ar with them. Then they cost us some money, but not
much.

Brigham, knowing that I wrote this letter solely for the
protection of the brethren, used it in making up his report to
the Government. I obeyed his orders in this, as I did at the
Mountain Meadows. I acted conscientiously, and have nothing to
blame myself for.

The following winter I was a delegate to the Constitutional
Convention that met in Salt Lake City to form a constitution
preparatory to the application of Utah for admission into the
Union. I attended during the entire session, and was often in
company with Brigham at his house and elsewhere, and he treated
me with kindness and consideration.

At the close of the session of the Convention I was directed by
Brigham to assume charge of the cattle and other property
captured from the emigrants, and take care of it for the Indians.
When I got home I gathered up about two hundred head of cattle
and put my brand on them, and gave them to the Indians as they
needed them, or rather when they demanded them. I did that until
all of the emigrant cattle were gone.

The taking care of that property was unfortunate, for afterward
when the Indians wanted beef they thought they owned everything
with my brand on. So much so, that I quit branding my stock. I
preferred leaving them unbranded, for everything with my brand on
would be taken by the Indians. I know it has been reported that
the emigrants were very rich. That is a mistake. Their only
wealth was in cattle and teams. The people were comfortably
dressed in Kentucky jeans and lindsey, but they had no fine
clothing that I ever saw. They had but few watches.

While in Cedar City Brigham preached one night. In his sermon,
when speaking of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, he said:

"Do you know who those people were that were killed on the
Mountain Meadows? I will tell you who those people were. They
were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins,
and children of those who killed the Saints and drove them from
Missouri, and afterwards murdered our Prophets in Carthage jail.
And yet after all this, I am told there are some of the brethren
who are willing to swear against those who were engaged in that
affair. I hope there is no truth in this report. I hope there is
no such person here, under the sound of my voice. But if there
is, I will tell him my opinion of him, and the fact so far as his
fate is concerned. Unless he repent at once of that u