September 10, 1857 ~ Thursday

10^th I went into the Big field with a Brother Thomas to set
him to work ploughing my field for wheat. I spent
the afternoon in the office I heard G A Smith'^s History
read. President Young took Capt Stewart Van Vliet
through his house introduced him to his family &c

September 11, 1857 ~ Friday

11^th I spent this day in the Endowment House we gave
83 their endowment.

September 12, 1857 ~ Saturday

12^th 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 Governm[en]t
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

September 10, 1857 ~ Thursday

10th I went into the Big field with a Brother Thomas to set him to work ploughing my field for wheat. I spent the afternoon in the office I heard G A Smith's History read. President Young took Capt Stewart Van Vliet through his house introduced him to his family &c

September 11, 1857 ~ Friday

11th I spent this day in the Endowment House we gave 83 their endowment.

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 Vleit 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 Government has all the time endeavoured to destroy us in an underhanded 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 inquire 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 Capt Van Vleit 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