Great Salt Lake City Nov. 23d 1858.
Asa Calkins Esqr
Dear Brother.
Your note of Sept. 10th has come safely to hand as has also your correspondence of August and July previously acknowledged. We now advise you of a draft No 98 drawn upon you in favor William H. Hooper on three days sight, for $10,000., also, No. 99 in favor of Isaac Fox of your office for $72.75
We wish to know if Jabez Woodard has deposited Pound3.10.0. in your office for his wife in this city.
As you will learn by the News, we held a conference of Elders and presiding officers of the Church in the Tabernacle on the 13th & 14th of this Month. There was a general attendance of the Authorities, from all parts of the Territory. The meeting though short, was a very profitable one, and we trust will exercise a general influence over all the Saints. About One hundred persons were cut off from the Church. Of this number however were included quite a number who had apostatised and left the Church, some one and two years since, notwithstanding the sifting process now going on, we find that a general good spirit prevails and that a large majority of the Saints are faithful to their covenants and rejoice in the principles of our holy religion. I may say indeed, considering the very many who have gathered with the Saints of late having but little experience and small faith; there are really less who are turning away to the beggarly elements of the world than we could have reasonably expected. We feel assured that the adherence of just such characters is what has hitherto held us in bondage and rejoice that now there has transpired a succession of events which is causing them to disclose themselves, so that we can begin to clense the churches and rid ourselves of their unwholesome and pestilential presence. I would rather fight my way through with one hundred good and faithful brethren who would be true and honest, through this unfriendly world, than to have millions of half-hearted milk and water adherents who continually tried to serve both God and the Devil, and who form the connecting links between the Lord's and Devil's kingdoms. They pretend that they are good Mormons and yet they will get drunk, lie and steal, sleep with their neighbor's wife and strike hands as hail fellows well met with the poor miserable Devils, who, if they could, would kill the servants of the living God, and destroy his Kingdom from off the face of the earth, Who will say that we are not better off without than with them?
As regards the troops, they give us no trouble. Genl. Johnston maintains a strict discipline, and the visits even of officers to our city or any of our settlements are not of very frequent occurance, and the soldiers are entirely prohibited. The Genl. at least seems disposed to preserve peace and good order although many of his officers vent their spleen and disappointed ambition in not being permitted to kill lay waste and destroy as was doubtless their intention in coming here.
Govr. Cumming also, and more than any other==deserves a meed of praise from us for his high minded just and impartial administration of the affairs of the Territory. Tis but too true that it cannot be consealed from our eyes, that if we had such men as Drummond, Burr, Hurt, and even the judges instead of him for Governor, we would be compelled to fight or die. But the Lord has seen fit to soften his heart in favor of his people and influence him to stay the power of the adversary and thwart his plans and cunning devices for our destruction, without our having to dirty our hands by slaying the miserable devils as we would be compelled to do if they should commence that game.
The aforesaid company of Hurt, Burr, Craig, Kirk Anderson, of the Valley Tan, and their worthy compeers, with his honor Judge Sinclair, who also dips in their mess of pottage, appear by getting up vexatious and malicious lawsuits writing and publishing exaggerated false and libellous statements against them, and by various other artful schemes and devices which they are constantly brewing, determined to drive the people of the Territory to commit some overt act by which they can bring about a collision between them and the troops, but failing in this as they assuredly will, their next plea seems to be to make it appear necessary in order to preserve the peace, which they are constantly endeavouring to brake, to detain the troops in the Territory. In this project the aforesaid clan will be ardently joined by the Merchants, traders, gamblers and speculators, who still hope to gather a golden harvest from the continual out pourings of Uncle Sams Treasury. Judge Sinclair has got so near at last to holding a court, the first in the Territory under the new regime, as to day to charge the grand Jury. If possible to get a copy we shall forward one to you. We understand that he made four grand points in it, to wit: Treason, Polygamy, Carrying private Mails and concealing the Court Record. It was true the President had pardoned the treason, but the Court did not know that judicially and it could not be made available only as a bar to prosecutions commenced under Bills of indictments which it was expected they the Jury would find. So also of Polygamy, there was no law against it, but still they should find and present to the court, whether it existed and if so whether it was an ecclesiastical institution or one in which all people equally could participate thereby throwing the subject into shape so that inasmuch as there was no law yet passed that could reach it, the Court, though unfortunately powerless to do anything in the case, might have it in its power to present it to the Legislative Assembly, or peradventure, to Congress in order that one might be passed. The other two items, his honor remarked, were clearly against the law, which he took occasion to read, and it was evidently the duty of the jury to find bills, if those who had committed such enormities, could be found out. There were many other cases which would not come under the rule of executive clemency in his pardon of treasons, such as burning the Gov'mt trains and taking Govm't property, or some thing to that effect, We will stop quoting, as you will probably see the precious document when it is prepared for publication, tho' it was written and read by the Judge at 12 o'clock to day as yet 9. P. M. neither the prosecuting attorney, Governor, or any one else except his particular chum Kirk Anderson of the Valley Tan has been favored with a copy. I more than half think that it is under going the scrutiny of the Congregated wisdom of Hurt, Burr & Co., before it is esteemed worthy the public eye, if so it may appear, Drummond like, when it comes to be printed in an entirely different animal. The suits which are commenced against us are McNeal vs Brigham Young, D. H. Wells, James Ferguson, Robert T. Burton, Jesse C. Little, Leonard Wines, and Danl Cairns. charge-- false imprisonment. Damages claimed $25,000. Again David H. Burr vs Brigham Young Sr. Joseph Young Sr. Brigham Young Jr. H. B. Clawson, J. C. Little, & Feramorz Little. Charge-- Trespass for taking property without leave. Damages $3,000. Also McGraw vs Feramorz Little, and T. S. Williams vs the city corporation for his law library. Charges some $5,000. All is evidently aiming at me to get me into court, for nothing could be more vexatious or malicious than a portion of the above suits-- for instance the case of Burr for $3,000. It was government property left by him in the surveyor Genl's office, when he ran away and his clerks were notoriously stealing and squandering it away. I took charge of it, made a schedule of every item and forwarded it to Government who forwarded the same schedule back to Gov Cumming for him to see to. It is and has been held subject to his order all the time, and he is only waiting advices from the Government to know what disposition to make of it, before he requires it. This all the parties knew, and yet they must bring a suit against me for it. The others are of a similar nature.
The paper which they have christianed by the very euphonious and strikingly illustrative and appropriate cognomen of the "Valley Tan", which is only commemorative of the first impressions of deep potations of the well known soubriquet of "Moon's best [?], is too low, scurrillous and contemptably mean, fo for our attention. The News, therefore very much to their chagrin and discomforture passed it by with silent contempt.
In regard to future movements, we wrote you last month. We understand that you have money, and have drawn upon you as before mentioned. The emigration fund should be disposed of as suggested in previous advices, or failing in that kept sacred for the purpose of helping those who contributes, to emigrate.
The drafts of 250. for Bro. Fox may prove inadequate to accomplish the emigration of himself and family, If there is any deficiency, you will please to make it up and charge it to my account.
The Stars come very irregular-- but presume that you are punctual in sending. We are gratified with your administration of affairs in that Mission so far as we understand them, and we cannot at present say anything about returning you from its duties or responsibilities by sending a successor.
Your family is well so far as I know, and May the Lord God of Israel give you great wisdom and preserve you long upon the earth to do good.
I remain truly Your friend and Brother in the Gospel of Christ.
Brigham Young