The New York herald., 1877-03-22
Tho Mormon Murderer Lees Confes-
sion-More Light Wanted.

sion-More Light Wanted.
For the first time the full facts connected
with the awful crime known as the Noun
tain Meadows massacre are presented to the
public. From the lips of one of the chief
murderers-John d. Lee-this horrible story
of treachery and bloodshed becomes known
through to-day's HERALD. There are no
longer any doubts to be cleared up, points
of evidence to be sifted, motions or ap-
peals to be argued, for the criminal himself
now confesses to his full share in that
CHASTITY butchery. Not only does he do
this, but he gives us an insight into the or
ganization of the Mormon Church will
strike from beneath it the slender props
which toleration give it in civilized
community. He arraigns in the bitterness
of his soul the men by whom he was
tempted, threatened and cajoled into perpe-
trating the slaughter of these innocent emil
grants, and who in the hour of his trial
dealt to him the same treachery which he
had shown toward those who confided in his
word at the Mountain Meadows He tells us
that the terrible deed was directly due to the
teachings of Brigham Young, President OF
the Mormon Church. and that it was perpe-
trated in the name and by the authority OF
the chief men of that organization. Can it
be said that the case closes over Lees grave
at Beaver City on tomorrow? No. 1t be-
comes the duty Of the Territorial authori-
ties-aye, even of the United States govern
ment--to take action at once for the speedy
punishment of every one of Lees guilty ac-
completes. Need we have anything more
than the evidence now furnished by
the condemned murderer to convince us
of the necessity of promptitude The
sword Of justice should not rest an hour in
the scabbard after such hideous disclosure
as that presented in the HERALD to-day. We
give even the names of some twenty-nine OF
the murderers, who must be well known in
Utah. Brigham Young, the leader and chief
prophet of the Mormons, owes it to himself,
his Church and the whole country to explain
his share in this massacre. What is the
story Of this tragedy?
Twenty years ago party Of emigrants.
with their wives and children, their wagons
and herds, made the long and wearisome
journey across the great plains through the
deep canyons and over the snow-clad passes
of the Rocky Mountains toward the golden
valleys of California. They had heard won
dertul tales of that land of the setting sun;
how it's verdure never failed, its rivers
teemed with life and their waters flowed to
the Pacific over sands Of gold. They
had left their homes in Arkansas and
Missouri filled with high hopes of peace,
rest and plenty in the distant Ell Dorado.
The prospect of tho reward lightened their
weary march and gladdened their hearts as
each evening they saw the land of promise
pictured as it were in the glowing glories of
the western sky. Slowly the emigrant train
traced its sinuous course over plain and
foothill, through canyon and mountain pass,
until it reached the summit of the great
divide and began to descend into the valley
of the great Salt Lake. Within this vast
basin, which at one time represented the site
of q great inland sea that washed the
feet of the Wahsatch range of noun
tains as the Caspian now does the
bases of the Eastern Caucasus, COM
munity of white men had long been settled.
1t had migrated westward over tho same
route MS that now followed by the emigrant
train, and established itself in condition
Of civil and moral outlawry in relation to the
American people It's constitution was Is
maelitish, inasmuch as it set ut defiance all
laws on which modern society is based. It
had it's own code Of morals, its own religious
creed, and jcalously defended both from the
interference of all authority outside its own
organization. By the right Of pre-emption
it owned the land and recognized no power
that could question it's title or claim to regu-
late it, Such was the Mormon community.
| Because of the isolation which nature and
the peculiar laws of the Mormons secured
for that people they regarded oil outside
the pale of their community as enemies to
their religion and welfare. They had re-
tired to the valley of the Great Salt Lake in
order, as they believed and intended, to cut
off oil communication between them and
the outer world. They forgot that the
broad domain of the United States belonged
to the people, and that no section Of the
population had an exclusive right to any
part of the territory of the Republic, much
less to bar the way to free transit across
it. But being firmly impressed with
the idea that they were the elect
of God His chosen people-they regarded
as an act Of hostility any encroachment,
even by passing emigrant train. Owing
to the summary vengeance taken by hus-
band on one of their leading apostles fol
the seduction of his wife the passions o.
the Mormon community were doubly ex
cited against the Gentiles when the ap
proach of the emigrants was made knowr
in the valley of the Great Salt Lake
They organized plan for the de