Salt Lake City, U.T.
March 21. 1872.
Elders Henry G. Boyle and Thos. E. Daniels,
Shady Grove, Hickman Co. Tenn.
Dear Brethren,
Your joint letter to me on Jan. 24. after a lengthy detention in the blockade was received & its contents were perused with great pleasure. It is a constant source of gratification to hear from the elders abroad and to learn of their labors in the great vineyard. We can well appreciate your feelings with regard to the hardness of the hearts of the people and the bitter opposition of the enemies of the truth, but we have this consolation always before us that the work is onward and the greater the opposition the faster it grows. And the very means sought to overthrow us, generally turns directly to our advantage. In all of those things the faithful Latter-day-saints see the hand of the Almighty, and for His great goodness we feel in our hearts to bless and praise Him. Doubtless you have heard or read through the press of the country, accounts more or less garbled, of affairs as they have transpired here, it may not be uninteresting to you, however, to read a brief sketch of the extraordinary occurences in Utah this year.
We returned from our trip to southern Utah on the 26th Dec. not only in time for my trial on the day fixed by the court, but soon enough to enter court one week before that time to answer to a charge of murder, the writ for which had not then been served, and to ask for bail. The Judge refused to take bail although Mr. Bates, the U.S. District Attorney strongly urged him to, and it was expected some regard would have been paid to the fact of my voluntary appearance in Court, but the Judge saw proper to refuse, and stated that as there was no U.S. jail in the Territory, and as it was at the option of the military officer commanding the post to receive or refuse prisoners, and as he understood the defendant was the owner of several houses, he said, he would consign him to the custody of the U.S. Marshal in any one of these houses he might select.
The result of this decision is that I am held a prisoner in my own house, although, partly from the kindness and good sense of the deputy marshal, Capt. Evens and partly from his instructions, the burden imposed upon me is not very hard to bear, while at the same time Judge McKean has added another laurel to his judicial crown which he wears with most unenviable notoriety. The jury cases were postponed until the March term pending the settlement of the question whether or not the U.S. will pay the expenses of those prosecutions.
The 9th of Jan. had been fixed by the inexorable judge, as the day for my trial, although my attorneys had asked for a continuance until the March term, and our return to this city from St. George was neccessarily made in very severe weather, in the most inclement season of the year. It soon transpired, however, that it was not my appearance that was wanted, but my dis-appearance, and, as the Judge failed to have me disappear, the court at the instance of the prosecuting attorney, without any further application on my part, granted a continuance until the 2nd Monday in March.
The 11th March came, Judge McKean & Dist. Atty. Bates were both in Washington. Gov. Woods had appointed Judge Strickland to take the place of McKean during his absence. Strickland further postponed all criminal cases for the present, and, now, the legal muss is culminating in headquarters at Washington where it was doubtless planned. The issue is not yet developed and the struggle may be compared to a dog fight, one dog is up one day, and the next day the other, but we expect ours to come up on the top, first best, before many days, and the other dog dead.
Our local forces, armed with the State Constitution are also carrying the war into the enemy's camp, and these agitations at Washington draw the fire away from Utah.
I never have wavered in my faith and feelings, that Judge McKean's illegal muddling would end in a fizzle and I still firmly believe it. We are put to some annoyance and a great deal of expense by these persecutions, but if we learn the lesson of patience, and prove to our Heavenly Father that we are firm in our integrity, our labors will not have been thrown away; for in the words of the favorite hymn:--"For thy wrongs thou shalt have double, In thy Maker's favor blessed, All they conflicts end in an eternal rest."
With regard to Bro Richardson & family, we are disposed, under your suggestions to assist them through the P.E. Fund. An agent will have to communicate with Bro. Wm. C. Staines, who, we expect will again superintend the emigration business; you can mention this family to him & tell him we wish them emigrated. If he should not have sufficient means on hand, and you can borrow it from parties coming with you here, we will assist them in return, when they get here. As we are very short of means, and there are many who need assistance we would like you to collect all you can for them and we will advance the rest.
Bro Staines' address will be No. 8, Battery Place, or P.O. Box. 3957, N.Y. City.
You are at liberty to return home if you feel like it and may you be blessed and preserved so to do, is the wish of
Your Brother in the Gospel.
Brigham Young