1862 May 7 Letter to Dwight Eveleth

Title

1862 May 7 Letter to Dwight Eveleth

Description

Updates are given on mail disturbances, emigration and efforts to secure statehood.

Type

Correspondence

Sender

Brigham Young

Recipient

Dwight Eveleth

Date

1862 May 7

Location

Great Salt Lake City
San Francisco, California

Number of Pages

3

Subject

Government
Mail
Indian Affairs
Telegraph
Emigration
Tithing

Item sets

G. S. L. City, May 7, 1862.

Elder Dwight Eveleth,
San Francisco, Cal.,

Dear Brother:

Your favors of Feb. 18 and Mar. 12, with inclosures:-- a Kanaka newspaper, copy of certificate, a letter from Cap. Gibson to you and one to myself, came safe to hand, for which please accept my thanks.

I have written to Hon. J. M. Bernhisel in relation to the late Mr. King's claim on the Government, but to date have received no answer on that subject. A slight interruption on the route between Green River and Independence Rock, mostly on the Sweetwater, alleged to be by Indians, has stopped our mails to and from the East for over two weeks past, and it is still uncertain how soon the eastern mail will again arrive and depart regularly.

On the 26th ult. the Hon. W. H. Hooper, Senator elect from the State of Deseret, left for Washington in private conveyance, with an escort of twenty men to where he meets the mail running regularly, when the escort will return. Br. Hooper is bearer of the proceedings and Memorial of the Convention, the Governor's proclamation convening the General Assembly, the minutes and Memor[?] of the Assembly, the Constitution framed and adopted by the Convention, &c., and will be met in Washington by Pres. George Q. Cannon, our other Senator el[?] who will come over from Liverpool for the short time it will require to pres[?] the Constitution, &c., and learn the result.

On the evening of the 18th ult. I received authority (from) Pres. Lincoln through the War Department, to raise, arm, and equip a company of cavalry to operate in the neighborhood of Independence Rock for ninety days, or until relieved by U. S. troops from the East, for the protection of the Mail and Telegraph Companies. On Wednesday, the 30th, the Company was raised, organized, [?] moved into camp, and on Thursday, the 1st inst., started for their destination. The streams are so high and the snow in places so deep and soft in the mountains that the company makes slow progress as yet, as do also Senator Hooper and escort; but the weather is now cooler, and the prospect is that traveling will soon improve.

The high waters and snow have also prevented the ox train starting for Florence so early as heretofore, though we expect they will be able to leave on or before the 15th inst., to bring up our large amount of machinery, &c., and some four thousand Saints we are advised will compose this year's immigration.

You are at liberty to forward to br. W. M. Gibson, to aid him in his Missionary labors, views, and duties, the amount of your tithing you expect to pay this year, keeping an account thereof and forwarding the amount to this office, that the proper entries may be made in the General Tithing Office books.

California papers receive the same news telegrams that we do, consequently you are evenly with us advised of the progress of events in the States and abroad, as fully as the wires are permitted to transmit it; just now there is more or less interruption to the line between here and Weber River, owing to high waters washing out a pole now and then, but that will soon be remedied.

The signs of the times are favorable to Utah, and our God continues to signally bless His people both here and elsewhere.

Your Brother in the Gospel,

Brigham Young