Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-01-01
INTERESTING FROM TIE UTAH Elk.
PEDIIlON.
DEVELOPMENT EplsTIEs EKOM BRIGmAM


WAsHTNGroN, Dec. 28.--Tho War Depart
ment to-day received official dispatches from
the headquarters of the army of Utah, dated
Black Fork, ? miles below the mouth of
Hams Fork, Nov. 4. Col Johnston states
that Col. Smith with his command, and the
numerous trains guarded by it. reached There
Nov. B. The march was slow and tedious
averaging miles a day. Although tho
road was excellent and the weather fine, it
was not possible to make moro rapid progress,
on account Of the broken down condition of
the draught animals. The trains, including
the suffers and merchants destined for Salt
Lake. which he would not allow to 90 on, oo-
cupiod as close an order as they could be
made to travel, the space Of five or six miles.
No molestation whatever was attempted by
the Mormons. which may be attributable to
the presence Of cavalry, and the iudcious
disposition and vigilance of Col. Smith.
On the 9th of November. Col. Johnston was
to march on Fort Bridger, and dislodge any
force he might find there, and await the APP
pearance Of Col Cook, when. as the approach
Of winter was too near to attempt the passage
of the Wasach range Of mountains with a
probability of success, he would seize upon
the district mentioned in his letter from the
shall be practicable.
The communications from Brigham Young
to Col. Alexander, and Elders ---- and Tay-
Tor to Captain Marcy, and the orders of d.
Wells, commander of the Mormons. and the
acts of the Legislative Assembly at the last
session, show manifest and settled design
on the part of the Mormons, to occupy the
Territory, Independent, and in open defiance
At 10 ftnFsaFN,,..s.t Al
overt acts of treason
Col. Johnston has ordered that whenever
they are met with in arms, they may be treat
ed as enemies, and he rciterates the necessity
for prompt and vigorous action, or the United
States must submit to the usurpation Of their
Territory.
The conduct of the Mormons results from
settled determination on their part not to
acknowledge the authority Of the United
States, nor any other outside Of their church.
Col Johnston adds: "A supply Of subsis
tonce must be forwarded carly in the spring.
1t should reach the army by tho LIST of June "
Should long time elapse without hearing
from him, Scott Col. Johnston says it must
be attributed only to the difficulty of sending
expresses across the mountains in the winter
months. The officers and men are reported
to be in fine health and animated with an ar
dent desire to discharge their duties faith
fully.
Our trains, he adds, occupy. in as close
an order as they can travel the road. from 3
to II milos-thorefore the rear cannot move
till late in the day
Among the documents transmitted is let
ter from Brigham Young, dated Oct. Is, in
which, replying to Col. Alexander. he says:
"If you come here for peaceful purposes.
you have no use for weapons of war We
wish, and have ever wished for peace and
have ever sued for it all the day long, as our
bittorest enemies know full well and, though
the wicked, with the Administration now at
their head, have determined that we shall
have no peace except it be to be down in
death--in the name of Israe's God we will
have peace even though we be compelled by
our enemies to fight for it,
If you persist in your attempts TO perma-
nenty locate an army in this Territory. con
trary to the wish and constitutional rights of
the people therein, aiding the administration
in their unhalowed efforts to palm their cor
rupt officials upon us, and protect their black
legs black-heartcd scoundrels and murderers,
as was the sole Intention in sending You , end
mode of warfare against which your tactics
furnish you no information
In regard to myself and certain others hav-
ing placed ourselves in position of rebellion
and hostility to the government of the United
States, am perfectly aware, and we under
stand our true and most loyal positions far
better than our enemies can inform us We.
of all people, are endeavoring to preserve and
perpetuate the genius of the Constitution and
constitutional law, while the Administration
and the troops they have ordered to Utah are
in fact themselves the rebels, and in hostility
to the general government And, if George
Washington was now living and at the head
of our government, he would hang the Adj
ministration as high as he did Andre, and
that too, with far better grace and to a
much greater subscribing of the best interests
of the country
After much similar defiant language, Young
says;
"By virtue of my Office as Governor of the
Territory of Utah, ! command you to marshal
your troops and leave tins Territory for it
can be Of no possible benefit to you to waste
treasure and blood in prosecuting your course
upon me. You have had, and shall have,
plenty Of time to retire within reach of sup
plies at the East, or to 90 to Fort Hail.
Were you and your fellow officers as well ac-
quaintod with your men as | am with mine,
and did they understand the work they are
now engaged in as well as you may under
stand it, you must know and | know that
many of them would Immediately revolt from
all connection with so mgodly, so illegal, un-
constitutional and hellsh crusade against an
innocent people and if their blood is shed,
it shall rest upon the heads of their COM
manders.
With us it is the Kingdom of God, or
nothing"
In another letter to Col. Alexander Brig
ham Young says;
4" When the President Of the United States
so far degrades his high position, and prosti-
tutes the highest gift of the people so as to
make use of the military power, intended on.
ny Tor their protection, to compel them to re-
oeive officials so lost to solf-respect as to ac-
cept appointments against the known and ex-
pressed wish of the people, and so craven and
degraded as to need an army to protect them
in their position, we feel that we would be re-
creant to every principle of self-respect, hon
or, integrity, and patriotism, to bow tamely
to such high-handed tyranny, parallel to
which is only found in the attempts made by
the British government, in its most corrupt
stages, against the rights, liberties and lives
of our foreiathers. If our real enemies, the