"As early as last spring threats were made by the Mormon authorities toward certain parties, not Mormons, then doing business of one kind or another in Salt Lake City, looking to the forcible entry of their premises and the destruction of property without due process of law. These threats were of a general character, and it was believed that, under cover of breaking up certain places where disreputable business was carried on, it was the intention to destroy other establishments of a different character, but interfering with certain monopolies of the city and church patriarchs. To prevent this, the local military commander, under constructive orders from Gen. Sherman, called upon Brigham Young to exact a promise that no violence should be done to private property without due process of law, which, after some hesitation, was obtained. Matters progressed smoothly until the adjournment of Congress, for, fearing the effect on that body of any violent measures inaugurated against gentiles, Brigham kept his promise strictly. But no sooner did the telegraph flash across the continent the announcement of the adjournment of Congress, than his pent-up wrath broke forth, and he openly urged the policy of violence toward the gentiles. With regard to the public lands, he said repeatedly that he owned land, and plenty of it, and any man who attempted to 'jump' the same should have 'a preëmption title which would last till the resurrection.' This was called forth by the fact that a number of locations had already been made by discharged soldiers and others upon unoccupied land lying along the west bank of the Jordan River, contiguous to Salt Lake City, and there was considerable talk of many others following in the same course, induced by the prospective coming of the Pacific Railroad, and a desire to obtain as eligible situations for homes convenient thereto as possible. But the idea of allowing gentiles to settle in any considerable numbers in the vicinity of Mormon communities is totally at variance with the well-understood policy of the leaders, and must, therefore, be prevented by every possible means--else, what would become of polygamy? Hence the hostility of Brigham Young to any such scheme as they contemplated, for in it he scented danger to his favorite institution, and hence, too, his threat of death to 'land jumpers.'