The Brigham Young Center

G. S. L. City, Nov. 1, 1859.

Elder Jacob Gates

care of Pres. A. Calkin,
Liverpool, England,

Dear Brother:-- Since your departure upon your mission, affairs in Utah have progressed without the transpiration of any very noticable event. The detachment of U.S. troops stationed on Bear River have returned to Camp Floyd, and the troops there are quietly pursuing the routine of camp life. Money in circulation is daily becoming scarcer, the stores are full of goods, the people are generally pretty well supplied, and traders look blue over full shelves and small and slow sales. Ferguson, who you recollect killed Carpenter (both new comers) and had his trial and sentence before the U.S. Court for this District, was duly executed by the U.S. Marshall on the 28th ult. Not the leas disturbance of any description occurred at the execution. Further particulars and details of current events you will learn from the papers forwarded to the Liverpool Office.

It being deemed proper to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve, also that in the Senior Presidents of the Seventies, the First Presidency and Twelve met in the Historians Office, on the afternoon of October 23, and unanimously elected br. George Q. Cannon to fill the first named vacancy, and br. Jacob Gates (yourself) to fill the vacancy caused by the apostacy of Benjamin L. Clapp.

We have had the pleasantest weather, thus far this fall, I ever experienced here or elsewhere, and as a consequence, br. Kimball is progressing rapidly with his oil mill, and br. Wells with the nail factory, while the fine cane mills we have are crowded night and day, and probably will be for some weeks to come.

Your Brother in the Gospel,

Brigham Young