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Show 114 Even the press and type of the Deseret News was being made ready for the move, and by the time of General Conference on April 6, the Tabernacle was without its organ. So complete was the desolation of Salt Lake City to be that Brigham Young offered to purchase the buildings of non-members of the church, so they could be fired with a clear conscience.2" President Young's "Sebastopol" speech of March 21 went to the press immediately. By March 24 two copies of this speech were on their way to all the ecclesiastical authorities outside of Salt Lake City, and by the 31st the cir-ulars were in the hands of nearly every authority from Cache Valley to the Rio Virgin.^ A cover letter was included with the circulars with specific instructions which varied depending on the locality, but all orders were aimed at completing the exodus from the northern counties into the South as the first step towards resettlement on the deserts. The logistics of the evacuation would be tremendous and Young knew everyone and every settlement would have to contribute heavily to bring it off successfully. President Young's letter to John D. Lee of Harmony is given in full: G.S.L.c. March 24, I858 Elder John D. Lee Dear Bro. You will learn by the circular two copies of which are now forwarded to you, that the policy has varied somewhat from the past. Please loan the circulars to none except those who will faithfully return to you again & keep the policy at home. You will understand that we shall need many teams for the present movement, and we expect Washington county to assist us as much as they can conveniently, and to furnish covers & bows to the wagons they send to our aid, so far as they have them. You can begin to send teams here for families &c., as soon as the weather or roads are sufficiently settled. As we shall not plant or sow any more north of |