G. S. L. City March 7, 1864
Hon. J. F. Kinney, M. C.
Washington City, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Since my last, of Feb. 17, Your welcome favors of Jan 27 and 28, and Feb. 4 and 9 have come safely to hand; also, besides several Globes, Your Bills for treaties with the Indians and for payment for Indian depredations.
The paper mill is again running, and in this week's "News," the first for some weeks, are printed in full your chastisement of Wood for his base slander of Utah and his lame defence, as taken from the Daily Globe; and the telegrams of Toombs and Wood, taken from the New York Post. Their perusal afforded much gratification to all Your constituents, so far as I have heard, and your course and sayings, under the circumstances, were very pleasing to me, and are worthy of having a good effect, if anything good can be appreciated in the atmosphere you are laboring in.
Your interview with Secretary Stanton must have been quite amusing, but after all maybe the Secretary and General Wright imagined that the infringement of Camp Douglas upon the rights of citizens as to water, range &c., is more than counterbalanced by the expenditure of Greenback's for the support of the diggers on the Bench. If so, and if an extravagant expenditure of means and a reckless waste of human life, for little or no benifit, are the objectives sought to be attained, then indeed is the General a very fitting commander, and his diggers are very properly located. For did not he reject Mr Sharp's bid to supply flour at $8.00/100 a hundred, and is he not paying Mr Jennings $15 00/100 a hundred for flour? And, though rejecting bids, is he not paying $35 00/100 a ton for hay, instead of twenty or twenty five dollars a ton? &c., &c., And did not his conduct at the battle on Bear river prove his recklessness of human life? And has not that and other conduct on his part so alienated the feelings of his command that only some half dozen, at latest date, have responded to his solicitation to re-enlist? Now if Secretary Stanton and General Wright wish the funds of the Tresury squandered in high prices paid to residents in Utah, far from the seat of war, and wish a large body of troops kept inactive here when they are so much needed elsewhere, it is no marvel that they do not remove the General and his diggers to where they and their cost may be of some use to the country in this her time of trial. Not that the General could probably be of much use any-where, for I am informed that he is so ignorant and oppressive that even the privates dispise him; but those who are, perhaps, in the estimation of the Secretary and General Wright, recommendations for his being retained here. All this is into our hand-we are making money out of it. And I am told that as to their being loyal, most of his soldiers go so far as to hurrah for Jef. Davis and indulge in other secession acts and proclivities, but perhaps that is all right in their case.
Please present my kind regards to Mr. Zavely, and my thanks for his courtesy and kindness to you.
I learn of nothing in your course and conduct but what is proper, honorable and commendable. Of course our addmission rests with the mind of Him who directs the affairs of the children of men, and He will dictate and overrule the affair to His own good pleasure. <W?>Therefore be of good cheer, for we shall certainly be pleased with the result, which ever way he may order it. And, while the result is pending, we shall, as heretofore, observe the Constitution and all good, wholesome and Constitutional laws, and shall endeavor, from time to time, as the Lord may open the way, to guide affairs to His honor and glory and the consequent well-being of the human family.
Your letters come so regularly, and mine to you so invariably miss, that I strongly suspect that mine are opened and read, and then, which is extra dastardly, are not so much as sent after being read. To avoid making any one letter suspiciously voluminous, I have already, beginning with the first forwarded duplicates of two letters, and shall so continue, at short intervals, until they are duplicated up to even date, or until you advise me that the origonals are to hand.
One Verulam Dives, after persuing a lengthy and extensive course of theiving, was at last cought, tried, convicted and sentenced to the Penitentiary. He managed to get out at night and break open and plunder the City Hall and County clerk's Office, and return to his cell. He frequently and openly threatened the lives of Mayor Smoot, Major Sharp, Col. B. T. Burton and Policeman Heath, and to burn their buildings. Not long ago he escaped from the Parlimentary, still breathing the aforenamed threats, and again began his old practice of stealing two horses, saddles, bridles and blankets from Mr. W. R. Smith of Centerville. He returned to the City and vicinity, and the police soon took steps for his arrest. After much careful watching they succeeded in finding him on the night of the 3d inst., on his way to fulfill his aforesaid threats to burn and kill, and in their efforts to arrest him he was shot dead near the 14th Ward school house. He has doubtless learned that the way of the transgresser is hard.
I have heard the acting Governor Reed, upon learning that Dives was killed, said that we were all a set of murderers; though after the inquest it is stated that he couched his comments in a much milder manner. A beautiful Acting-Governor, I should think; to accuse us all of being a set of murderers, upon so groundless a charge as the killing of an escaping convict. It would probably be more honor to the Government to recall him and set him to making shoes, or some other useful employment.
After all the hue and cry by the Bench diggers and others, up to date there are no gold diggings being worked in Utah, unless, perhaps, the small discoveries in Egan Canon prove to be within our borders; but from all accounts they are not likely to prove of sufficient extent or richness to be very exciting. The lead mine in the West Mountain is not proving very rich in silver, and only $27 to the ton being reported of its best assay, which will not pay for digging up the dirt and bringing it out; judging from their slack operations, it is creating no excitement, and that is only mining in the Territory, that I have heard of, wherein they so much as claim getting even silver. Under these circumstances all designing to come here to dig for gold have been advised, in the "News," to bring their breadstuff, bacon and groceries with them, or the chances are that they may suffer through lack of food.
Mr. Moses, sometime ago, and under another administration, made arrangements with the Hon. J. M. Bernhisel for the collection of certain accounts, which to this date he has failed in doing. Now there is another administration and its officers to whom, I am told, Mr. Moses and his friends are distasteful, which renders the prospects for his success very doubtful, if any at all. How long Mr Moses wishes to cling to thatcontract under such adverse circumstances I know not, neither collecting the amount, nor, so far as I can learn, having any prospect for doing so, nor being willing for others to try who may succeed. True it is a matter I care but little about, and I have some thoughts of asking <Dr Bernhisel> to write a few lines to Mr. Moses, discharging him from further efforts in the matter. In either event, you are at liberty and are hereby authorized to pursue such course with the case as your judgement may dictate for obtaining the amount in question.
There is a rumor about town that Mr Stenhouse, the Postmaster here, is or is about to be removed. This should not be, if the Government wish a right man in the right place, for he is capable, loyal beyond just question or doubt, honest, industrious, pleasant, gentlemanly and exceedingly popular with all parties, except it may be here and there a chance person whom he may have offended by his writings.
Your telegram of March 3 arrived on the 4th, and I have answered it to day as follows: "Recommend Cadet to please yourself. If change is made in Post Office get Henry W. Lawrence appointed, if possible."
While writing the forgoing your three welcome favors of Feb. 11 and three of Feb. 12, with the newspapers therein mentioned and the inclosed copies of certain papers have come to hand.
I agree with the Post Master General that, under the circumstances, a semiweekly mail to Idaho will answer very well for the present.
Please present my thanks to the Hon. Montgomery Blair for his friendly feelings towards Utah, and for his courteous acts and suggestions in her behalf.
As I have already written in this letter, act in the affair of the a/cs and with Mr Moses as your judgement may dictate.
Br's James Townsend, late of the Salt Lake House, and Brigham W. Kimball, son of Pres. Kimball, start by stage for New York on the 9th inst., I will duplicate this letter and forward it by br. Townsend, to be by him mailed to you in the N. Y. City Post Office; also duplicates, so far as time will permit, of such letters as have not already been duplicated by mail.
Home affairs continue peaceful; the weather is pleasant; and the health of your friends and the people in General is good.
Your Friend
Brigham Young