The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-26
THE TERRITURY or NEVADA --U1AH nm
M0RHONS AND THE IND IAN WARS

To THE EDIroR on UNION 1t is proposed 10 diva
the present Territory Of Utah by establishing anotb
out of that which il generally denominated We,iss
Utah. under the name Of Nevada. In this portion -
the great basin, the Gcnties, American citizens nv
generally called by the Mormons, have been gradual
settling since I849, whilst the Mormons have been orr
pying the basin. Previous to this, however tn, too
tersen had formed many settlements in IT, for the mn
pose Of hunting and trapping.
Western Utah includes all that portion Of the terto
lying between the Goose Creek mountains and the S.
Nevada. The lioEmons, ~ soon they became strna
enough planted colonies In the rich valleys Of Carr
Washo, Jacks, aud Eagle side by side with the Gentle.
The political and religious opinions Of the latter WA.
widely different from those of the former and from NJ
frequent collisions which took place In the latter NAV,
of 1855 and the beginning Of 1856, 1t became evident
that these people could not live harmoniously as o
community. The Mormons under Brigham Young A,
manded that the Gentiles should become Mortnons ana
give e-tenth OF their annual to the chunA
leave the country To this unjust demand the Con
tiles might have been expected entered their mn
test and declared their purpose to dcfond their ami
and their homes against all aggression aud To the la,
extremity The Mormons greatly exssperssd Al
this and threatened that ii the Gentcs did not leave ill.,
Territory by certain day. they would wage war Of a,
termination against them The opposition of the Gen.
tiles determined that the Mormons at last CON
ceded their right to retain their settlements Before and
up to this time however all of this part of the er,o
organized the county of Carson but in reyepp,
for the further determined opposition which they met N
Mormons procured the repeal Of the county organization
the OF the courts and the removal OF co
ty records to Salt Lake Since that time the people bay
been without courts and without the protection Of go
ernment-have been disranchsed, and loft to become
the prey Of the hostile Indians by whom they are SUI,
rounded and the numerous horse thieves and fugiy,
from justice who reside in and roam through the res
Basin with IMMUNITY, Having no courts and no GOV
ernmen Western Utah has become the home Of OUTLAW,
and criminals of every grade from all parts of the Pa
cite States and Territories and in every instance have
the Mormons extended to them their protection
The present difficulties with the Mormons have thrown
much light upon what has hitherto boon slrouded
mystery 1t has been sscertaned that the Momons we
the nstgators of the recent Indian In Oregon and
Washington Territories This view of the case has been
corroboated by the declaration Of these potters ars
their government that if the troops Of the United S,
not withdrawn, they would combine all the Indian
tribes against the Gentlcs and the whole country
with all the horrors of Indian warfare One of the chiefs
of the Pah Yutes, band Of Indians who have ALWAYS
been friendly to Americans, and the defenders of our en-
igrant trains, acknowledged to me that the Mormon
the of this war, and because he and his tribe
refused to cooperate with the other Indians the Nor
mons were very angry with them 1t is needless to emu
meratc the number of the lives that lost in that
war, the vast sums which it has cost government
for the country ia we'll acquainted with the details
Neither is it necessary to cnumete the various tribes
Indians with whom these subtle foes have entered into an
alliances for of all the Indians of the Pacific coast the Ph
Yutes the only tribe that has refused their overtues
time in Western Utah is about ten thousand the major
ity of whom inhabit valleys lying between the Stern
Nevada, on the west, and the Humboldt mountains on
the east The actual resident Indian population cannot
be far from hundred to hundred and fifty thou
sand, the most Of whom warlike and hostile to The
citizens of the United States, owing to the baneu in
huence exerted upon them by the Mormons. AS far as
have been able to learn there Is to fear that The
most If not all of the treaties made with the Indians
the Mormon Indian agents have been directly the rever
oft those IN in Tndi hur Neifh
Mormons the Indians in Western Utah pretend to
say that there any treaties of amity and fien h
between the Indians in that part of the Great Basin and
the government of the United States but they acnov
edge that treaties have been made between the Momo
and the Indians for their mutual protection against tho
government of the United States. x
1t cannot have escaped the most careless observer that
all the routes to Pacific States and Territories
the continent in the possession of the Mormm
and their Indian allies. 1t would seem, therefore,
public disgrace to the country to permit counyme
and their noble Pah Yue friends to be overwhelmed by
their enemies, whilst the government has the
afford them relief and protection and will it be doubted
that the most efecual aid that be extended in The
extremity to which these hardy people reduced The
early establishment of territorial government thus
curing to them legal protection and increased emin
tion The population, thus increased would soon che
the Indians, and restore peace and prosperity in the Ter
ritory.
The actual resident Indian population of the Great
Basin of the continent, far have been able to learn
is two hundred thousand souls and all Of them
with the exception of the Pah Yues under the nu
and control of the Mormons In addition to these
il is well known that the adjacent tribes amical
terms with the resident Indian and Mormon population
and have even been known to confederate with then
their conflicts with the trappers and pioneers
The territorial range of these Indians may be said TO
tend from Vancouver island in the possessions Of t
Hudson Bay Company, to the frontiers Of Texas and h
the head waters of the Columbia to the Sierra Made
the republic Of Mexico The actual resident and rov
Indian population Of the Great Basin Of the contne
have aggregate force Of about three hundred and f
Thousand souls and of this number only sixty thoun
are friendly to the gentilcs. The majority OF these
dams under the influence of the Missionary Mormcn
who, for the purpose of making proselytes, take Indian
squaws for wives.
The Morrnons themselves are composed of the ve
drcgs Of society Of English Welsh, Dutch Scotch Dne
and not few conycts from Australia 1t il beevedtn
from eighteen to twenty thousand abebodied soldiers cal
be brought into the field by the Mormons, whilst thd
Indian allies il Western Utah is given up to them
capable of mastering from sixty to seventy Thousand fight
ing From this, it will be seen that the comMnd |
aggregate force Of the Mormons and their allies is from
eighty to ninety thousand strong, which it will not
easy task for the government to subduo unless props
precaution energy, and prompness exercised at ono
The chances that it will require the expenditure
millions Of dollars and the loss Of many valuable live
The foreign population, far able to Judge
unnaturalized and yet make up two-thrs Of the enup
voters in Eastern Utah. and control the social and po
cal destinies of the whole Territory.
That portion of the Territory which it Is pro
posed to establish new government possesses all in
natural qualifications necessary for agricultural sM
manufacturing purposes. It is made up alternaey,
mountain ranges and their numerous spurs, and whf
the grass continues green all the year round in the uH
merable Valleys yet the crests of the mountain range
ever covered with perpetual Its metallic an
mineral resources are also very great
II is humiliation to our government that this ysla
Al. fN.rftn rrf, hands