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Show 43 are mostly foreigners inured to servitude, and have never learned their true relationship to our government. But many of them begin to see how they have been duped by a set of lying missionaries and would gladly cast aside the galling yoke but for fear of the Priesthood and it is this class whom their leaders would gladly see torn to pieces by the ruthless band of the savages rather than see their return from them and expose the unkindness of their secret designs. It has been my object to introduce a policy, which would be calculated to enable both classes to appreciate the relationship they occupy, as well as to the settlers themselves that a more wise and durable policy should be established among them. The fertile valleys along the base of the mountains, from which they ever derived their subsistance are now usurped by the Whites, and they are left to starve or steal, or to infringe upon the Territories of other bands.1 But Hurt was not only complaining to his friends in the East. He was so blunt to his superior Brigham Young that his letter proved to be a source of later difficulty. The following quotation is from a very long letter which illustrates the point: But I desire to allude more particularly to the course which has been pursued toward the Indians in the immediate vicinity of the settlements in Utah. Having become fully satisfied >of the impracticability of sustaining peaceful relations with these tribes, by a course of policy which, instead of bettering their condition., tended rather to lull them into supineness, and leave them in the end in a worse condition than they were when we found them. I was admonished of the necessity of adopting some more practical course for their civilization. Prior to my report of December 31, 1855, it became evident that our relations with the Utahs were of the most delicate character; and but for the timely intervention of propositions which I made them for designating certain tracts iDr. Garland Hurt to John Elliott, October 4, 1856, in Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-1881. Utah Superinten-dency, l849-l880. Microcopy 234, Roll. No. 898. (includes 1856-I858), (Hereinafter referred to as OIA, Utah with date given). |