The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-20

| The MOrmOmS ana the heTWAos
The vehement and insulting denials with
which the Mormon press in Utah has met
the statements of our Salt Lake correspond
ent have led him to ask Governor Emory
and District Attorney Howard whether he
had made incorrect reports. These two
federal officers are the most responsible and
the best informed in the Territory, and they
confirm completely the reports of our cor
respondent. Governor Emory said to him
on Friday that ''the presence of additional
federal soldiers would have q salutary eff
feet" The Governor agrees with the HERALD
that it is not probable that the Mormons
will venture to resist the federal authority,
but sat a critical juncture" he thinks there
might be a conflict between them and the
sGentiles" District Attorney Howard said
to our correspondent, II am satisfied that
the Mormon militia has been recognizing
and drilling at several places, at the instiga-
ton Of the Church leaders, and again,
1--WE have positive evidence of various meet
ings for drill and of the issuance Of military
orders"
We do not intend any offence to Brigham
Young and the other Mormon leaders when
we say that these words OF Governor Emory
and the federal District Attorney will re-
ceive more credit here in the East than all
the denials of the Mormon press The re-
ports sent us by our correspondent are en-
tirely confirmed. But when we read further
we find in the utterances of both these
federal officers evidence that very exciting
events are near at hand in Salt Lake City.
The Grand Jury meets tomorrow, and, as
result of it's Investigations, Governor
Emory significantly says IL am conf
dent that Haigbt, Higbee and Stewart
who participated with Lee in the Mountain
Meadows massacre, will be arrested and
convicted;" and in response to more
direct question, the Governor added. II
think the chief criminals accused will also
be arrested, convicted and punished" Dis
trct Attorney Howard, who has searched
the whole history of murder in Utah care
fully, says that since the Mormons entered
the Territory he has ascertained that about
six hundred murders have been committed
It will be noticed that he significantly
speaks only of those which have been
s'ascertained." Being asked whether
Brigham Young Or other members of the
priesthood were likely to be indicted by the
Grand Jury, Mr.. Howard very properly
declined to answer, but he said, "Young is
afraid of it; he has keen sense of the fit
ness of things" and he added, "My opin-
ion is that Brigham Young would avail him.
self of the earliest information of proceed
ings by the Grand Jury against him, and
that his organized Nauvoo Legion would be
called into action to escort him and other
Church officials who might be in danger of
arrest beyond the reach of the officers of the
law" Nor can the Mormons claim that this
opinion of Mr. Howard arises from preju-
| dice, for it is notorious that when Young
was previously arrested for murder he de-
fed the United States authorities and only
two years ago he violently resisted the
United States Marshal and two of his body
guard were indicted in consequence, one of
whom is now serving term in prison for
the offence.
All the signs show that we may be on the
eve of exciting events in Utah. Wetrust the
federal authorities in Washington are awake
and alive to what is going on out there, and
that the Attorney General will not allow his
subordinate to bear the whole burden md
responsibility of the work in Salt Lake on
his shoulders.