Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-02
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Yur MASSACRE or ExrenASTs IL UrAu, ny

81 Tur MASSACRE OF ENIGRANTS IN UTAH, By
THE MoRsoys.-Below will be found letter
from n gentleman of whom, after due inquiry
we can safely say that he is r. man Of character
and reliability. Just now, his revelations, as
horrible as they are, are replete with interest,
and should command the instant attention Of
Congress. We among those who believe
that naught but the due and prompt sxerciseof
the power of this Government in Utah will ever
rescue that Territory from, its condition Of
practical rebellion and general outrage Of the
laws of God and man:
OFFICE MARrPOsA DEMOCRAT,
--- HoRNtras, Cat, April 16, ls5S. : -
Editor of the Washington Star:
Dear Sir: see by the Congressional reports
received per last steamer, that g. on the l9th'i
March a the Senate adopted resolution TO in
quire into the massacre OF emigrants IN Utah:''
kaor anything Of the massacre, or who even
know, for a certainty. that the emigranis ,rsre
killed, feel 1t 10 be my duty to my country and
to my countrymen to give all the information on
the subject which possess; and for this reason
beg your Indulgence; for, although am an entire
stranger TO you, feel confident You will overlook
the formalities usually observed in similar but
less important cases; and, from impressions re-
ceived from the representations have received,
think there is none other who would push for
ward this object Of national interest with more
untiring energy than yourself.
As do not know to what extent the resolution
proposes to carry the inquiry, can only make
few suggestions upon superstition. IL the Senate
wishes to obtain all the facts that can now. or in
all human probability will ever, be ELECTED rela-
tive to this most inhuman butcheTy, the most ac-
cessible and only certain way will be to send for
such persons as have seen the remains OF the I'M
fortunate victims, and who sufficiently ac-
quainted with the circumstances Us to be able to
give the Government and the people some reliable
Information on the subject; And az l am as well
informed on tue subject, believe, IA anv Ameri-
can outside Of the Mormon Church, feel if to be
my duty to let IL be known, so that the Govern
ment may, IL it desire il, obtain my evidence.
There were a few gentlemen with me at the time
I made the observations I shall herein partially
enumerate, whose names will cheerfully give,
III desired and whose evidence would strengthen,
by confederation, nv own II called into requisi-
ton. We were not witnesses to the actual occur
renee. No Every human eve that gaZed on that
Eorrid scene, that was old enough to distinguish
white men from Indians, and who had not first
sworn fealty to the Mormon Church, now "sleeps
the sleep that knows no waking.n
] came by the scene Of the massacre, which oc
CURED at the Mountain Meadows, on the south
ern rim of the Great Interior Basin, some four or
five weeks after il occurred Two young men,
with passports from Brigham Young VINO left
SAT- Lake City some two or three DAYS i'm advance
OF our party, with the intention of going to the
IRENE southern settlement and there remaining to
recruit their animals until our arrival, were muir
dered in sight of the city Of Fillmore the capital
| of the Territory. These murders, believe have
never been chroniced in any OF the public prints.
While travelling through the Mormon settle
ments / made particular inquiries with regard TO
the massacre. and kept notes of conversations.
At the scene Of the massacre | took particular
notice. and noted down the geography of the
Immediate vicinity: the distances between the
different (tbree) parties killed the nature and
number of the wounds; as to whether any strug
5ie preceded death the relative position Of the
contending parties; the impossibiiity OF ambus-
cade; to what extent the Indians assisted in the
butchery from signs left on the ground the care
taken in destroying every line of writing, print
ing ana everything that could possibly render
the party recoo nisable the intrenc hments in the
corral; the probable length Of time that elapsed
from the first onset TO tine final struggle. &c &c.
And from the diffsIeEt accounts complied, from
statements made by Mormons, from the obseTva
tions took in the premises and from the sur
rounding circumstances. think that this was the
most lnhuman, cruel, cold DlOoded, wholesale
murder ever Committed on the American conti-
nent IL is base SANDER upon the Pdh-Jtah
Indians, bad as they are, to say that they could
have concocted and carried out a scheme Of such
cowaTdiy treacherous murder IL was not brave
ry nor even reckiessress ITSELF was not superior
numbers; 1T was nst stTatagen; but the most
hellish treachery that won the victory for the
blood stained demons, and laid low in death
nearly one hundred Americans linen, women
Fl run belief and believe can establish it to The
satisfaction Of every fair-minded man in the
United States that the greater portion (say sew
enty five or eighty of tina: com pany of enigrants
promise of protection back TO the settlements, By
a., MOrm0nS! That is a pretty broad assertion
but | believe the evidence, II called out, will
prove II as far as 1t IS possible for circumstantial
evidence to establish fact
I am glad to see that Congress has taken copni-
zance of this matter, and i do hope it will push
It's Investigations vigorously on, until the guilty
parties are ferreed out and reributve justice ad-
ministered. Yours, &c. &%&