[Brigham Young Sermon] A few remarks were made by President Young, stating the necessity of our holding a conference in order to transact some church business, which it was im- portant should be brought before the people before we leave this place on our return to Winter Quarters. President Young moved that the brethren fence in the city and such portions as they had a mind to in sections and cultivate it'- President Young said: I move that there be a president to preside over this place. That there be a High Council. That all other officers that are necessary be appointed for this place. That we call this place the Great Salt Lake City of the Great Basin, North America. That we call the post office the Great Basin Post office'- President Young said: It is the right of the Twelve to nominate the officers, and the people to receive them. We wish to know who is coming in the next company. If Uncle John Smith comes it is our minds that he preside. Colonel Rockwood is my principal man, attends to all my duties'- President Young said: There will be thousands of instances of men being discharged and who are never shown on record as being appointed. It is the business of all clerks to write the business that is transacted, and not to ask questions. Colonel Rockwood is my aidede-camp. I was acknowledged as their General and their dictator. If I appoint him to do a thing and don't tell the clerk, the clerk is not to blame, and when he is discharged it can be recorded. The brethren are not requested to labor for naught. You don't know what dangers you are in. I am full of caution. I wish this people may grow and increase and become a great nation; It ought to suffice the elders of Israel to go and do as they are told. Is it not necessary that the yard should be secured, that the Indians cannot get in? About forty persons are going to live in those houses; that would only be one-fourth of the whole, and have three sides exposed, but common sense teaches us to build it all around. Men laboring here will be glad to buy a cow, some sheep, clothing, and other things. Some wealthy men are coming and will want rooms. The men who build them are entitled to their pay. Don't be so devilish hoggish as to be afraid to do a day's work without getting pay for it. And I can prophecy in the name of Jesus Christ, a man having such a spirit will be damned; and I say further, that such a man shall not live here. Get up your walls four and one-half feet high and that will keep the cattle out. Who is there sick in this camp through living in your wagons? Now, if you go and leave those walls and build up your own house, and I venture to prophecy that you or some of your family will be sick and you will have to watch over them. I had rather they sleep in the Bowery than in a close house. We propose to fence in thirty rods square that, in case of necessity, the cattle can be placed in, and in the inside stack your hay. In the spring remove your fence. Plow a trench about twenty feet from the houses and the women can raise a multitude of garden sauce. I want to engage 50,000 bushels of wheat and other grain in proportion, and I will pay you 50 cents per bushel for corn, $1.25 for wheat and 25 cents for oats. Why not? I bring glass for you and you raise grain for me. Raise all you can. You can buy sheep, teams, or a cow or two. We want you to live in that Stockade until we come back again, and raise grain next year. If yon only fence in forty acres, make it so an Indian cannot see in, and then they won't be tempted'- President Young said: I move that this creek be called the City Creek. That the large creek about eight miles south be called Mill Creek. That the little creek, a little south, be called Red Butte Creek. That the next be called Canyon Creek. That the next be called Big Canyon Creek. Now I want to know if the people are satisfied with the labors of the Twelve? President Young said: I want to know who are going back to winter quarters? Those who are going to stay, will you finish that adobe wall? If so, stand up. (A number arose.) I should have no hesitation in taking five men and build a mile of adobe wall eight feet high this fall. Keep it in mind: 50 cents for corn, $1.25 for wheat, and other grain in proportion'- President Young said: I move that Brother Macintyre be clerk and keep an account of public labors. In regard to our starting, get ready as fast as possible, and on Tuesday night we will start out and see if we are ready to go. I move that we adjourn this conference to October 6, 1848, at 10 o'clock a.m., at this place. I also move that Edison Whipple attend to the distribution of water over the plowed land. -- SLC Bowery [Pioneering the West 1846 to 1878: Major Howard EganÂ's Diary. Howard R. Egan, ed. Salt Lake City, 1917. 125-129; General Church Minutes. Selected Collections from the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints DVD 1 (2002)]
[The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009), http://bit.ly/BY-discourses]
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