S14 THE MORMONS AT INDEPENDENCE. 



with : for the rich and beautiful uplands in 

 the vicinity of Independence might well he 

 denominated the 'fjjarden spot' of the Far 

 West. Their principal motive for preferring 

 the border country, however, was no doubt a 

 desire to be in the immediate vicinity of the In 

 dians, as the reclamation of the ' Lost tribes o^ 

 Israel' was a part of their pretended mission. 

 Prior to 1833, the Mormons, who were then 

 flocking in great swarms to this favored region, 

 had made considerable purchases of lots and 

 tracts of land both ui the town of Independ- 

 ence and in the adjacent country. A general 

 depot, profanely styled the ' Lord's Store,' was 

 established, from which the faithful were sup- 

 pUed with merchandise at moderate prices; 

 wliile those who possessed any surplus of 

 property were expected to deposit it in the 

 same, for the benefit of the mass. The Mor- 

 mons were at first kindly received by tlie 

 good people of the country, who looked upon 

 3iem as a set of harmless fanatics, very su^ 

 ceptible of being moulded into good and 

 honest citizens. This confidence, however, 

 was not destined to remain long in the as- 

 cendant, for they soon began to find that the 

 com in their cribs was sinking like snow be- 

 fore the sun-rays, and that their hogs and theix 

 cattle were by some mysterious agency ra- 

 pidly disappearing. The new-comers also 

 drew upon themselves much animadversion 

 in consequence of the immorality of their 

 lives, and in particular their disregard for the 

 sacred rites of marriage. 



