Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-07-30
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"Oro story Ia good I'll the other IL
told,"i IL an old saying that has msny
Illustrations In human experience.
The remark may have 'lrect applica-
ton TO tho oft repeated assertion made
by those uniriondly 10 the Mormon
people that the calling Of Ibc Mormon
Battaliop was intended as sn act o.
kindness to the Saints Just expelled
from NauyOo, and was response 10
their request. This kind o; a story
may soom plausible 10 many upon a
partial placement a tho events Of 1876,
but when tho whole facts arc made
known u will be found 10 be thorough.
lyAt variance thetowilh. Even amot z
residents OF Utan there appears u be
some misinfoTmati1n on this subject,
~ may bo seen In tho following letter.
lIoOPER, Utah, July 70, ls95.-Tho
forty.eghth anniyorsary u .ao s0tilo.
ment Of Utah was properly observed ~
Syracuse, Davis County. The orator Of the
day made the statemont that while tho
1870, tho United SiAtOa made a demand
upon them for 900 ablo bodied mon
10 servo In tho war with Mexico. A. tho
noon recess, a controversy arose between
tho writer and his old friends, the orator,
Bishop David Cook. and others whom
have known since 1861. We mutually
agreed To submit tho question to tho
DgsERET NEWS, aud ask In the cause u
truth aud Justice, that you reply through
your non.partiaan paper.
Tho question In this; Did the U. :.
government make the demand
upon those prosecuted outcast,
In hopes that tho old mon, women and
children might perish by tho Indians or
starvation
My contention In that Col Jesse c. Lit
tic, ETC., NJ agent Of the Mormon com
munity, went to Washington, u. e., and
proposed 10 tho President Of the United
Stntosto furnish thousands Of men TO pre-
tee. the Pacihc.coast, II the United states
would arm, equip and pay them ms Gu
rolled soldiers Of tho United States The
large number OF men offered caused sus-
piciOn TO arise. The President aud cabi-
net, knowing that the Mormons had
them not in this land, concluded they
would only accept fiye hundred men.
Truth 10 truth wherever found.
On hoathCn or on Christian gtound.
According TO promise, I havo stated
the question fairly and briefly.
A. a matter OF fact II iA almost imma-
tsrial 20 tho writer, rs like tho noble
Pioneers our toes will soon all be turned
to tho stars. Hut Ia tho interest Of the
future, aud the rising generation, and
thousands who have come to manhood Ia
these mountains. Il In time this historical
fact, or fiction, was settled beyond con-
Hoyersy. Yours respectfully,
EpwARD 4. MUM.
HoorrR, Utah, July %, 1895.
The main questions Involved In the
foregoing communication may he
briefly stated and replied 10 as fol.
lowG
l. While the Mormon people were
outeasts In Iowa, did the government
demand 500 men to serve In tho war
with MeIioo7 Yes.
3. DID the Mornious offer mon II tho
government would III them out AID
pay them ~ soldisS2 No.
AZ TO whether there was a hope that
tho old mon, women and children
might perish, that must be Judged by
the circumstances and expressions Of
the time. The government did net
officially state such a hops, Snd many
leading government oiiiclah would
have Sbhorred the idea had 10 been
presented 10 them ia that form; but
there were others, and those tho do.
signing ones, who had no such
Ecruples.
There was Eu Offer made on bshpli
OF the Mormon people. Col. Little &c..
quested government aid for the people
10 get TO this west, and II was thought
tue national authorities might wish to
employ the Mormons In frsighting pro.
visions ana naval stores 10 Oregon aqd
tho Pacific coast This was before
the war broke out. There was no O..
ioring Of thousands Of men In u way to
create suspicion, Gud none existed such
AS suggested. Col. Little stated the
number Of M0rmons already on the
wAyi he also stated the number Nlrh.
Ing to gather from the British itle.; aaI
he pledged his honor that n, ~ ,hplr
new home, that territory should be- ir.
ysded, they would hold IL for tho
United States ana agSintt the suemy.
This offer WAS not accepted, nor was
anything akin to II, although PRECEDENT
Polk expressed himself as friendly.
Pendiug the proceedings war broke
cut. President Polk mud cabinet
assonted TO u proposition tina,
vas acceptable to the Mormous
when that inveterate foe to tho driven
and pofEecuted Saints, Senator Thomas
Il. Benton, OF Missouri, interposei,
anu by bis influence the whole plan
vas changed into the demand that was
tremendous burden GU the exilss H.
iteEd Of the aid they had been led 10
lxpeot The Mormons were startled,
almost dismAyed. There had bosn
treats relative 10 diGSrming and dis-
yafs!ng the Saints, And subsequent