1857-07-27-New York Herald—Report of the Mormon Commissioner to Washington

Report of the Mormon Commissioner to Washington

The New York Herald, July 27, 1857; pg. 2

Report of the Mormon Commissioner to Washington

Elder George A. Smith, who was sent to Washington last summer with a copy of the constitution of the new State of Deseret, gave an account of his mission, at the Bowery, on 31st May. We extract:—

A great portion of the people have come to the conclusion, after having been a great many years considering the subject over, that we are a very desperate set of fellows out here. Politicians are a little vexed, for the do not know what to do with us. They did not admit any Territory into the Union during this session of Congress, though they did grant a permission graciously to 250,000 inhabitants residing in the Territory of Minnesota to make a constitution. I have looked on and taken items, thought and reflected, saw how it was going, waiting for an opportunity. You know it was a very modest mission I went down on; I went to Washington to ask permission to enter the Union, and I did not want to go on until I saw a fair chance; I hated to ask and be refused admission; I have rejoiced very much at every particle of news that I could receive from the mountains. I received letters from President Young and others, three, four, and sometimes six months after they were written; when they did arrive they afforded me a great deal of pleasure and were a source of rejoicing, especially to learn that the Saints were waking up.