, 1863-06-10


This is no picture Of the Imagination, but
the facts stand out In horrid and ghastly real
itY wherever they may be sought for, Il the
poor victims Of this internal delusion can be
made 10 believe that their own lives will not
be made to pay the forfeit Of their bloody and
6;ekenfDg revelations.
It should not he considered strange that,
surrounded By such state Of society, the sud.
den changes Of public sentiment in regard to
Gov. Harding were 50 speedily manifested.
| It must be acknowledged that it required q
Ligb order OF moral courage to enable man
80 circumstanced to stand rcsolute1y and
bravely to his post Of duty. That he possesses
| that quality In an eminent degree, Is certain !;
he Ind Edoubtless counted the cost, bat was
resolved to tread the thorny path Of duty to
his Government, # even he we're compe led
to do 60 with bleeding feet How he has kept
that tho.ny parth, The whole country has
learned to some extent, and Justice demands
that more should be known.
That be is the first Federal Executive who
has had the courage and fndom1table will to
do h1s Ehelc duty TO his Government, is well
known to NIL persons familiar with the history
Of this Territory.
But this article has been already extended
far beyond the length originally intended, and
the writer must content himself in passing
over maDy things.
OF the Governor was delivered to the Late Ley
1slature, and its attempted suppression BY
Brigham Foung-the mass meeting at the
Tabernacle on the Sd Of March tue pre-
sentiment Of His Excellency as public nuls-
ance by Mormon Grand Jury Ut the last term
Of Judge Einney's Court-all these have RI
ready furnished subjects for former commu-
nications to your paper. cannot omit, how
ever, the ttremark that the Governor had the
kindest Intentions towards the Legislature
aid people Of this Territory in preparing his
message. New questions Of tile gr.yest char-
| ECkpr Ad fhEfy1c ca1r ff@ n - n4CA
act OF Congress oguinst po]ygamy latt been
pasEcd since his appointment Us Governor.
He had bound his conscience by u most SOL
tnln oa1h to zee that the laws were fifth
were other obligations resting upon linn: he
well knew tia from the tendency Of tile times
the question Of po1ygamy must be metsooner
or later and that 1t would involve In its discus
sion the liberty Of fconsciencer and the right
TO worship God according to its dictates. He
also felt Inclined to open wide door for such
men as Orson Pratt, Sen, and John Taylor,
| who were both members Of the Legislature,
/ and both claimed to be tsapostles," to enable
/ thcm to make good their heretofore much
vannted challenge, that they we're ready to
Meet the whole question at the bar Of Chris
How the Governor performed his duty in
this respect it Is needless for the ~rit.r now
| TO Eay. That message, however, opened mp q
new era Of things here, aud upon its delivery
u light dawned on the hopes Of those in this
Territory who dare not speak ut alt On the
subject so ably discussed In that document.
lts clear ringing truths fell Oh the ears Of the
| guilty and shameless pan1erers to Brfgham's
| luets and ambition like the kneu Of fate; and
and the LORDS Anolntcd." when be heard
| 1t read ct the Lion House, in the nidst Of his
counsellors and concnbfnes, shook with anger
and Tear, like another despot, in olden times,
when be eaw "t1c handwriting on the walI'
No matter what may hereafter become of
become Of Governor Harding, his message to
the Mormon Legislature will remain to per-
the head Of '*Polyga1ny" and the "Rights of
Cenecience' will stand as models, whether
| viewed for clcarness Of statement, terseness
efargument, or logical Deductions. His line
ofarguncnt will be closely followed by thosc
who CONE afler him, who may seek to e1abo-
"spcaI Of Ithnrtel," be found to have pierced
the shield and buckler Of the dragon against
which it Was hurled.
That The presence Of such man ismostua
is 10 be expected. 1t could. and should not,
under the present state of afairs, be different.
Tlele need be no fears for the eafcty Of his
pt.son, Or that be will leave the Territory.
His prophetic declarations to tue Committee
who called On him to resign and leave the Ter
1itory, are ye:too fresh III the minds OF those
who would gladly seek his destruction, it
they dare He meets all threats Of violence
with al unblancLed cheek, and with MI eye
that never quails before lis adversary, and
with cooluess most provoking, and which
strikes terror TO the heart Of Brigham and his
ninfons.
stake your curse; nm not to he bought,
sold or scared. am prepared to do my duty,
whether It concernsa Mormon or GENTLE,
but am here to be Governor"
AS a further illustration, will give you the
salient poin Of an interview 6stwcen the
Governor and the famous DANTE Chief, Bill
Hickman. Some time after the arrival here
Of the former, he met 1t Gentle store this
parsonage. His reputa ion amongst his own
leople, was that Of a man Of blood. Upon
mutual, ard they closely scrutinIzed each the
other, as though studying the characteristics
| Of character as we'll as feature. The Govern
| or's new acquaintance expressed great pleas
ure in meeting hin, when the former bluntly
| rcma.ked: "Bill Hickman, I know ron like
a book;;' lave heard Of you bcfore.''
Several days afterward, Hickman took oc-
enefu1s tv ~n3t t1sr Curr1 hio residence,
and, during The interview, remarked: Gov
| cEnor, ehall never forget how you looked at
| how:" SWELL" said the Governor, :syou
have asked me very blunt question, and, us
/ nm blunt man, will answer you plainly
! and honestly. When you were introduced to
me, 1t was under the worst possible auspices
| you can Imagine. / knew you from that mo-
Inent, and will say that you are not a, bad
uan MS some of your own people had repre-
sented. think understand you; you have
doue many things that you would not do
agalp; you are not satisfied with your life,
yUu hare more brain, Bill Hickman, than any
man hnve met with here, and 1t Is u pity that
such nman should have been induced to speud
his life in performing such work IS has been
assigned to yon, BY men Of Tar less capacity,
only, perhaps, In theological juggleries. You
would like to do something yct that your
Shil1Tnr r11115 mint tn 3nrx. hat
be creditable to you and to them. You came
Of . good family and 1t is 4 pleasure to sou to
remember their honest counsel and advice
long before you ever thought Of entering on
your past career"
During this prologue, the Governor looked
his auditor full in the eye, without once re-
mitting his gaze, and continued:
s'Ihere 1s, Bill Hickman, down deep In your
soul a fountain that has but seldom, If ever
been pierced, and which contains that which
should have produced far different character
than that which you are represented to bear
have even been warned By some Of your
brethren, and have been told to look out for
you have been told that your hands are
red with the blood Of your victims; that
anything that am afraid Of. will make a
bargain with you:-When the weather gets
warm, will belt my own "navies" obout
Jon and arm You with your elghteen.inch
knife, and will 50 with you to the widest
you for two weeks; aud will only take with
me my "frog-sttcker"- q small
pocket -knike-s' what do you say Of 1t ~
In the meantime Hickman had approached
the Governor aud took lis hand, and with
eyes full of years, simply said, In bis own pc
cu1iar manner" Governor, you're mighty
curious man nobody ever talked to me In
that way before; I'll bet on you, and you may
bet on me.n
Suffice It to say, Hickman ia often seen at
the Governors, and the latter would feel per-
fectly safe In the proposed prospecting trip
to the mountains. l have noted the above as
being emincntly characteristic Of the individ-
uals named, and would add that the Governor
would feel no concern whatever In the COM
pany Of the famous DANTE Chief, whose name
Tor years past has been connected with all that
makes up the calendar Of the most ghastly
crimes, and the number Of whosc victims may
never be known it'll the grave yields up It's
dead.''
He is governed by the same fearless will in
all that lie does. Not long since large mum:
Der Of men, known IS "Morrfsites," were
tried and convicted upon indictments found
against them at the March term of Judge
gree, and for resisting the service Of legal
process. 6eyen Of them were thus convicted
On The first charge, and sentenced to the pen
jtentfary, each for series Of ten to fifteen
Jears at hurd labor, and some 6ixty-nine
others were convicted on the second charge,
and fired each one hundred dollars and costs
have 10 time to enter into detailed state
ne1t Of these trials aud convictions, as some
account Of them has been sent you hereto
grew out Of the most violent and embittered
religious persecution on The part Of the Nor
mons, who believe in Brigham Young as the
only " high priest and prophet Of Gol.'