Transcript
Transcript for Smith, George A., "Arrivals from Utah," The Mormon, 21 June 1856, 2
ST. LOUIS, June 12, 1856.
HON. JOHN TAYLOR,—Dear Sir:—I have just arrived in this city per steamer "Polar Star," and have in possession the papers intrusted to my charge by the Convention to form a Constitution for the State of Deseret.
Professor Orson Pratt, Elders E. T. Benson, Erastus Snow, A. O. Smoot, Wm. Miller, John W. Coward, T. O. Angell, James Beck, Lorenzo Hatch, James Ure, James Palmer, Jacob Gibson, A. Grow, James Taylor, Samuel H. B. [Harrison Bailey] Smith, Miles Romney, Thomas Bladen and Brigham H. Young, also, Joseph L. Heywood, U. S. Marshal for Utah Territory, at the same time. We arrived at "Mormon Grove" on the 8th inst., and at Atchison, Kansas Territory, on the 9th. We left Utah on the 22d April. Universal health and prosperity in Deseret. Our company encountered a very heavy storm at the South Pass, which commenced on the 4th of May, and lasted three days with unabated fury. Our animals were kept alive by feeding them on bread and covering them with our bedding.
For a number of days we traveled in snow and our animals being weak delayed our journey to considerable extent.
We shall remain here for a few days, I will notify you of the time I shall expect to be in Washington. Elder E. T. Benson will accompany me and probably Elder O. Pratt, likewise, Marshal Heywood who is upon official business. I mail you a copy of the latest Deseret News.
We are all very much fatigued.
JUDGE APPLEBY writes us from Philadelphia, June 13, stating his arrival there the preceeding evening, in company with Col. Babbitt, on their way to Washington. We are pleased to learn they are both well. The sketch of their trip is embodied in the above letter.