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Show 188 President Young did not consider bis problems solved by any means not so long as a hostile army sat on Utah's border. But his perceptions of the condition of affairs had changed d r a s t i c a l l y since Governor Cumming had arrived. When Brigham Young informed Bean that families would not l i k e ly be sent across the desert that spring, he was admitting that the burning of the settlements was no longer considered probable, at least for the time being. The expedition could be useful, however. Since t h i s massive undertaking was already in the field, i t would be t o t h e i r advantage to continue searching for the oasis in case i t was ever decided to move there or even plant a settlement there. The move south was also useful. Although Young knew, at this point, that the exodus was not l i k e l y to go anywhere permanent, i t was s t i ll the kingpin of his psycological warfare campaign being waged in the national 20 press which was beginning to bear f r u i t . It was also a demonstration of Brigham Young's power and influence, but, perhaps most important of a l l , it was a fixed necessity in the prophet's mind that his people not come in contact with the army. The bloody scenes of Missouri and I l l i n o i s must not be repeated, and the soldier's influence in the Territory must be abated whether the army proved t o be hostile or not. If the army had to have Salt Lake, they could have i t , but i t is obvious from Young's l a t e s t instructions to Bean that he did not think t h i s would actually happen. In several respects, things had not changed materially. Brigham Young s t i l l governed the people, and he was s t i l l playing his options, emphasizing and de-emphasizing tbe facets of his plans that seemed likely to reap the most gain. But the prophet's options were becoming limited. When he gave up the governorship, he forfeited- his command of the Nauvoo Legion. It would now be far more d i f f i c u l t to r e s i s t the enemy by force with the militia organisation in the hands of Cumming. |