The Brigham Young Center

President's Office
Salt Lake City
Jan 22, 1868

Mr. W. Hickman
Carson Valley Cal.

Sir:-Your letter under date 10th ult came safely to hand. I was not aware that you had left this Territory until I read your letter and the reasons which you give in your letter for leaving are entirely new to me. If the police wanted you I knew nothing about it, for I never heard such a thing mentioned before I heard it from you.

So far as your being <able> to talk is concerned I am willing you should tell the whole world what you know about Mormonism or my private and public character. All that you or any other man can say about the Gospel will injure it none, while on the contrary if the truth be told naught but good will be done.

You are sufficiently acquainted with the history of the rise and progress of this Church to know that those who are determined to do the will of God only can stand and if our faith has been attached to any human being, that support will fail. As for your seeking my interests I am unable to say much about that, but if you had sought your God you would not now have fled to His enemies for protection, for I know that there is no place on earth so fitting for those who wish to serve God with an undivided heart, as the place He has appointed for their gathering

You remark in your letter that you are away to stay. While I feel greived to see men run well for a little season and then turn aside, still I am free to acknowledge that you and all men are at perfect liberty to please yourselves; but your sudden flight brings forcebly to my mind a passage of scripture "the wicked flieth when no man persueth," and I tell you that I firmly believe there is no place but Utah where you can live in peace, and the sooner you return to your family the better for your temporal and spiritual salvation.

Yours truly
Brigham Young