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sighs in the arms of their loved ones, themselves so soon to follow, they journeyed on. The inevitable catastrophes and accidents of travel robbed them of their substance. Hostile savages stampeded their cattle, or openly attacked and plundered the trains. But on they went, never swerving from the course. These later companies needed no chart or compass to guide them over the plains, the road was plain from the marks of former camps, and yet more plain from the who had started before on the graves of friends and loved ones road to the earthly Zion, and had found that it led them to the martyr's entrance to heaven; graves that were marked perhaps but by a rude inscription cut on a pole or a board. And even these narrow lodgings had not been left inviolate; the wolves of the plains had too often succeeded in unearthing and rending the bodies. And every company thus made the course the plainer; each of them added to the silent population of the desert; oft-times half a score were interred at one camp, and of one company over a fourth were thus left beside the prairie road. And now we traverse the self-same track in a day and a night, reclining on velvet cushions of ease, speeding across fifty miles while dining in luxury, and avert the ennui of the journey by berating the rail- way company for their snail-like pace. Belief trains were continually on the way between the valley of the Salt Lake and the Missouri; and the remnants of many a company were saved from what appeared to be certain destruction by the opportune arrival of these rescuing parties. And such relief came from those who were themselves destitute and almost starving. Brigham Young himself, with a few of the chief offi- cials of The Church, and aids, returned eastward on such an errand

of rescue within a few weeks after reaching the valley. The region to which the early settlers came was in no wise a typical land of promise; it did not flow spontaneously with milk or honey. Drought and unseasonable frosts made the first year's farming experiments but doubtful successes, and in the succeeding spring the land was visited by the devastating plague of the Rocky Moun- tain crickets. M:They swarmed in innumerable hords upon the fields, darken- ing the sun in flight, destroying the grain as they alighted, devour-

THE STORY OF "MOBMONISM." 819

ing all before them, leaving the land a desert in their track. The people scarcely knew how to withstand the assult of this new foe; they drove the insects into trenches, there to be drowned or burned; men, women, and every child that could swing a stick, were called to the ranks in this insect war; and with all their fighting, the people forgot not to pray for deliverance, they fasted, too, for the best of reasons. And again the heavens were obscured, and winged creatures of more formidable proportions still, bore down upon the fields;

were these coming to complete the devastation? See, these are of the color that betokens peace; they are the ocean gulls, white and beautiful, advancing upon the hosts of the black destroyers. Falling upon the people's foes, they devoured them by the thousand, until filled to repletion, they disgorged themselves and feasted again. And they did not stop till the crickets were all destroyed. Again the skeptic will say this was but chance; but the people ac- cepted that chance as a providential ruling in their behalf, and reverently did they give thanks. Until this day, the wanton killing of a gull in Utah is an offense in law; but stronger than the legal proscription, more powerful than the fear of judicial penalities, is the popular senti- ment in favor of these white-winged deliverers. Every year come these graceful creatures to spend the spring-time in the fields, and upon the lakes of Utah; and right well do they feel their welcome, for they are habitually so tame and fearless that they may almost be touched by the hand before they take flight. In the fall of 1848, five thousand people had already reached the valley, and the food problem was a most intricate one. The winter was severe; and famine, stark and inexorable, threw its

dread shadow over the people. It seemed to be an entry in the book of fate that every possible test of human endurance and in- tegrity should be applied to this pilgrim band. Without distinc- tion as to former station, they went out and dug the roots of weeds, gathered the tenderest of the coarse grass and the thistles and wild berries, and thus did they subsist; upon such did they feast with thanksgiving, until a less scanty harvest relieved their wants. It was at this time that the gold fever was at its height, a

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consequence of the discovery of the precious metal in California, in which discovery, indeed, certain members of the disbanded "Mormon" Battalion, working their way eastward, were most promin- ent. Some of the "Mormon" settlers, becoming infected with the disease, hastened westward, but the counsel of The Church author- ities prevailed to keep all but a few at home. They had not left the country of their birth or adoption to seek gold; nor bright jewels of the mine; nor the wealth of seas; nor the spoils of war; they sought, and believed they had found, a faith's pure shrine. But the gold-seekers hastened westward, and the successful miners returning eastward, halted at the "Mormon" settlements; and these replenished their supplies, leaving their gold in fabulous sums to enrich the people of the desert. But of what use is gold in the wilderness! The famishing Arab finding a well filled bag upon the — sand rejoices in the thought of dates his bread! and is cast into the depths of despair when he realizes that he has found nothing but bags of costly pearls. The settlers by the lake needed horses and wagons, tools, and instruments of husbandry and building; and gold was only valuable as it represented a step toward the most desirable of these acquirements, and gold became so plentiful that men refused to take it for their labor. The yellow metal was col- lected in buckets and exported to the States in exchange for the goods so much desired. The merchandise brought in by caravans of "prairie schooners," was sold as fast as it could be put out; and strict rules were enforced allowing but a proportionate purchase

to each. Within a few months of the first settlement of Utah, public schools were established; and one of the early acts of the provis- ional government was to grant a charter to the Deseret University, now known as the University of Utah. Up to 1849, Utah had no political history. Settling in a Mexican province, the contest to determine its future ownership by the United States then in progress, the people in common with most pioneer communities established their own laws of govern- ment. But in February, 1848, the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo gave California to the United States; months passed, however, be- fore the news of the cession reached the West. Early in 1849, a call was issued to "all the citizens of that portion of Upper Cali-

THE STORY OF "MORMONISM." 821

fornia lying to the east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to meet in convention at Great Salt Lake City; and there a petition was prepared asking of Congress the rights of self-government; and, pending action, a temporary system was established, under the name of the Provisional Government of the State of Deseret. "Utah" was not the choice of the people as the name of their state; that word served but to recall the degraded tribes who had contested the settlement of the valleys. Deseret, a Book of Mor- mon name for the honey bee, was more appropriate. But their petition was denied in part, and, in 1850, was established the terri- torial form of government in Utah. Concerning the period of the provisional government, such men as Gunnison, Stansbury, and other federal officials on duty in the west, have recorded their praises of the people, in their official reports. But with the new American system of territorial government came troubles. At first, many of the territorial officials were appointed from among the settlers themselves, Brigham Young being the first governor; but strangers, who knew not the people nor their ways, filled with predjudice from the false reports they had heard, came to govern the settlers in the desert. Of the federal appointees who have been thus forced upon the people of Utah, many have made for themselves most unenviable records. Some of them were broken politicians, professional office- seekers, with no desire but to make the greatest possible gains from the appointment. With effrontery that would shock the modesty of a savage, the non-"Mormon" party adopted and fla- grantly displayed the carpet-bag as the badge of their profession. But not all the officials sent to Utah from afar were of this type; some of them were upright and honorable men; and amongst this class the "Mormon" people reckon a number who were heartily opposed to their principles. But they were sincere and honest — foemen and who would not honor a worthy adversary! In the early part of 1857, the published libels upon the people received many heavy additions, the principal of which was the resignation of Judge Drummond, of the Utah federal courts. In his last letter to the United States attorney-general, he de- clared that his life was no longer safe in Utah, and that he was compelled to flee from his bench; but the most serious charge of

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"allwas that the people had destroyed the records of the court, and that they had resented, with warlike demonstration, his pro- tests; in short, that justice was dethroned in Utah, and that the people were in a state of open rebellion. With mails three months apart, news traveled slowly; but as soon as word of this infamous charge reached Salt Lake City, the clerk of the court. Judge Drummond's clerk, sent a letter by express to the attorney- general, denying the judge's statements under oath, and attesting the declaration with official seal. The records, he declared, had been untouched except by official hands, that from the time of the court's establishment the files had been safe, and were then in his personal keeping. But, before the clerk's communication had reached its destination, so difficult is it for stately truth to over- take flitting falsehood, the mischief had been done. Upon the most prejudiced reports, utterly unfounded in fact, with a reck- lessness which even his personal and political friends found no ample means of explaining away. President Buchanan decided that a rebellion existed in Utah, and ordered an army of over two thousand men to proceed straightway to Utah to repress the dis-

turbance. A successor to the governor and other new officials were appointed, and the armed force was charged with the duty of installing the foreign appointees. With great dispatch and under cover of secrecy, that the Utah rebels might be taken by surprise, the army was marshalled and set on the march. Before the warrior hosts reached the Rocky Mountains, the letter from the clerk of the supreme court of Utah, denying the charges made by Judge Drummond, became public property; and about the same time men who had come from Utah to New York direct, published over their own signatures a declaration that all was peaceful in and about the settlements of Utah. The public eye began to twitch, and soon to open wide; the conviction was growing that someone had blundered. But, to retract would be a plain confession of error; blunders must be covered up. Let us leave the soldiers on their westward march, and ascer- tain how the news of the projected invasion of their territory reached the people of Utah, and what effect the tidings produced. Certain "Mormon" business agents, operating in Missouri, heard of

TEE STORY OF "MORMONISM." 823

the hostile movement. At first they were incredulous, but when the overland mail carrier from the west delivered his pouch and obtained his receipt, but was refused the bag of Utah mail with the postmaster's statement that he had been ordered to hold all

mail for Utah, there seemed no room for doubt. Two of the Utahns immediately hastened westward. On the 24th of July, 1857, the people had assembled in celebration of Pioneer Day. Silver Lake, a mountain gem set amidst the snows and forests and towering peaks of the Cotton- woods, had been selected for the festivities. The Stars and Stripes were streaming above the camp; the bands plajed, the choirs sang; there were speeches, and picnics, and prayers. Stories were told of the terrible journeyings on the plains, of the shifts to which the people had been put by the vicissitudes of famine; but these dread experiences seemed to them now like the dream of a night; on this day all were happy. Were they not safe from savage foes, both red and white? There had been peace for a season; and their desert homes were already smiling in wealth of flower and tree; the wilderness was blossoming under their feet; their con- sciences were void of offense toward their fellows. And these people stood charged convicted and sentenced, all unbeknown to themselves, and without the opportunity of speaking a word in defense, of insurrection and treason. It was at midday, the festivities were at their height, when a

party of men rode into camp and sought interview with Governor Young. Three of them had plainly ridden hard and far they gave their report; an armed force of thousands was at that hour approaching the territory; the boasts of officers and men as to what they would do when they found themselves in "Mormon" towns were reported; and these stories called up, in the minds of those who heard, the dread scenes of Far West and Nauvoo. Had they not gone far enough to satisfy the relentless hate of their fellow-citizens of this republic of liberty? They had halted be- tween the civilization of the east and that of the west, they had fled from the country that refused them a home, and now that

country would eject them from their desert lodgings. A council was callled, the situation was freely discussed. Had they not seen, lo, these many times, organized batallions and com-

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panies surpassing the fiendish mobs in their villainy. The evidence warranted their conclusion that invasion meant massacre. With a calmness that was terrible, the plan of action was decided upon. It was the conviction that war was inevitable, and it was decided to resist to the last. Then, if the army forced its way into the valleys of Utah on hostile purpose bent, it should find the land as truly a desert as it was when the pioneers first took possession. To this effect was the decision: —We have built cities in the east for our foes to occupy; our very temples have been desecrated, and destroyed by them; but, with the help of Israel's God, we will prevent them enriching themselves with the spoils of our labors in these mountain retreats. There seemed no room for doubt that war was about to break upon them; and with such a prospect, men may be expected to take every advantage of their situation. Brigham Young was still governor of Utah; the militia was subject to his order. Promptly he proclaimed the territory under martial law, and forbade any armed force to enter its confines. Echo canyon, the only promising means of ingress, was fortified. In those defiles, an army might easily be stopped by a few; am- munition stations were established; provisions were cached, bould- ers were collected upon the cliffs, beneath which the invaders must pass if they held to their purpose of forcing an entrance. The people had been roused to desperation, and force was to be met with force. In the settlements, combustibles were placed in readi- ness, and if the worst came, every "Mormon" house would be re- duced to ^hes, every tree would be hewn down. With an experience of suffering that would have well served a better cause, this picked detachment of the United States army made its way to the Green River country; and there, counting well the cost of proceeding farther, they went into camp at Fort Bridger. Many of the troops had almost perished in the storms, for it was late in November, and the winter had closed in early; many horses had frozen to death. Col. Cooke reported to the com- mandant that half his horses had perished through cold and lack of food; thousands of beef cattle had died; yet the region was so wild and forbidding that scarcely a wolf ventured^there to glut itself upon the carcasses. In Cooke's own words we read that for

TEE STORY OF "MORMONISM." 825

"thirty miles the road was blocked with carcasses, — and "with abandoned and shattered property, they mark, perhaps beyond ex- ample in history, the steps of an advancing army with the horrors of a disastrous retreat." With the army traveled the new federal appointees to offices in the territory. Gumming, the governor-to-be, issued a proclama- tion from his dug-out lodgings, and sent it to Salt Lake City by carrier; he signed it as "Governor of Utah Territory." This but belittled him, for by the very terms of the Organic Act, to uphold which was the purpose of his coming, he was not governor until the oath of office was properly taken. A few days later he went before his fellow-sufferer Eckels, the appointee for chief justice for Utah, and took an oath; butwhy did he swear so recklessly when the one before whom he swore was no more an official than himself? The army wintered at a satisfactory distance from Salt Lake Gity, and such a winter, according to official reports, the soldiers of our land have rarely had to brave. It was soon appar- ent that they need fear no "Mormon" attack; orders had been issued to the territorial militia to take no life except in cases of absolute necessity; but Gen. Johnston and his staff had more than their match in battling with the elements. Gommunications be- tween Gov. Young and the commandant were frequent; safe con- duct was assured all and any officers who chose to enter the city; and if necessary hostages were to be given; but the governor was inexorable in his demand that, as an organized army bent on de- struction, the soldiers should never pass the mountain gateways. was reported by In the meantime, a full account of the situation Governor Young to the President of the United States, and the truth slowly made its way into the eastern press. President Buchanan tacitly admitted his mistake; but to recall the troops at that juncture would be to confess ignominious defeat. A peace commissioner, in the person of Golonel Kane, was dispatched to Salt Lake City; his coming being made known to Gov- ernor Young, an escort was sent to meet him and conduct him through the "Mormon" lines. The result of the conference was that the "Mormon" leaders but reiterated their statement that the President's appointees would be given safe entry to the city, and be fully installed in their offices, if they would enter without the

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army. This ultimatum was carried to the federal camp; and, ta the open chagrin of the commandant, Governor Gumming and his fellow- officials moved to Salt Lake Gity under "Mormon" escort, after a

five months' halt in the wilderness. I believe that strategy is uni- versally allowed in war, and I am free to say the "Mormons" availed themselves of this license. At short intervals on their night-passage through the canyons, the party was challenged, and the password demanded of them. Bon-fires were blazing down in the gorges, and the impression was made that the mountains were full of warriors; whereas, the sentries were a portion of the escort,

who, preceding by short cuts the main party, continued to chal- lenge and to pass. On their arrival, the gentlemen were met by The new gov- the retiring officials, and were pleasantly installed. ernor called upon the clerk of the court, and ascertained the truth of the statement that the records were entirely safe. He promptly reported his conclusions to General Johnston that there was no further need for the army. It was decided, however, that the sol- diers should be permitted to march through the city, and straight- way the "Mormons" began their exodus to the south. Governor Gumming tried in vain to induce the people to re- main, assuring them that the troops would commit no depredations. "Not so," said Brigham Young, "we have had experience with troops in the past, Governor Gumming; have seen our leaders shot down by the demoralized soldiery; have seen mothers with babes at their breasts sent to their last home by the same bullet; have witnessed outrages beyond description. You are now governor of Utah; we can no longer command the miltia for our own defense. We do not wish to fight, therefore we depart." Leaving a few men to apply the brand to the combustibles stored in every house, at the first sign of plunder by the soldiers, the people again deserted their homes and moved into the desert anew.

f To be concluded in next number.)