Salt Lake City, U.T.
May 21. 1872.
Hon. Wm. W. Belknap,
Sec. of War; War Dept. Wash. D.C.
Sir,
A certain Congressional document reached me to-day, containing official copies of two letters, -- one signed by C.M. Hawley, Associate Justice, &c. -- the other by Gov. George L. Wood, both of Utah, bearing date respectively, Jan. 12. 1872. As the subject matter is contained in those letters, is calculated to create very erroneous impressions, I take this liberty of respectfully calling your attention to a few facts in contradistinction.
Judge Hawley alleges that at a place called "Knob," (meaning I suppose "Kanab") "the Gibraltar of Church fellows, there are one hundred and twenty men thoroughly armed, and where the leaders of said massacre have taken refuge." This settlement, at the time alluded to, contained in all some twenty families,--farmers and stock-raisers--and at no time, were there more than thirty white men there. A peaceful, rural district, as unlike, in every respect, to a "Gibraltar" as can well be imagined. And the allegation that "there, the leaders of the Mountain Meadow Massacre have taken refuge," is as unwarrantable and malicious, as it is unbecoming in the judicial officer, who, expecting to try that case, officially declares beforehand, that certain parties there are guilty, and calls upon the highest military authority for military power to enforce his decision.
In 1858, when Alfred Cumming was Gov. of U.T. I pledged myself to lend him every assistance in my power, in men and means to thoroughly investigate the Mountain Meadow Massacre and bring, if possible, the guilty parties to justice. That offer I have made again and again, and although it has not yet been accepted, I have neither doubt nor fear that the perpetrators of that tragedy will meet their just reward. But, sending an armed force is not the best means of furthering the ends of justice, although it may serve an excellent purpose, in exciting popular clamor against the "Mormons."
In 1859, Judge Cradlebaugh employed a military force to attempt the arrest of those alleged criminals. He engaged in all about four hundred men, some one hundred of whom were civilians, reputed gamblers, thieves and other camp followers, who were, doubtless, intended for jurors; (as his associate Judge Eccles had just done in another district,) but these, accomplished absolutely nothing, further than plundering hen roosts and rendering themselves obnoxious to the citizens on their line of march. Had Judge Cradlebaugh, instead of peremptorily dismissing his grand jury, and calling for that military posse, allowed the investigation into the Mountain Meadow Massacre to proceed, I have the authority of Mr. Wilson, U.S. prosecuting attorney, for saying, the investigation was proceeding satisfactorily, and I firmly believe, if the county sheriffs, whose legal duty it was to make arrests, had been lawfully directed to serve the processes, that they would have performed their duty, and the accused would have been brought to trial. Instead of honoring the law, Judge Cradlebaugh took a course to screen offenders, who could easily hide from such a posse under the justification of avoiding a trial by court-martial. It is now 14 years since that tragedy was enacted, and the courts have never tried to prosecute the accused; although some of the Judges, like Judge Hawley, have used every opportunity to charge the crime upon prominent men in Utah, and inflame public opinion against our community.
I do not wish to be understood as opposed to the erection of forts in Utah, that is the business of the government and not mine; and all officers of the regular army who have ever quartered here, can testify to the cordiality of their relations with our citizens, only marred when such characters as Judge Brocchus, Drummond, Cradlebaugh, Hawley and others, have by malicious misrepresentation sought to create disturbance, and it is not improbable the same efforts may be made with these troops at Beaver. That is what I am opposed to, and wish to prevent.
The assertion that "a point at Beaver City would be the proper place to do most service to the country in preventing Indian raids," is well known to be incorrect, and is, obviously, a mere pretext. This care for the Mormon settlements against Indian raids is no new thing, and viewed in the light of facts, it looks savagely insincere. The late Gov. Shaffer had by proclamation, prohibited all gatherings of militia in Utah and when in 1871, a large, armed band of Navajo indians suddenly fell upon Kanab,--where there were not more than 10 white men, and a number of women and children--professedly to trade for horses, but in reality to steal them -- a runner was dispatched to the end of our telegraph, and a message sent to Gen. Erastus Snow, commanding the militia in Southern Utah. Gen. Snow telegraphed to Gov. Wood, (Shaffer's successor, and the endorser of Judge Hawley's letter,) asking what he should do in the premises, but received no reply. The General waited some 3 hours and telegraphed again; this time requesting the operator personally to wait upon his excellency for an answer to these telegrams. The reply to the operator was "I shall do as I like abut answering it." or words to that effect, but he made no reply whatever to Gen. Snow. As the situation was critical, some 20 men were immediately dispatched to Kanab, and others scattered out immediately afterwards.Those 20 men appearing from opposite quarters impressed the indians that they were surrounded, while they were in the very act of lassoeing the horses, heedless of remonstrance. The Governor's callousness was not calculated to win the respect of our citizens, and the call for troops to locate at Beaver for their protection, in the midst of populous settlements perfectly safe from indians, and about 140 miles from the most proper point for defense, they doubtless regard in its true light.
I have taken the liberty of writing this to give you the facts just as they are.
Yours with respect
Brigham Young
Ex. Gov. and Ex-Officio Supt. Indian Affairs, U.T.