New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-24
INTERESTING FROM UTAH.
LETTER TO A MORMON IN NEw-YORK.
SFssIsn EoRS 10 niles from S,i L.hs }
tisyl 4. T. Ian 1919


Csy, L. T., Jan |, 1855. !
DE.R BRoTHTR: IL is with feelings of pie.slre ;t..
| embrace the presn, opp )rtunIiy TO isEofm yos Of
our goings OF in this iar-,f settlement,
Great charges have taken plsoe siscs yoa Isn OL
Palu,rs. bavrg been evacuated, il pow only resp
of ,uns where the sweet notes Of Zons hymns AZ
hesrd DO more where the spider has woven her rs,
and the owl has male her hest; shere weeds ard
iupsles are covering the ground ard the rovrg edso
Is brpodirg in solemn sadnes oys- The gsy soesee Of
that abandoned place.
We have moved two miles up toward the sc-csed
bends of the mountains, the dam OF the spanish
Fort Creek One hundred and twenty fsmiles are NV
ing here in a very pleasant little town, VIII n forns
square, answering thus the Purp~e Of fort sgsnst
the attacks Of the Indians Petltneet, the old Utah
chief, i. still residing with his relations IN
midst enjoying the blessings Of our hospitality snd
the fruits Of honest labor. spanish Fort City sdsded
the presdHg Bishop He s good man, who, ss .
friend and father, Is looking After the temporal ard
spiritual welfare Of his people.
You want to know, perhaps how We feel ccncer-
ing q army ON our fentier well, tell you II you
could hesr the merry songs of the brethren and sis
ter and could how they engage IN the dance, en-
joyng themselves To their hearts coutens-how every
one is attending 70 hs peaceful svocatons-yoa would
then r,alize that the Saints are no mofe concerned
about the troops than about the snow-cspped moan-
tains OF Utah tumblipg over their heads.
Ii is true we have suffered some time ago from he
dsss1aGn OF sTa.ssoPpeIsa and .ens', ss. a.
have kissed the rod that classified us, and feel
more than ever TO live our religion Thus humotns
ourselves before our Heavenly Father, and doioG ~
told by His servants, We feel blessed, We feel
united and strong hence you can essiy imagine thai
we are happy ard satisfied, aud willing To meet every
event Of al Oveirulng Providence with that resrca-
tion and meekness 90 characteristic 10 every Sar'
Here surrounded by tae gandest works achieved
by Go1s creating hand, where nature displays ttsslf
in all its majesty and beauty, where the melodous
| murmurpgs of brooks and the whispering breeze
where rivers and lakes propagate their anthems and
| the thunders speak their emphatic praise, feel
| free independent and powerful relying only on the
| arm of Omnipotence, we ask no odds OF the who's
| world.
Have we life. ngs toward our fellow. be-. .nss No.
We wish to save not 10 destroy, but our ughts
our privileges as free born citizens. we don't want To
see tramped under. We would prefer death 20 zee
deprived of the blessings OF our Consultation which
grants the free exercise Of our religion according 10
the dictates of our conscience.
We have gone through sufferngs, that would beg
gar the description Of the most elaborate pen AtouT
exodus from the United states across TIE plains,
hundreds yes, thousands Of men, women sndchildreo
were exposed 10 the ncemency Of the weather, 10 the
sweeping rains, the drifting snow, the howlng
winds, destitute OF clother, with but htte OF no
food and every moment liable to an er counter with
wild saysges where roads had 10 he made rivers 10
he crossed RATS and on their arrival IN the great
basin If Salt Lake, they had for some time 20 1--we
these remote valleys where years ago only the
red man WAS hunting, the wild beasts we're prowl-
rg the hum of busy life is now heard; hne settle
ments are spriBgpg up in every direction, peace
and happiness reign throughout the Terrtoryi in net
the whole see merry has the character OF enlightened
civilization, by which art and nature are 90 har'
moniously blended; aud all those wonderful changes
are caused by the untring perseverance Of men, who
had no other resources but their own energy Of mind
in fulfilling the commandments of God, and rolling on
the little stone cut out of the mountains.
And all these wonderful improvements viii be dee.
troyed and sacrificed ON the altar OF our religion II
We are driy Ell to extremies What causes yos, one
may ask to sacrifice 80 willingly everything that
dear to YOU II il the knowledge OF Mormonsm
being the Goepel Of Jesus Christ, which is . way
marx to eternal life, glory and happiness.
It s true that Mormonism has been scofied, sneered
at tranpled under, and was supposed to nave Desp
botted out Of the Book Of Remembrance, but in dee
pte of the greatest prosecutions, has recn like
PhGmx of its ashes, more powerful and beautifui
than -,
You are at liberty to publish this letter, II you tbsk
proper. ,,
p.l OF Ch,iss WILLIAM SMITH.