Salt Lake City, U. T.
July 18. 1869.
Mr. Joseph A. Young
New York City.
Dear Bro:-
In accordance with my promise to write to you the current news I do so now. I am pleased to be able to say the health of your family is good as also the general health. The small pox is in Corinne, in Fillmore, & in Coalville, but I hear of no cases in this City.
The President is better, perhaps, than he has been for years, he shows a uniformly active, vigorous condition day after day, without any sign of depression or lassitude which is very gratifying. The trip to Bear Lake has done him a great deal of good.
Work is rapidly progressing on the "Utah Central." Bishop West will complete in a few days 10 miles of his 14 of grading work. The Board has met twice since you left. The Object of the 1st Meeting was to make a second assessment of 10% on the entire Stock. to be paid on or before the 20th inst. The other meeting was called at the instance of Asst. Supt. F. Little, to obtain precise instructions with regard to letting contracts as to when he shall promise payment. It appears that from a resolution passed by the Board "that in making contracts no payment should be promised to any person until such time as the bonds are hypothecated whether in October, or any succeeding month this year, or as soon as the bonds are disposed of." Bro Little has contracted to pay to a considerable amount on or about the 1st Jan. but there is no cause of uneasiness only his own nervous temperament which makes him fret a little for having gone a head of instruction
Bro. Little stated at this meeting that the pile river was ready & the bridge across Weber was to commence Monday morning, the timber was all contracted for.
You are doubtless well posted on U.P.R.R. matters, Mr. Bushnell telegraphed Supt. Reed to meet him at Ogden to morrow, but the conference with the Prest. will not be held until the arrival of the vice prest. Bros. Sharp & Ellerbeck start in the morning to meet Bushnell & Reed at Ogden. I understand Bro. Sharp has been very vigilant in the interest of Sharp & Young. & Bro Ellerbeck wishes me to write to you that matter is all right.
The "Chicago representative Commercial party" has come & gone & the world wags along the same as before. popularly speaking they've "cut a gut." You have no doubt seen a garbled report of their interview with the President on the 10th inst., dished up to suit the public taste-- wherein animadversions on the President's remarks are made to indicate disloyalty to the Government, not a jot of which was either intended or expressed. His remark with reference to sending obnoxious officials <politely> out of the Territory was based on the true republican doctrine that governments derive their just power only from the consent of the governed. & if this was ever done without first remonstrating by petition or otherwise (which by the way is not probable as our history abundantly shews) It was simply because our memorial to Congress may be reckoned by stacks & have almost universally been treated with neglect. We also know that Territorial appointments are common stock, made without regard to ability or merit; oftener done to use the President's illustration to Senator Trumbull-- as the woman said she did, when asked why she married so and so whom she disliked? she replied "Oh, I married him to get rid of his teasing me." The report says that the expression of disloyalty caused considerable sensation among the party -- I could not see it, for there was no such expression made but there was a sensation created by an expression of the President's which they are careful in suppressing. He remarked that the Saints had been cuffed & kicked & driven out of the States. & the strongest efforts had been made by prominent men to drive us out of the Union, but they could not do it for we were determined to stick to it & uphold the Constitution at all hazards. This remark met with a most cordial expression of approval on the part of those present but this was carefully ommitted in their report. The reason is obvious. I will not weary you with any more on this subject.... Lotta has just completed a very successful six nights engagement at the Theatre...Alex. & David Smith sons of the Prophet arrived here on Thursday, their business is to preach & endeavor to make converts. On Saturday they called on the President & asked permission to preach in the Tabernacle, which was, of course, refused. Alex, is very bitter, very much bound up in his mother's views. & entirely inaccessible to any testimony that comes contrary to his notions. David is of the same kind of spirit but by no means to the same degree. The Prest. was glad to see them & told them so & expressed himself very kindly towards them but said he would not encourage them in propogating their doctrine.
Brigham Jr. John W. & T. W. Ellerbeck desire to be remembered to you. F. Little has just called, he wishes me to say that he is very busily engaged on the U. C. & is starting off right away. At his request I send you the enclosed letter of introduction. he also sends his regards.
The President wishes me to write that he wants to hear from you every second day to know what moves you are making.
May God bless & preserve you to do all you desire for the welfare & building up of Zion
Your brother in the Gospel
D. McKenzie