[sideways text] Orson Hyde [end of sideways text]
Hon.[or] W. Woodruff, Moroni Sanpete Co U T
Dear Brother, Dec 29, 1860.
I owe you many
apologies for not earlier answering your kind
letter of the 20th Ult. ins I have written to my
family in the city but once since I left, and
have seen my wife in Sanpete but about three
times since the President was here. I have been
very busy in building me a house and in
preaching the gospel. Away from home I seldom
could find a decent pen, or a half sheet of clean
paper. I have written a little through necessity
and a very little only. I might urge many othr
reasons for not writing sooner, but none for want
of a disposition to write. I have not had time
even to write a love letter, however strong my in-
clinations may have been to do so. I never labor
ed with body and mind more intently in my life
than during the past season. I Am now reduced
to the size of a decent man. But my house is
so far finished that my goods are pitched into
it, and have left my family to regulate for
themselves while I go to Fillmore where I
expect to be on New Years night. I am now
on my way there.
Accept my thanks for your Kind
attention to my vineyard. It was a swamp
Snow at Springtown is about 18 Inches deep and
at this place about 6, and only 6 miles apart. We have
had a beautifully mild season until Wednesday last when
the snow fell very freely and it became intensly cold. We have
no wind storms to do us any serious damage in the county
with the exception of about one third of the roof of the Meeting
house at Fort Ephraim which was blown off by reason
of a door being left open and the house being tight, it had
to burst. But it is all repaired. I regret the losses sustained
by our Brethren in the North, yet I am thankful that no
human lives were lost. Speaking of Judgments, the Lord
said, "My saints shall hardly escape." Sickness and death
are our common lot; and though the summons be direct
against us or our best friends, we have to obey the mandate
Sickness is only one trial to prepare us for glory, and death
the gate through which the just enter into it.
Bro. Gibson, of whom you speak, is something more
than a political Mormon, I hope. He has an extensive
mission. I hope he may do good, he can do no harm to
the cause.
The road from the North Bend to Spanish Fork is worked
through for horsemen and empty wagons, but to make it
a good and safe thoroughfare, will require very much more
labor. Many of the citizens here have petitioned for an
appropriation to work it through. Not, however, by my counsel
or suggestion, not but that such a measure is desirable
to me; but I think the Legislation has appropriated too much
already for individual aggrandizement with the view of
public good. I have counseled the people to forward their
Petitions to Hon G. A. Smith instead of forwarding them
to a man who, after voting for a measure, turns round and
says, "you can't do any thing—it is the height of nonsense
to ask two dollars a bushel for wheat when it can be
bought for a dollar or a dollar and a quarter." We
want men who can do something. "You can't, you can't"
never built, even, a house of Commons, let a lone the Kingdom
of God. But when stray cattle are required to pay private
liabilities, the tone changes to, "I can, I can." This is no priva
cy. It
Two weeks ago today, I preached just such a discourse in
Manti as I hinted to them that I should th in the second discourse
that I preached there. It made quite a fluttering in some quarters,
yet the masses of the people brightened as though ten tuns burthen
had been removed from their shoulders. Many were in tears,
others smiled, some as white as ghosts while the power of
God enabled me to tell things about as existing evidence
will substantiat[e] them. One remarked that that discourse
caused many a drooping branch to lift up its head
It was a faithful warning to evil doers.
When a legal Governor vetoes the acts of an illegal Legisla
ture, it is as 'twas; and 'twas as 'tis
Lincoln is Elected, and God's will in that is done.
The times are becoming quite interesting. The Lord help
all parties on in the way they want to go.
The people are gathered for meeting so I must stop
writing and go to preaching
6 o'clock Sunday evening
and all is well. Your Brother in the gospel
P.S. I perceive by the News that Bro Gardner Snow of
Manti City is elected Probate Judge for this County. He is
a very good man; but is completely wraped up in his son
Warren and in George Peacock. The people of Sanpete
have paid Taxes now for many years, and no improvements
can be seen but the jail half finished by Bishop Snow. It
is like all improvements in Manti, unfineshed. Several
Back houses have been begun, but I know not one finished
The jail in like condition. $4,500 was the contract price
for completeing it, as I am told, when $2,000 would build and
complete a much better building than that would be of finished
The county is greatly in debt, and no improvements that are
of much or any use at all. The tithing office has suffered,
the county has suffered, the Perpetual Fund has suffered
The people have suffered by their stoks [stock] being made into
strays and then into beef. The Indian department has
suffered, Missionaries have suffered by their donations going
in the same way. The people of Sanpete think the
Bourbons have reigned long enough, and that Bornbas
Dynasty should end. If the county seat were removed
forom Manti to Moroni or to Springtown it would
suit the notions of the people much better. If to Moroni
M. D Hamilton should be Probate Judge, if to Springtown,
Redick Allred should be appointed the Judge, I have
expressed no opinion here as to the removal of the county
seat, neither any with regard to this choice of a Judge
yet the above are my true sentiments and 19 twentieths
of the people here would endorse them, the opinion
of our representative to the contrary notwithstanding