of the United States have likewise contributed
to their numbers. They formidable from their
strength and much from the remoteness of their
position and the difficulty of traversing the country be-
tween frontiers and Great Salt Lake This Mormon
brotherhood has scarcely the sembance of obe
dience to the authority of the United States for
years past not at ALL indeed except it might confer
direct benefit upon themselves contribute to cir
cuate public money in their community. Whenever it
suited their temper caprice they have set the United
States authority at defiance Of late years well ground
ed belief has prevailed that the Mormons nstgating
the Indians to hostilites against citizens, and
exciting amongst the Indian tribes feeling of nsubordi-
nation and discomfort @
need ecite here the many instances in their
duct and history which these general allegations
founded especially the conduct they have adopted within
the last twelve months towards the civil authorities of the
| United States ..... 49, ...
It has nevertheless always been the policy and desire
of the federal government to avoid collision with this
Mormon community 1t has borne with the nsubordi-
nation they have exhibited under circumstances when
harsh measures of discipline And this forbearance might
still be prolonged and the evils rife amongst them be al
lowed to work out their if this community
cupied any other theatre isolated and remote from the
seats of civilization than the they possess But
unfortunately for these views their settlements lie in the
great pathway which leads from Atlantic States to
the and hourishing communities growing up upon
Pacific seaboaTd They stand lion in the path not
only themselves defying the military and civil authorities
of the government but encouraging if not exciting the
nomad savages who roam the vast unoccuped re-
gions of the continent to the pllage and of
peaceful and helpless emgrant families travesing the
solitudes of the wilderness The rapid settlement of
Pacific possessions the rights in those regions of emil
water and the isthmus the facility and safety of military
commercial political and social INSTRUMENTATION be-
tween eastern and western populations and States all
depend upon the prompt absolute and thorough removal
of hostile power bcsetng this path midway of its route
at point where and provisions should always be
found rather than obstruction prvaton, and outrage
However anxiousy the government might desire to avoid
collision with this any other community of people
under its jurisdiction yet it is not possible for it to post
pone the duty of reducing to subordinaton rebelous
fraternity besettng of the most important
of communication tavering its domain, and not only
themselves defyng its authority but stimulating the ire
sponsbe sayages lowering along the highway to acts OF
violence Unfortunately upon all ages sexes and condi-
tons of wayfarers
From all the circumstances surrounding this subject at
the tme it thought expedien during the past
send body of troops to Utah with the civil Off
recently appointed to that Territory As the inte-
ton then merely to establish these functonares in
the offices to which they had been commissioned and TO
erect Utah into geographical military department. the
force then despatched and route to the Territory