The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-08-14
MOUNTAIN MEADOW.

ers, at Beaver, IN Utah, is still in progress,
we believe, though in the case of John d. Lee
the jury failed to agree, which was to be eX'
pected, as the majority of the jury consisted
of Mormons. The evidence, 1t is admitted
was not only conclusive as to Lees guilt, but
church as parties to his crime. But aside
from any facts the trial may have brought
to light, the guilt of Brigham Young and
all his subordinates in the Mormon thco-
cracy as accessories to the crime is placed
beyond question by the well known his.
tory of the case The massacre took place
September 10th to lSth 1857. InApril oftae
same year Young had expelled from Utah
all the officers the L. S. Government had
sent to the territory, and in speech in the
Tabernacle had declared;
81 am, and will be, Governor, and no DOW
er Can prevent it, until the Lord Almighty
says, Brigham, you need not be Governor
any longer"
This act of open revolt gave OCCASION for
the curious episode of Buchanan's admins
tration known as the Utah Expedition. On
the cath OF July, 1857, while Young and $500
Mormons were having grand celebration of
the tenth anniversary of their entrance into
Utah at the mouth Of Cottonwood Canon, two
dusty messengers rode up the glen and an
nounced that Buchanan's army had begun
their march from Missouri to Utah. Intense
ha ,r
which Young availed himself to make a
speech IN which he reminded the fanatics
that just ten years before he had said, "Give
us ten years of peace and we will ask no odds
of the United States" and he added that now
they asked no odds, that they constituted
thenceforth a free and independent state, to
be known no longer as Utah, but by their own
Mormon name of Deseret During the next
ensuing weeks the Mormon militia was put
under arms and Notifications were built in
Echo Canon.
"Buchanan's army" reached the boundary
of Utah about the 1st of October, and found
thrust in their faces a proclamation from
Young in which he denounced the United
States army as mob, and summoned the
Mormons to arms to resist its approach, and
within a fortnight afterwards an attack was
made upon their trains by the Mormon sol.
diers, and hundred and twenty-five wagons
were captured and burned, and the teamsters
were disarmed and dismissed.
1t was under these circumstances that the
Mountain Meadow massacre occurred on
September 1918, 1S57-clrcumstances which
exclude any doubt that 1t was a feature of the
scheme of rebellion and war against the Uni.
ted States.
When 1t comes to punish the perpetrators
OF the horrible massacre, however, q very
grave question arises. '"Buchanan's army"
instead of proceeding at once 10 Salt Lake
and 'sbeaIding the lion IN MS den," prudent.
ly encamped for the winter at Blacks Fork,
$50 miles east of salt Lake city, and 1t was
not until June 1858 that the army broke up
camp and started for the Mormon Capital.
1t was preceded by couple Of "peace com.
missioners," ex. Gov. Powell, of KY, and Ben
McCullech, who bore approximation of Pres
ident Buchanan, offering ito the inhabitants
of Utah, who shall submit to the laws, free
pardon for the seditons and treasons hereto
fore committed, warning those who shall per.
sist, after notice of this proclamation, in the
present rebellion against the United States
that they must expect no further lenity, but
look TO be vigorously dealt with according to
their deserts"
In June 18th to 18th conferences were held
between the commissioners on one hand, and
the other, IN which the Mormons made pledges
ia behalf of themselves and their people, TO
,ubmit to the federal government, its laws
and the authority Of its officers, on the terms
Of the Presidents proclamation; and on the
same evening the commissioners sent letter
10 Gen. Johnston, commander of the federal
troops, announcing the terms of the peace
concluded with the Mormons, and thereupon
Gen. Johnston made the fact known to the
army Subsequently Gov. Cunning, whom
Buchanan had appointed and sent with the
army, also issued proclamation, anneun-
cling that "every cause Of misunderstanding
between the People Of Utah and the Govern
nent of the L. S. having been adjusted, no
reason now existed for any other relation
han that ofprofound peace And Gov. Cum
ing thenceforward proceeded to exercise all
he functions of territorial governor of Utah.
The grave question, then, that arises Is,
Do not the terms of the Presidents procla-
nation of amnesty, which the Mormons &C.
cepted, exempt the perpetrators of the Noun.
tain Meadow massacre from punishment?
The official memoranda of the conferences
between the commissioners and the Mormons
were subsequently drawn up IN writing, duly
signed, &c, and this document is doubtless
to-day among the federal archives at Wash.
ington. In case Lee or any of the other Nor.
mon leaders were convicted, unquestion-
ably their council would plead this amnesty in
ia pir hahalf and hnw can II ha oyodoj