272 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



It is true, there was a settlement of Mormons at Salt Lake, but this 

 cannot bo considered to have been anything more than a mere halting 

 place, to rest and temporarily recruit the weary disciples of that faith 

 while on their long pilgrimage from the navigable waters of the Mis- 

 souri to the Pacific coast; and tlie final centralization of the "Latter 

 day vSaints'" exodus in the great interior basin may be regarded as the 

 result of one of those unforseen occurrences by which the most sagacious 

 human plans are foiled and entirely baffled by counteracting liuman 

 agencies, in furtherance of the designs of the Ruler of the destinies of 

 men. 



Conclusive evidence is obtainable to show that the 3Iormon Imjlra set 

 out from the Mississippi Valley with the purpose of finding a lodgment 

 on the Pacific coast in Alta California, a province then held in the feeble 

 grasp of Mexico, and in the occupancy of a sparse and unsuspecting 

 population, powerless to resist the invasion of the hordes of semi-religious 

 zealots who had compacted their organization in bloody persecution, 

 amid the smoking ruins of Nauvoo, and self sanctified by martyrdom, 

 were but repeating history when the)' found themselves so disturbed in 

 the enjoyment of their peculiar doctrines in a hostile, domineering com- 

 munity, that they were forced to turn their ej'es toward the setting sun 

 for a new Canaan. 



Of all countries within their reach none promised the isolation required 

 in so eminent a degree as California, as this portion of the globe was 

 seldom visited by aggressive civilization. Indeed, fifteen years since, 

 California news found its way to the Atlantic coast by the "hide drog- 

 gers," which doubled Cape Horn and twice crossed the equator in their 

 tedious journey. 



An advance colony of the Mormons had already penetrated the desert, 

 and, scaling the Sieri*a Nevada, established themselves on the rich plains 

 of San Bernardino, in the southern part of Alta California; and the ship 

 Brooklyn, following the devious route of the " hide droggers," had, 

 about the same time, landed a numerous community of the Saints at 

 Yerba Buena, now San Francisco. These two events occurred simul- 

 taneously with the gold discovery, the news of which, spreading abi-oad, 

 set in motion toward the new El Dorado representatives of ever}' nation 

 and clime. Thus, while the Mormons were mainly seeking to reach the 

 promised land by the slow, tedious overland route, swift-fl^'ing steamers 

 ploughed the solitudes of the ocean, between Panama and San Fran- 

 cisco, bearino; on their crowded decks multitudes of men of all trades 

 and professions. AVith the landing at San Francisco of the first steam- 

 er's ])assengers, tliere landed also with them an organized American 

 society, in fall force and vigor, to work out its inflexible purpose of 

 dominion. 



The establishment of American society and customs in California was 

 rot the result of groioth—^\t was a sponfcwet't//. On landing upon the 

 shores of the newly acquired territor}', men fell into the em])loyment8 

 which had previously become habitual, or that labor to which circum- 

 stances and their versatility gave them adaptation. Thus, agriculture, 

 the mechanic arts, literature, politics, law, diviuit}' — all the professions 

 in vogue in older communities — were at once resumed. 



"With the gold discovery disappeared every hope the Mormons may 

 have entertained of founding an empire on the Pacific coast, Avhei-e isola- 

 tuni alone could shield them from responsibility to the oirtraged moral 

 sentiment of modern civilization. And thus, perhaps, has been averted 

 the spectacle of a power which, with its (sanction of jjolj^gamy, sows 



