Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-26
a, Ev. wun... from Utah.

Mr.. Bell, Of the firm of Livingston, Kin
kead & Co, of Great Salt Lake City, who
has recently arrived in New York, has Civ
en- to the Herald his impressions and obserVs-
tious respecting the Mormons, after some
eight wears residence among then. lie rep
re-euts them 10 be q sober, honest, and very
industrious community; that poiygamy Is still
IN its infancy: that prostitution Is unknown
among them; that adultery Is punished oy
death; tina, 10 persons have been injured by
them for mere disbelief in .NormOHiSm, but
only for their intermeddling with lis creed
and institutions. :,
lie represents the MormOns as determined
to prevent the entrance of the United States
tr ops toto SaltLake Valley and city, and ar
CUES their confidence of success from the fact
that Brigham Young still orders the people
{, SOW. plant build and improve as hereto.
fire. Vi the Mormon army and means OF
d fence generally, Mr.. Bell SAYS:
Three thousand armed Mormons are IN
Echo canon, where they have plenty Of timber
for Iuel and Tor building shantles; many OF
which they have erected for their comfort
during the Winter. 1t Is not intended that
they should at any time 20 out and have a
far staud up fight with the troops-lt war II
must be, guerilla will be fashipnable. The
Mormon boys" enjoy camp lie, aud would
play a good part at guerilla warfare. This
trip 70 the mountains affords them opportu-
nifty Of exhibiting their tact and Wiling
ness to serve the cause, without which many
of them would have remained, in the back
ground for years ~ come, and perhaps Tor
ever.
Lieutenant General Wells dons the cooked
hat and plumes, gold ePauIetts, gol tlnsel
fxin,s here aud there, aud stripes down the
pants; the spurs also do something at glitter
ing. His staff have their military ornamen-
~tatlOns, and cut quite a daShIng appearance
ia the mUuntaIus. Several companies are
regularly uniformed; but by far the greater
portion of the army Ii in ordinary dress
The Off ,ers generally are in Uniform.
Shortly before Mr.. Bells departure be visl-
ted the Armory where mechanics were busy
in the manufacture of revolver. They
were turning out Colts holster revolvers at
the rate of twenty per week. The Mormons
were quite pleased with their manufacture oil
this article, and consider it equal, at least, to
Colts. Tney have often tried unsuccessiuiiy
the manufacture of gunpowder, but they
have now got over tDeiT utuCuLblcs' III W.
t1ber "a powder manufacturing company was
formed, and an excellent sample OF the artl-
Gle had had been presented to Brigham, and
met with his approval. Before they require
it, in the Spring, they will have it 10 sbun-
dance.
The commander of the expedition will not
be able to steal u march upon them. Scout
ing parties are out in every direction. From
the mountains round the West AMI South
sides Of the camp Of the expedition, the Nor
mon scouts can see all that is going on with
without mourning risk. The redoubtable
Porter Rockwell, told Mr.. Bell that he and
his com pary stood on the mountains by the
side OF which Col. Alexander was marchinE
bis command on the Fort Hall route, and 80
near thai they could have thrown rocks upon
the troops passing. An express leaves the
neighbOrhoOd Of Bridger every evening with
an account Of the movements OF the e1pcdI-
tIon during the day, and Brigham has 1t at
his breakfast table the next morning, and
everything Of note is communicated to the
people from his ufice.