President's Office,
Gt. Salt Lake City,
March 13, 1867.
Elder William H Miles,
P.O. Box 3957, New York City.
Dear Brother:
Your letters to Bro. George Q. Cannon, of the 25th of January, on the subject of the orphan children, and your interview with Mr. Dollner, the Danish Consul, have been received and perused with interest. I do not know of any better course that you could have taken under the circumstances than that which you did take. The wishes of dying parents should be respected, especially when those wishes coincide with the desires of the children. Your letters to Niels Nielson have been sent to him; since they were sent we have heard nothing from him, and we suppose that he may have written you.
The disposition manifested by the officials of Castle Garden is the disposition of the wicked every where towards this work and those who are connected with it. They would rather see the people going the downward road to death and hell, subject to the influences that prevail in the world, than see them forsake their sins, be honest, industrious, peaceable and loving, living under the influence of the holy priesthood and pursueing the path of salvation and exaltation. This is the Spirit which has ever been manifested by the adversary and those under his influence, from the beginning until now. We may expect to have this to contend with so long as the evil one retains his power on the earth; but there is one consolation for us who live in this dispensation -- that every day brings us nearer to the time when the power and dominion of Satan, which have so long held the inhabitants of the earth in thraldom, will be broken, and when misrule and all the evils flowing therefrom will be removed, and truth and righteousness will reign.
We have been pleased to hear from time to time of the success that has attended the labors of yourself and other Elders in New York and Philadelphia, and of the good effects flowing therefrom to the Saints, and we hope that the Spirit which they have received will continue to plead with, and guide them till they become fully grounded in the gospel of the Lord Jesus. We have had several communications from Elders Tullidge and Rudd describing their labors in the East and West. They seem to possess the spirit of their ministry, and are sanguine of accomplishing a good work in their fields of labor. There ought to be by this time in the States, a new generation who have grown to xxxxxx manhood since the Elders labored there to any extent, but we do not feel very sanguine respecting the results of the labors of the brethren among them. There are doubtless many honest souls there who will yet be gathered out; but the spirit which caused the nation to approve of the killing of the Prophets, the expulsion of the Saints and the continued persecution of the Zion of God will be felt by the children, and it will continue to lead the nation until the words of the Lord are fully accomplished. Our nation will yet find, as has been exemplified by other nations that it is a fearful thing to shed the blood of the Lord's anointed, that blood must be avenged. The only way for the people to escape the consequences is to repent of their sins, come out from the midst of Babylon and to disavow all connection therewith. God's word must be fulfilled and there is no power that can prevent it. Men look for peace, politicians anticipate better times in the future and a glorious destiny for the nation; but they lack the wisdom and the power necessary to guide the Ship of State over the stormy sea on which she is launched. The day will come when he who will not take up his sword and fight against his neighbor must needs flee to Zion, for in Zion alone will there be peace.
We have had peaceful times here this winter. Our enemies efforts to bring trouble upon us have signally failed, and our peace and quietness have been as great as we have ever enjoyed. At present and for some few weeks past we have been quite free from the disturbances incident to "civilization". The scarcity of money prevents the floating class which comes into our Territory to spend the winter from indulging their propensities for drinking and rowdyism, the result is that our police magistrate, the only one we have acting in the City and County has nothing to do, and will be compelled, unless the authorities in Washington do something for him soon, to turn his attention to some other employment to sustain his family. Our faith is continually exercised for a continuation of this condition of things. We are content to be what they call barbarians in this respect, we wish no such "civilized" traits to be exhibited in our midst. When we are to ourselves, our wives, sisters, and daughters can travel our streets at all hours free from the least annoyance, and without fear; but since the influx of the characters of which I speak times have changed, and it has been unsafe for them to travel in the evening without a protector, especially on and near "Whiskey Street."
Notwithstanding every effort which has been made the Priesthood still maintains its supremacy in Zion, and the prayers of the faithful continually ascend to the Almighty that this may continue to be the case until the reins of government pass out of the hands of the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and He whose right it is to reign shall be honored and respected by the nations as he ought to be by the Saints. We have an abiding faith that this day will come, and with God's help we will await its arrival with patience, enduring the trials and difficulties incident to our existence in mortality, and will endeavor to profit by them, knowing that they will work out God's purposes, and our own salvation and exaltation.
The completion of the telegraph wire through our Territory is a great benefit to the Settlements. It seems scarcely credible that I can sit in my office and converse with President Erastus Snow at Saint George, 350 miles distant, with the greatest ease, and with all the Settlements between here and there; or with President E.T. Benson at Logan, 100 miles north of us, and learn all the particulars concerning the people and their circumstances, and be able to answer every enquiry, and give counsel or instruction upon any point that my be needed. This institution will increase our facilities for communication and will bind us closer together. The most remote settlement which is in connection with this city by telegraph possesses advantages nearly equal to the Wards in this city, in receiving counsel and instruction, and the effects produced will be correspondingly great. The Lord be praised for His goodness to us in enabling us to accomplish this great work.
We shall not send teams this season to bring up the poor; all therefore who come must expect to come by their own means.
Give my love to the Elders and Saints who may be with you and accept the same to yourself, in which Bro. Geo. Q. joins. Praying the Lord to bless you in your ministry, and to give you great success in all your undertakings, to fill you with His spirit and to enable you to accomplish every righteous desire of your heart, I am
Your Brother,
Brigham Young
P.S. Your sons William & Charles are here and are very steady, and William and wife are very much thought of. William has great hopes of seeing his fathers family, in which we join him in faith. A Tin box and tin case have been sent on to-day to you by Messrs. Wells, Fargo & Co. for you to forward on to my son Brigham, 42 Islington, Liverpool, England.
B.Y.