, 1863-05-21
Qf)lcago Nrit,u11r.
OUR UTAH CgRRESp p0NDENcE.


Who is Governor Harding?
GREAT SALT LAKE c1rY, UT,}
April 20, 1868. !
Tie important scenes now transpiring in
Utah make tho above inquiry Of general I'M
rortance TO the Whole country. If it Is true,
as some "pragmatic'' correspondent Of the
New York Times has stated, that the Governor
is 4 "grccn western frontier lawyer with pragg-
matte manners, who las rendered himself per-
sonally obnoxious to the people here the
charge Is Of sufficient gravity to challenge the
attention Of the Government which sent him
here or 30 important mission rs that which
lit Las been called 10 I'LL. For it cannot be
disguised that the crisis here calls for the
highest qualities OF i statesman. If it is also
true that the odium which is spoken Of, is the
result of dereliction OF duty As Federal Of.
flccr, and not in consequence Of IN upright
course on his part, then too, it becomes mat.
ter worthy Of publicity; and the cause us well
tic Effect, should be at once removed.
Itvould seem, however, that there is some
mistake about this matter. The appointment
of Gov. uarling, and the unanimous consent
of the United States Senate to the game, ought
at least to afford pyin.a Jacle evidence Of the
fitness Of that func,ionary for the important
duties entrusted to him. But it Is not straugc
that correspondent could be found there or
elsewhere, who could be induced to make the
charges contained in thu correspondence OF
the T..ss, either through malice or thehole ot
reward. uc can be readily pointed out Us j
gentleman who has Il very bad congh and
bati digestion, whose business relations lang
syDe" not ouiy made him pcagmatic," but
also eplenetlc.
Gov. Harding is man oyer iitty years Of
age; OF robust health, and stranger1 not
presume him to be 60 old by several years.
He is strictly te npcrate in all things, with Per
haps tie single exception OF his 1necrschaum,
10 which Le seems much attached; but which
labil has not been Of long standing.
Tie Governor is u lawyer hy profession, but
whether "grcen'' ONT OF not, the writer may
be incapable Of judging, hut il his information
is cp,,ect, he thinks he may safely submit that
facl to Tit Judgment and experience Of u,auy
persons on the " Western frontier who hare
felt Ills powers as an advocate on both sides
o1 tAc questions wherein he was engaged.
Hc Was born in the State Of Ncw York, al.
most within sight Of tue famous " Hill Of Co.
ah,:' the Mount Sinai Of the Saints, where
it is said TIC plates Of Nephi were cxhulned,
the translation Of which by the gift Of God, ~
axit is .aid, make up the Gook Of Mormon, l.,
il is said.
III Lie summer OF lo-'' aiter poor epaululhe
had been gathered to his ttthcrs, aud befort
| the Hcok OF Mormon was priutcG. and brf,rt
.,..... .,a.o.,. ,,,a t..,,.,, 49,.
| were termed at that day, we're selected, tlle
| Governor then VERY youn.r man. was snend
.-;.1, H., 3r;.,,de - ,,,, -,,,,h,..-
| tac s<asoi' "i'n n'a ''cuuH III 'n' ne'5no"f
| hoad of his native town. lie there became &C
| ouain1ed with the Young "prophe.' Smith
v''.,'su "n ~ as:tsn Tsun,1 .1a or-m l'u =
at'o ene Aa'l'.'e "i''' t'a 20, ''o w"
| dtry, the chief actors III the rise Of Mormon
| ism; lcsides several Of the lesser lights 40
| 49,, ,,i,,,o,ea,;,,, IN .1,oeo ,,,tor a,-.n
tie ut" o!sl'c"satlos' III tnese 1''1c1 u1'ss.
| Slni1h, tho Prophet, was then young man
| by uccu1:atiou ta digger after hidden treas
,,su. .,,t eo,,+,,e,,..r nv ,,r.f,ss;on :, III
u'es' anu 0e'tA''5~' ~
Lad not yct possessed hlmseh oi ever
| one wife, and had not "rcycalsd the Law
| 6,ffn nj n hpnirhfph
III. trurc Governor bccame Yerv Intimate
with Ills .,rouue Of i1nattcs. and un one occa
s;.'n I ,.~ ss7ac;af renu.st wsnt viii thn r;s;nc
prn,h;t to the bn,1se Of lis father. :JoseIf
smifi, Sr.. il, company with Harris a.,d G W.
mr.. fnr thr ruT1uesc If bcarin.. the .ssscrrf
pipnn l., ihc Mnrld Harris was farmer ri. r.
6,t a;,,'rn,s+,",as ~ ny ond lie ,n1v NV ,rl,.
Eto,ia he r,n,,d r. ;nTs.t his monpv IN tht
,.nI,1i',,t;on I If te new Hih,c' He n;r..ras sef m
tx. f:r,,, 10 s,r4ro fhc ,uhl;s shcrs =, p ;T,n
ln, < r. who ~ that fine nub1;shcd
nn,.,,~- ,,.1. pn,,,r onc.. , w.nat Enotrr !,
H. :. f,:,..r t:t".,,t Ssu,i.,J,i y t}nn ~ ~,
,1r,,,,,.,o:s ~ that s1rrt vas cousin n
Tnirr H,Tdinn hv The name nf PMmern,
Tu,ltr widcly known since then As a nr,,:,,;
NM nenocraiic editor and 1,olit;cian.
An edition Of i've thon'aDd copies of the
payrneu, of bills secured by Martin Harris. Il,
af5rrsaia. To secure the "sacrcd writing
against Ill danger Of bcinr purloincd by tn
t1,il, or other office in.rs, Tic Prophet lad ;
revelation that the eustodians Of the sau
must invest the ufice with their prcsenr
sum- Hence It WIS that, day after day, Il
t!4e compositions were busy Mt work at thai
Micks, these '.watching and waiting saints,
. like the f.blcd Griilns IF oldcn time, KEEP
watch aud ward over the sacred treasure
One day, as young Harding Was IN the priuf
ing office, bis cousin received 1opt OF ne
type, and IL was determined TO SCI up III
Jor1. on which VAS printed the first title patss
of the BOOK OF hor1non., Inc future do'
crnor, with tht Young 'trophct, Seer an
RcyclatoT,' supported bg the fttainefs OF IN
latter, stood locking on a. the press, 50 VI
understood by AL typos, and saw the sheet {
paper destined iur immortality takeh IRON u
re:s,n and motstcnGd lot ING servIcc; IN
nteesman, Win ola-1aahloncd "haus,' 1nSe
the form, anu tue moment haa come "he
the title page OF nc" oook, destined u Il
the world Win sccoha coition OF Monafi
1necls1h. was 10 oc Pfouuceu. LII inc lanos
the nimble @lIo II WAS pat the Work OF III
nent anu the new creation WIS held up
|: triumph. 1t WAS printed on much winter III
liner paper than the contract called Tor, VI
= was only intended rs proof. Tucker, tt
). printer, gave 1t cursory glance, 50 natur
10 the craft, aud pronounced it 'very good
This was quite manifest from the new, Gle
;. type; but Il that word had been used in Al
, other sense but that, it would most certain
havc been great mistake OF lis *'crcator."
. That first title.page Was then handed youl
q Harding By LIS kinsnlan, with the re1uar
"Hcrc, Steve, III give this TO you:" lie l
amincd it with the natural curiosity Of o
"aulang them takin' notes" and handed It
= Harris, whose money was to pay tho printe
spd lie in turn passed It to tue young prog
ct, who examined closely tho object Of
n,i,ch interest and th.-con SAW. doubtless
t1,a Grst t;mn IN L;s If Tho n,,na ~ Joae
n. Smitl, r. in ,,T;nr. liz returned the nau
~ r.,n,u, fiard;nn .n,1 Il t1rn ,1f.an,e.r.,1}
m,ta rs a1,1,e.r,ncn 1n.rv fnnr ytars al,