Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-06-14
LETTRa from sADr LAKE.
GssAr SALT LAKE CRY. u. T., !


GREAT SALT LAKE CRY, U. T.,
June 9th, 1868
EDITOR News s. Dear Sr.-I see by
your valuable paper'that you are having
spring weather-different from any ever
before experienced in Nevada. So with
US here in Utah, but instead Of having
SHOWS, we are the recipients of drowning
rains. 1t is estimated here by old resi-
dents that more rain has fallen in this
valley during the past and present months
than in the months Of May and June Of
any year since its first settlement, nine
teen years ago. The good which 1t has
done has greatly outweighed the evil. and
never since fields were first cultivated
here has the prospect been so good for an
abundant harvest. Times, however, are
dull. Money is scarce, and -four, the
great staple Of the country, is a drug in
the market. This comes from the condi-
ton of the Montana market, which is
o~verstocked, and the prospects of an
abundant crop. Very little money has
come down from the northern country this
spring, on account of the lateness Of the
season there, and fat army contracts have
become q less prolific source Of wealth to
this community than formerly, by reason
Of the great reduction in the number Of
troops stationed at Camp Douglas.
The emigration to the northern mines
from the West, which poured through
here during the months Of April and May
last in such numbers as to surprise even
| those who witnessed the rush to California
in 90, has nearly subsidized, and only a
few struggling trains come in from that
| direction, bound for the Montana mines,
at present.
Notwithstanding the dull times here,
there is q great deal of building going on
| about town, and one will hardly know
the place next fall. Not less than fifteen
large blocks are in process Of construction,
one half of which will have fine dressed
red sandstone fronts, and be two and o
half or three stories high. The present
state Of affairs, however, it is said here, is
of annual recurrence at this season of the
year, as now all the great trains are on the
Plains, or in Montana, and the farmers
are busy with their spring work. When
the trains begin to return, money will be-
gin to appear again, and after harvest the
farmers will bring their wives and daugh-
tiers to "trade out" the yearly crops.
Other improvements are going on here
also. The United States Telegraph Com
pany is busy erecting poles both east and
west Of the city, and before many months
we expect to have Geographic commune
cation with the civilized world at reason
able rates. It is rumored, too, that Wells,
Fargo s Co. intend to put on an opposi-
ton stage line between here and Helena
City, Montana, and unless Ben. Holiday
consents to carry their express matter
through to the Missouri, they will put on
another line of stages from this city to that
river. We say, bully for Wells, Fargo &
Co. They have done much better with
us on the west than Ben. has on the east,
and then, besides, opposition is the life Of
"biz," my boy.
In religious affairs there has been quite
an excitement lately. There has been an
exodus Of at least a hundred families from
| the Southern settlements this spring, and
| it is currently reported that not less than
| three thousand dissatisfied Mormons will
re-cross the plains during the present
spring and summer, never more to return
to Zion. The van consisting Of thirty
| FIVE wagons filled with men, women and
children, left this city two weeks ago, and
yesterday they were followed by as many
more. They were all well armed, but
there is little or no danger Of an attack on
them by the Danites or Destroying An
gels. Had such q train, however, started
| from this city ten years ago, or even five
| years since, not a man, woman or child
would have lived to reach Bridger Pass.
But the Mountain Meadow massacre
sunks in the nostrils OF the people, and
| the perpetrators and abettors of that more
than inhuman butchery, are so much
| shaken with their fears of retribution to
attempt q re-enactmen Of wholesale cold.
blooded murder. Those agents Of the
Mormon Church no more dare to do their
bloody work openly, in the broad light Of
day, but sneak up behind their victims
under cover of the darkness of a stormy
| night and shoot them in the back as they
did Brassfeld. The circumstances Of the
murders they have done. and how they
may be brought to justice, are matters
that are freely talked of here among the
Gentle population, but it is generally
conceded that nothing can be done here
with the foul assassins until Congress
makes some changes in the jury laws Of
this Territory. At present nothing can
be had but a strictly Mormon jury, either
grand or petit, and the consequence is
that no indictment ever will be found or
verdict of guilty rendered against any in
dividual, where the conviction would
throw reflections on the Church or tend
to implicate high church d~ignitaries.
Not only have they got the juries, but
they have the Judges, so far as in their
power to secure them. The Offices of Su-
preme and District Judges are filled by
appointment from Washington, but by
the Organic Act the Judges Of Probate
are elected by the people. These latter
officers, who, it wa undoubtedly inten-
ded by Congress, should deal with dead
mems effects only, have been vested with
original jurisdiction in all cases, civil and
criminal, their Courts made always open,
while the District Courts are limited by
legislative enactment to one term a year,
only. GU.
This is all the result of the mistaken
policy Of President Fillmore, who ap-
pointed Brigham Young Governor and
continued him in Office during his admin
istration. which blunder was carried out
by President Pierce during the period he
encountered the Presidential Chair.
Brigham not only improved this oppor-
tunity TO 90 fix the laws that his right
hand men should have all judicial power,
but he well feathered his nest with agents
of land and water privileges, and estab-
lished the rules Of his church, as he be-
as binding and enduring upon the
people as the laws Of the Modes and
Persians, which altereth not. The follow
ing is q sweet.scented specimen Of Nor
mon legislation, taken from fan ordi-
nance incorporating the Church Of Jesus
Christ Of Latter Day Saints" made by the
General Assembly Of the so-called State
Desere., and subsequently re-enacted
by the Territorial Legislature:
"SIc. 8, And be t further ordained,