Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-03-20
vo.. XVII.
From Utah.
Correspondence of The Star.

GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,
Utah Territory, February 81, 1861 {
Times here continue very hard, and are getting
tighter every day. Business Of all kinds Is at a
complete stand still, and money 10 scarce az
| morality among this people. The officials Of the
Government of what used to be the United States
are In quandary, and various surmises afloat
In reference to their purposes. No funds have
been furnished to defray the legitimate and ordi-
nary expenditures Of the civil or military depart
ments, and the officers understood to be acting
under much apprehension as to the issue Of the
present condition Of affairs at headquarters.
During the three weeks past Superintendent
Davies, of the Indian department, has been en-
gagged In the investigation and settlement Of the
accounts of Brigham Young, who was Super
intendent Of Indian Affairs under President
Fillmore. The amount involved In some fifty to
one hundred thousand dollars, and Col Davies 10
said to be driving ahead with steady nerve,
sparing no pains to sift the matter to the bottom
MIR. Young's accounts have been suspended, IT Is
said because of their informality, but suspicion
exists that great frauds have been practsed, and
Superintendent Davies Ia searching the matter
with intense inquisitiveness. Up to this writing
am told that no discoveries tainting the transac-
tion with even the shadow Of fraud have been
made. Every Individual of high and low degree,
who might be suspected Of knowing anything on
the subject has been called as a witness when
the investigation will close is uncertain, and the
outside interest among the Saints about its results
Is intense. No one else cares much about 1t.
All admit, however, that whilst Superintendent
Davies is searching the case with great vigilance
and energy, he is acting with equal frankness
and impartiality. / may have yet more to say on
this subject hereafter.
The Saints are jubilant over the troubles and
disorder now prevailing in the States, and the
leaders are beginning to expand with the prospect
Of getting as large, and hopping as high, they
used to do before "Uncle Sam's' army came to
visit them. Their preachers told them from the
pulpit on Sunday last that they must "fx their
guns for fighting" and cannon has on the
strength Of ii been hauled up to Brigham's; drum
mers and ffers are practising, and all the old
fu hro-a In tntr-1n md nnnfyt, hofn
rubbed up. Profound silence reigns to their
future designs, bat their acts indicate inten-
ton to set up for themselves and proclaim Brig
ham King IL they dare venture SO far.
The population here Is mainly posed OF an
ordinary class Of foreigners, who neither under
stand nor appreciate republican form Of Gov
ernment, and they are ready to swear undying al
legiance to Brigh as King or Emperor. The
great majority are Danes. but there are a great
many English, some Canadians and Irish, and
rlanv from all countries. There is but little per-
sonal attachment among them, and their reli gion
Is reign OF terror. IL person becomes obnox-
ious to Brigham, he who kills him is regarded as
having saved the soul of the murdered man by
having prevented bis committing more sin, as he
might have done had he lived and the doctrine
has been boldly proclaimed, very recently, that
children would be taught and made the foremost
In stoning their own parents to death, II parents
presumed to sin against the church and its author
tiles.
Absoluteism is the ruling idea here, in church
and State. more thorough and effective police
regulation exists under the gese of church regu-
lations than can be found out of the order of the
Ancient Jesuits. Characters are examined, edicts
| are sent forth, and DEGREES, even unto death of
man or woman, are executed as certainly In the
bloodicst days Of Robesplerre or Henry VIII
Members Of the church carry pistols and bowie
knives belted around them, and even small bows
do the same thing. They talk about murder with
as much indifference as men do about killing rab-
bits. Their religion consists (not Of love and
brctherly kindness, Of forbearance and forgiving
enemies) but Of obedience to rulers, paying tithes
Of onetenth Of all they possess, marrying many
women as they please, and doing God service by
result Of the system Of the Mormons is TO reduce
the standard Of morals and to retrograde into
age barbarity, and this, too, whilst its deluded
victims labor under the belief that, in neglecting
the morality inculcated by Christ, to follow the
hallucinations of such fanatics as Joseph Smith
and Brigham Young, they are attaining unto
higher degree Of communication with God than
ever Moses and the prophets enjoyed. Many of the
more Intelligent and sincere who came here for
religions sake, have discovered the deluson and
are anxious to make their escape from the tyranny
They dare not whisper discomfort, much less at
tempt an escape. Their sorrows are suppressed,
and many breaking heart is concealed beneath
feigned smile. 1t was even worse before the
army came here; but the probability Of the SOL
diers being called away to the war threatened in
the States furnishes the opportunity to reestablish
the former rule of oppression and terror into
which thay are gradually gliding. The army Otfi-
GERS, at Camp Floyd, near this city, have repudi
Fort Crittenden. IN honor Of Senator Crittenden,
Of Kentucky. Whether this act Of insubordina-
ton will be tolerated by the War Department Is
question of some importance