The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-06

the people OF who occupy country similar 20
| our own have blinded themselves In a great degree
| TO every thing which would give them an accurate
view OF tho affair. Our previous history, the condi-
Tor OF people and their crops at the time, our re-
lators with tho Indlsns and the extraordinary pcws
and rumors which accompanied the simultaneous ad-
vance on Utah OF Harney's United States army and
the Arkansas emigrants-these things ought 10 DO
looked at carefully and examined before great people
are censured and great Church prejudged accord
ing to the perjury OF a few wicked members. the
previous exoduses Of people had taught thcm what
threat from the United States government to drive
them from any ground they had chosen might lead TO-
They had been expelled from Missouri and Illinois by
thousands and from other States by hundreds
within the recollection OF the majority OF adults then
living and forced travel across the American desert
under and against obstacles which would
certainly have subdued the courage OF communities
whose membsrs are not upheld by a re eious faith or
..fanaticism," superior selnshness or pride Every
one oil those wagon trains and handcart trains
and mule pack trains which brought the carly Nor
mons and the away mp and the Rocky Noun
tains to The Pacific slope brought those and only
those who were anxious 10 escape from
the dangers ana unhappness they had endured
in tho East and to find on the whole continent of
America solitary place for settlement which was
never likely to invaded by other peoples, while the
vantagcs to agriculture mining and other pioneer
pursuits We here, in fact, because wo beloved
nobody else would want TO como here We were will
ing TO go through and wo did 60 through weeks,
months and years of privation andxelIdonia such as
honestly believe werc never sndured>Ry Christian
community. But wo had made the desert to bios
SON. established ourselves in fact. possessions
were surveyed, known and understood to US. We had
numerous settlements, thriving towns and villages
TIA had
porary disaster proud Of increase and Of
our Improvement At such juncture wo had heard
news OF Harney's advance upon u.s. that unauthorized
advance which, as you know, was subsequently repu-
dated by the United States government Alter tho
many years since we lett the States mutual strug
giles. suiIcrings helpfuness, extending through the
period of planting and forming Utah itself, all
the settlements IN the Territory had been informed
that the United States army was again advancing to
drive them out Of 1t into some other place. perhaps to
destroy thom altogether. Many Eastern gentlemen
Well recoIlect the fury that famed when that news
entered Utah. Our folks were desperate. It seemed
they had nowhere TO turn every one prepared to re-
sst; there not n man, woman or child who was
not for resistance. Now wien It was whispered. and
il soon began only 10 be whispered but asserted
that these Arkansas emgrants lcagucd with The
soldiers and that some Of them had been engaged In
the murder Of Joseph and Hiram Smith, At Nauvoo,
tho dir might have seemed almost heavy Lower
as 1t certainly was over Northern Utah. Everybody
remembers how the people behaved when ordered out
by President Young to prevent Johnston from entering
the Territory, at wha. might have seemed to another
man a most dismal moment of his The Presi-
dent issued order which, while Il Obliged to burn
forage in advance Are to the grass night carry
of auals and do various other things to hold back
the enemy absolutely forbade single man to shed
drop of blood.
.ssuED no BLooD.n
remember when young oliccr of my command
wus captured by of your troops wallet found
him contained order TO him. signed by me, on the
back of which the usual inscription. ''Shed
blood" That order taken frs; to Johnston and
was aierward taken to Washington and brought out in
the famous debate OF the session. When the
Arkansas Emigrant Company passed through Utah.
and were In many parts forgotten almost
ported. there doubt that much OF the dis
gushing and basphemous braggadoca with which many
OF the charged must have been very agRra-
waiting at the time This impression receive. of
course, from what ! heard lorg years after.
There may have been some settlement sculies
on the route-profanity aud rbaldry arrayed
against each other, perhaps; and the cmgranps
greater height ana strength warranted him
IN almos: any kind OF domlneerIng. But don't be-
cve that even q man like Lee-od, crafty, expo
together orcc OF Mormons in all Utah to do delber
atey, knowing that they went to do it, the deed that
John d. Lee, perhaps crony Or two and lot Of
dupes and thieves and savages under his command
are actually proven have done In that dark valley
General Wells, having spoken Tor some ten minutes
rs vehemently and forcbly some one said as he
did In his life, your correspondent found by a nod
from President Young that he at liberty to pro.
coed.
FOREIGNERS APPROVE MoRNoyTsM
CoRREspoSpESr-Do foreigners generally admire
your system of organ zation9
BRIGHAM YouSc-Ycs; only excepting their sur
prise that each man is responsible for his
A gentleman from Pennsylvania who greatly admired
our organization, when he was about to eavs asked
me II believed the Mormons were perfect The ques
ton was so absurd that had to laugh. II we were
perfect VIC could remain here on the earth whilo
We ourselves imperfect tho doctrines teach
| perfect.
| LEES REPENTANCE NOT ACCEPTED
| CoRREsPoSDESr-Coud tho Church ever have
| accepted from John d. Lee the explanation that hc
murdered the emlgrants at Mountain Meadows to shed
| their blood for the remission OF their sinsY
/ BRIGHAM YoUxG-N0; that expresses the same old
folly Of our epcmies. Many do wrong. and after
ward repent and become, perhaps, even better men
than they were before. Peter did wrong in denying
the Saviour but still he rrpened and became great
aud good man. Anybody may lean over church walls
AFTER thorough repentance and, forsakine their sins,
may return TO membership.
PLURALITY OF wlvEs--yor HUSBANDS.
CoRREsroypESr-Ancr the faces have seen and the
hospitality have experienced In Utah. Mr.. President,
don't think | need inquire particularly at this late
| hour about your present system OF polygamy.
| BRIGHAM YorSG--l do not believe in poygamy-the
definition OF when means plurality OF wives and
husbands; but do believe In polygenny. which means
a plurality OF wives.
| CORR spoNDESr-Wha is there TO warrant the say
ing that the system OF poygamy has a tendency TO
| check tho growth Of ntelligcnceY
| BRIGHAM YouNG-Thc most satisfactory proof that
such saying untrue would be to attend either day
| or SUNDAY schools Look at practical effect OF
u-see how II assists hild-bcarng women a woman
in child bearing should not cohab with her husband,
| and neither should she exhaust her strength
| IN any other way. This order or mar
| rage when carried according 10 its
laws is the very highest order OF marriage Scientific
| men who have VISITED US that " adhere faith
fully order OF marriage thero can b. question
wcc the finest OF Tho Garth.