American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-12
LATER FROM UTAH.

oF"""' " tHe SdWe- oUHy
Message-Plan Of the U. s. Mi.
tary Movements IN Utah.
Washington, March 4, 1853.
Intelligence from the Utah expcdi.
tion and from Salt Lake City has ar
rived-from tho latter to December
list, and the former to the 25th.-
we have information of the proceed
ings of Brigham Youug's government,
and also of the United States Terri.
torial government, under Governor
Cumming. n.
brigham Young has been the legal
or dc tacto Governor of Utah since
his appointment by Mr.. Fillmore, in
1913. After his term expired he held
over, and having expelled all the Uni
tea States officers from the Territory,
his government has for some time
been one of absolute despotsm.
Ills original selection for the Office
inspired the Mormons, both in the
country and abroad, with confidence in
the belief that they would be permitted
by the United States Government to
maintain their peculiar Institution; and
the Mormon community has according
~ received, since, large accessions to
their numbers and strength. Reluc-
tant, of course, to surrender his su.
premacy, Brigham Young will resort
TO every means in his power to retain
! it.
Gov. Cumming having reached the
country, proclaimed his authority, and
has established the Territorial govern
ment at Fort Scott, under the protec-
ton of the Uni;ed States troops, who
accompany him as u posse comitatus.
The United States Territorial court
has been opened, and a grand Jury as
scmbled. Indictments have been found
against all the principal Mormon lead
ers for high treason.
Brigham Young has, on his part,
communicated n message to his Lcgis-
lature, on the 10th December, where
in ne asserts and maintains, for the
inhabitants of his community, "thc
great constitutional right of the gov
crned to officers of their own election,
and local laws of their own enactment
lie denounces the military expedition
as "a reasonable crusade against the
peace and rights of the territory of the
United States and expresses a desire
that the United States Government
Will "reconsider its course and retrace
its steps"
The Legislative Assembly of Utah
re-echo the Governors sentiments.
We do not find in either of these doc
uments any direct declaration or ac-
eeptancc of war, nor any reference to
measures for carrying it on.
But the Legislature passed an act
d!sorganlzng, or rather cutting of,
Green river county from the Mormon
Territory, on account of the establish
ment thereon of the u. S. Territorial
Government. The integrity and or
ganization of Brigham Young's EN-.
pire remain unimpaircd, and Gov.
Cummings sway extends only as far as
the range of Col. Johnston's rifles.
The United States troops and au,
thoritles are all very comfortably
quartered at Fort Scott. They have
been supplied with salt, and Capt. Mar
cy is on his march from Santa Fe with
ten or fifteen hundred horses and mules
wherewith Col. Johnston will be ena-
blcd, some time in tho spring, to move
to Salt Lake City,
1t may be supposed that Capt. Mar
cy will reach Fort Scott, with his an
imals, &C., by the 1st of May, or some
day soon after. Col. Johnston will
then march, without delay, to Salt
Lake City, distance of 10 miles,
which separates him from the Zion of
the Mormons. Orders have been Civ
en- to send such force as an escort to
Capt. Marcy, that the Mormon de.
sign of cutting him off will be frustra-
ted. The Mormons, through their
spies, are informed Of all his move
mcnts, and they may take measures
to intercept him when without one or
two hundred miles Of Fort Scott.
The success Of Col. Johnstons expe.
dition hangs upon this supply Of means,
OF transportation. Surprising him to
be so fortunate as to receive it, he
will soon test the disposition and means
of the Mormons to resist his entrance
into the valley. He will be obliged,
as army officers inform us, to pass with
the whole train through Echo Canon,
n narrow ravino between two stcep
mountains, where the Mormons lately
had a thousand mon. This ravinc nav
be easily obstructcd with rocks and
trees, rolled down from the mountain
Si1oc. op1 Tho ,o,J :, 60 ,,a....-. -