Brigham Young

“ As I said when I commenced preaching twenty-three years ago, and saw the same spirit of persecution exhibited then as subsequently, "Let us alone, persecutors, we do not wish to fight you, for we have not come to destroy men's lives, or to take peace from the earth, but we have come to preach the Gospel, and to make known to you the things of the Kingdom of God. ”

“ He turns the hearts of men when they know it not, and the mysterious workings of His providence among the people they do not understand. He rules in their midst, and controls the nations of the earth according to His will and pleasure ”

“ When a deadly foe to his operations and to the interests of his constituents is in the field, that is the first man the Doctor visits, and he labors to make him our friend.
Having before us these reasons, with many others equally weighty, that might be given, I doubt whether there is another man in the Territory, or belonging to the Church, in or out of the Territory, who could have accomplished what brother Bernhisel has done in Washington for this people. ”

“ They wish political gamblers to have the money, in order to work corruption, and make the influence of money affect the ballot box, as in the United States, and thus use the appropriations for this Territory to subserve party purposes and pander to corrupt favoritism. ”

“ In a great majority of such instances, the son will remain inactive upon his plantation, leaning upon his father for support until he becomes indolent, and says, "If I want wheat I can go and get it from my father; or if I want a team, a barn, a house, or anything else, the old man will supply them; I have nothing to do but call upon my father."
Now what is that boy good for? He is not worth a red cent; turn him out into the world alone, and he will starve to death. ”

“ Men have taken their grain from their wives and children, and made them live on wolf flesh, in order to get money. The love of money raises trouble among a people and sends them to the devil.
We want none of their money, and if they are not disposed to send .it here, I care nothing about their money's coming; and this proves to me, and should to you, that I do not care about a man's getting one dime appropriated to this Territory. ”

“ If they want women to go to California with them, we will send a company of the same stripe, if they can be found, and then both parties will be suited to and for each other. I would rather follow her to the grave, and send her home pure, than suffer my daughter to be prostituted. I will not suffer any female member of my family to be polluted through the corruptions of wicked men. ”

“ Though I may not be Governor here, my power will not be diminished. No man they can send here will have much influence with this community, unless he be the man of their choice. Let them send whom they will, and it does not diminish my influence one particle. As I said, the first time I spoke on this stand, my Governorship and every other ship under my control, are aided and derive direct advantages from my position in the Priesthood.
The office of Governor is not necessarily in the least degree incompatible with the upright course of any person clothed with the Priesthood ”

“ Let us alone, and we will send Elders to the uttermost parts of the earth, and gather out Israel, wherever they are; and if you persecute us, we will do it the quicker, because we are naturally dull when let alone, and are disposed to take a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little rest. ”

“ Are they men of virtuous character who talk so about the "Mormons" having more wives than one? How odious it was last winter, in the sight of certain men who were here, to think that we had more lawful wives than one ”

“ But first learn him to go and earn his farm, his teams, and his bread stuff; to understand the value of everything by knowing how to earn it; and he will become independent like the father, and know how to take care of himself. ”

“ It is true they have to be offered, if at all, behind his back, for you cannot easily find a man who will abuse him to his face, as he is so kind in his manner, so gentlemanly in his appearance, and so easy in his deportment, treating everybody with due courtesy and respect. ”