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Day in the Life

Sep 12, 1857

Journal Entry

September 12, 1857 ~ Saturday

12th We got in an express this morning saying that ther
was some 900 troops on the way this side of Laramie
& some 12 government Baggage trains. Capt Van Vlieeit
came into the office & President Young had a good deal
of conversation with him. He said to him I do not
want to fight the United States but if they drive
us to it we shall do the best we can & I will tell you
as God lives that we shall come off conquerer for
we trust in God. For God has set up his kingdom
on the Earth & it will never fall but it will stand
we shall do all we can not to fight but if they drive
us to it God will overthrow them. if they would let
us alone & say to the mobs now you may go & kill the
Mormons if you can but we will have nothing to do with it
this is all we would ask of them But for the Government
of the United States to array their armies against us
it is to despicable & damnable for any honorable Nation
& God will have them in derission for doing it. The Govern-
ment has all the time endeavoured to destroy us in an under-
handed manner. But Now if they come against us
we will whip them all the time and you will see
that we will do it. The United States are sending their
armies to hold us still untill a Mob can come and
kill us and they have done this all time. we are the
supporters of the United States Constitution, & we love
the Constitution & Laws of the United States. But it is
the corrupt Administration of those Laws which we
are suffering under & not the Laws. if the Laws had
been carried out in Missouri it would have hung Gov
Boggs Between the heavens & the Earth and all his friends
who was in the murdering & expelling the Saints from
the states they shot down the mormons whenever they
could. They killed Joseph & Hiram. Then when Col
Harden came into Nauvoo with his armey He did not inq-
uire who killed Joseph Smith or Hiram or any of the
saints who had been killed but enquired for some missing
Man that we knew Nothing about & said he should Hold
me responsible for the life of that man. This has been the
course with the Government all the time. We got up a
Memorial or declaration to the Congress of the United
States last winter the Declaration was then read to the
Capt Van Vleeit after hearing it he said I cannot
find any fault with it ownly it is couched in vary
strong language. President Young said that is what I
intended. And I will now ask capt Van Vleit if

People

Browse people Wilford Woodruff mentioned on this day in his journal.

Young, Brigham
1 Jun 1801 - 26 Aug 1877
3302 mentions
Apostle, Family
Smith, Hyrum
9 Feb 1800 - 27 Jun 1844
400 mentions
Apostle
Hardin, John J.
6 Jan 1810 - 23 Feb 1847
4 mentions
Smith, Joseph (Jr.)
23 Dec 1805 - 27 Jun 1844
2227 mentions
Boggs, Lilburn Williams
14 Dec 1796 - 14 Mar 1860
49 mentions
30 mentions

Related Documents

Browse other documents with this same date. These could include pages from Wilford Woodruff's autobiographies, daybooks, letters, histories, and personal papers.

Letter to the Editor of Star, 12 September 1857
G. S. L. City Editor of Star. Dear Brother, In consequence of the annulment of our [Past] arrangements by the U. S. government, we are obliged to write by such opportunities as may present themselves for communicating with our friends. Dr. J. M. Bernhisel our delegate & Captain Stewart Van Fliet assistant Quartermaster of the U. S. army for Utah, start on Monday for Washington by whom I forward this. You have no doubt heard of our celebration of the 4th. July by a grand military review, and of the 24th July party at big cotton wood kanyon. While at the head waters of big cotton wood Elders A. O. Smoot, O. P. Rockwell and Judson Stoddard arrived from the States, bringing the news that Gen. Harney and an army of 2500 men were fitting out for Utah. Many companies of emigrants from, and to California have passed through our city this season. The Indians north have robbed and killed many of the Emigrants, in consequence of the cruelty of one company from California, who it is reported shot every Indian they could see on the route, this party were journey- ing from California to the States. Augt. 12th S. W. Richards & G. J. Snyder started as an ex- press taking letters to the States. 14th, Bro. William Cooke arrived from his mission to Australia, also bro. Jennings with a company of brethren from Carson valley 15th Bro. J. W. Cummings & R. T. Burton with a company of brethren started out to help in the emigration, and report proceedings Eastward
Letter to Ilus Fabyan Carter, 12 September 1857
Brother Ilus, F Carter Portland Maine. I once more improve the opportunity of addressing a few lines to you, and our Maine friends; but when another opportunity will offer, I know not. I will say we are all well, and all is still peace in Utah, notwithstanding the armies of the United States are approaching our borders with the intention of destroying us as far as they can. I presume you are aware that our mails have been stopped, and an enemy on the way here to chastize us, and make Presbyterians of us at the point of the sword. We are certainly living in interesting times. As to news I hardly know where to begin or end. It is universal health and peace. We have gathered the greatest harvest of wheat we have ever known in this Territory, and it is so with every crop we have put in the earth. Our wheat and oats was as high as my head; corn as stout as can grow out of the earth, potatoes the best I ever saw, so with all vegetables. Peach and apple trees are breaking down under their loads; and on the top of this great harvest we have a fair prospect of war with the United States. This is certainly interesting, that the Government of the United States, of Twenty five millions of people should make war upon a little handful of people in the mountains
Autobiography 1883 Tullidge's Quarterly Magazine Notes 3
On the we got an express in the morning saying that there were some 900 troops on the way this side of the Laramie and some 12 Government baggage trains. Captain Van Vleit came into the Office this day and President Young had a good deal of talk with him. He said I do not want to fight the United States but if they drive us to it we shall do the best we can and I tell you as God lives we shall come off conquerer for we trust in God. For God has set up his kingdom upon the earth and it will never fall but it will stand. We shall do all we can not to fight but if they drive us to it God will overthrow them. If they would let us alone and say to the mobs now you may go and kill the mMormons if you can but we will have nothing to do with it, this is all we would ask of them But for the Government of the United States to array their armies against us it is too dispicable and damnable for any honourable nation and God will have them in derision for doing it The Government has all the time endeavoured to destroy us in an underhanded manner; but now if

Events

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Sep 12, 1857