and the trouble and disaffection must increase unless wiser measures
are adopted. The Superintendent, I am reliably told, visits tribes, holds
talks, and makes great promises which he by no means fulfills. Such a
course, you are aware, must of necessity fire the Indians, engender dis-
trust and [p. 4] disappointment, and naturally result in the loss of prop-
erty and life. The conduct of many of the emigrants towards the Indians
is also very unwise, and between the troops, the Superintendent, and the
emigrants, there is great prospect that many emigrants will fare badly.
I am sorry that District Attorney Wilson makes use of liquor alto-
gether too freely for his own good, and much to the annoyance of the
kind feelings of his amiable and excellent wife. I am informed that
he had expended upwards of $4000, since his marriage, and that now,
after disposing of several articles, he is unable to pay his board bill and
other indebtedness contracted here. These matters I much regret, for
his official conduct had been very upright and honorable, as also his
private walk, with the exception named. The Hon. W. H. Hooper, with
9. C
edar Fort was a small Mormon outpost near Camp Floyd. Following the attack on August 15, Young directed Zerubbabel Snow to gather affidavits before the memories became “cold and forgotten.” The affidavits conflict as to the number of attackers (ranging from two to five) and whether the assailants were soldiers from Camp Floyd or local gamblers in military attire. The affidavits agree that significant gunfire was exchanged between the intruders and residents and that the assailants set fire to the hay and corrals. See Young to Snow, August 24, 1859, BYOF; Cedar Fort depositions and affidavits, BYOF.
10. In a typical comment, soldier John W. Phelps disparaged Mormons to his wife: “A Mormon Lady would be something, I imagine, if it existed, like a circular triangle, or a round square . . . . the great majority of them [Mormon women] are low, ignorant, and degraded, and have come here merely because the men came. And the men, generally, came either to escape the consequences of past crimes or to indulge in them with impunity for the future.”
See Phelps to “Dear Levine,” April 13, 1859, John W. Phelps papers, New York Public Library.
340
the prophet and the reformer
his characteristic liberality, has kindly furnished a carriage, team, driver,
&c for the comfortable conveyance of Gen. Wilson and wife to the
Frontiers, from which point he purposes if necessary, to defray their
expenses to the home of Mrs Wilson, or to Washington, or both, as they
may choose. I am in hopes that the rest of the officials will have means
enough of their own to enable them to leave the Territory. Gen. Wilson
does not appear to be fortunately adapted to succeed in a new country,
and will with difficulty meet the ordinary expectations of his profession
in an old one, though he will probably succeed the best, if any where, in
a region last specified. The company expect to start [p. 5] on the 20th
inst., and Gen Wilson and lady leave with my wishes for their success
and best welfare, for Mrs Wilson, so far as I can learn, has demeaned
herself worthy the character of an industrious, intelligent, wholesouled
woman, and the Gen. is his own worst enemy.11
His Excellency, the Governor, preserves his habits of good living and
drinking, and also continues in that consistent, straight forward, high
minded official administration which characterized his entrance into
our city, which prevents his making those ridiculous blunders, to use a
mild term, which so often mark the course of Government appointees
in Utah; although he suffers himself to be intruded upon in his official
capacity in defending the rights of the people, but you are familiar with
his peculiarities. It is certainly to be desired that all officers would con-
duct in their respective offices with the propriety, integrity, and regard
for the rights of all that have been manifested by Gov. Cumming and
Gen. Wilson.
Judge Sinclair began an adjourned term of his court in this city on
monday, the 12th and is using good diligence in the trial of the few
criminal cases on the record, and is said to exhibit an [p. 6] unusual
courtesey in his demeanor and remarks. You will learn particulars of
court proceedings, in this and Judge Eckles’ District, from the reports
published in the ‘News’ and [‘]Mountaineer,’ of which you will receive
files per hands of our Delegate.12
11. In J
uly 1860, Alexander Wilson was appointed an associate justice of Utah. See “Affairs in Utah,” New York Times, July 13, 1860, 2.
12. See “Third Judicial District Court,” and “Chief Justice Eckles’ Court,” Deseret News, August 10, 1859, 4, and August 31, 1859, 4, for examples. Latter-day Saints established The Mountaineer as a corrective to The Valley Tan. See Robert Fleming, “The Real Utah War: The Mountaineer’s Efforts to Combat the Valley Tan” (M.A. thesis, Brigham Young University, 1996.)
Young to Kane, September 17, 1859
341
The Judges, with most of the army to help them, from the begin-
ning, all the time, except the few days of Judge Sinclairs adjourned term
now in progress, have constantly striven to find plausible pretexts for
entrapping the innocent, caring not a groat for the apprehension and
punishment of the really guilty, as Gov. Cumming has plainly seen
and told to some of them. On the strength of such support, and with
the general understanding that such things are winked at if not sus-
tained by our Government, drunkards, gamblers, and whoremasters
swagger in our streets, spewing forth their vileness; prostitutes begin
to show their brazen faces and barter their bodies upon our walks in
open day;13 and officers and soldiers in Camp Floyd occupy their lei-
sure from drill, camp duty, gambling, drinking, and low debauchery, in
pouring forth threats, vile slanders, and outrageous tongue abuse con-
cerning American citizens “in the peaceful pursuit of their avocations,”
notwithstanding the promises of the Peace Commissioners, and Gen.
Johnston’s empty sounding Proclamation “To the people of Utah,” June
14. 1858.14 Colonel, how long [p. 7] do you think Brigham and I15 can
endure such rascally treatment and practices? And if the Judges, with
the exception of Sinclair’s course during this week, conduct as they
have, and President Buchanan and the powers that be, who claim the
right, will not abate the evil how long will it be ere the principles of a
righteous self defence will compel us to pick up those Judges and send
them outside our borders where they belong? Hunting the innocent
and setting traps for their feet, while the guilty roam at will, must and
will find a limit, regardless of how many Christians it may offend.
The army is encamped close by Fairfield, is distant only five miles
from Fort Cedar and securely sheltered from Indian aggressions by
13.
Salt Lake City authorities outlawed prostitution in 1858, perhaps in response to the Utah Expedition, which led to an increase in prostitutes, particularly around Camp Floyd. See Jeffrey Nichols, Prostitution, Polygamy, and Power: Salt Lake City, 1847–1918 (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2002), 26–27, 84–85.
14. Johnston had assured the Sai
nts that “no person whatever will be in anywise interfered with or molested in his person or rights, or in the peaceful pursuit of his avocations; and, should protection be needed, that they will find the army (always faithful to the obligation of duty) as ready now to assist and protect them as it was to oppose them while it was believed they were resisting the laws of their government.” See Johnston to the People of Utah, June 14, 1858, in Message from the President of the United States (Washington: George W. Bowman, 1860), 2:121.
15. The use of the phrase “Brigham and I” is puzzling. Young’s diary notes that he spent the day dictating letters or memoranda to Kane, George Q. Cannon, Asa Calkin, and William Hooper. Young, diary, September 18, 1859, CHL.
342
the prophet and the reformer
being nearly surrounded by our settlements, affording, in its position,
no protection to travelers, but operating to demoralize the nearer set-
tlements and to encourage demoralization in those more remote and
to foment and sustain principles and practices contrary to good order.
Except upon the supposition of great ignorance, or the most bitter
enmity mixed, in many, with a reckless selfishness, it is really difficult
to account for an army’s being sent to Utah, and then encamped within
the protection [p. 8] of her settlements. And it is still more difficult to
account for troops being kept in Utah to stir up the Indians, imbitter
feelings by a continual tirade of unjust and outrageous remarks, watch
and foment every the remotest pretext for embroiling the citizens and
Government, and encourage and protect every species of theft, lawless-
ness, drunkenness, corruption and debauchery, unless it be upon the
untenable grounds of gratifying an entirely mistaken national pride, and
the cupidity of a few speculators, contractors, and plunderers of the pub-
lic treasury.16 How long must these things be? Until the mountains and
plains are filled with strong and daring bands of highway robbers, and
travelers upon the great thoroughfares across our Continent dare not
and cannot pass? Taunts slander, and foully unjust hunting and hound-
ing by those who are enlisted, paid, and sworn to protect our rights can
not and will not be endured forever, and it behooves those in power to
better themselves and take immediate steps for equally guarding the
rights of all, irrespective of sect, creed, or party. Right must supplant
wrong, both in principle and practice, throughout Utah, throughout our
Nation, and throughout the world.
I take the liberty to recommend and commend the Hon. W. H.
Hooper, the bearer of this letter, to your kind notice, and also to ask for
[p. 9] him your wise counsel in all matters upon which he may wish to
consult you, assured that your active spirit and comprehensive experi-
ence will find their gratifying scope in thus assisting to secure and per-
petuate those acts and principles tending to ameliorate the condition
of human beings. With the harmonious and able efforts of our friends
Col. Thomas L. Kane, W. H. Hooper and George Q. Cannon, I can but
feel that our interests and rights in the States and in Congress will be in
very responsible and efficient keeping, and opposition to justice must
16. While strongly upset with the conduct of the imported “
camp followers” and some
soldiers, Young thought Johnston “pretty well” held them in check. Young to Asa Calkin, August 18, 1859, BYOF.
Young to Kane, September 17, 1859
343
be strong indeed if some of the official and army evils under which we
suffer are not ere long abated.17
Our two merchandize trains18 and nearly all of our this years immi-
gration have arrived, the mdz in good condition, and the people in good
health and spirits. Contrary to many howling statements in newspapers,
only about 200 have left while some 2000 have arrived during the sea-
son; and many of those who have left already wish themselves back.
Pres. Kimball is about starting an oil factory, and Pres Wells has
taken in hand the two [p. 10] nail machines just imported,19 while others
are busily engaged either in running or preparing to run the sugar mills
brought in by our train, all tending to give varied employment and keep
our money at home, from which you perceive we are not particularly
slack in our efforts for developing our skill, capital, and other resources.
I hope you have found our highly esteemed friend, George
Q. Cannon, a gentlemanly and able assistant under your counsel, and
trust that you will have no occasion for disappointment on his behalf.
My health, that of my family, and of the people generally, is good.
Presidents Kimball and Wells and your many sincere friends in Utah
bespeak, or would were they all present, the kindest remembrance to
you, and you need not an assurance that yourself, your most estimable
wife, your dear children, your mother, brothers and friends ever enjoy
the best wishes for your welfare of
Most truly your Friend
Brigham Young
P. S. The opportunity for trusty conveyance is so rare that I have
written frankly and somewhat [p. 11] lengthy, and cheerfully confide
this letter to your prudent and honorable discretion, it being written for
your eyes alone.
B.Y.
17
. Hooper informed Young that he had not seen Kane by March 1860 and that “Cannon has seen but little of him.” A week later, Hooper again wrote Young, informing him, “I heard last night through Brother C. of our Philada friend and am gratified to learn that he approves of my course here.” Hooper to Young, March 6, 1860 and March 12, 1860, BYOF; Cannon to Young, March 26, 1860, BYOF.
18. On the importance of the arrival of these early merchant trains to Salt Lake City, see Tullidge, History of Salt Lake City, 378–384.
19. Utilizing a hydraulic press at City Creek, Heber C. Kimball constructed an oil mill that produced linseed oil from flax seeds. Daniel H. Wells built his nail shop in Big Canyon Creek.
See Stanley B. Kimball, Heber C. Kimball: Mormon Patriarch and Pioneer (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1981), 221; “Valuable Improvements,” Deseret News, November 16, 1859, 8.
59
Young to Kane, December 15, 1859
on JulY 24, 1859, Kane informed Young that he had discussed with President
Buchanan and Attorney General Black the calling up of federal troops by ter-
ritorial justice John Cradlebaugh in Provo in March 1859 to investigate the
Mountain Meadows Massacre and other crimes. Kane informed Young that
both Buchanan and Black had pressed him for more information on the mas-
sacre and advised Young to send a confidential letter that Kane would then
show to Black. Following Kane’s instructions, Young sent the following letter,
which complained of the attempts by both the press and government officials
to link the Saints to the massacre. Young strongly denied personal involve-
ment in the massacre and complained of Cradlebaugh’s infringements on
Mormons’ rights.1 Before the letter’s arrival, George Q. Cannon wrote Young
in mid-December that Kane was “anxiously” awaiting “a letter from you in
answer to his, requesting affidavits and evidence concerning the Mountain
Meadows Massacre. . . . He was catechized by the President on these points.”2<
br />
Cannon also stated that Black had recently contacted Kane about the mas-
sacre. Indeed, in November 1859, Black asked Kane to read Cradlebaugh’s
report, which asserted a connection between the Mormons and the massa-
cre.3 In his response, Kane put on the persona of an impartial outsider and
remarked to Black of his wish “to put an end to this mixing up my name
with Mormon concern.” Nevertheless, Kane repeated the initial Mormon por-
trayal of the massacre as solely the responsibility of American Indians, citing
1. Kane to Y
oung, July 24, 1859.
2. George Q. Cannon to Young, December 13, 1859, BYOF.
3. Kane’s wife Elizabeth wrote, “Mr Black sent him papers about the Mountain Meadows Massacre and asked if he could give any facts in favor of the Mormons. I think he ought to write anything he can say.” Elizabeth W. Kane, journal, November 13, 1859, BYU.
Young to Kane, December 15, 1859
345
his conversation with Kanosh, a Pahvant chief who blamed Indians for the
massacre, and his own observations of the “wicked and degraded” Indians of
southern Utah. Speaking to Black as a fellow Democratic insider, not as an
advocate for the Mormons, Kane urged him to support the removal of troops
from Utah. “The Mormons certainly cannot complain” of the soldiers’ pres-
ence, as they were “fattening on the camp slops so famously,” but both the
Democratic Party and the soldiers would benefit from the army’s removal.4
Just as he had believed Mormon denials of plural marriage until 1851,
Kane accepted their explanation, buttressed by Kanosh’s statements, of the
Mountain Meadows Massacre. The grisly details may have seemed too atro-
cious to attribute to some of those whose cause he had long championed.
Nevertheless, the crime had been committed by a branch of the Mormon mili-
tia in southern Utah, acting without orders from leaders in Salt Lake City
and assisted by local Indians, who had attacked a wagon train of Arkansas
emigrants headed for southern California and had slaughtered more than 120
individuals.5
The Prophet and the Reformer Page 50