Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-05-08
HORRORS Of Mormonism .

Horrors OF MOrmonism.
A correspondent of the New York Times,
who dates from Fort Leavenworth, has bad
an interview with a Mr.. +. Loba-an escaped
Mormon Elder, a Swiss by birth, and man
Of great Mathematician his report oil
which we gather the outlines OF tale ex-
ccedng in horror all that has been recorded
of the retreat OF Napoleon from Russia
That the statement is, in the main, correct,
we do not doubt, for it has been often ailud
ed to in the public prints. as the Journey OF
the hand cart trains" The following Is the
substance of the story.
A few years ago, Brighaa Young sent
two of his Apostles, Franklin and Richard
sou, to Liverpool, to superintend the embar-
cation OF the numerous proselytes who we're
about to set sail for the new world, their III
innate destination being the Salt Lake City.
These men collected large sums of money
from the faithful, for the benefit of the emf
grants. Fity..hree pounds sterling were al
lotted to each family, to purchase necessa'
ries for the journey, and it all went into The
hands of the agents. The emlgrants, to the
number OF $500, of all ages and sexes, set
out from the banka of the Missouri river, to
travel twelve hundred miles to Salt Lake
City, in the month of September. Under
any circumstances they would have been
sure to have been Oyertaken by the winter;
but Brigham Young, apparently fearful that
they might escape, formed for their destruc-
ton, plot SO dIabolical, that we shuider to
think of It, In a word, he sent word to
these wretched creatures, who believed fully
ia the plenitude Of his inspiration, that he
had had revelation from on bIgh, IN which
be had been commanded to instruct them
that they were to come across the wilderness
in hand carts !" They fully believed him,
aud the agents were Instructed to purchase
the requisite number Of carts, which they
did, giving eight dollars for them and selling
them for sixteen. The men were all com
PEELED 10 go on foot, and drag the carts with
them. This they did, six persons to a cart,
the luggage averaging thirty-four pounds TO
q cart. All over this amount was, of course,
thrown away. The winter soon overlook
them on the prairies. The whole way was
marked by their dead bodies. Day after
day, they fell down by dozeus in the snow
aud persisted miserably. Many of the cbil.
dren became the prey of the prairie wolves.
OF the whole band, $500 10 number, only
two hundred and forty wretched, frost-oit-
ten, starving, emaciated beings reached Salt
Lake City The limbs of many of the SUI
yivOrs were ampututed in the rudest manner,
by the unskiIful surgeons to be found among
the Mormnns.
This awful tragedy is said to be we'll at
tested. 10 us 1t seems not less marvellous
than awful, aud we are lost in Amusement ut
the folly to which credullty can lead. The
Indian tribes OF Utah, it is said, picked up
many Of the children, and still have them
among them. Is it not the duty OF Govern
mcnt to investigate this matter to the bot
tom? Can it be possible that it has not the
power to punish crime OF such horrible
magnitude
The correspondent of the Times says that,
in the opinion of Mr.. Loba the MDfmons do
not mean to resist. They have no means of
resistance. They could not bring more
than 5000 men IN the field and these would
be uuarmed in great degree, and altOge;h-
err undiscipIined. They have not arms for
one-tenth part of the population, and no
means OF making them. They are destitute
of work men and materials. In all the set
Element he could not find q single man with
skill enough to make q screw for revolver.
They have besides but u scanty supply Of
gunpowder, and not a man with skill enough
to make grain of it. The tales about their
Notifications are rot true. They never had
but two pieces of cannon, 10 the whole va
ley, and one Of them was burstcd several
years ago His opinion is that the object of
all Brigham's braggadocia, is to intimdatc
the troops, and thar, when he finds be can
Lot succeed, be will have revelation com
mandiug him and the faithful to leave for
some part Of the Russan settlements, Or for
Yancauvrr's Island These will be the !.
Danites, or destroying angels" only, how
ever, for the main body OF the Saints vii!
never be able TO undertake such n journey. |
lie thinks there will be Il general stampede |
uf the women, as soon as they shall find |
themselves protected by the troops.--Ricb.
WIiQ