New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-26
UTAH.
gBE LAND oUEsTIos-EXPULhloh of "ANiiAh Sh'-
TLgRs--rnEm MEMORIAL TO coS6kRss-sfiRIr
OF poLYGAMY-MIsCBLLAN


ybelara ouestion is fast becoming ono of paramount
;,,ortance here The Indian titles have been exhn-
crushed by treaties with the various ,nbes that formerly
rr,segscd this Territory and the question Oh fgnts
thereto as between the present occupants, must Oe ou-
justed BY the usual legal processes ana recent ueohs-
tions indicate that this is 70 be natter Oh no easy accom-
pshment This Territory Is included IN that portion OF tho
national oman once and that quite recently considered
perfect desert This is the idea stu entertained ny very
many Judging from the untayoraoe illusions frequently
made thereto in the public prints T. IA the fashion for
the Mormon specially eaders 20 CLAIM great deal OF credit
for themselves in having settled mp this uninvtng region
as in their dscourses they would have 1t appeer-as-
srmipe 10 think that this fact IL il were fact should of
set any little lerections their pat in tho way of po-
Iveamy and other grave crimes, wheFowith they are
popularity charged, and Of which there is ample proof that
certain of them guilty The fact is thai, stretching
along the western base OF the Wasatch Mountains be-
tween them tho desert proper, and often penetrating
far their deep rccesses extend series Of fertile ya-
leys than which there perhaps no lands N the Ued
States productive. II is in these valleys extending
i've hundred miles north and south, taat the SAINTS
located, having matter OF course, appropriate
the more desirable portions for settlement AS oFuence
of their agricultural capabilities II may ne sited al Nv
the present time the land is rOanng with abundance ana
the only difficulty of which farmers can complain Is the
danger Of not finding market for their supplies.
Now II IT, by this timc pretty vel understood every
where az least u ought be, that the Mormon Head
Ceptnr il man of superior abilities astute and arsccrg
signs when the purpose Of taking possession OF Tho IacAc
coast proved failure by the timely discovery OF gold IN
California, he. with his band Of faithful followers, at
appropriated This locality which they were tempo
rary occupying tho next most eligible situation 10
carry out their, or, more properly, his, peculiar ldea o
social organization Everything proves that henceiorwad
mp the present momen, 10 has been his settled policy 20
exclude from their immediate vicinity by every device IN
his power aud not seldom by the most arbitrary ald az
cresye means all persons pr0fessedly Of the Mormon
faith. This il truth, denied hoVeycr strenuou-y II may
e 81 which residence OF several years IN tbs Territory
ar.trfn NgugH lTr4Q al nor
sons of this class have continued 20 live m Utah and
sl remain but il has always been under species o. ban
aud he terms 81 liberation have been that they stouG BE-
careful to Interfere ia any manner with Tie pro-
eralnme ol Brigham Young IN sanity poriance 10 mind
their business" What this phrase means Is vel A-
dersood here and the penalty of violating IT, or # being
suspected 81 evasion has generally been syseauc per-
sccuon Il such nature that many have been compelled
g. abandon their property and leave the Territory, whHo
there be- every reason 10 believe that many Others were not
permitted 10 10 so. but 0ycriaken by more sum
mary aud teri ble vengeance 1t is she policy alluded TO
which has induced tho individual named To have n0e
eg bic locations in he vicinity of this city unOccuped
and push settlements north and south INTO remote valleys
where tie inhabitants we're subjected 70 increased iaIu-
ships 10 procuring supplies oi nature hot I" nome pro
ducU0n.
Inc sult 81 this trl,trg each settlement 20 carry
out tie weuudc-io0d poll y, and protect desirable lands
in their immediate vicinity from Gcntie intrusion has
been leave LARGE trcts n such localities entirely unoc-
cuped for, With oil their powers 81 increase nena.s
poiygluy the Moruons have st found II Impossible to
multiply themselves sufficiently 90 appropriate all the
fertile pnbic lands N the territory even by decent 'hoW
iIt
accomps IN thar rcsult. 10 obyate tho difficulty, how
ever lay their power subseryent Territorial
Assemblies have from time 10 tine, passed acts Oh most
unjust character giving away 10 favored PERSONS Brigham
inyurably coming for the lions share, Yast tracts OF
valuable timber and arabic lands thus creating, for the
time being and attempting 90 create permanent monopo-
lies Of tie choicest privileges In Utah. win the same
end 10 view, doubtless an aet has been passed creating INC
Office OF Territorial Surveyor, or ntner SuyeyOr"ensfn
Of tho state Deere whose certificate OF survey OF That
Of his deputy should constitute title 70 lands mus tnr-
veyed favor persons procuring such survey Under
this numefsus surveys have been made years ago
which are now mp giving title against pre-emptors
on the public lands who happen 70 be OF che Gentle per-
suasion Lying along tho vest bank Of the Jordan
uguous 10 ts city is svast tact Of such unoecupied
land upon which number Of pre- emptions have recently
been made by discharged soldiers and others win what
result your readers viii perceive BY TIC following case ID
points
The Sulphur SPRING. lying the city on Tho north,
we're taken possession of more than year ago by com
pany Gente- who proposed erecting thereon bathing
house and hospital aud commenced building for that pur
pose. Their building was however, demolished by the
Cy Marshal and posse under an order from the Council
that effect though tho locality - outside the lunsdc-
on and the paTtes elected he'd complied
with recent act ~ Congress IN relation 10 the laying out
of cities the public domain. suit is now pending be-
fore the District Count here, with fair prospect OF de-
csoh adverse to the city. On the 2lst Of the present
month Two e1ohcers, VINO rave g'en nearly hNe years
honorable service their country, preemped certain land
near the city which has been improved and has been
totally unoccuped for the last four years AZ least TO my
personal knowledge. The fact s that II has been claimed
ly hr Mormon Church military reserve, or parade
.souId aud has been used for any other purpose
except NJ convenient camping ground A nNal claim
immediately up, however, by good Saint on the
strength of survey said 10 have been made several years
since. Ia conversation Lad between the parties
. On the 2ln inst, 10 which o certain bishop acted
as adviser 1t was agreed that If the Mormon
could show any proper title or claim TO the
land, II should be abandoned in his favor. AZ the
same time threats made Of summary proceedings
IN case OF noncompliance Without waiting, however,
for any examination Of records in the case, on the same
night about ii O'Clock party Of some forty men, disguised
and armed tho teeth, made raid ON the premises,
seized the occupants and bound them and ateI having
thoroughly demolished tho building they had nearly com
pleted dragged them 20 the ryoT near at land with the
ayowed purpose OF drowning them. When asked by the
men, thus slmmarly to Dee sent TO hell lots
the language OF Brigham by whose authority they acted
they replied that they 'vere obeyng orders and told
them 10 ask EIrher questions On proceeding to
cute their orders however, by tying Their victims up IN
tent intending 10 toss them thus bound into the Jordan
one of the latter asked, favor TO be shot Ike dog
not drowned like damned cat, which brought about
consultation among the Danites the result Of which, ait
dispute, that they might save their lives on
promise 20 leave the Territory within iory-eght hours
never 20 return in violation Of which they would put
them out Oi the way This Arrangement concluded, they
took their prisoners across tho rye and leaving guard
them, proceeded finish the work they had under
taken by demoishing another house occupied by Gentle
preemptOrs three I'm number, throwing the lumber To-
gether with the owners into the river Two attempted to
escaped swimming across IN which one succeeded barely
twenty thirty shots having been hTed ~ inc t"o
woundiug in tho ankle and compelling the others to
return. The who escaped made his way into the cyi
the Others released under promise 20 quit the lei
ft0ry forthwith These mild have not been complied
with yet and IL 10 understood not TO be- Several Of
the city police have been identified among the ruans,
and Sheriff Burton Assistant United States Revenue \
Collector and MaoT-ieneal OF the Mormon militia, led
them, firing tho first shot NO prosecution Wh Demaue'
a. II would amount to a farce before Mormon juries.
Whom the full facts became known in tho city there
much subdued excitement among Gentle residents. An
impromptu meeting held In tho evening at lndepon-
dence Han at which two hundred determined men
present the feeling running very strongly IN a'or OF
organizing for selideense, and adjournment was had
till last ght TO draw up articles Of association and prepare
memorial TO Congress- setting forth the situation OF