Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1858-12-11

the ratification OF treatloS, ana OF eAetublNo
appointments. All this has worked admi-
rsbly in practice, whilst il conforms in prin-
ciple with the character Of p government
Instituted bv sovereign States. | presume
no American citizen would desire the slight
est change in the arrangement. Still, is it
not unjust aud uuequd 70 the existing States
to invest some forty or fifty thousand people
collected in territory with the attributes Of
sovereignty, and place them on an equal
footing with Virginia and New-York in the
Senate of the United Statesl
For these reasons l earnestly recommend
the passage Of y general act which shall pro
vide that, upon the application Of 4 terrific
rial Legislature, declaring their belief that
the territory contains number OF inhabl-
tants which, ifina State, would entitle them
toeleet member Of Congress, it shall, be
the duty Of the President to cause census
Of the inhabitants to be taken, and it found
sufIic ent, then BY the terms of this act, to
authorize them to proceed "in their own
way" to frame state constitution prepara-
tnry to admission into the Union. ] also
recommend that an appropriation may be
made to enable the President to take a cen
sus Of the people of Kansas.
The present condition Of the territory Of
Utah, when contrasted with what it was one
year ago, is n subject for congratulation. 1t
was then in state of open rebellion, and,
cost what it might, the character of the gov
ernment required that this rebellion should
be suppressed and the Mormons compelled
TO Weld obedience to the constitution and
the laws. In order to accomplish this OBJ
iect, as informed you in my last annual
me sage, l appointed new governor in
stead Of Brigham Young and other federal
officers TO take the place of those who, con-
sulting their personal safety, had found it
necessary to withdraw from the territory
To protect these civil officers, and to aid
them, rs a posse comitdtuS, in the execution
of the laws in case of need, ordered a de-
tachment of the army to accompany them
to Utah. The necessity for adopting these
measures is now demonstrated,
On the 18th of September, 1856, Gov
ernor Young issucd his proclamation, in the
stye-of sn independent sovereign, announ-
cling his purpose to resist by force of arms
the entry Of the United States troops into
our own territory of Utah. By this he
required all the forces in the territory 10
"hold themselves in readiness to march at a
moments notice TO repel ony and all such IN
vasion," and establish martial law from its
date throughout the territory. These prov
ed to be no idle threats. Forts Bridger
and Supply were vacated aud burnt down
by the Mormons, to deprive our troops of
q shel.er after their long and fatguing
march, Orders were issued by Daniel IL.
Wells, styhng himself "Lieateuant General,
Nauvoo Legion" to stampede the animals
of the United States troops on their march,
to set fire tp their trains, TO burn the grass
and the whole country before them and on
their flanks, to keep them from sleeping by
night surprises, and to blockade tho, road
by telling trees and destroying the fords of
rivers, DC.
These orders were promptly and effectu-
ally obeyed. On the 4th of October, 1857,
the Mormons captured and burned on Green
river three Of our supply trains, consist
ing Of seventy five wagons loaded with pro-
visions aud tents for the army, and drove
away several hundred animals. This di-
minished the supply Of provisions, 50 mate
rally that Gen. Johnston was Obliged to re-
duce the ration, and even with this .precau-
ton there was only sufficient left to subsist
the troops until the lst of June. Our little
army behaved admirably in their encamp-
ment at Fort Bridger under these trying pri-
yations. In the midst of the mountains,
in dreary, unsettled and inhospitable re-
pion, more than thousand miles from
home, they passed the severe and inclement
winter without n murmur They looked
forward with confidence for relief fromtheir
country in due season, and in this were not
disappointed. The Secretary of-war en-
ployed all his energies to forward them the
necessary supplies, and to muster and send
such military force to Utah as would rem
der resistance on :he part of the Mormons
hopeless, and thus terminate the war with
out the effusion Of blood. In his efforts he
was efficiently sustained by Congress-
They granted appropriations sufficient to
cover the deficiency thus necessarily created,
and also provided for raising two regiments
of volunteers, "for the purpose of quellng
disturbances in the territory of Utah. for
the protection of supply and emlgrant trains,
and the suppression of Indau hostilities on
the frontiers" Happily, there was no oc-
casion to call these regiments into service
If there had bean, should have felt serions
embarrassment in selecting them, so great
was the number Of our brave and patriotic
citizens anxious to serve their country in
this distant 'and apparently dangerous expe-
dition. Thus it has been, and thus may it
ever be
The wisdom and economy of sending suf-
fcient re-inforcements to Utah are establish
ed not only by the event, but in the opinion
Of those who, from their position and OPP
portunites, are the most capable Of forming
acorrect judgment General Johnston, the
commander Of the forces, in addressing the
secfetary-of-war from Fort BridgeF, under
date of October Is, 1857, expresses the
opinion that sunless large force is sent
here from the nature Of the country, pro-
tracted war on their the Mormons' part is
inevitable" This he considered necessary
TO terminate the war speedily aud more
economically than if attempted by INSULT
eient means"
In the meantime it was my anxious de-
sire that the Mormons should yield obedi-
ence to the constitution and the laws, with
out rendering it necessary to resort to mill
sfarv force To aid in accommodating this