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Show 135 citizens north of Ogden were to locate in Ogden. In these stages, a l l the people north of Utah County, well over half of the population, were to be evacuated into the South. 49^ A small army was to be l e f t behind to begin the destruction of property when the time came, or defend the Saints if necessary. There was more than defense involved in the move south. President Young was also waging an intensive public relations campaign aimed at the American public. The prophet was very conscious of the impact t h i s policy might have on the public. He f e l t t h a t , despite strong anti-Mormon sympathies in the nation, the people had no t a s t e for the blood of innocent women and children. Brigham Young's move south had been carefully calculated to create the image of a poor and persecuted people being driven before a relentless, bloodthirsty army. Stout mentioned t h i s strategy in his summary of the March 18 "council of war," but, even from the beginning, Young was well aware of the importance of public opinion. In a l e t t e r to David Evans on September 16, I857, while discussing the policy of avoiding bloodshed if possible, he claimed: "this course will give us great influence abroad."5° To enhance this image, be ordered the press of the Deseret News moved t o Fillmore on April 6. The next California mail was t o take a paper dated from there to the states. The other press was t o go d i r e c t l y t o Parowan, with the succeeding California mail carrying a newspaper from that point. 5 1 The i l l u s i o n would thus be created of an innocent people being pushed ever southward by the heartless army. The f i r st number of the Deseret News rolled off the press at Fillmore on May 5, according to schedule. Speaking of the more south to George A. Smith on April 12, Young remarked, "I think t h i s movement we are now making will cause a reaction In the Gov't policy. "52 I t h a d already been learned on April 2 that the Senate had rejected President Buchanan's recomendation t o increase the army by four additional reg- |
