The commissioner’s report, however allows the Indian population in the and teritories, to be . . . 333,000.

This, I think does not include those now occupying the space west of the .

Thus you have a glimpse of the lights and shades of the aboriginees of the west, in their low estate, showing that the wilderness does not yet “blosom ast the rose,” although the signs of the times would indicate, that the time is near when the mountains will drop down new wine, and Jacob’s face will not wax pale.

With feelings of no ordinary character, and under peculiar circumstances, I now attempt to break the seeming long silence that has not been interrupted since I left your hospitable cottage, and the society of those rendered dear to me by their virtues, their benevolence and their glorious institutions. That, with the assistance of my heavenly Father, has formed my character and habits for the society of saints and angels.

I am in the enjoyment of good health, and I believe entirely free from that miserable, contemptible disease that destroys the constitution of man, (namely ague and fever,) and what causes me greater rejoicing, I have, by the grace of God, abolished the more dangerous malady—one that binds the mind of man in midnight darkness, and obscures their future destiny and eternal happiness in mistic clouds of uncertainty and doubt, namely, sectarian cupidity. I have just returned to this from a short excursion of four weeks through the south part of . Brother I. Ivins and myself were the first that ever proclaimed the everlasting gospel in that region of country; and to the disappointment of the people, and consternation of hireling priests, we preached Christ, and him crucified, and presented new and important truths from their own bibles that they never saw or heard of before. The people of this section are principally Methodists and Presbyterians, but they were inclined to believe the truth as it was presented, until the decrees of their long robed gods went forth commanding them not to hear or entertain these impostors, as we were called—O delusion! O blind philosophy! how long will thy unfortunate dupes be gulled by the ipse dixit of learned fools and holy knaves?

We were frequently obliged to leave the scriptures, or subject under consideration and give lessons on good manners, and advise disorderly priests not to disgrace their parents by showing their bad breeding. We held a discussion with a college bred advocate of Calvinism on the 23d; he would not show that Mormonism was false, as he had stated, so we took him up on Calvinism, and I assure you he found himself in poor picking before we got through. We left many believing [p. 891]