Great Salt Lake City
June 4th, 1861.
President B. Young,
Dear Brother:-Yesterday morning learning that John and James Walker, formerly carpenters upon the public works and, for some time to President Kimball, were starting north to join the Morrisites, I took immediate steps to secure a debt they owe to the P. E. Fund Co. of $466.40/100., by taking a mortgage upon their property, setting forth that, in the event of payment not being made at six months after date, the property to be sold to satisfy the mortgage.
The enclosed letter from bro. W. H. Hooper was received this afternoon at a quarter past two o'clock. After reading his letter I was somewhat astonished at his indecision as to what he should do with the money, and examined your instructions to him from time to time. I find that the only definite instructions sent him are that he should not deposit the money in any bank-- he was to pay to H. W. Lawrence $12,000.00 more or less-- purchase carpeting and carriage-honor your drafts in favor of Livingston, Bell & Co. and J. B. Kimball & Co., and on the 4th April you requested him to advise you immediately on receipt on the money that you might come to a "prompt conclusion and take prompt action." In your subsequent letters you have not said anything to lead him to expect different from that stated in yours of April 4th. In your conversation with me before you started south I learned that you expected him to bring the balance of the money with him. Will he do so in the absence of definite instructions? Does it not occur to you from his letter that he is apt to leave it east on deposit? The balance will be nearly $35,000.00/100. Would it be safe to transport so large an amount through the States and across the plains in these troublesome times? Would it be better for him to purchase exchange from some responsible house in New York upon Peabody or some other good English firm in favor of George Q. Cannon? I will be prepared to forward any despatch from you to Bro Hooper by poney express. It leaves here on Wednesday's and Sundays in the afternoon as a general thing, although its true time is the morning of those days.
Secretary Wotton having got it into his head that the combined duties of the gubernatorialship and secretaryship was too much for even his powerful physical and mental capacity (?) wrote De Wolfe, offering him the office of Secretary of the territory, pro tem. The enclosed letter of De Wolfe's is his reply to the secretary. It is so rich I concluded to send it to you. Evidently De Wolfe's thrust wounded him, for he shortly afterward came to the conclusion that he could not conscientiously serve under the present Administration, and to day forwarded his resignation! Bro. Wm Clayton was privileged with a perusal of it just before it was taken over to the poney express officer.
No letters have been received by mail for you since those sent you last week.
Your Bro. in the Gospel
David O. Calder