FROM SALT LAKE CITY.
We have details of the news from Utah to the 2d in-stant, The Mormons had received tidings of the military preparations of the Government, but the news had ex-cited little alarm. The tone of Young's organ is confi-dent and boastful. Federal office-holders are affection-ately informed that Utah is not a desirable abiding place for them, and that "they will not find it congenial to their health." Governmental appointments for Territo-ries are denounced in unmeasured terms as a relic of barbarous colonial usage. The Nauvoo Legion, consist-ing wholly of Mormons, is changed into a corps of in-fantry, Brigham having suggested the abolition of caval-ry. We make the following extracts from the Deseret News, showing what the Mormons think of the public opinion in the States against them :
"We are fully aware that President Buchanan and his Cabinet cannot be presumed to know the qualifications of all who are hounding them for office and a clutch at the spoils, and are thereby liable to have their best intentions frustrated. But they do know that Utah unanimously and of right wishes and respectfully petitions that his Excellency Brigham Young be continued to be her Gov-ernor, a man long and thoroughly tried and proven to be most worthy. And what American citizen, having a duo respect for the constitutional rights and welfare of the people, will so much as ask for the appointment in Gov-ernor Young's place, or even accept it if proffered with-out being sought ? Not one. Neither can any intelli-gent person, unmaddened by party frenzy, uncontami-nated by love of office and spoils, and possessed of only a tolerable respect for the rights and feelings of others, be so wicked and malicious as to urge President Buchanan t o appoint any officers in Territories, save those indicated by the choice of the people dwelling therein. Any gov-ernmental appointments for Territories, more than for States, is at best but a relic of barbarous colonial usage."
"But the universal yell is, 'President Buchanan must do something with the Mormons.' Not yet knowing how long and how well he may be able to withstand the ter-ribly clamorous and unjust outside pressure, and we being known to be on the side of economy as well as justice, we most respectfully suggest, in case he cannot withstand the pressure, that he select one or more civil-ians, unbound by any ism or isms, if such can be found, also intelligent, strictly honorable, upright, and gentle-manly, in the true sense of those terms, and; send them to Utah on a short visit to look about them and see what they can see, and return and report."
"Not having a paper large enough and of a grade of character low enough to render it compatible to print therein all the slanders against us which arrived in a six months' mail, President Brigham Young notified the con-gregation, on Sunday, the 7th, that if they would like to hear what was published about us in the States they would manifest it by assembling in the Bowery by 8 A. M. on the morning of the 13th. The President caused the whole six months' batch to be collected, and required two excellent readers to be present at the time and place appointed, who read by turns, for nearly four hours, the printed productions of frenzied, beclouded, and addled brains to an immense congregation of the purest and noblest people to be found on the whole earth ; and could editors, scribblers, and sneer-makers have seen the smiles of derision and speech of disgust with which their lucubrations and studied obloquies were received by each intelligent hearer, it might seem that they would have been tempted to turn their time, efforts, and publica-tions into a channel that would, in some small degree, benefit their fellow-beings."
"Who that reflects does not understand that the hue and cry, the dust, the howling and braying against 'fair Utah' are for buncombe, to subserve the designs of most selfish and debased plans ? Who outside of Utah and seeking office therein cares one particle about her prosperity and welfare ? Not one ; no, not one. That they want office, grave as is that offence, is one of the very smallest evils that can be laid to their charge, for when it is obtained they far too frequently use its privileges for the purpose of more effectually trampling upon the rights of their fellows."
"Do they fancy that we, American born and raised, are not familiar with what is our due ? Do they even wildly imagine that we do not most thoroughly under-stand the Constitution of the United States, and are not conversant with the statutes at large, at least so far as applicable to Territories ? The most virulent newspa-pers have admitted that we are informed upon these points, and that by the Constitution and laws of the United States we are beyond their reach, never having in the least infringed upon nor contravened the pro-visions thereof. But all this does not answer their pur-poses, when the 'Mormons' are in question. Ah, what a difference as to which bull gored which ox ! With the law, the Constitution, a large majority of the judges of the Supreme Court, and every applicable correct usage of our Government, from its beginning, upon the side of Utah, still 'something must be done' with those terrible 'Mormons.'"
"We most readily admit that something should be done for the 'Mormons.' After having been plundered and driven into these barren wastes, they should by every principle of justice be conceded the election of their own officers, the entire regulation of their internal affairs, and the uncontrolled privilege of worshipping their God in obedience to his commandments. And during its next session Congress should admit Utah to the family of the States, and in the plenitude of their power pour in the 'oil and wine,' healing, and strengthening where oppression has bruised."
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
