The Brigham Young Center

Great Salt Lake City, July

Sir,

In compliance with your request I take the liberty of directing your  attention to those paragraphs contained in your report to <the> Indian Department at Washington of September 21 [?] at Laramie, in relation to excitement existing among the Indians of this Territory, in consequence of the Whites or Mormons, as you were pleased to term them settling upon their Lands; thereby prompting them (the Indians)to acts of hostility and revenge upon the emigrants, causing the innocent to Suffer for the acts of others &c.  And in  relation to the farmers stealing animals from Emigrants &c &c See Reports

I Knowing that at the time you penned that article, you had actually never seen an Indian upon whose land any settlement had been made in this Territory by the Whites and that your then very recent arrival, and short stay in the Territory, prior to your departure for Laramie, gave you but a poor and very limited opportunity of becoming acquainted with the true situation of our Indian Affairs

I am free to acknowledge, that I am considerably surprised at seeing such erroneous Statements emanate from such a source, believing however, that matters had been misrepresented to you, and that your longer continuance in the Territory and further acquaintance with arrairs would correct any wrong impressions, and opinions, which had been made upon your mind, and no doubt were honestly entertained by you at the time I permitted the matter to rest.
           
I am now gratified [?] that you are satisfied that matters were misrepresented to you, and by soliciting a line from you upon [loss]