<49 - 54>
Presidents Office
Gt Salt Lake City
January 22 / 1866.
President Brigham Young, Jr.,
42 Islington, Liverpool, England.
Dear Son:-
Your letters of Nov. 25th and 28 and short note of Dec. 7th /65, with accompanying enclosure, have come safely to hand, and have been perused with interest and the contents duly noted. The release of the Elders, who are sick, to return home is quite proper; no man should be kept there after he has tried different fields without benefit, when his health is failing. I have not been disappointed in the result of C. A. Benson's Mission; his conduct at home before leaving on his Mission did not inspire any of his acquaintances with any very sanguine hopes as to his future, unless there should be a thorough repentance of his past follies.
Until a few days ago, the winter, from the first of Decr. had been very severe. The sleighing has never <before> since our settlement here, been so uninterrupted for the same period as it has been this winter. The snow has been very deep throughout the Valley; but it is now thawing, and the Snow is likely if the weather continues as at present, to soon disappear. The health of the people has generally been very good during the winter, and peace has prevailed, the bitterness and hatred of those who are opposed to us to the contrary notwithstanding.
We have had plenty of rumors and threats circulated by our enemies; but we have pursued the even tenor of our way without minding them in the least, or allowing them to disturb us. From the beginning of the work our enemies have formed an innumerable number of plans for our overthrow, and they have indulged in great hopes respecting the success which would attend their operation, frequently fixing the time when the complete overthrow of the kingdom of God would be consummated; but, in every instance, their schemes have fallen to the ground and they have been covered with shame and confusion. Notwithstanding these repeated failures, the adversary does not appear discouraged. He deludes his servants with the idea that success is sure to attend their efforts, and thus he leads them forward one after another, captives at his will. They are blind to the confusion and overthrow which have befallen those who have preceded them in opposing the Work of God, and are full of prognostications about what great things they are about to accomplish. It is a glorious consolation for us to know that God rules, and that he can and does control men and their acts to His own glory, and the accomplishment of His purposes.
The Territorial Legislature has adjourned, after an unusually heavy Session. Several of the most important bills have not been signed by the Governor. It is a great disgrace to a Republican Government like ours to permit such a condition of things to exist as we have had to submit to for years. A stranger is sent out, from a distant part of the Union, to our country to govern us., who is utterly ignorant of the wants of the Territory and the measures which are best adapted to the people. He has the power granted to him to veto every bill that may be passed by the unanimous vote of the Legislature, through any whim, prejudice or crotchet that he may have, though such bill may be of the most important character and essentially necessary to the well being of the people and the country. His judgment is permitted to outweigh the judgment of the Territorial Council and House of Representatives, composed, respectively, of thirteen and twenty-six members, and to undo the patient and well digested labor of weeks. But we must submit to these things, and learn patience therefrom. The time will come, however, when we will be freed from such obstacles and have the opportunity of doing every thing necessary for the welfare and prosperity of Zion with out hindrance. As it is at present, though irksome and disagreeable, the progress of the great work is not retarded, neither does it sustain any injury which we can not remedy.
The Legislature of the State of Deseret met on monday, and I delivered my message as Governor. The members did not deem it necessary to remain long together, mearly long enough to enact that the laws of the Territory should be made the laws of the State, and to elect the State Officers and to take measures to maintain the State organization intact. We wish to keep the machinery all in gear, as it is, so that, wherever the time shall come to turn the water on to the wheel, we will have nothing to do but hoist the gate.
We are sending down Bro. Thomas Taylor to act again as the Agent of the emigration at New York. He will, probably, start about the fifth of February. Bro. John T. Caine is also appointed to go to New York, to act as Clerk in the emigration business; Bro. Wm. C. Staines will also start from here about April for the purpose of also assisting in this business. It will be of very great advantage to the Emigration and the Agents in New York, if you would collect the Railroad fares of the Saints at Liverpool, also whatever may be due from them on extra luggage. While at Liverpool, and before they embark, the Saints generally have some money with which to pay for their extra luggage; but, after they reach New York, in the most of instances they find a great many uses for all the spare cash they have; and the Agents pay for the extra luggage, and are put to considerable loss by not being able to collect the money of the people who own such luggage. If they have extra luggage when they embark, and have not the means to pay for it, they can lessen it to the weight which is allowed by the Railroad Company, or, by disposing of some articles, raise the amount they need. As soon as Bro Taylor closes a contract with the Railroad Companies for the transportation of the emigration and freight, he will advise you what amount you will have to collect for fares, and also what weight of luggage is allowed to each full ticket, and the price per pound of the extra luggage.
In shipping provisions for the Saints on the sea the barrels and other packages have not always been marked so distinctly as to prevent confusion and sometimes difficulty in separating them from the ship's provisions. To prevent this in the future, it would be well to have a stencil plate cut, and every package carefully marked with the stencil plate, and then the agent can have no difficulty in separating them at New York from the ship's packages.
I have appointed your brother, John W., on a Mission to England, and he will start with the other brethren to the States on or about the 5th of Feb'y. He will make a short visit in the States and then proceed to England. I wish you to put him in the best position to be of use and to obtain experience. I would like him to obtain a knowledge of book keeping, of which he has a little understanding at present; but I wish the most of his time to be devoted to the work of the ministry-- to traveling and preaching and the other duties of the priesthood. When not engaged in this manner I wish his spare time to be used in Office. And I hope you will both be economical in the use of funds, and save all that you can.
I have seen a suit of clothing, which you have sent to your children, and you said in your letter that you could send some more to me if it would suit; but you do not say any thing about the price, and I do not know what to say about the matter; I should think, however, that it would be a good way to send garments over, cut out and ready made.
Jane has just stepped in and is well, and informs me that all the rest are well. With love to yourself and Katie and all the Elders, and praying the Lord to bless and preserve you and enable you to fill your high calling,
I remain Your Father.
Brigham Young
P. S. I wish you to take pains to collect all the Tithing that you can, and to keep the importance of this subject before the people. We are doing all that we can here to bring out the poor, and we wish corresponding efforts to be made by the Saints in Europe in paying Tithing, &c.
B. Y.
The enclosed Draft for 15.0.0 is from Bro. Robert Pixton.
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Since my letter to you on the 20th inst. I have drawn the following drafts:-No 696, £8.0.0, Robt. McVicar;
698 £3.0.0, Robt. Watson;
700, £16.0.0 Edward Ingram;
702, £6.0.0 Jeffy. Whitworth;
704, £3.6.8, Ann Winn;
706, £3.0.0, Robt. Drysdale;
708, £4.0.0, Sarah Squires;
710, £17.2.10 Micle A. Jenson;
No 697, £7.0.0, Almsley Allgood;
No. 699, £7.0.0, C. Emil Anderson;
No. 701, £5.0.0, Adam Udelleston;
No. 703, £14.5.0, Joseph Betts;
No. 705, £53.0.0 W. B. Preston;
No. 707 £20.0.0 Stein & Hannah Sandberg
No. 709, £20.0.0, Wm. R. Smith;
No. 711, £9.5.0, Johannah Peterson,
I herewith enclose the following drafts-- the recepetion of which please advise the persons interested, as also those heretofore sent. Drafts no. 699,700,703,704,706,707,710,711,
Since writing the above I have drawn the following:
No 712, £5.0.0, Thomas Redden;
714, £28.12.0 Mary Squires;
716, £40.0.0 Andrew Hill;
718, £11.4.0, J. Darrington;
720, £2.0.0, C. E. Menck;
722, £10.0.0, Jane Shaw;
724, £21.11.9, Thomas Beard;
726, £25.0.0, John Read;
713. £4.0.0; Geo. Bradfi
715, £16.0.0 Sarah Whitworth,
717, £30.0.0, Saml. Chandler;
719, £25.9.0, L. Pedersen;
721, £30.0.0, B. Stringam;
723, £19,9.6, Eleanor Jones;
725, £10.0.0, O. Knight.
727, £15.0.0, B. Young Jr.