Brigham Young letter to William L. Marcy. masy was, at the time, President Polk's Secretary of War. Shows Brigham believed the Saints would travel, not to the Rocky Mountains, but Vancouver Island.
Nauvoo C Ill. | Dec. 17, 1845
Sir
As there is a recommend to
congress in the President's message for a sizeable number of stockholders and
block houses to be erected between our western fontiers and the Rocky
mountains—If some one of our people could be favored with the Agency for that
purpose we could build them, cheaper than in any wise could be done, as we
expect to emigrate near of the mountains next season—If we should eventually
settle on Vancouver. Island according to our calculation we would like to
contact for the same through the summer months. When we arrive at the place of
our destination we fondly anticipate we shall have no old settlers to find
fault with us and if Oregon should be annexed to the United States which in all
probability will be, and Vancouver Island incorproated in the same by our
promptly paying the natoinal revenue and taxes we can live in peace with all
men.
Hon William L Marcy
Sec of War
Washington
DC.
Brigham Young
President of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints. (transcription taken from here)
Further Reading:
Oliver H. Olney's 1842 Journal Entries on the Saints Then-Future Move to the Rocky Mountains
