[From our Regular Kansas Correspondent.]
UTAH AFFAIRS.
Arrival of the Utah Mail- Affairs at Salt Lake City- Observations of a Gentile there- The Mormons Apostatizing- The War a Grand Humbug- Brigham Young's Power Waning- Wretched Condition of the Women and the People Generally- Governor Cumming- A Gentile Newspapwer, etc.
LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, Monday, August 16, 1858.
To the Editor of The Boston Journal:
The Utah mail, with news from Salt Lake City to July 24, is just received. It came through to this city in twenty-two days. It contains little intelligence of special interest. All was quiet at the Mormon capital. Governor Cumming and the other officers were there, and the inhabitants were pursuing their ordinary avocations. Large numbers of the Mormons were constantly apostatizing. The crops were coming in well, and prices of living (said to be higher than in any other city in the world) were rapidly reducing.
An old acquaintance who came through with the mail, after spending six months in Utah, gives me some interesting facts. His impression is that, though some excitement may occur whenever the regular session of the U. S. District Court commences at Salt Lake, there will be no more serious trouble. The Mor-mons, he is confident, will not fight, cannot fight, and never intended to fight. He considers the extensive preparations made for a long and bloody war a grand humbug and useless expenditure on the part of our government. There are less than five thousand men in the Territory capable of bearing arms, and the arms in the hands of the Mormons are not sufficient for half that, number. He believes that at least two thirds of them will abandon the Mormon superstition and go over to the Gentiles, now that they can do so with safety.
The population of Salt Lake City is estimated at 15,000; that of the Territory at 45.000. He was greatly disappointed in the resources of the country, and deems it almost useless for agricultural purposes. The expense of irrigation (without which nothing can be produced) is so great that he thinks many years must elapse before it will be cultivated to any considerable extent.
Since the people have returned to the city and ac-cepted the pardon of the President, the "Gentiles" find no difficulty in obtaining lodging and the comforts of life at reasonable rates. The order of Brig-ham Young to the faithful, that they have no dealings with the Gentiles, is entirely disregarded; and the power of the prophet is greatly on the wane.
Salt Lake City, with its regular blocks often acres, each irrigated, and containing a single residence of adobe brick, is described as a very beautiful town. The condition of the females is the most lamentable feature of Mormon life. They seem to have lost all delicacy and all personal pride; and look upon them -selves as inferior beings, quietly taking the place and submitting to the treatment of slaves. They are gen-erally women of very inferior capacity; and the tale of there being many refined and educated ladies among them is regarded as worse than apochryphal. The condition of the common people is wretched. Poverty and filth prevail among them. They labor hard, and, deprived of all the luxuries of life, find great difficulty in obtaining its necessities. Their clothing is very meagre, their toil severe, and their ar-ticles of subsistence are few and coarse. They find in the city of Salt Lake a woful contrast to the Paradise which they were told existed there.
My friend was greatly surprised at the inferiority of the leading men among the Mormons. Brigham Young and his associates he regards as possessing some low cunning, and a vast amount of audacity; but utterly wanting in those qualities which constitute great leaders in any ordinary condition of society. He speaks of Gov. Cumming in terms anything but complimentary, both as regards integrity and executive ability.
A "Gentile" paper is about to be established in Salt Lake City, by a gentleman formerly connected with the St. Louis press.
The ride from Salt Lake City to the Missouri river is excessively fatiguing; and the men and animals who came through, though escaping attack from the Indi-ans, were nearly devoured by the mosquitos. The stage fare from Salt Lake to St. Joseph, meals and lodging included, is two hundred dollars. A. D. R.
