Resolved, That
the Secretary of War be requested to communicate to the
Senate what steps have been taken, if any, to punish the
parties implicated in the massacre of one hundred and
eighteen emigrants to California, at the Mountain Meadows,
in the Territory of Utah.
There being no
objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. GWIN. I have
not called attention to the subject-matter embraced in
this inquiry before this for the reason that I had
supposed that a military expedition would have been
organized in California for the purpose of cooperating in
Utah Territory with Colonel Johnston. When it is
considered that a force composed of as fine a material as
the world affords could have left California, and long
before this could have traversed half their journey to
Salt Lake City, it cannot be denied, if the Federal
Government need additional troops in Utah, that my
supposition had some foundation. Contrary to my own ideas
and vote, the executive authority has been denied by
Congress the increased military means which were asked;
and hence it is now apparent that no large force can be
sent from California to Utah.
I am afraid that
in this we have committed a grave error. I am afraid that
if the Federal arms should be resisted by misguided and
rebellious men, the power and dignity of our country will
not be vindicated by so imposing a force as the serious
necessities of the case may require.
But, sir, I am
induced by reasons peculiar to my position as Senator from
California, to invite your attention to the incidents
referred to in my resolution.
In September
last, an emigrant train, composed of fifty-six men and
sixty-two women and children, according to the best
information that I can procure, were passing through Utah
Territory, on their way to my own State. They were on our
own soil, engaged in no unlawful pursuit; and yet, Mr.
President, they were all murdered except a few children. I
am unable to give to you the details of this horrid
massacre, as they still remain shrouded in mystery. All
that I can tell you, sir, is that one hundred and eighteen
American citizens, including in this number sixty-two
women and children, have been massacred without cause, and
that as yet their blood is unavenged.
It is true, sir,
that this outrage was not committed within the limits of
California, or we, ourselves, without awaiting the tardy
action of the Federal Government, would have sought and
obtained a bloody vengeance; but the murdered victims had
an intention to become Californians. They had left their
homes in what you call the Far West, and, gathering their
household goods, had taken up their march for our golden
land of promise. Nay, sir, when they had reached the fatal
Mountain Meadows, their longing eyes could almost behold
the snow-covered peaks of our mountain ranges.
In all that
constitutes unity of feeling and interest, they had become
citizens of California, and as such, sir, as a Senator of
that State, I am here to ask an account of the blood of my
constituents.
As I before
remarked, the details of this awful massacre are not
known. There is no doubt that the various Indian tribes in
the vicinity of the Mountain Meadows were the immediate
agents in this butchery; and, sir, it is lamentable to say
that, in the opinion of many well-advised parties, the
Mormons themselves were their instigators and approvers.
Upon this point no such positive evidence has been
received as would justify me in asserting positively that
they were guilty; and charity will gladly avail herself of
any doubt which would hold our common nature to be free
from so horrible a crime.
It is true, sir,
that an intelligent and respectable meeting of citizens of
Los Angeles, after an examination into the facts,
expressed their deliberate conviction that the Mormons
were equally guilty with the Indians, and asked the
interposition of the President.
But, sir, there
is no doubt that the Indians are culpable, and whether
their guilt be shared by the Mormons or not, still their
responsibility is the same, and the exactions of vengeance
against them are undiminished.
Mr. President,
since the Americans commenced to travel over the plains,
since our hunters and adventurous trappers penetrated the
remote valleys and gorges of the vast country lying
between the Mississippi and the Sierra Nevada, since the
Indian tribes between the Oregon and Sonora lines first
heard the American name, no such reverse, no such loss,
has been inflicted on us as the destruction of these one
hundred and eighteen emigrants. We are accustomed to pity
the poor Mexicans along our frontier line who suffer from
the fierce inroads of the Camanches and Apaches; but, sir,
the sad history of their border warfare will show but few,
if any, more mournful and disgraceful massacres than the
one of which I am speaking.
The intelligence
of this massacre has spread throughout the numerous Indian
tribes. The impunity with which it was effected, and the
richness of the plunder that rewarded it, will be
incentive to similar acts. Heretofore, when American
citizens traveled together, particularly in large numbers,
no Indian tribe would dare to attack them, for fear of the
vengeance of a Government represented to them as strong
and warlike; but, sir, if this matter be permitted to go
unavenged; if this reverse be unrepaired, our prestige is
destroyed, and new and more frequent massacres will take
place.
We are now
opening up the center of this continent, we are crossing
it with wagons roads and mail lines, and unless we crush
these vile and savage tribes with a strong hand, we expose
to dreadful massacres our citizens, invited to travel in
these inhospitable regions by our own action.
I have before
remarked that these emigrants were murdered without cause.
There was a report, derived from the Mormons, that the
emigrants had poisoned the Indians back at Corn creek; but
investigation has proved this statement to be utterly
unreliable, and I have no hesitation in stating my belief
that it is a calumny on the unburied dead. Yes, sir, on
the unburied dead! No Christian has ever extended the
rites of sepulture to the bodies of these victims; and an
American who traveled near there, in a Mormon train, a few
days after, was informed, by Mormons living in the
vicinity, that it would be unsafe to attempt their burial.
Therefore, sir, I
ask that the Secretary of War may be charged to
investigate this matter. If this be proved true, I hope
that an expedition will be sent from southern California
to inflict upon the guilty parties a vengeance so summary
as to be talked of with terror in every wigwam in the
great Salt Lake basin.
MR. HOUSTON, I
think the resolution would be more perfect if it were to
require an inquiry to ascertain who did this act to find
out first who perpetrated the act. Before we punish them,
I think we had better ascertain who they were.
MR. GWIN. We know
that our fellow citizens were murdered. There is not one
left to tell the story.
MR. HOUSTON. Some
persons killed them. The Mormons are suspected of it. Some
Indians must have been in the vicinity. Now, Indians
frequently go several hundred miles to start an expedition
for the purpose of killing the Indians resident near that
place; and Indians from another quarter may come there,
and be inculpated and brought into jeopardy, while those
who committed the crime escape. I think the inquiry would
be more proper to ascertain who perpetrated the act, and
not make war without any foundation.
MR. GWIN, It is
well known that the Indians in the neighborhood had a part
of the spoils. That has been ascertained. They were
implicated; they ought to be punished, and every one to
whom it can be traced. I have no doubt that an expedition,
if sent there, could soon ascertain the tribe of guilty
Indians, and the white persons, if any, who instigated it,
as has been charged.
MR. HOUSTON, That
would be very unsatisfactory evidence, because Indians
traffic, as well as white people, and exchange
commodities. The murderers may have stripped them, and in
passing back may have disposed of the articles to the
tribes contiguous to where the massacre was perpetrated. I
am opposed to this indiscriminate warfare upon Indians, or
Mormons, or any other people, until their guilt is
ascertained. I want the facts as to who perpetrated the
crime ascertained, and then inflict punishment according
to the offense. But to imagine that somebody has done it,
and therefore that some one must be killed or massacred in
retaliation, is not the way to retaliate; it is the way to
produce war by inflicting chastisement, as they call it,
on people who have perpetrated no offense on the
Government. That is the way our Indian wars are kept up.
The Treasury would be drained by hundreds of millions
annually, if every occasion of an outrage were immediately
to be redressed by falling upon the first Indians upon our
extended frontier that are suspected, or upon any tribe,
because they had in their possession articles taken on the
occasion of a massacre.
A resolution
requiring the Secretary to ascertain and to report the
facts, I should be glad to pass; and if it can be
ascertained who were the perpetrators of the deed, inflict
upon them a punishment commensurate with their offense;
but do not fall indiscriminately on the Indians who are at
peace on our borders, and thus provoke hereafter the
massacre of perhaps ten for every one that has fallen. We
know that the Indians, if they can, never go unavenged of
injuries done to them, and you may attack an innocent
tribe that had no participancy in this transaction, and
inflict on them a great wrong. Redress on their part is
the consequence, and other innocent persons have to fall
victims to this indiscriminate mode of warfare that we are
conducting on our frontier.
MR. GWIN., I did
not think that a member of the Senate of the United States
could be found who would object to punishing what we know
has been one of the most outrageous massacres that has
ever been committed in the country. What does the Senator
propose? That we shall make inquiries; that is to say,
send persons there to be murdered as these emigrants were.
I ask that a force shall be sent there that shall punish
these persons, an they will only punish them when it is
ascertained who they are. That is what I propose. I want a
force sent there of sufficient power to inflict the most
condign and summary punishment on these murderers, who
have massacred men, women, and children, American citizens
passing peacefully through the country, and then, after
they are murdered and left unburied, bring forth a false
accusation that they had attempted to poison the Indians,
as some excuse!
It is a charge
which has never been sustained by any testimony. All that
I ask is that the murderers shall be punished. I do not
want innocent Indian tribes attacked, and I do not expect
they will be attacked. They have made this attack on
American citizens. On nearly the only emigrant route now
open to California this massacre has taken place. We hear
a great deal of sympathy for the massacres of citizens by
the Apaches and other tribes of Indians, but there is
nothing like this atrocious deed in the history of our
country. Not one of the whole party of one hundred and
eighteen was left. They only spared a few children under
five years of age, in order to make slaves of them; all
the adults were murdered so that they should not have an
opportunity to divulge who committed this terrible crime.
I want force to be sent there to make the inquiry, and
then to inflict punishment. That is all I ask.
MR. FOOT. I move
to postpone the further consideration of this question and
all other orders, and that the Senate now proceed to the
consideration of the bill for the admission of the State
of Kansas into the Union, which was the unfinished
business yesterday.
MR. GWIN. Does
the Senator from Texas object to the passage of the
resolution?
MR. HOUSTON. I do
not, if the gentleman will amend it in such a way as to
ascertain
THE VICE
PRESIDENT, The Senator from Vermont is on the floor and
has made a motion.
