Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-08-19

after The massacre. The eoufession Of
Lee, the testimony Of Klingsnsmith
and = dozen others, and ths submissions
OF Brigham's friends ell show that Lee
and others went to Salt Lake City and
gave full report to Brigham; that he
told The others 70 turn over IN the
|proPsrty 70 Lees that be allowed 20
- ~ ~ cAttie q. 70 70 Wm. II.
pcn(Fs h1e Delogn1s n CopRr6nu. and
~ ebon1ed {hem 4nrticulnr3y y
never talk about the na91acre nor mfn-
tion it, not even to each other! This
was during the October Conference, 1857.
According to custom 'The Seventies"
male members and heads Of the high
priests quorum-met for secular bus
mess in the Seventies Hail. after the
conference. There Brigham gave the
particulars of the massacre, concluding
with these words: '.I'm sorry, breth-
rem. that they to had kill the women and
children; but they did, and there was
no help for it." This was heard by
several witnesses now living. The next
point in the order of time is the arri-
val of Lee and Haight as Representa-.
tives from Iron County in the Legisla-
ture of January, 1853. Both of them
were most Hospitality received by the
Mormon officials, and each took home a
young wife, then sealed to him by Brig
ham Young. In all the years between
that and 1877 Brigham has never in
timated his displeasu-e with any of the
perpetrators. Time and again, in pub
lie and private, has he bitterly denied
that any Mormons had aught to do with
the massacre; and once, in 1864, when
visited by members of Congress from
the Indian Committee, he solsmnly
swore to the innocence of all Mormons.
Every device he could employ has been
used to prevent judicial inquiry. And
now comes Eleazar Miller, the aged
Mormon who baptized Brigham into
the Church, and testifies that before
the massacre Brigham said Of the emf
grants, "They are part of our enemies;
they mean no good to us, and they must
die" Such is a small part of the evil
dence. do not see how any unpreiu-
diced man can review it all without be-
lug convinced of Brigham's guilt. To
one familiar with the organization of
this Church and people, the inexorable
sway the Prophet then and long after
exercised, it is simply impossible to. be-
lieve that any one in the South District
would have dared to enter on such an
important undertaking without his con-
sent. Then add, if they had, that it
would have caused them to fee as fug-
itives from Mormon wrath. Note this
passage from Lees statement:
Most of those engaged in this unfor-
tunate affair were led on BY religious
influences, commonly called fanaticism.
and nothing but their devotion to God,
and their duty to Him, IS taught by
their religion and their church leaders,
would have induced them to commit
the outrageous and unnatural acts, be-
lieving that all who participated in the
lamentable transaction, or most of them,
were acting under orders that they con-
sidered it their duty-their religious
duty-to obey. "ss went to Salt
Lake and reported to Brigham Young
the exact facts connected with the
transactions.
But of all the Mormons in Utah, the
case of none has excited such horror
and regret among the Gentiles as
that of the Hon. w. ii. Hooper. 1t
is proved that he received 40 head of
the murdered emigrants' cattle; and it
is scarcely possible that he, a Nor
mon high in the confidence Of the
Church, could have been ignorant Of
the matter. And yet he has, through
all his Congressional career, again and
again, and that most bitterly. laid the
whole affair on the Indians, and more
than once, in company with Senator'S,
he has solemnly sworn that no Mormon
bad anything to do with it. He has
even employed journalists to write up
the Mormon view of the case. And
can it be possible that all that time he
knew it was a cruel lies But
among his Gentle friends there is still
some hope. 1t it barely possible that
he may have been deceived; that while
all other leading Mormous knew the
facts, he was kept in ignorance. From
every part of Utah come implorings
for some explanation in his favor, and
II it should appear that he acted limo.
Gently and iguorantly, ten thousand
Gentiles would be gratified. Since
have begun writing, the defence have
developed their policy, and a curious
one it is. Lawyer G. C. Bates has gone
to Salt Lake City. and seems to have
withdrawn entirely from Lees case
Between the remaining counsel there
is an evident difference of OPINION
Spicer and Bishop want to clear Lee
by laying all the blame on some one
higher in the Church, but Sutherland
is determined to stop the thing where
it is. 1t is generally believed here that
Sutherland cares very little for the meu
on trial, and that his real client is
Brigham Young. 1t comes ont occa-
sionally in the progress Of the trial that
while Spicer is really anxious to clear
Lee, Sutherland is principally concern
ed to show that nobody Is guilty but
Lee