Church members begin returning to their homes in Salt Lake City.
9th I am better to day I called at the Historians office then
I called upon President Young at his office I found all
the Presidency & several others there. Soon Mr John
Hartnett tSecretary came in was introduced to President
Young & company it was the first time they had met.
The following is a synopsis of the conversation that passed
between them Col Allexander called yesterday & had a short
interview and it was vary agreeable. President Young said
I was much pleased with him and am satisfyed that
if he had the sole command of the Armey & I could have
had three hourse conversation with him all would have
been right and they could have come in last fall as
well as now President Young liasked Hartney how he
liked the place. He said well ownly I dont like to go
to Parawan to attend to the Legislature. It will be a
pleasant ride tfor you through the snow. I had a plenty of
that last winter. I went back to the states through the
snow. I have been confined some 10 years years in
the merchantile business and it was into close confine-
ment for my health the Journey to this country was
an inducement for me to come that I might have
more exercise. Mr Hartnett asked if our difficulties
were not all settelled. B Y. yes so far as they can be
as far as I know. I have been driven 5 times from
my house and home without any Just cause. this time I
did not wish to be driven. The President of the United
States has given us a good deal of Trouble. Buchanan
sent an armey to us & stoped all communication
with ^us^ by stoping the Mail then laid a plan for our destruct[io]n
Hartney said I did not understand it so B. Y said what
did you suppose they sent an armey for. He said to
guard the trains and protects the people against the Indi-
ans &c. did you not believe that we had burned the
court Records & broaken the United States Laws. He
Answered I did. tThis was all fals. we have never
opposed any good maen who were attending to their
own business but I have alway taken the Liberty to speak
my mind freely upon any subject or the acts of wicked
men who would act outrage[ou]s. Hartney said that He
did not think that president Buchanan intended to
have the army fight. He told me when he found
that there was to be war that He was not willing to
have any Blood shed untill He had sent out Peace Commishion-
ers sent to the people & try ^to^ make peace President asked
why did he stop the Mail without any cause. they have
stoped the mail several times when they were about
to commence a persecution upon us they did it in
Nauvoo. President Polk sent an Agent to demand
500 men of us in the wilderness & made arangements
to have us destroyed if we did not comply. Gov Bogs
Agent told me that the mormons were the best people
He ever saw and if they would mingle with the people
and do as we do all would be well but we did not feel
disposed to do it and we were driven out of the state
because of our religion. this Armey boasted all the
while that they would kill our Edlders & take the women
& do what they pleased with them. Hartney said
I came with the army & did not hear such language
as your people say was among them. No they would
not say before you what they would among themselves
I want the United States to let us alone & let us mind
our own business & keep the Laws of God & the Constitution
of the United States as we always have done then
our difficulties will be settelled as far as they can
be but this people will not be driven from these
mountains we shall fight first. we do take the
liberty to speak of the acts of men when they debase
themselves by their acts, but this People hold the
Constitution of the United States sacred. Now should
I speak about Judge Eckles who came & spent the
winter in Green River County & hadd a mob mo[b] the
court before he took the oath of office & brought in
Bills of Indictment against thousands of citizens
who were innocet of crime Now if I was
to speak about his acts, they would accuse me
of speaking against the Constitution of the United
Stats & say I was guilty of treason No man
can Justly find any fault with any of my
official acts except the stoping of those trains
and that I done to save the sheding of Blood
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