Great Salt Lake City Dec. 30th 1854
F. D. Richards,
Dear Brother,
We wrote you by the Nov. & 1st of December mails, but from what we learn, in all probability the November mail was intercepted by the Indians and the contents strewed on the prairie about Fort Laramie. We have forwarded by this, duplicates of the November business letters which we hope may reach you safely.
Enclosed please find Drafts Nos. 6. 9. & 1 . drawn by George D. Watt in my favor as follows.
No. 6. for $93.45/100 dated Nov. 1st/ 54
" 9. " 103. " " 28 / 54
" 10. " 103. <Decr 5/54> all of which you will place to my credit on a/c, as per endorsements.
Bro Job Smith has deposited, in this office $15. which you will please place to the credit of Thomas Bryant, at Simpow Penny Stratford, Bedfordshire, England, and notify him of the fact at your earliest convenience. The commissions on the above have all been paid here.
I have made repeated enquiries in relation to the possibility of securing a full file of the Millennial Star, from its commencement, bound, but as yet have been quite unsuccessful. I would esteem it a favor if the Liverpool Office would furnish me them, as I wish to have them in my Office for reference, do your best to secure them and if you cannot procure them any other way, your last, and best course would be to advertise through the Star, and the missing volumes or numbers perhaps could be furnished by the brethren in some of the branches. If you should be fortunate to complete the compliment pack them up carefully in a box and when a safe opportunity presents forward them to this place direct.
As to General News, you will doubtless be posted from the Deseret News, which is forwarded to <you> regularly every mail, and from family letters; however I may remark that the stone and abodie wall around the The Temple Block is finished ready to receive the coping and railing. The endowment house is covered in, and the carpenters hard at work finishing its interior for the plasterers. The Legislature is in session, and shall have a party in the Social Hall on Monday the 1st of January 1855. which is to be attended by Col Steptoe, the officers embracing his command; the United States Judges for this Territory, in short, the Civil & Military Officers of the U. S. in the Territory of Utah.
Peace, and general good health prevail, and the saints are richly enjoying the blessings of heaven.
My own health has been rather poorly for a few days, past but I am rather on the mend, and hope to keep so, if the Lord wills.
Ever praying for your welfare, in Zion's Cause I Remain Your
Brother in the Gospel,
(Excuse haste) Brigham Young
P. S.
Upon examination I find that I only require the X. Xl & XII. Vols of the Star. You will be kind enough to forward them, with the box to be sent me according to order the coming season, and the box to be sent to Heber.
I wish when those boxes are ready to be forwarded to this place, that you would be careful in your selection of the man to be put in charge of them; heretofore in consequence of mismanagement articles sent from England two years ago have not reached here yet, these boxes I want to come direct, without being laid aside on the way, and the freight, charges &c paid at Liverpool for their transportation.
Slanderous publications will be printed by opposers to carry out the designs of the Almighty as made known by his Prophets, where they declare, "I will send strong delusion," and if any wish to know what those delusions are sent for, let them search the Scriptures which they profess to believe.
ln the meantime, my judgment would not permit me to review their publications in the "Star," as such a course acts as an extra advertisement, and tends to spread wider their poison.
B. Y.