"Following Brigham came 'brother Heber,' a large, gross man, bald-headed, and with a harsh and disagreeable voice, and apparently fast approaching the age of 'the lean and slippered pantaloon.' His remarks were in the main but a re-hash of those made by Brigham, save in one or two noticeable points, as follows:—'They say I am a secessionist, but that's a lie. Then they say I have more than one wife; well, I have several wives, and lots of children, and by the help of the Lord I'll have many more of them!'
"Speaking about anticipated trouble with the General Government, he said:—'The entire power of the United States cannot destroy us, for the Lord will fight our battles.'
"Brigham fears Arrest.
"Yesterday Col. Connor rode into the city, and called on Judge Waite at his residence, and made a stay of perhaps an hour or so. Immediately after his departure, a signal of distress was hastily thrown to the breeze, from a small flag-staff on Brigham's 'Lion House.' . . . . Immediately a commotion was seen, and soon armed men began to pour along the different streets, and the report was carried, as on the wings of lightning, to the uttermost
parts of the city, that an order was being made out for the arrest of Brigham and his counsellors, and that Col. Connor had been down to make arrangements for enforcing the writ. Men with muskets and rifles,—some few with antiquated swords,—of all ages, from the brawny youth to the old white-haired sexagenarian, came pouring along, singly and in groups, by twos, by threes, and the half-dozen or more, pressing hurriedly on towards Brigham's premises, zealous, and ready to yield up life, if need be, in defence of the 'Prophet of the Lord.' Altogether some two thousand 'citizen soldiery' collected, and stood guard during the watches of the night, over the beloved Brigham and his harem. Verily, 'The wicked flee when no man pursueth.'"
That Brigham really feared arrest at this time, and believed that a movement was on foot for that purpose, is evident from the following, taken from the "Latter Day Saints' Millennial Star," published in London. It is a portion of a letter written for that magazine by David O. Calder, a clerk in the tithing-office:—
"America. Great Salt Lake City, March 13th, 1863.
"President G. Q. Cannon:
"Dear Brother,—You of course have learned through the New York press of our 'expected collision between the military and citizens of Utah,' and will learn through Capt. Hooper, (he being just informed by telegraph to write to you,) that comparative peace is restored. I shall now give you some details of the trouble.
"As you are aware, we have been of the opinion that the mission of the troops despatched from California last year was not altogether to be confined to the guarding of the mail and telegraph lines, and the protection of the California emigration, and consequently have been watchful of their proceedings; the more so, that they made their winter-quarters within the city limits, and on one of the most commanding benches above the city, instead of being distributed at the several posts along the line of travel.