The Donaldsonville chief., 1877-05-19
Threafened War i'm Utah.


A correspondent of the New York
Herald, writing from Salt Lake City
under date of the 8th inst, depicts a
threatening state of affairs in Nor
mondom:
There is no longer any doubt that
dangerous undereurrent ot excite
ment is running through all the Nor
mon cities aud settlements in Utah,
nor is there any doubt OF the cause.
The leaders of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, from
Brigham Young down to their bishops
aud counselors, have become I'M
dressed with the belief that punish
ment is for the first time seriously
threatened, not only against the. in
stigators and perpetrators OF the
Mountain Meadow massacre, but also
against the authors ofhundreds beside,
which surpass in atrocity those COM
mitted by the assassins of ancient
Venice or the Thugs of India.
This belief has been transmitted
to the body of Mormon people, whose
oaths compel them to avenge the
the deaths of the martyrs and to obey
the counsel of their living priests.
Brigham Young himself has become
confident, by reason of long immunity
and the exercise for nearly half a
century of power, compared with
which the despotism of an Abyssinian
chief is a timid mockery, that he
honestly believes the adults among
the hundred thousand Mormons in
tle territory can whip all the men
that the United States can bring
against them. In this connection he
is encouraged by the present rumor
that the United States army is to be
practically reduced to the condition
| depicted in Nast's caricature.
The members of the famous Nauvoo
Legion, which successfully defied
.Johnson's army in 1859, are drilling
in meeting houses, barns, stables and
corrals, in Salt Lake City and most
of the minor towns. Breech- loading
rifles have been shipped in great num-
bers during the last fortnight from
the East to this place anil several
l,oxes of arms have gone to Southern
Gtah from the cooperative store,
which is largely owned and entirely
controlled by Brigham Young.
In the Tabernacle, day before yes
terday, the Prophet arose at an un-
expected moment and broke forth in
an address to saints and sinners,
which gave the latter to understand
that if they wanted blood they could
nave plenty of il, and indeed thai
they were likely to have more of il
aet ont of their veins than they could
lspare at an early period.
|: To face the 100, 900 Mormons there
|are about $4,000 Gentiles in Utah
l:Salt Lake City has population Of
10000, of whom perhaps 1000 are
EGentiles. The discrepancy is obvious
Eand having duly observed it, many
discreet Gentiles are quietly arrang.
ing fo: the removal of their families
Fat the first sign of an outbreak.
! 1t is more than likely that the
saints who are plotting resistance tt
the operation of the laws will get the
worst of it. The Grand Jury at Sal
Lake City will meet on the 2Ist inst
Subpenas are issued for q formidable
number of witnesses in criminal cases
and arrests of murderers who have
had immunity for wears are imminen
lin the mountains and along th,
borders, where they have secluded
themselves. The sword of justice
! hangs over the roof of many sus
pected assassin eminent in the coun
| sells of the Mormon priesthood, ant
it is not unlikely that the doctrine o
blood atonement will be brought be
fore the close of summer, home t.
their own hearts and throats.