Great Salt Lake City April 14 1866
Hon. Wm. H. Hooper M. C.
House of Representatives
Washington City, D. C.
Dear Brother:
On the evening of the 10th inst I received a telegram from Gen W. T. Sherman to the following effect:
St Louis April 10th 1866.
To Brigham Young
Sir.
A telegraph comes to me from responsible officers that 4 men styled Gentiles have been murdered by Mormons, and that there is an apprehension of further danger to this class. By Gentiles I understand American Citizens not of your religous creed. I am bound to give protection to all citizens regardless of religious faith and shall do so. Those murderers must be punished, and if your people, resort to measures of intimidation those also must cease. All of our people must enjoy equal rights within the limits of our national domain. I know little or nothing of the causes of local trouble in Utah; but it is well for you to know, that our country is now full of tried and experienced soldiers, who would be pleased, at a fair opportunity, to avenge any wrongs you may commit against our citizens even in that remote region. I will soon have regular troops in Utah, and on the road leading there, when I hope we shall receive reports on which to base accurate opinions; and I send you this message, not as a threat, but as a caution, that a sensible man should heed."
As I could not forward immediately such a reply as I wished, I telegraphed him on the 11th inst. as follows:
Major General W. T. Sherman St Louis Mo.
Sir: Your Telegram of yesterday is at hand and contents duly considered. The reports that have reached you are not reliable, satisfactory evidence of which I will telegraph you as soon as the testimony of reliable Gentlemen, not Mormons, can be had -- say within twenty four hours." To-day I telegraphed the following message to him: Major Gen. W. T. Sherman: I am under many obligations to you for your kindness in telegraphing me respecting reports which have reached you from this place, as it affords me opportunity of stating facts. As nigh as we can learn, there have been telegrams sent from here to the East, which have not been reliable. Your telegram gives us some idea of their purport. There has been no such assasination as alluded to in your despatch. On March 27th a soldier shot a gentleman named Mayfield, and a Mr. Brassfield came here and seduced a Mormon's wife, and was shot on the street by an unknown person; but neither I, nor the community at large, know any more about it than an inhabitant of St Louis. Citizens who are not of our faith, do not suffer from intimidation here. In no other community could men pursue the course many do here without experiencing the vengeance of a Vigilance Committee; the outrageous slanders they have circulated against us would have provoked such an outbreak elsewhere.
There are a few speculators here, who are anxious to make it eppear that American Citizens' lives are in danger through religious fanaticism, hoping thereby to have troops sent here, to make money out of contracts. Gentiles' lives are as safe here as Mormons' and acts of violence occur more rarely in this City than any other of its size in any of the new States or Territories.
B. Young.--
Major W. T. Sherman
St Louis
Sir: We the undersigned residents of Great Salt Lake City, and not members of the Mormon Church, have read the above telegram of Mr. Young, and freely certify that we fully believe that citizens of every
class, who simply attend to their legitimate business, are as free from intimidation and as fully respected in their rights in this City, as in any part of the United States.
W. Willard Smith Lt Col. 6th U. S. A.
Bodenburg & Kahn Merchts.
Comdg Camp Douglas
N. S. Ransohoff & Co. Mercht
Ellis & Bros.
S. B. Kimball
Walker Bros.
Stebbins & Co.
F. H. Head, Supt. Ind. Affairs
J. G. Hughes Representative of
Capt. C. J. Bennett C. S. Vols
Hollladay & Halseys Bankers
Nounnan Orr & Co. Bankers
J. W. Calder late Capt Nev. Cav. Vols.
J. H. Jones Merchant
M. G. Lewis Ex. Asst. Adjt Gen U.S.A
Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of receiving the following despatch from Gen. Sherman: "Your despatch is received, and I am much gratified at its substance and spirit." I have addressed him a long letter which Bro. Stenhouse will deliver to him personally. The clique in this city have been much exercised about my sending a despatch to Gen. Sherman; they fear the truth. His sending a despatch to me was unexpected by them, and they were mortified at it.
Judge Mc Curdy would not sign the document that I sent to Gen Sherman, though he could not deny its truth. His excuse was that there might be some who were intimidated whether with or without cause, and he would not like to say that there were no apprehensions indulged in by citizens here! A paltry excuse, for, when pressed, he could not state that they had any real cause for fear. It looks as though he had sent some statements off, respecting affairs here, that were in conflict with the one which he was requested to sign. Aaron Stein would not sign it, stating that he could not really say that he was free from fear or intimidation here, and when asked what had occurred since his residence here, that would lead him to think, that he or any other citizen, who would abide by the laws, could be in the least danger, he replied that a man had been shot on the street about a year ago, about which nothing had been done. He referred to the sodomite, who was acquitted, because our lawmakers had never provided a penalty for such a crime! You doubtless recollect that the father of the boy, upon whom the outrage was perpetrated, was arrested and tried for the shooting, Mr. Hempstead prosecuting, and was acquitted, he having proved an alibi; and this case was all that he could think of! Secretary Reed declined signing also whether through mortified pride, that Governor Durkee (who is now absent on a trip South, probably to Pahranaget) or himself was not addressed, or because he had signed some other statement, with which this came in conflict, is not clear. The Agent of the O. L. Line, Jo. S. Roberson, declined signing also, stating that he was unprepared then, it was rather unexpected &c., but that he would send his decision in the course of an hour, whether he would or not. This was a mere evasion, as he did not send any word whatever. Mr. Hughes signed it very freely. You would think that any man who possessed a grain of honesty would willingly sign such a document aside from any prejudices for or against us as religionists; and to not sign it is an evidence of a lack of disposition to do us justice, or in other words, an evidence of a wish to do us injury. There is not a man that refused to sign that document that was not, in my opinion, guilty of some crime or misdemeanor, which they were afraid would come to light. If the O. S. Company can not obtain a better representative of their interests than they have here at present, they had better discharge him and do without any.
As Bro Stenhouse will probably see you soon, and you will be able to obtain all the news respecting matters here from him, I need not write you at any greater length.
Accept my love, in which Presidents Kimball and Wells and Bro Geo Q. join. May the Lord bless you in all your labors, and uphold and bear you off triumphantly by His almighty power, is the prayer of
Your Brother
Brigham Young