The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-02

tunately, On the very day on which the new
citizens had despatched their delegates tc
confer with their enemies, Sheriff Back entos
the tried friend, the sworn elansman of the
fanatics, arrived at the city of the saints
His presence ut once dissipated their despon.
dency, and fred their hearts With hope and
courage.
The first act Of this official was to issue On
authoritative and pompous proclamation,
commanding every able bodied man to rally
under his law-and- d-order banner, and de-
nouncing the Anti-Mormons rs lawless ban
ditti, assembled for the purpose of plunder.
ing the weak and defenceless. This procls-
nation was without any delay widely circu-
lated and wherever it was read it diffused
enthusiasm and courage among the Mormons.
Fhe retreating fugitives, who, in the hour OF
panic had precipitately fled the State, NO
sooner learned that Backentos had arrived
than they recrossd the river, to march under
his leadership to attack the enemy. The
streets were crowded by the Mormons, who
were preparing their arms for tn, anti ipa.
ted battle.
All hesitation and every indication of
cowardice had vanished from the wayerine
fanatics. When the delegates returned from
Point Golden, the streets were enlivcncd hv
crowds of armed men fastening to some
point in the city, where their enthusiasm was
to be still further aroused by the stirring
eloquence OF the martial sheriff and the no
less martial priesthood. All ages and classes
appeared animated and infuriated by an
unappeased desire for vengeance. There
might be seen the aged saint of threescore
years and ten, with tottering and dccrepit
footsteps, fastening to the point of concen-
tratlon, his eye grown dim with age now
flashing with the fires of intense malignity,
his lips compressed with determined resolu,
ton to die for his religion, and his feeble
and attenuated body trembling under the
weight of arms and years. By his side might
be seen the white haired urchin, the mere
child, with all his boyish enthusiasm aroused
by the stirring occasion, mingling with his
excited seniors with as lofty a heroism rs
the bravest. And there too might have
been seen 'true knight Of the temple, -
mounted, it's true, on rather iaded and
indifferent war horse, which had been taken
from the plow-tai for the occasion; but
badlras he may have been mounted, he was
none the less hero and knight. He bore
about his person arms and equipments
enough to have well nigh furnished COM
pany of the military with approved weapons.
a heavy sword dangled conspicuously on
his left side. On his other side was sus-
pended huge bowie knife which would
have wearied Hercules to WELD. His waist
was encrcied by belt crowded with re.
volvers, and two enormous rifle -barrelled
pistols protruded from his holsters. The
CT A.
shoulders. As he surveys his manifold wea-
pons, In the pride of his exultation he ap-
piles the spur to the flank Of his worn and
Jaded charger, and shouts the battle cry of
all the saints. The startling cry was taken
up by his comrades and communicated to
all the stragslers in the streets, until one
wild universal shout of maddenins fury
arose from every part of the city. The
fierce knight, still more excited by the an
swerng shouts Of his partisans, urged his
war-horse into something like a half galop,
and disappeared in the direction of "thc
field of Mars
The place to which the Mormons were
fastening was large plat of unnlproved
ground, in front of little rough stone
building, designated by tho s-:..,o as the
c-~~"':i: The same little building hos heen
degraded by the more peacefully inclined
gentiles into blacksmith shop, in which
humble capacity it has done good service for
the last three years. A promiscuous assem-
hIage Of near Il thousand persons was col
lrctrd IN the open space; some on horse
back others on foot, all armed to the teeth
and highly excited. Tie whole crowd ap-
pcared to rave with insane fury. Shout
after shout arose from the mulntu,In, and
was re-echoed by the distant hills. PRAYERS
for divine vengeance were invoked by the
fanatical priesthood on the heads Of their
enemies, and their devotions were mingled
with threats, imprecations, oaths and bias
phemIes.
After the saints had shouted, prayed, and
cursed until they grew hoarse, it was an
nounccd that the "Bul Of Bashan' would
address the saints then present. 1t must not
however, be supposed that a genuine bona
fdc "Burham'' was to claim the attention
Of the sanity auditory. On the contrary.
and somewhat startling title was Mormon
priest of high standing, and still claiming
affinity with humanity. 1t must be under
stood that the Mormons applied to each
other, and particularly to their supcrors,
mystic appellations significant of the virtues
and mental qualities for which they We're
distinguished. One, who had been unusu-
ally successful in the propagation Of the;-
religion, was designated the Fruitful Vinc'
One, whose course had been peaceful and
conciliatory amid their prosecutions was
known as the "Olive Branch;" and another,
an impu!sive, reckless genius, and wl,hal
refractory to the authority Of his immediate
superior, rcjoiccd in the cognomcn of the
"Wild Ram Of the Mountain" The orator
of the evening was so called for his suppos-
ed fierce courage and savage brutality. The
Rev. Bull of Bashan stood before his audi
tory confessed!y the very counterpart of an
enraged and noisy bull. lie was over six
feet high, heavily proportioned, and inclined
to corpulency, so much as to induce the be-
lief that he had been stall-fcd. The lower
part Of the Rev. Mr.. Bashan's countcnance
ornamented with heavy growth of the
beard, which, from its tangled and disor-
derly appearance, had never been visited by
combs or razors. But despite of the coarse
and vulgar appearance of this "high priest
Of the latter days" there was an energy
about his fierce dcnunciation of the gcntiles,
which amounted to sublimity and called
forth loud shouts Of applause from the as
sembled saints. To have heard the oaths
and threats made against the Anti Mormon
encampmcnt, one would naturally have been
inclined to the belief that their enemies
would have been cut to pieces before morn
ing; but nothing of the kind appeared seri-
ously contemplated. After shouting them
selves hoarse the saints dispersed for their
homes, and, no doubt many of them slept
soundly from exhaustion.
In the meantime, the new citizens, startled
and terrified by the warlike demonstrations
of the Mormons, but still determined to make
another effort to concliate the parties and
prevent hostile conflict, in which they
must severely suffer, met in general meet.
ing, to hear the report of the delegates who
had returned from Point Golden. This
meeting was held in the lower part of the
city, known rs the Seventy's Hall. 1t was
intended to be strictly meeting of the new
citizens, in which the Mormons should not
be allowed to participate. But, contrary to
the expectations of every one, the fanatics
were present in much larger numbers than
the friends Of peace, and were zealously Ia.
boring to excite discord amongst the new
citizens, and, if possible, induce them to be-
come a party to their quarrel. The delegates