[Apostle Willard Richards Journal] The wind this morning veered to the north and with a slight hail and snow. Dr. [Richards] arose about 1 p.m., called at Brothers Lee, Rockwood, and Dr. Sprague, and dined with President Young about 4, when Elder Kimball came in, and after a few moments chat, the three visited the council house of which the brethren had just completed the fixtures.
At 6 p.m., meeting of President Brigham Young's company in the council house. Meeting was called to order by E. T. Benson and names called by Brother Hutchinson. Presidents B. Young, E. T. Benson, W. Woodruff, H. C. Kimball. Names of persons who had made returns read by T. Bullock. E. T. Benson, second. It now commences to make our organization. We want President, his two councillors, captains of hundreds, fifties, tens. Voted that it be left to our President. Clear vote.
President Young nominated Father Isaac Morley the president Clear vote. Reynolds Cahoon be councillor. Clear vote. John Young the other councillor. Clear vote.
1. Daniel Spencer be captain of a hundred. Clear vote.
2. Jedediah Grant, do, do, do [be captain of a hundred. Clear vote.]
3. Edward Hunter, do, do, do [be captain of a hundred. Clear vote.]
4. Willard Snow, do, do, do [be captain of a hundred. Clear vote.]
4. Jacob Gates, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
1. Ira Eldrige, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
1. James W. Cummings, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
2. Benjamin L. Clapp, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
2. Joseph B. Noble, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
4. Erastus Snow, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
3. Benjamin Brown, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
3. Charles C. Bird, do, do, do [be captain of fifty. Clear vote.]
President B. Young: I want you to hear and understand and have it written upon your hearts. In the government of this Church in business transactions, this belongs to the people to dictate, and the elders ought always to bind themselves to the truth. When a man comes into the Church, his sole desire is to have salvation and he will have something or other to guide him, if he has the privilege. He had better strike a furrow and he can go where he has a mind to it, but if he is left without a guide he is very likely to be bewildered. ItÂ's wisdom for every man to bind him to the truth. This ought to be the case with every man. Prepare yourself to stick to this people. If you trust anyone, trust one who will stay in the Church.
In all like cases it belongs to the people to appoint captains of hundreds [and] fifties. Every man ought to have his voice in the matter, as if the whole responsibility was on his shoulders. The people ought to make the officers. When we are going to have national officers? Do you suppose they are all going to be appointed by one man? The will of the Lord was not brought to the people until it had been taken to all the officers. Have Joseph or the Twelve done like J. J. Strang? No! The people have got to ponder over them and ask the Father in the name of Jesus. They then acknowledge it. It then becomes a law. You wanted I should do more than the Lord asks you to. All of you said the President nominate the officers. If anything hereafter happens that you do not like them, remember, you have voted them in.
My oldest brother I have got in as a councillor to Brother Morley. I intend he should work and I do not know the man that will counsel better than he. He is the oldest boy of the five. I want him to magnify his station and perform the work that he ought to do. I pledge my word, if you can get him to work, you will never get one word of wrong counsel. Brothers Morley and Cahoon you all know. The Presidency will instruct the captains and we shall expect then to act from this time forth.
Brother Kimball will appoint his presidents, etc., and if they want counsel from the Twelve, come along together and we will all counsel together. The captains of hundreds may go and make up their companies and take those that they choose until they get a hundred. Let each captain of ten know what his ten has got, then look after the widows and women whose husbands are in the army. We'll sit down and make a calculation who shall go, etc. This will bring it to its natural bearings. Then we shall have to organize again, the pioneers, those who go next and those who stay. Who can go? Who can decide? Let each company decide who goes and who stays.
WeÂ'll jerk our houses into a string and help them to make their gardens. Our pioneers will sow for us and next winter our cattle will winter here on cornstalks, etc. Put them into good warm stables. I want to take all the women whose husbands are in the army that we possibly can.
H. C. Kimball approves of what President Young has said. We calculate to follow our file leader and go out of the Gentiles into a land of peace where we can enjoy the sweets of the earth and of union. We are all one people. I am determined to go on from K. to K. We have got to earn them by the sweat of our face and through tribulation, and there is no house but what every man may enjoy. My motto is: "For peace, for union, for harmony, and for salvation."
The officers were then asked if they accepted of their office, all were willing. President B. Young: Many men have boys who can drive teams. We calculate Brother KimballÂ's company and mine will take up a good part of the road. When we get on the prairies we calculate to drive four abreast, then four fifties take up no more room than one fifty. We can camp immediately together so that our guards can surround the whole camp. We will draw out certain men for hunters, also a guard that will be up continually of a night. If man goes to sleep on guard, he will be chastised. A certain number of the guard will be in front and in our rear so that we can always be prepared.
The men may go into the wagons and sleep all day if theyÂ've a mind, in this way we won't wear out our men, and weÂ'll have Brother Hosea [Stout] for captain; we select thorough men. If I am any ways well, IÂ'll be guard myself. IÂ'll learn them how they may tell an Indian 50 rods off. We can go perfectly safe. We have no necessity of a cry of Indians or one of alarm if we do just as we tell them.
The Presidency and captains of hundreds to ride on horseback and the band stay in the center. All do what you can to fit out. Those who stay can fare better than those who go, and those who go will feel better than those who stay (laughter). I mean every one of the picket guard to have a lasso and mounted on a mule, and if there is an Indian the mule will prick his ears. In the month of April weÂ'll make a bee and jerk out the houses into a line and fence in the gardens, plant and sow all we can. I want Brother C. C. Rich to take command of the military.
H. C. Kimball notified his company to meet tomorrow morning at 10 precisely. Voted that Isaac Morley, A. Cutler, R. Cahoon, Ira Edridge, John Young, George W. Harris, and John Smith be a committee of seven to manage a meeting of the Silver Greys on Friday evening week for recreation, commence at 2 p.m. President Young then said, Â"I bless you all in the name of the Lord and may joy attend you.Â"
Presidents Young, Kimball, and Richards repaired to the Octagon where Dr. [Richards] dictated an apostolic epistle to Mount Pisgah and Garden Grove, while President Young wrote a letter to H. Emily Partridge. While doing this, Bishops Whitney and Miller came in, to whom were read Colonel KaneÂ's letters, minutes of the Manchester [England] Conference, etc. After consultation with Bishop Miller, council adjourned to meet at Elder KimballÂ's, 9 forenoon tomorrow. President Young signed [an] epistle to Mt. Pisgah and retired about 12. (The council of the Twelve was held at Elder KimballÂ's about noon and Brother Orson Pratt was appointed a mission to Mount Pisgah and Garden Grove.) One oÂ'clock. Brothers John D. Lee and Thomas Bullock retired about one oÂ'clock, the doctor retired soon after.
[source: Apostle Willard Richards Journal]
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