Show s GEN VAN VLIETS DEAn I I REVIVES AN EPISODE OF HIS I I CARR IN UTAH His Mission From Gen Johnston t Brigham Young to Treat for Supplies Sup-plies nnd Avert Hostile Collision I Washington March 30Gen Stewart Van Vllet U S A retired died In this city on Thursday last In the SCth year of his age Gen Van Vllet was one of the best known men on the retired lst I of the army his military career extending ex-tending from tho Seminole war to the Clvll war He was retired about twenty I years ago I Mr Joseph NImmo formerly statistician 1 sta-tistician of the Treasury department In u communication to a local paper calls I atteptlon to an Incident in Gon Van Vllets career which Is of peculiar Interest In-terest to the present generation of citizens I cit-izens of Utah Mr NImmo says I I beg leave to Invite attention to an exploit ex-ploit of Gen Stewart Van Vllet in his youth which for courage skill and coolheaded cool-headed performance was not surpassed by tho icccnt exploit of Gon Funston In capturing Agulnaldo Young Capt Van Vllet was In the year 1S57 attached to Col Albert Sidney Johnstons nrmy which hnd been sent to Utah for the purpose oC suppressing BrlKlmm Youngs Mormon Insurrection against tho authority of tho United Slates Col Johnstons army having proved Inadequate to tho task of combating tho Mormon host until tho necessary reinforcements should reach him he sent Capt Van Vllet forward to treat with the Mormon authorities and possible thus to avoid bloodshed Tho mission was ono of great peril A soon as Van Vllet entered the Mormon r lines ho was blindfolded and thus taken to Salt Lako City Tho following account of his mission as stated In my communication communi-cation on The Mormon Usurpation addressed ad-dressed to tho Committee on Judiciary of the Houso of Representatives Is as follows fol-lows I was hoped oven to the last that n collision with the Mormons might be averted Accordingly an officer of ito Lcrlec Capt Stewart Van VHot of tho quartermasters department whom Secretary Sec-retary Floyd mentions In his report for c 1S57 da an active and discreet ofllcor was 17 anncto sent ahead with a small force to hold l conference with the Mormon dictator Tho mission was regarded as one of peril Leaving his military escort at Hams Fork In Wyoming Capt Van Vllot proceeded pro-ceeded with D nlnglo attendant a servant ser-vant to Salt Lako City Ho explained Brigham Young that the Intention of tho Government In sending n military force Into tho Territory was pacific that desired to establish a military It was merely dClrc establsh a ml tary department In Utah n had been done In Kansas and In Florida Ho also Informed Gov Young that the troops could only bo called upon to Interfere when the authority of the Government was set at defiance and only then na posse comltatus on tho requisition of the Governor GovCnor Van Vllet was also Instructed to purchaso provisions for the army Brigham Brig-ham Young however Informed him that the Mormons had determined to oppose all Interference of the Government In the nl Interter their Territory Ho declared that nhould Gov Gumming enter tim Territory he should send him back and flatlv refused to allow tho United States Government to purchase any supplies for tho army In Utah Capt Van suppIes lit a letter addressed to the Secretory of war upon his return to Washington stated that he heard John Taylor at the present time tho head of tho Mormon church tmo In a discourse to a audience oC 40w that nono of tho rulers oC tho earth were entitled to their position unless appointed appoint-ed to It by the Lord nnd that the Almighty Al-mighty hud appointed a man to rule over his Saints and Una mnn was Hrlgham i ounc and that thoy would hMo no one else to rule over them While Capt Van Vllet wan In Salt Lnko City the horrible Mountain Meadow massacre was perpetrated under tho lend l trohip of John D LOC an older of the Mormon church During his stay In Utah Capt Vnn VileL was shadowed l bv the DanlteB a hand 01 deapornte men employed to do l time bloody work of Brigham Young among tho apostates and offensive Gen tiles and he was escorted out of the Toi rllory blIndfolded by a detachment from that organization The gallant young Capt Van Vllet of lSj Is now and has anl been for many rears Gen Stewart Van Vllet an honored citizen of Washington Ir f will merely add that 1 received a very grateful expression of thanks from Gen Van Vllet for what he regarded an a correct cor-rect nnd appreciative account of his mission mis-sion to Salt Lako City Pie also explained to mo Hint the peril of his expedition consisted In tho fact that he was In tho hands 1 of a not of men utterly demoralized by religious fanaticism nnd unacquainted with the usages of civilized warfare HAMILTON I ILON |