| Show greit GREAT SALT LAKE CITY WEDNESDAY AUGUST GUST 49 19 1857 VOLUME VII yil 11 monday 13 heavy thundershowers thunder showers during tb the e night i at 10 am went to my office an and d coave wilh with several of the brethren sold eilis ellis AT M Sa sanders riders one hundred acres of land received in cash and his note for 1000 and 20 for the temple paid sisson chase and took up tip a note of young kimball Taylor fayora Ta yora ls given riven for money they had bad borrowed for me and gave 10 to heber C kimball at 2 pin pm attended meeting of the general council at which the following fol foi lowin letter from elder orson hyde was i read iad cc washington april 1844 hon sir I 1 take the liberty to transmit through tau to the council of our church the result of fhy iny my la a bors hors thus far I 1 arrived in this place on op the fhe in dinst 4 by way eay of pittsburgh philae philadelphia delphia 2 and new jersey jers ey r found elder orson pratt fiere flere h ere elder page having been called home homo to pittsburgh on account coun roun tol Vol of his cifes ill health eldero elder eider 0 pratt has been indefatigable in his exertions in in prosecuting sec the business entrusted to his hi 9 charge his business has hag been beell before the senate senaie and aigid referred to the committee on the judiciary and the re report ort of said committee is not yet rendered tich i which is the cause of his bis delay in writing to you yesterday we conversed with hoge hardin douglas Doug las fAs and Wentworth jand and last evening we spent several hours with the hon mr semple they all appe appear ar deeply interested 1 1 niter riter in the oregon question and received us with every demonstration of respect that we could desire mr hoge th til ought the bill would not pass from the fact that there already exists between england and america a treaty for the joint occupancy of oregon and that any act of our government authorizing an armed force to tp be raised and destined for that country would be regarded by england as an ah in fraction of that treaty and a cause of harcom her coin corn g hostilities against us but bat wy lay reply was these volunteers are not to be conil considered dered any part or portion of the army of the united sva sta states es neither acting under the direction or authority of the united states and said 1 I for men to go there landsettle and settle settie lri iri the character of emigrants cannot be regarded by our government as deviating in the I 1 least east degree from her plighted faith unless she intends to tamely submit to british monopoly in that bat country mr H said he would present the memorial if we desired it I 1 thanked him for his kind offer but observed that I 1 was not riot yet prepared for the bill to be submitted but wished to elicit all the facts relative to the condition of 4 oregon and also advise with many other members relative to the matter and we ive could better determine then how the bill should be introduced we do not want it presented land lana and referred to a standing committee and stuck away avay with five or ten cords of petitions tit ions and that be the lashof last of it but butWel we want wani the memorial read a move made to suspend I 1 the rules odthe of house and the bill mr wentworth said 11 1 I am for oregon oreton any how you may set me ind down on your list lisi and I 1 I 1 will go for you if you will go for oregon 1 judge douglas has been quite ill but is just recovered red he be will help all lie he can mr hardin likewise but major semple temple says that he does not believe anything will be done about texas or the oregon this session for it might have a very v er y important effect upon the presidential e election I 1 and politicians are slow to move when such doubtful and important matters are likely to be affected by it ile he says that there are already two bills before the house foi for ing af territorial government in ore oregon oreon on and to protect the emi ants there and n now 0 he says were your bil bli bill to be introduced it might be looked upon that you claimed the sole right of erni eral emigrating g r abing to and settling that new country to the e exclusion of others ile he was in favor of the oregon being settled and be thought the bills already before the house would extend equal protection to us and equal protection protect I 1 on to t 0 every class of citizens was what the government could rightly do but particular privileges to any one cla class ss ahey the could not riot rightly Tightly do I 1 observed that the bill aoker asked for no exclusive rights it asks not for exclusive rights in ore oregon on neither do we wish it other people inight might make a move to oregon and no prejudices bar their way and their motives would not ot be interpreted misinterpreted mis but said 1 I missouri knows her guilt and should we attempt to march to oregon without the government throwing throwing a protective shield over us Mis missouri souris crimes would lead her first to misinterpret our intentions to fan the flame of popular excitement against us and scatter the firebrands fire brands of a misguided zeal among the combustible materials of other places creating a flame too hot for fir na its to encounter too desolating dego deeo lating for us to indulge the hope of successfully cess fully prosecuting the grand and benevolent enterprise which we have conceived we have been compelled to relinquish our rights in it missouri Misao Misa ouri url uri we have been forcibly driven from our homed homes leavin leaving our property and inheritances as spoil to fhe the fhe oppressor and more or less id illinois we have been subject to the whims and chimeras chimaras chi of illiberal men and to threats to vexatious prosecutions and law suits our government prof prot profess es s to have no power to help bell up us or to redress the wrongs which we haw buffered and we now dow nowal apak the government to protect hect us while raising our volunteers r and when we get into oregon we will protect ourselves andall andali and all ail others who wish our protect protection fon and after subduing arlew a new rew country counte encountering all its difficulties and hardships and sustaining th the just claims of our oun pation nation io to its soil we believe that the ibb generosity irene rosity of our bur gove government ament towards us will be equal to oui our enter prize and patriotism and that they will allow us a grant or territory 0 of f land which will be both honorable in the he them in and batis satis satisfactory batory fa tony tory to us this he says is a all ail I 1 very ery just and reasonable but bub still he th thinks aks that congress congress will take po step in ip relation to oregon from the fact that thai his resolution requesting the president denhof of the united states to give notice to the british government for the abolition of the treaty ot ou joint occupation was voted down dowd and while that treaty is in force our government dare dara do nathin nothing in relation to that country thi this s resdIn resolution tion was introduced by mr semple to pave themay the way for the passage of those bills bill sin din in relation to a territorial government gov erdmen in n oregon our members join in the thie acknowledgment that you now have llave an undoubted right to go to oregon with all the emigrants you can raise they say the existing laws protect you as much aa as law can protect you and should congress pass an additional law jaw it would n not t prevent wicked men from shooting you down as they did in missouri all the oregon men in con congress 11 res would be glad we would t gb 6 to that country and settle it r twill will now give gue you my opinion in in relation to this thia matter it is made up from rom the th e spirit of the times i in n a hasty man manner iier tier nevertheless I 1 think time will prove it to be correct that can congress ress will pass no act in relation to texas or ore oregon at present I 1 she is 13 afraid of england an annid of mexico and afraid the pr presidential esl esi i election will be twisted by it the members all appear like players player sat at checkers afraid to move for they see not which way to move advantageously 1 all ali allare are figuring and playing round the grand and important por eor tani questions in inthe the days of gurl burt ard the law people e opi opt e neglected the weigh weightier tie tle matters of or the th e law but tithed mint rue annis and cummin but I 1 think here in washington they do little little else than tithe the inina A member of congress Con gresa is in in na no enviable 81 situation tua tion if he will boldly advocate true principles he loses his influence and be becomes dornes doines un an is commit committed fed and has lost his influence has no power to benefit his constituents so they all go to figuring and pa playing ying round the great points I 1 mr semple said that mr smith could not constitutionally be constituted a member of the army by law and this if nothing else would prevent its passage I 1 observed that I 1 would in that case strike ont out that clause I 1 perhaps I 1 took an unwarrantable responsibility lipon myself but where I 1 get into a strait place I 1 can ao to no better than act according to what appears most correct I 1 do not intend the opinion that I 1 have hastily given shall abate my zeal zea 1 i to drive the matter through but I 1 have div given en th the e opinion for your benefit that your indulgence of the hope that Con congress gees will do something for us may not calu apu to delay any important action there is already a government established in oregon or ego to t 0 some extent magistrates have been ch chosen 0 by the people ac this on the south of the columbia north of that river the hudson B bay day ay company occupy there is some good country in oregon but a great deal of sandy barren desert I 1 ha have seen been a gentleman who hasteen has been there and also in california the most settlers in oregon and texas are our old enemies the crati of missouri if however how every the settlement of oregon or texas be determined upon the tha sooner the move is made fiade the better and I 1 would not dot advise any dela deia delay forthe for the action of our government for there is such a jealousy ot 0 gur bur dur our rising power already that government govern in will I 1 do nothing nio fio thing to favor tavor us IS I 1 the saints possess the kingdom I 1 think they will have to take it iland and the sooner it llis itis esdone is done dono the tho more easil easily it Is accomplished shed your superior wisdom must determine i or t to go to oregon to texas or to remain within these united states and adnel send forth the most efficient men to build up tip churches cherches and let them remain for the time being and in the meantime send some wise men amon among the indians and teach them civilization and pel rel religion il on to cultivate the soil to live in peace with wit h one another and with all men but whatever you do dont be deluded with the hope hone that government will foster us its and thus delay an action which the present perhaps is the most proper time that thab ever will be oregon is becoming a popular question or the fever lever of emigration begins to rage if the cormons mormons become the early maiori majori inal inai V others will nott not come it if the mormons cormons ions lons do not become an barly early majority the others will not allow us to come elder pratt ii is faithful useful and true he has got the run ran of matters here very well and ii with me in all my deliberations tings ac maior major semple poes POPS with us this eveni evening ng to 0 o introduce us to the president and to view the white house my heart and hand are with you may heaven blesi bless xou nou and me av A ever I 1 am ORSON HYDE hyne to thi council of the chu church cb of jeskis jeb ia ft arist trist of latter day eints also the following letter f d v lW washington Ashington april dear sir uit ull i i today to day I 1 trouble 1 you 0 U 1 with v ith another communication 11 ni which you vii vil will 1 I 1 P please I 1 aas e have the tbt good ness to lay before our council we viere were last evening introduced to the president at the white house by the politeness of major semple where we spent an hour sotir very agreeably the president ia is a very plain homespun familiar farmer like man he ile spoke of our troubles in missouri and legret regrets ted that we had met with such treatment he bo asked us how we were getting along in illinois I 1 told him bim that we were contending with the tho difficulties of a new nev country and laboring under the disadvantageous disadvantage ous consequences of bein inc driven from our property and homes ht iff missouri I 1 we have this day had a long conversation with judge douglas doulas ile he is ripe for oregon and the california he said he would resign his seat in congress if he could force that mr smith could and would be on the march to that country in a month I 1 learn that the eyes of many aspiring poll poli ticiano in this pa place e are upon that tb tat country and abd that there is so much ch jealousy jealous till between them that they will proba probably y pa pass no bill in relation to if it now all these politicians rely upon the arril arifi ota of our Overn government ment to protect them there and if government were to pass an act establishing a territorial government west of the blocky mountains there would be abonce a tremendous rush of emigration but if government pass no act in relation to it these men have not stamina or sufficient confidence in themselves and their own resources to hazard the enter prize r r th the northern whig members are almost to a man against texas and oregon but sho 1 uld the present administration succeed succeed drin in annexing 1 texas then all the whigs would turn round in favor of oregon for if texas be admitted slavery is extended to the south then free states must be added to the west to keep ull ill up imbalance of power between the slave siave and the i free states r should texas be admitted war with Bl mexico exico is looked upon as inevitable the senate bave have been in in secret session on the ratification of the treaty of annexation but what they did we cannot say general gaines who was boarding in at the same house with judge was B e or e te frontier i four days davs ago and left immediately 1 I asked shed judge D if that did not speak loud for annex I 1 atlon he says no santa anna being bein a ae jealous hotheaded hot headed pate might be suspicia suspicious p ausit the treaty would be ratified by the senate and upon mere suspicion attempt some sonic hos tili ties and gaines hasteen has been ordered there to i be bp on the alert and ready for action if feces sary probably our navy will in a few days dayi be mostly in the gulf of mexico there are many powei powel powerful ful fui checks upon our government 50 vern ment preventing her from movin moving in any of these important matters and for aught I 1 know khow these checks are permitted to prevents pre yenti venti our government from extending her jurisdiction over that thai territory which god designs to give to his saints judge douglas says he would equally I 1 y as soon go to that country without an act of congress as agwu wilband h that in five years a nole bl state might ie be formed and th then en if they would not receive us its into the union wo we would have a government of our own ile he is decad edly of the opinion toh ton that congress will pass no act achin aclin I 1 a favor of any particular man going there b buthe at he says sava ifancy if any man will go and desire desires s j that eriv and has confidence in his own ability to perform it he be already has the right righta and the sooner he is off the better for ha hla schem scheme I 1 it is the opinion here among |
