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Show 258 The pardon was considered by most of the Mormon delegation to be a studied insult which, according to their own observations, contained forty to fifty false accusations. Brigham Young was also extremely disappointed when he learned that the commissioners had not come to investigate the truth of these charges, many of which Governor Cumming had already admitted to be obviously untrue. The church president ripped the administration, while at the same time denying any hatred for the government itself. The constitution was sacred; only corrupt men in office defiled it. Eventually the meeting developed into a harangue of the injustices perpetrated upon the Mormon people in Missouri, Illinois, and Utah. In short, the Mormons refused to play the part of a defeated people with a knife at their throat. The real negotiations were accomplished during the evening in private interviews between the commissioners and Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Daniel H. Wells, and George A. Smith. Although the content of these meetings is not known, it was here that tbe issues were confronted and resolved. The church leaders had no illusions about the necessity of allowing the troops into the valley, but they held out for the best deal they could get. The thorny issue of where to put the troops and how to keep them from interfering with the citi&< sens was at last worked out. It was agreed that the Mormons would not oppose the entry of the troops into tbe valley, allowing them to fulfill their orders; but they were not to make camp until they bad crossed over the Jordan River west of the city. The Utah Expedition was to establish its camp in remote Cedar Valley, thirty-five miles southwest of Salt Lake near present-day Fairfield, Concern was also voiced over the protection of persons and property, but the commissioners guaranteed the strictest order and discipline of the army. The meetings of the following day were largely for show. At 10:15 A.M. the Council House was again thronged with people, and speeches were made giving ac- |