The Brigham Young Center

Salt Lake City, U. T.
25 April 1868

Mr William M Laffard
Central City, Colorado Territory

I have frankly accorded to you the credence you asked in your letter of the 10th inst, and in reply have to inform you that the "News" and "Telegraph" are not at present in want of any assistance, so far as I am advised.

In regard to your suggestions concerning conducting a paper as you mention, you would soon, I think find it entirely impracticable, for many reasons not necessary for me to detail, but one of which is the difficulty, if not impossibility, of professing to be what you are not for any considerable time, without in some way being detected by the Argus eyed public, and thus fail in the purpose, even could one consent to take or sanction a course of that nature. As your years, observation and experience increase you will readily discern the force of this reason, and more particularly as the dividing line between seeming and being is constantly becoming more distinct, and a strictly neutral position on questions of vital import more difficult to maintain.

Circumstances whose control we have no power to prevent, did we so desire, pre answer in accord with your wishes, from

Respectfully,
Brigham Young