G. S. L. City, July 18, 1862.
Captain Walter M. Gibson
Lahaina, Hawaiian Islands,
Dear Brother:
I have no unanswered letter from you awaiting reply, but presume that a few lines from Utah will not on that account be any the less welcome.
Since my last to you, May 16, home affairs have continued in their accustomed grooves of peace and prosperity, without being jostled by those spicy and exciting events now characterizing news from the East.
By our latest dispatches it appears that the prospects of the North's conquering the South are much poorer than they have been at any time since the war began. Gen. Butler was at New Orleans with a very disproportionally small force, the yellow fever had made its appearance in that region, Baton Rouge had been re-taken by Van Dorn, gueurillas in strong bands were successful in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee, Halleck's army was doing nothing, the Federal troops had withdrawn from James Island near Charleston, speeches had to be made in Fauneuil Hall, Boston, and in Union Square in New York City, to arouse the spirit of volunteering to supply the President's call for 300,000 more men, and Mr. Clellan was cooped up in a very hot locality on James River. These circumstances, contrasted with the relative numbers, wealth, and facilities of the two parties, plainly indicate an ordering of events that neither party in the least comprehends or recognizes.
While writing the foregoing a letter from br Eveleth came to hand with yours to him of May 27, inclosed; its perusal afforded much gratification to myself and your friends here. We were much pleased to learn that you had been blest in establishing so good a feeling between yourself and the native brethren and that so many of them were being baptized; we hope that steadily increasing numbers will continue steadfast in the covenants they have made.
Misrepresentation, suspicion, and opposition were of course not unexpected by you, and we perceive that both yourself and the native brethren have been successful in meeting your opponents with much patience and wisdom, a course we trust you will be constantly enabled to pursue, and to unweariedly persevere in well-doing, confidently leaving results in the hands of Him who is now ordering all things for the advancement of His purposes on the earth. Though seemingly you have to contend against wind and tide, and all manner of opposition from the wicked, yet by patient waiting and laboring you will find that deliverance will in due time be wrought for all who persevere in the truth.
We all rejoice that you have been so greatly blest in your agricultural lab giving you ability to comfortably provide for so many essential wants, and could wish that ere long you may have better facilities for grinding your grain than are furnished by "a little dollar coffee mill." Our wheat harvest has begun and crops of all kinds look promising, the late, wet spring and unusually high waters having done but little damage, except to kanyon roads and some low grass lands.
We learn, by telegram from my Nephew Joseph W. Young, that two of the six companies sent to Florence arrived there, on the 12th inst. Probably two more are there ere this, and the remaining two we presume are not far from there Our this year's immigration, so far as reported, will amount to nearly or quite 5000. In addition to people, the trains sent from here will bring a considerable amount of woolen, cotton, and other machinery, besides moderate supply of a few staple articles not yet produced here in sufficient quantity.
The brethren in our "Dixie" are very industrious and contended, and are turning particular attention to greatly increasing the production of cotton, for the manufacture of which we expect an additional amount of machinery by way of San Pedro, Cal., if it cannot be got ready and at Florence in time for the plains.
Throughout the Territory the people are diligent, prosperous, and increasingly faithful and zealous of good work; and the large emigration passing through here in quest of gold, &c., seems to have but little effect in producing anything like a kindred excitement in the minds of those with whom they come in contact here. Whether the people will prepare themselves to be ready to arise and go forth and begin to build the New Jerusalem, as rapidly as the Lord is clearing the way, remains to be seen; but certain it is that the great majority are striving with their mights to do right and all the good they can.
Please to give my love to Bro's Napela Kalepolipo and the other Native Elders associated with you in the work of the Ministry, as also my faith and good wishes to the Saints throughout the Islands.
Praying that you may be blest in every righteous desire and effort and ever by guided and sustained in the way of all truth, I remain
Your Brother in the Gospel
Brigham Young