LETTER FROM SALT LAKE.
[FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, April 28, 1862. Having just learned that the Indian interrup-tion of the mail service on the eastern portion of the route is likely to cause a temporary change of running on the line west, I have con-cluded to give you a letter this morning rather than be behind usual time, and the more especially so when your Eastern communica-tions are cut off, and we are here in the center of the world, where we know everything that is going on in the world below, the world above and the world to come, or at least as much of them all as is conveniently good for our tender minds; and to all that we hear something of Indians doing terrible things, and many other worse things that they are going to do, and which, by-the-bye, we do not believe they ever intend to do. Whether or no, so much for prelude, preface or introduction, and now for
The Indian Troubles.
When last I wrote to the UNION our qui vive was wholly consecrated to looking after tele-grams from the Eastern Mail employes, agents, and Superintendents. Telegraphic communica-tion is an excellent institution—when all men are sober sides, and can calmly hear of a dozen fights, fearful and terrific, and report them "nothing extenuating or aught set down in malice;" but oh, it is a curious institution for nervous folks! Rivers of blood and mountains of Indians rush into bona fide existence and the end of the world is near at hand, "even at the very doors," or, as the case may be, at the very stage or station door "from which I telegraph.” But never mind that; the electric jottings came thick and fast and all exceedingly crimsony: to be brief, white manish, "forked," or popu-larly "rather mixed."
I sent you the latest telegrams up to the mo-ment of closing my letter, including that giving an account of the attack upon the nine men—employes and one passenger, near Split Rock. Lem. Flowers and his companions, who were then so seriously wounded, have been since brought slowly on to Pacific Springs station. They are yet alive, but hopes of the preserva-tion of their lives are said to be exceedingly meager. No other attacks have been reported—not that I have learned. One stage had been out some time and nothing heard of it; but that might be all right, as the excitement and terror had cleared the road from straggling communicants, and the regulars had been taken off the road.
Superintendent Eaton made a requisition on Governor Fuller for armed protection to the mails, Company's property, the lives of the cit-izens, etc., to which His Excellency immediately responded by calling for a company of the mounted men to go out on the road till they were met and supplanted by the regulars com-ing from the East. Everything indicated the transportation eastward of passengers and the piled up mail under that protection. Joseph Holliday ("Ben's" brother), the agent here, was very anxious to send out, and arrangements were being consummated, when Eaton sent positive orders to send neither mail nor passen-gers eastward; that they had taken the stock off the road, and until further orders the coun-try would not be traveled.
The Minute Men Take the Plains.
The Mormons, with their usual faith in Prov-idence—when duty says go—gave another of their characteristic illustrations of pluck. Ea-ton had said no more passengers—no more stage; but Senator Hooper had to go to Wash-ington, and Brigham had said, I presume— "Go; peace be with you and the Lord bless you." That was sufficient. Hooper bought an outfit next morning, and a company of twenty mounted "Minute Men" were in the saddle and at Governor Fuller's door, reporting readi-ness for service on Saturday morning. His Excellency made a brief but very eloquent ad-dress. Told the "b'hoys" that he had been telegraphed for men and had called them out, and they did themselves honor by their prompt response to the call of duty, were indeed "Minute Men." They were to protect the mails, Government property, and do any service that they could to assist the Mail Company, and to protect its property or to re-cover it, and to save the valuable lives of citi-zens of the United States. He had telegraphed to Washington, and would do his utmost to see that they should lose nothing which their willing service entitled them to. Frank Fuller is an eloquent, man, honest and honorable, and easily understood. I think so. Hooper and Bishop West only availed themselves of the escort, and those disappointed by no mail stage going out are still here—among whom are one or two from California and Nevada.
The Minute Men are under the command of Col. Robert F. Burton, Sheriff of the county, with Brigham Young, Jr., Adjutant. The com-pany is composed of picked men, the cream of the regiment that could be spared. Brigham has sent two of his own sons and a son-in-law, and Heber has two of his sons in it. They'll take through Hooper, or I am terribly mistaken! Caste is a great thing. A Mormon who would turn his back upon duty is a used up coon, so I predict they'll run the gauntlet rather than show the feather. En passant, let me say that the Mormon chiefs never let slip a chance of placing their sons in the front of danger—they never say "Go ;" its all the time "Come," and I think it is excellent policy. These scions of the old stock have a "destiny," and the chiefs know the influence of deeds.
I do not pretend to pass judgment upon Eaton's peremptory order not to send the mail; but I think with others that where twenty-five or thirty brave men will risk their lives, he might have risked a little mule flesh and sent through a mail-stage under such an escort, and had the Governor been sustained and had want-ed four times more men, he could have had them for escort, and three times more to keep the road clear, yet it may be all for the best. The latest telegrams from the East announce troops, any amount of them, coming westward, so again, let me add, California need not be troubled about this road being interrupted for any length of time. Why I persist in this, I will tell at another time when I have learned from those who have gone out, the real condi-tion of the Eastern route and its Indian troubles. Meantime, the stock not stolen will be refreshed and ready for quick Summer trips, and our mails will go through in schedule time and take pas-sengers also.
Salmon River Mines.
A company from Nevada, for Salmon river mines, came in by the western stages last week, and are fitting out to start in a day or two. I had conversation with several of them who strongly commend the route through this city. They can fit out here and pay their stage fare cheaper than to go by the other route. From Carson here is only six days and a few hours; flour is all the time from $3 to $5, and every-thing else in like proportion—save goods im-ported from the States that are always high. The distance from here to the mines is what I stated before, and the road good. I have heard of measured distances being in somebody's pos-session; if I can get my hands on it I will give it in an early letter. Meantime the Salt Lake route is going to take the lead. We have an idea that Salmon river map makers in San Fran-cisco have no spite at the northern steamboat companies—they have put the new gold fields and the river high enough up on the maps. But that may be only a wicked suspicion.
The Memorials to Congress.
Senator Hooper and his colleague, Senator Cannon, are the bearers of two memorials, the one from the Convention, the other from the Legislature, praying for the admission of Des-eret into the Union of States. They are read-able documents, and here they are: MEMORIAL.
To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representa-tives of the United States, in Congress assembled: Gentlemen: Your memorialists, the citizens of the United States in the Territory of Utah, by their Dele-gates in Convention now assembled, respectfully present this their memorial, humbly praying for admission into the Federal Union, as a "free and sovereign State," under the name and style of the State of Deseret, with the Constitution herewith presented.
They do thus the more boldly urge their admission into the family of States, knowing that their claims are based upon their constitutional rights, upon constitu-tional law and upon their native and inherent franchise as American citizens.
The people of the United States, for themselves and their posterity, established a Constitution to secure alike to one and all the blessings flowing therefrom. Wher-ever American citizens are to be found on American soil, or that portion of it over which the jurisdiction of the Constitution is extended—however few their num-ber—there and to them is the right given and to all their future generations bequeathed to say who shall govern them, and to have a voice in the enactment of the laws by which they shall be governed. If this fran-chise, great, glorious and sacred as it is, be worth any-thing, it is a franchise that the dividing lines of States or Territories cannot annul.
Your memorialists maintain that self-government is an inherent right of every American citizen, nay, that it is the birthright of every man, bequeathed to him by the Almighty Dispenser of all good gifts. The citizens of Utah enjoy not this right. The executive and judicial departments of the Territory are made up of strangers alike to her customs, her history, her wants and her interests.
It has been contended in favor of Territorial Govern, merits that the pioneers to new territory, in considera-tion of their numerous privations and the wants and expenses incident to the formation of new settlements, require and are entitled to the fostering care and char-itable aid of the parent Government. But shall it be held as sound doctrine by American statesmen and jurists that such care and aid are to be held as an equiv-alent for the liberty of the citizen? or that the holy birthright as freemen born for self-government should be exchanged for a mess of pottage? That such care and aid, however, are not required by the citizens of Utah, your memorialists would respectfully call your attention. No trouble or expense is considered burden-some when all is done by the "consent of the gov-erned."
The isolated condition of Utah, far removed from the national Capital, and the growing importance of her position as the joining link between the Atlantic and Pacific States, should give her, apart from other consid-erations, a strong claim to be at once introduced and numbered among the family of States.
The number of the population could not be claimed as a barrier to the admission of Deseret—her population is ample; but were it not half its present number, still that cannot be an impediment. "The Constiution," said the present honorable Secretary of State, "does not prescribe 93,700 or any other number of people as necessary to constitute a State." "The Constitution," he says in the same speech (April 9th, 1856), "pre-scribes only two qualifications for new States, namely: a substantial civil community and a republican Govern-ment." Both of these are claimed by your memorial-ists for Deseret.
Why should Deseret be denied the privileges granted to other States which have been admitted? Call to mind, gentlemen, what Utah has done toward the na-tional welfare. Has she lain in sloth and idleness since 1847? or have political wranglings taken the place of industry and the pursuit of the peaceful arts? Let her fruitful fields, her public and her private buildings, her settlements, scattered over five hundred miles from North to South, thriving with numerous populations and musical with the hum of industry, the telegraph and the Overland Mail, let these testify in contrast to the bleak, barren deserts found by her pioneers—then the resorts of wild beasts and wilder Indians.
The Constitution herewith presented being genuinely republican, Congress having no power from the Consti-tution to deny a proper application for admission into the Union, but the full power to admit, and indeed the duty imposed upon them to guarantee unto all the States a republican form of government, the universal call from the citizens being in favor of a State govern-ment, the right of representation with taxation being undeniable, and knowing by experience their ability to sustain themselves in a State organization, your memo-rialists humbly ask, and respectfully claim as their un-questionable right, to be admitted into the Federal Union or family of States, under the title of the State of Deseret, feeling assured that when they ask for bread from the granaries of freedom, you will not give them a stone quarried from the crumbling ruins of co-lonial despotism.
The bearers of this memorial, and of the Constitution and proceedings of the Convention, with the docu-ments pertaining to the State organization and proceed-ings of the General Assembly, are the Senators and the Representative who will be elected in accordance with the Constitution adopted by the Convention; and they are hereby authorized to make the necessary applica-tion to each House of Congress for the admission of this State into the Union, and we bespeak for them the candid hearing and consideration of your honorable body, of the aforenamed and such other matters as they may present before you, pertaining to the interest and well being of this rising State, trusting that you will accord unto them the seats in the national councils of our common country to which the partiality of a loyal people have unanimously elected them.
[Here follow names.] *
MEMORIAL.
To the Honorable the Senate and House of Repre-sentatives of the United States of America, in Con-gress assembled:
Gentlemen: We, your memorialists, the members of the General Assembly of the State of Deseret, respect-fully state that our peculiarly isolated position, the well proved inadequacy of a Territorial organization to meet the wants of a rapidly increasing population, now numbering from eighty to a hundred thousand, a dis-position to lessen Governmental expenditures when they are of necessity so great, and an earnest desire to enjoy those inherent, inalienable and constitutional rights guaranteed to every American citizen, have in-duced the citizens of Utah to unanimously and consti-tutionally organize a State Government, preparatory to their admission into the Union as the "State of Dese-ret ;" wherefore, your memorialists most respectfully solicit your honorable body to favorably consider this our petition, and, at as early a day during your pres-ent session as other important duties will permit, take action admitting the State of Deseret into the Union on an equal footing with the original States in all re-spects whatever."
Adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Deseret, on the 17th day of April, A. D. 1862.
JOHN TAYLOR, President of the Senate.
A. P. ROCKWOOD, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
T. W. ELLERBECK, Secretary of the Senate.
WILLIAM CLAYTON, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Local.
Our local is but little diversified—nearly all Indian talk. Theater now in the hands of the carpenters, and all available force to have this thing finished by the 24th of July, the great anniversary of Mormon Independence, i.e., the day that Brigham entered the valley in '47. An almighty good dance is expected, notwithstand-ing high thermometers. "Jim Dick," one of the Western stage drivers, got his arm broke last week. Horses drew him off the "boot," and in his anxiety to hold on to the lines, the wheel horses did Jim's left arm serious injury and otherwise scratched him. He is getting round. Jim's from Stockton. Large prepara-tions are being made for sending out assistance to the emigrants coming from the East; deep snows, and not Indians, Keep back the train. Trains are being fitted out for Carson, and, re-port says, Salmon river. Butter and eggs are being called for. LIBERAL.
