in relation to the civil officials. It was to prevent possible and even probable spoliation and massacre, by a prejudiced and reckless military force, some of whom, backed by press, pulpit and public opinion, were boasting as they marched of their blood-thirsty and libidinous designs, that Brigham Young opposed their entry into. Salt Lake Valley. It mattered not to him what claim was made in relation to their coming. It was with stubborn facts that he had to deal. He had seen what armies of anti-Mormon zealots, political and religious crusaders, could and would do. He had had some experience with military posses, and knew the acts of which they were capable. He had no more confidence in General Harney and his troops than he would have had in General Lucas and his militia, or in Colonel Brockman and his regulators, had they again entered the field against the Saints. He did not propose to witness, if he could prevent it, a repetition of the horrors of Far West and Nauvoo. He would not quietly submit, either to be treacherously murdered, as was Joseph Smith after meekly surrendering himself, or to see an armed force, steeped in prejudice and hatred, and sustained by the sentiment of hostility then prevalent throughout the nation, turned loose to work its will upon a disarmed and helpless community. He determined to resist the army as long as possible, hoping meanwhile that the Government would see its error, or at least order an investigation, upon which the troops would be withdrawn before an actual collision had taken place. If that failed he was resolved to utterly lay waste the land, to have his people set fire to their cities, and retreating en masse into the mountains or the southern wilderness, leave a second Moscow blazing before the eyes of a victorious yet vanquished foe. As the Russians retreated before Napoleon, as the Gauls burnt their country before Cæsar, the Saints were determined, if pushed to the extremity, to apply the torch to their houses, farms and fields, the beautiful homes created by their industry, and converting the oasis into a desert, for their enemies to divide amongst them if they desired, to start upon another exodus-God alone knew whither-in quest of the priceless boons of peace and