The deep interest I feel at
heart for the general good interest & welfare of the inhabitants
of the State of Deserett at this critical & important crises
is the apology I offer, & the ownly motive that induces me at
this time to address you by Letter. as I may not have a
per[s]onal interview with you which I should be vary glad
to have befoe your arival at CongressWashington
or our petition is presented before Congress, I wish to suggess present a few items for your consideration. In the
first place I will ^wish to^ say I have not been Idle since I learned
that the inhabitants of the vally had organized a State Governtment
& that you was their delegate to Washington but I
have endeavored to do all in my power to assist the cause
in any way that I could, and I am fully convinced
from what I have learned from various sources & classes
that a most judicious, wise, discreet & prudent cource must
be carried out in this affair in order to secure success
I also firmly believe that you ought not to commit
yourself in the least by taking sides with the democrats
whigs, Free Soil, or any ^othr^ party for by so doing at the comm[encem]ent
of the service I belive it would be certain death, to your
success but take a Neutral groud at first & watch the signs
of the times & then act according to circustances you will
probably meet with the most exciting Congress that ever
assembled in the United States, & the parties are so even bal[anc]ed
The deep interest I feel at
heart for the general good & welfare of the inhabitants
of the State of Deserett at this critical & important crises
is the apology I offer, & the ownly motive that induces me at
this time to address you by Letter. as I may not have a
personal interview with you which I should be vary glad
to have befoe your arival at Washington
or our petition is presented before Congress, I wish to
present a few items for your consideration. In the
first place I wish to say I have not been Idle since I learned
that the inhabitants of the vally had organized a State Governtment
& that you was their delegate to Washington but I
have endeavored to do all in my power to assist the cause
in any way I could, and I am fully convinced
from what I have learned from various sources & classes
that a most judicious, wise, discreet & prudent cource must
be carried out in this affair in order to secure success
I also firmly believe that you ought not to commit
yourself in the least by taking sides with the democrats
whigs, Free Soil, or any othr party for by so doing at the commencement
of the service I belive it would be certain death, to your
success but take a Neutral groud at first & watch the signs
of the times & then act according to circustances you will
probably meet with the most exciting Congress that ever
assembled in the United States, & the parties are so even balanced
"Letter to Almon Whiting Babbitt, 27 November 1849," p. 1, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed April 18, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/n5pR