He [Brigham Young] then spoke against thieving, cutting strings from wagon covers, and said the brethren had gone contrary to council in cutting rail timber, etc. on the camp ground, and they must stop all such practices; that they had not made him the leader of the Camp as yet, but if they should do it, when they got out of the settlements where his orders could be executed, they would have justice done them, and, said he, "I should be perfectly willing to see thieves have their throats cut. Some of you may say, if that is your feelings Brigham, we'll lay you aside some time. Well, do it if you can; I would rather die by the hands of the meanest of all men, false brethren, than to live among thieves."
[Source: Manuscript History of Brigham Young, p.49, in Elden J. Watson, ed. Brigham Young Addresses, 1801-1877: A Chronological Compilation of Known Addresses of the Prophet Brigham Young, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Privately published, 1971)]
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