OCR Text |
Show a would take advantage of the offer-to offer-to clear out of the U. S. Clarks-ton Clarks-ton said he believed the government govern-ment would allot the Mormons several sev-eral million dollars to pay transportation trans-portation costs. He further indicated indi-cated that the federal authorities believed that if the church leaders would leave the country, one-third of the people would follow and the "rest woud settle down here and be good citizens." The church, however, appears to have had no great enthusiasm for the idea, and since the new governor, gover-nor, Alfred Cumming, was effecting effect-ing a peaceful solution to the immediate im-mediate situation, the Mormons decided to remain in the land they had built, and did so, despite an offer the following year of one-half the Kinney claim for the greatly reduced price of $100,000. ''NICARAGUA WAS SUGGESTED AS MORMON REFUGE With Central America and the Panama Canal Zone a grave concern con-cern for an America at war in 1942, it is interesting to recall one little-known chapter in Mormon history. Nicaragua, Central America, Amer-ica, was suggested as a refuge to the Mormons during their conflict with the federal government in 1857-58, according to research materials ma-terials on file with the Utah Writers' Project, W.P.A. In the spring of 1858, with the federal army encamped at Camp Scott, Wyoming, and threatening to overrun Utah as soon as suitable suit-able weather offered, the Mormons had already evacuated their northern north-ern settlements and were prepared prepar-ed to withdraw completely from U. S. territory if need be, and to leave only a "scorched earth" behind be-hind them. Across the line into Mexico was the most frequently discussed move, but there was talk also of the Pacific Islands. On the 22nd of May, 1858, another an-other possible haven for the Saints was offered when J. B. Cooper and J. M. Harbin of California, presented pre-sented themselves to Brigham Young and other church leaders, claiming to be agents for a Col. Kinney, a millionaire who had claims to most of Nicaragua. The agents had come to negotiate sale of all, or a portion, of the territory terri-tory to the Mormons. The price desired was three million dollars for thirty million acres. Negotiations continued for several sev-eral days, but Brigham Young looked with disfavor upon such a move, especially disliking the climate cli-mate and transportation difficulties. difficul-ties. Young did, however, consider settling the region with converts from Europe. A few days later a Mr. Clarks-ton, Clarks-ton, also from California, called on Young and stated that President Presi-dent Buchanan had heard of the proposal and had suspended all military movements by Johnston's forces in hopes that the Mormons |