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Show 186 can have any officers palmed off on u s . " * "We have never said we would not receive their officers," cried Gilbert Clements from the pulpit, "but that we would not receive them a t the point of the bayonet." It seems that Brigham Young l o s t much of the fire he possessed the previous fall. No longer did he speak of independence or violence; although he was s t i l l of the opinion that the United States was on the verge of collapse. His main goal was to keep tbe people and the army apart, but he shrank from taking any irretractable measures. He introduced Alfred Cumming as the governor of Utah, and, surprisingly, he reproved Apostle Taylor for inflaming the passions of the people with his recounting of t h e i r t r a i l s in Missouri and I l l i n o i s. Young spoke only of peace and the amicable settlement of the present difficult ties. But the move south continued. Later in the day President Young received a note from George W. Bean in Provo. The president was pleased with Bean's report of Snake Valley, mentioning to Wilford Woodruff that "they have found a desert as we have been looking for."1? Bean was getting anxious; he had laid in Provo for three days without receiving any word from Brigham Young. Something bad changed. Where was the urgency of a month ago? Finally, on the 26th Bean sent a l e t t e r to the prophet, who was s t i l l in Salt Lake directing the evacuation, asking for instructions. The l e t t e r , which i s reproduced in i t s entirety, is indicative of the dutiful nature of the man Brigham Young chose t o find a refuge for the gathering: Provo April 26th 1858 Brest. Young Dear Brother. As I am anxious to return to the Deserts immediately I would like to be instructed upon the following points. Shall we extend |