Mountain Meadow

In September, 1857, mi emigrant train from Arkansas, cousisting of about 150 people, men women, and ehildren, with 40 wagons, 800 heftd of cattle, and GO horses and rnules, passed through the Snit Lako región, bound to California. Their propeartx wasvahiable, tbe procoed.s of it being nfterward dechired to exeeod $30,000. The numbers and strength of the party afïbrded protection to a train of disaffeeted Mormons, who took tliis occasion to fleo from the horrors of Snit Lake valley. Sept. 10, wtile unped in Mountain Meadow, abont 520 ]iiiles west of Salt Lako City, the emigrants wcre attacked by a bami of white people paintod and dressed like Indians. The etnigrants defended themselves with spirit after the first dash, in which thoy lost ten or twolvo men, waij made by their assailauts. Behiud their barricade of wagons they kept up suoh a vigorous fusilado that alter a siego of fivc days the enemy withdrew. The camp was nextvisited by a wagon bearing a white flag and eontaining Jacob Haight, then ono of the Presidenta of the Mormon Church, and John IX Loo, a Mormon ' lúíhop, and also adopted sou of Brigham ï'onng. These men profoRsed to be on good terms with the " Iudians," and offorod to iet as mediators in the interests of peace. It was propsed that the emigrants should march out from camp, leaving cverything bohind, including their guns. The j mon emissaries agreed to furnish a gaard thence to the setttements. These conditions were accepted. The littlo procession bogan to move, when it was fired upen by the guard, the so-called "Indians" joining. The men were first killed ; the women and chiïdren ran on a few lmndred yards and thon feil. The plunder was taitón to Salt Lake City and the adjoining settlements, and dividod. Mr. J. Forney, Superintendent of Iridian Afiairs íor Utah, testified that the church dignitaries alone received propperty estimated to bo worth $30,000. The skeletous of 120 pereons woro snbseiucntly collected on that fatal field and buried in one monnd. A pile of rocks marks the spot, and on a lingo cress, ereoted as a monument, was placed the inscription, " Vengoance is mine, saith the Lord." The Mormöns woro in a high state of cxcitenient at that time, as one of their liishops, Pratt by name, had just bren killed in Arkansas for attemptiiig to pet a woman away from hor husband. Thoy beljoved that the carth and all its fnllneas was tbe Lord's, and that thoy wore tbe Lord's saints and chosen peoplo. Acoordingly thoy hal authorizod a land of robbers, called Dttïtttes, to make the scheme look roligious. On this same ground of eomnmuism the Ticdouin Arabs l'ollow robbory as a roligious profession. Theso facts, and nnmorous other details ' of events connected with the Mountain Meadow Mas&acre, iix the responsibility of that crime nion the Mormon leaders. Indiana living southof Salt Lake related all the particulars of the afïair, implieating President Haight and Bishops Higbco and Lee. Some, also, of the Mormons engagfnl in the massaore suljBequentlv confossed their guilt. Öünimings, thon Governor of the Territory, was a wenk, rain man, and failed to givo the Uiiited States court auy support in the attempt to ferrot out and punish tUe morderéis. Judge Cradlobaugh, thon ono of the assooiato juatioes for that circuit, oponed court and endenvored to bring to justice the guilty men, who were notoriously eonspicuous in Salt Lake City. The grand jury re fnsed to indict their own l)rothren ; and when the indomitable judgo, dismissing the jury, issued bench warrauts for the arrest of the aocused persons, they fled to the mountoins until the troublé had "blown over."