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8th
Hon Wm H. Hooper, M. C.
House of Representatives
Washington City, D. C.
Dear Brother:
Your welcome favor of January 13th came safely to hand a few days since, and has been perused with interest and pleasure. The papers which you send come to hand with tolerable regularity, and the Telegraph has been sent regularly to you, though, from your letter, I learn that you have not received it. The Deseret News has been suspended for a number of weeks, for want of paper; they expect to resume its publication before long, as the paper they have sent to California for is en route to this place.
I am gratified to hear that Governor Cumming is still living, and feels so well towards his old friends in Utah. We do not forget him, and are pleased to hear from him at any time. Should he have access to President Johnson, and have an opportunity of speaking in relation to our citizens, his testimony, I should think, would be likely to outweigh all the lying slanders that any number of such men as our absent chief, Justice might propagate. The latter's venom, to which you allude, cannot hurt any person, so much as it does himself. It will be with him as it has been with his predecessors (and their name is legion)-- he may obtain, perhaps, an ephemeral notoriety through his slanders and, but what will such opposition amount to? We can judge of what it will accomplish by recollecting what such venomous hatred on the part of such characters has accomplished in the past. They have made a great hubbub, and have been inflated by the hopes of success which they have indulged in; but only to be disappointed in every instance. The prophet declared, hundreds of years ago, how it would be with Zion: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn." His words have been literally fulfilled, and shame and confusion have been the consequences, which have always attended the men who have fought against the Zion of our God.-
You have nothing to fear, my dear Brother, from wicked men or their plots, when they act either individually or in <a> collective capacity. Do all that you can yourself, and trust in God, and all will be right. Leave the results with him; he will control them, and neither we nor the work of God will go under.
We can supply the troops on better terms, than they can be supplied by those to whom they have given their contracts. But there would not be such opportunities of obtaining pickings, with which to carry on a crusade against the people of this Territory, if we were to obtain any contracts. Secretary Stanton's instructions may have some influence; but if they can be evaded, he may depend upon it, they will be.
Should you fail to secure the renomination of Bro. Stenhouse as Postmaster of this City, which you seem to be doubtful about doing, your selection of Bro. Theo. M Kean for the position is a good one, and as you think you can secure the aid of the New Jersey Delegation in recommending him, I hope that, if there is to be a change, he will obtain the appointment, as he will be a very excellent officer.-
My son John W., Hiram B. Clawson, Wm Jennings, Thos. Taylor and John T. Caine started from my Office in the Stage for the East last night. John will make a brief stay in the States, and probably visit Washington, and then sail for England, where he has been appointed on a mission. Bro Jennings, after attending to business in New York, will also sail to England on a visit to his folks. Bros. Taylor and Caine go to the East on the business of the Emigration.
The weather is moderating, and the snow is disappearing very rapidly.
With love, in which Presidents Kimball and Wells and Bro Cannon join, and praying the Lord to bless and uphold you in all your labors I remain
Your Brother
Brigham Young