History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

SLAVE-TRADERS. 475
the governor, for in the spring an emeute had already
been threatened, and was only prevented by the
prompt measures of Brigham, who visited the Indian
camps in person, and for a time averted the outbreak.
Among the causes that led to disturbance with the
Utahs was the presence of trading parties from New
Mexico, who supplied the Indians with horses, firearms,
and ammunition, often taking in exchange Indian
women and children, who were afterward sold into
slavery. 67 To remedy this evil, an act was passed by
the Utah legislature in 1852, le^alizinor the enforced
apprenticeship of Indian children, but only for the
purpose of inducing the brethren to purchase those
who would otherwise have been sold to the Mexicans
or abandoned by their parents. 68 So frequent were
which encountered a band of 20 or 30 Indians near Pleasant Creek, and killed
six of them. On the night of August 10th a party under Lieut Burns, encamped
on Clover Creek, was attacked, and one of them wounded, several
animals being lost. On the 17th four men, who were hauling lumber near
Parley Park, were fired on and two of them killed. Deseret News, July 30,
Aug. 25, 1853; Wells' Narr., MS., 56. Sept. 30th, four men on their way
to Manti with ox teams loaded with wheat were killed and mutilated at
Uintah Springs. Oct. 2d, eight Indians were killed and others captured in a
skirmish at Nephi. Oct. 4th, two Mormons named John E. Warner and
William Mills were killed at the grist-mill near Manti. Id., Oct. 15, 1853.
Oct. 31st, news of the Gunnison massacre was received at Salt Lake City by
letter from Capt. Morris. Id., Nov. 12, 1853. For other accounts of Indian
disturbances, see S. F. Herald, Sept. 30, Dec. 24, 1853; S. F. Alta, Aug. 27,
Sept. 30, 1853; Olshausen's Mormonen, 186-7.
67 In the Deseret News of Nov. 15, 1851, it is stated that a copy of a license
granted to one Pedro Leon, dated Santa Fe", Aug. 14, 1851, and signed by
James S. Calhoon, superintendent of Indian affairs, was shown to Willard
Richards, who states that on the 3d of that month Leon, with 20 Mexicans,
was at Manti, for the purpose of trading horses for Indian children, and
that two other companies were about to follow. Wells, Narr., MS., 23, and
Richards, Hist. Incidents of Utah, MS., 25-6, state that the Utahs were in
the habit of stealing children from the Piutes and selling them to Mexican
traders. The latter relates that Arapeen had a stolen child who was taken
sick, and as the savage could not sell it, he took it by the heels, swung it
round his head, and dashed out its brains. The act was witnessed by several
Mormons, who were only prevented from shooting him on the spot through
fear of provoking a general uprising. By virtue of his authority as governor
and superintendent of Indian affairs, Brigham Young forbade all trading of
this nature, and told the Mexicans that their license was not valid. Hist. B.
Young, MS., 1851, 115.
ti8 In the preamble it is stated that the purchase of Indian women and chil-
dren by Mexican traders has been carried on from time immemorial; that it
is a common practice with Indians to gamble away their women and children;
that the captives thus obtained, or obtained by war or theft, were often carried
from place to place, packed on horses or mules, lariated out to subsist on
grass or roots, bound with thongs of rawhide, until their feet and hands were