The following comes from:
Henry
L. Southworth, Letter to Willard Richards, December 23, 1857, MS 2054,
Church History Library
To Willard Richards,
Paris, Illinois, Dec. 23d, 1857.
Dear Brother;
The mails are getting so slow and
uncertain in this country at the present time. That I am doubtful whether you
will receive this letter, but I will write a short one. The judges of Utah have
been active trying to raise a fuss and stir up the minds of the people against
the Saints in Utah; the devil has been to work to bewitch them and the minds of
the people have been changed toward the inhabitants of ^the valley^. The papers
have stated there was only one course left for the President; and that was, the
removal of Br. Brigham and the sending of sufficient troops to support his successor.
It has been currently reported that the president had followed this counsel
though it is not stated who is to be ^the future governor^ his successor.
But I am happy to say there are
some noble exceptions among the press of the United States; there are some who
have published the statements of the Utah delegate and are willing to believe
his story and his account of the difficulties between the governor and judges.
I visited a few days ago in Springfield, Gov. French, of this state; I showed
him the Historical Mormon engraving, of which I sent you two by last mail; they
gave him unpleasant recollections and well they might; for who that has the
feelings of humanity dwelling within there bosom can look upon those
representations of facts, without shedding a tear; Gov. French stated that the
Mormons were driven before he came into office; but when he came ~in ^the
office^ he ordered all the troops from the seat of action; he thought the
Mormons were provoking, but that the people were a good deal to blame; he
endeavoured to allay all excitement and to establish perfect order.
Kossuth, the Hungarian, is
creating a perfect frenzy of excitement throughout the U.S. with regard to
Hungary; a fund is to be created in New York, of which it is said Horace
Greeley, of the Tribune and [I mean?] of Cincinnati have donated each one thousand
dollars, for the purpose of freeing Hungary. Kossuth comes to this country for
the purpose of getting the U. States to interfere in European politics and to
entangle them in an European war. South Carolina still maintains her hostile
attitude, and is fortifying herself for a resistance by arms to the Union; thus
the prophecy of our beloved prophet Joseph is about being fulfilled; and the U.
S. will shortly have enough to attend to without sending troops to Utah to
regulate the affairs of the Saints. A new difficulty has arisen with Great
Britain; one of her vessels of war has shot into an American steamship on the
coast of Nicaragua, and instructions have been forwarded by Daniel Webster, the
Secretary of State, to our minister at the court of St. James to have the
matter settled at once. France is on the eve of a new revolution, and a few
short months will settle the question whether she is to be a republic or change
to a monarchy. Well, we shall see what we shall see; the destinies of the world
are
are soon to be changed by some
mighty revolutions; the tide has been held back by the invisible hand of the
Almighty, till the time has nearly arrived when the thunder bolts of war are
about to be let loose; when Gog and Magog are to be gathered together to fight
the great battles of these last days. The blood of the prophets of the Most
High are continually calling upon Him for avengeance upon them that know not
God and obey not his commandments.
Yours
&c. H. L. S.
Dear Bro. I am now on my way to
New York and shall perhaps be better able to write you a more important and a
rather better letter by the Feb. mail, but the mails are so uncertain I am
doubtful whether you receive this letter or not and therefore I have written it
in [a] hurry, if a [hurry] than I otherwise should. I am still anxious to have
your opinion with regard to those five engravings of the Martyrdom of the
prophets and persecution & spoliation of the Saints from Munro. I hope you
have received the copies which I sent you in good order; You may as well direct
your paper still to the care of Bro. Wrigley in St. Louis.
Your
humble brother
H.
L. Southwick
