THE MORMON WAR.
From the St. Louis New Era, Sept. 22.
More Bloodshed.
If we are to believe the current accounts from the seat of the Mormon War, things at last dates appear to be drawing to a close. The steamer Die Vernon arrived yesterday, bringing down a number of passengers, many of whom are said to be Anti-Mormons fleeing from the wrath to come. The most authentic statement now is, that the Mormons, headed by the redoubtable Backenstos, High Sheriff of Hancock county and keeper of the peace in general, have got the upper-hand and are about to have all the sport of slaying the Antis to themselves.
It is said that he has issued another Proclamation, No. 3, which has struck such consternation into the Anti- Mormon Army of Gen. Williams, and so completely hor-rified the inhabitants of Warsaw, that the largest propor-tion of the Army has deserted, and the citizens of War-saw fled in all directions. The following piece of war news we found attached to the manifest of the Die Ver-non ; it sounds a good deal like a great deal we have heard before ; what reliance is to be placed in it, those who read it can best determine :
"Two companies of Mormons, one under Mr. Wil-liams and the other under Mr. Miller, were encamped on Friday about eight miles from Warsaw, and avowed their determination to visit Warsaw next day. The whole Mormon force was about five hundred, and Back-enstos, the Sheriff, had made a requisition on Nauvoo for six hundred more, who were to be down on Saturday. On Friday the Sheriff sent a communication to Colonel Williams requiring him and the other leaders of the mob to surrender themselves to be dealt with according to the law, and give up the State arms, in which event he (the Sheriff") would not proceed farther, but upon their refusal he would put every one to the sword ; they were allow-ed till twelve o'clock on Saturday to answer. Most of the citizens of Warsaw and Col. Williams's men had crossed to the other side of the river to wait for assist-ance. The house-burning and other depredations upon the Mormons had ceased."
There will be bloody work, in marching 500 men into Warsaw, and upon their refusing to surrender he would put every one to the sword; but if the army of the anti-Mormons have nearly all deserted, and all the inhabi-tants of Warsaw fled, who. will this second Nero find to wreak his vengeance upon ? Certainly, he will not turn about and slay innocent persons ; nor is it probable that he will cross over into Missouri after the Antis. We never had much confidence in these Bombastes Furioso accounts of Mormon wars, but there are a great many persons who are fund of war, and by their partiality for the horrible are led astray. We suppose that when Sh eriff Backenstos marches into Warsaw and finds none of the rioters there, that he will march out again with-out producing a civil war.
