Hon W.H. Hooper, M.C.
Washington D.C.
Dear Brother:-
Since my last to you of 12th inst, yours of 8th has come to hand, also your photograph, looking as smiling as though the cares of Congressional life never disturbed your peace nor disquited your rest. Accept my best thanks for the portrait.
In my last communication I expressed a wish for you to get Judge Black or some other influential friend to find out if a writ of injunction could be issued against President Grant and Congress in the event of the Cullom bill" becoming a law; if such a course be impracticable, perhaps a writ of injunction could be obtained from the Supreme Court of the United States, to be served on all the federal officers of the Territory restraining the operations of the bill until its constitutionality could be legally tested.
Judge Wilson appears to have become an active member of the "ring" of which Taggert, Baskin and others of a like ilk, are such bright and shining lights. In a case brought up before him, on an appeal from the Probate court, he decided that that court has no jurisdiction in civil cases, the laws of the Territory to contrary notwithstanding. It is generally surmised that Wilson has taken this inimical turn against us
to save his Office, but from our Telegraphic Dispatches, received to day, we learn that President Grant has nominted a Mr. McKean, of New York to be Chief Justice of Utah, so Mr. Wilson has probably not succeeded in accomplishing his object. From the same telegram we learn that Sec. Mann, is also to be decapitated, and a Mr Crowe of Alabama is to fill the vacancy in the secretaryship.
I should be pleased for you to examine the Internal Revenue returns if comatible, and discover what tax is paid on the manufacture of liquor in this Territory. I should not like to affirm that Mr Taggert is in partnership here in that business, but from what has been presented to my notice I have no doubt of such being the case.
The vanguard of the usual army of travelers and pleasure seekers has already reached our borders, and I have many visitors at my office every day; amongst the rest Mr Bayard Taylor has called on me. He expresses the opinion, and affirms he has ample opportunity to know, that the feelings of the great majority of the respectable portions of the community are opposed to the Cullom Bill, or any coercive legislation of a like nature, Mr Cragin we learn after great effort delivered himself of the incubus that weighed so heavily upon him and succeeded in making his speech on the Cullom bill to a few members, at an early hour last Friday morning.
Accompanied by President D.H. Wells, Elders Woodruff, Taylor and Brigham Young Jun, Bishops Burton and Thurber and others I shall start on the 4th prox, to visit the settlements in Box Elder, Rich and Cache Cos., Prest. Geo. A. Smith and Elders Pratt, Cannon & Joseph F. Smith will remain in town.
A company of about eighty saints from the southern States saints arrived this week, in charge of Elders Boyle, Church and other returning missionaries. Our canal is now along and there is a good prospect, of our being able to boat rock from Little Cottonwood to the City, in a short time, which will greatly help us, as you are well aware, in constructing the Temple and other public buildings.
During the last few days the people have been vigorously engaged fighting the grasshoppers, and their persistant efforts assisted by several copious showers have done much in destroying myriads of these insects, who have hatched out this spring more numerously and over a greater breadth of territory than in any previous season. Last Friday afternoon Judge W.I. Appleby passed away from this sphere of action. His funeral took place on Sunday morning at the 14th Ward School House.
Last night bro. Cannon read me a letter which he had received form Elder John T. Caine, in which he expresses the idea, that it is your and his feelings that a further stay on his part at Washington was not particulary required, as the work for which he went was pretty much done. We should like to have him return whenever he and you may deem it wisdom
With love to yourself, Bros Caine & Morris, and praying the Lord to continually bless and preserve you.
I remain, Your friend and brother.
Brigham Young