Litchfield Enquirer

The Designs of Brigham Young.—A correspondent of the Pennsylvania Inquirer, under date of Washington, Dec. 7, 1857 writes:—

A recent interview with Mr. Bernhisel, the delegate from Utah, has enlightened me to some extent as to the designs of Brigham Young. Although this venerable patriarch is rather non-committal, yet an idea or hint occasionally slips from him, on which reasonable presumption may be predicated. It appears certain that the Mormons have in reserve, as a final place of retreat, a settlement on the borders of Upper California, which by their arrangements with some of the Indian tribes, they will be able to hold against Mexico, and which is beyond the jurisdiction of the United States. Young has used his powers as Indian Agent to curry favor with these tribes, and has them under his control. It is not probable that he contemplates a regular battle with the Government troops. He will annoy and impede them in every possible manner, destroy their provisions, ammunition and forage whenever he can lay hands upon it, and wink at assassinations, ambushes, and indiscriminate slaughter, whenever accomplished by his own people or their Indian allies. He dare not oppose our army in regular warfare, and he knows that he has placed himself beyond the pale of pardon. He is aware that Utah is no longer a safe residence, but he is determined not to retreat without doing all the mischief he can. As to human life, he is as remorseless as Nero, and teaches his people that it is no sin, but rather meritorious to kill the Gentiles. His case is desperate, and he is determined to meet it with desperation. Our crusade against the Mormons will undoubtedly result in our recovering possession of the Territory of Utah, but at great loss of life and property, while the Saints themselves will gradually disappear among the fastnesses of the mountains, to be heard of again in their gregarious condition where they can set us entirely at defiance.