The Brigham Young Center

Presidents Office
Gt Salt Lake City
Mar. 6th 1866.

Elder John D. Lee
Harmony

Dear Brother:-

Your letter of the 8th Feb. has been received and perused with interest. I wish you to do all that you can to keep the Indians pacified and feeling well. We do not want to injure innocent Indians; but we cannot submit to the murder of our brethren. If those Indians upon whom the things found were not guilty of murdering the brethren they certainly were accessory, and had evidently justified the proceeding by sharing in the plunder. When Indians are friendly, they can give us an evidence of their friendship by warning us of the wicked plots of bad Indians, so that we may guard against them, and valuable lives be saved. But in many instances they are treacherous, and, while professing friendship for us, are conniving with the murderers to aid them in their schemes of plunder and murder. It is time that such things were ended; we have been here now long enough to show to the Indians that we are their true friends, and that we will not injure an hair of an innocent Indian. They should be satisfied of this by this time, if they ever can be satisfied upon such a point

Take all the care you can of the goats and do the best you can sowing Lucerne. With love, and praying the Lord to bless you I remain

Your brother,
Brigham Young