| OCR Text |
Show 46 stated and the move toward expulsion began when orders were given to Daniel H. Wells to clear the Utah valley of Indians. This was in 1850, but after the Walker War an urgency was more evident. Prior experience in America had shown that the expulsion of the tribes was possible, and the effects of the expulsion were permanent. It is surprising that this expedient was not tried earlier. There were many impediments: The whites were not sure where the Indians should be placed; the Federal government alone had the power to create Indian reservations; and the Mormons were at odds with the Federal officials. These were the years when the Mormon dreams of empire were still at full tide. It was the Mormon hope that if they could delay many of the decisions they would be in a better condition to control events at a later date; this proved to be a forlorn dream. Another urgency of a less speculative nature bedeviled the Mormons. Chief Tintic , whose band occupied an area to the west of Utah Lake, was also carrying on a hit and run series of attacks- mostly food gathering forays, but some angry defenders along Utah's western tier of settlements were killed or wounded. Complicating the matter far more than any other factor, however, was the deteriorating relationship tfetween the federal govern- 5lbid, |
