1859 May 5 Letter to Horace S. Eldredge

Title

1859 May 5 Letter to Horace S. Eldredge

Description

The train to Florence leaves with funds for aid and supplies. The children survivors of the Mountain Meadows Massacre are ready to be conveyed to their relatives.

Type

Correspondence

Sender

Brigham Young

Recipient

Horace S. Eldredge

Date

1859 May 5

Location

Great Salt Lake City
St Louis, Missouri

Subject

Emigration
Financial Matters
Mountain Meadows Massacre

Item sets

G. S. L. City, May 5th 1859

Elder Horace S. Eldredge,
St Louis, Mo.,

Dear Brother:--
The train for Florence will start to-morrow. It is not as large as was designed, but will probably sufficiently assist in answering this season's needful requirements. Bro. Feramorz Little goes in charge, and has f(unds) in drafts and specie, which you will no doubt deem quite a sum of material aid from this quarter. He also has a copy of the detailed estimate of said funds, and a copy is herewith inclosed for you.

Bro. Little will also take a few additional bills for articles, and will take early steps to have an interview with you with a view to avoid duplicate purchases and to supply omissions to the best advantage your mutual judement and means will permit.

In prosecuting and closing up this season's business operations in the States, inasmuch as I am not now aware of any indebtedness in the States by the Trustee in Trust, the P. E. F. Co., or the Y. X. Co., I have changed my mind concerning the instructions about incurring indebtedness, from the positive to the comparative degree, and you are at liberty to use credit to a moderate extent, should your judgement, aided by bro. Little's, so dictate, but in a way that will not, so far as a prudent forecast can foresee, hamper and oppress me, the people, or any individual whether debtor or creditor. Next year it is intended to make our business arrangements somewhat different, and probably more extensive.

Since my last letter to you, nothing of much importance or interest has transpired in home affairs. Dr. Forney has lately returned from a trip to some of the southern tribes of Indians, and has brought the children rescued from the Mountain Meadow massacre, in readiness for their reception by the two commissioners appointed by Congress to conduct them to their relatives. The appointment of those commissioners and the large incident expenditure of public money are very farcical, to all who know those children could at any time have been forwarded, at a trifling expense, with anh company going to the States.

Continue the best use of your judgement and means and all will be right, for which you have the prayers of

Your Bro. in the Gospel,

Brigham Young