[Hosea Stout]
Attended a general Council at the Historians office of the first Presidency, Twelve, and officers of the Legion[.] The object of which was to take into consideration the best plan of opperations to be adopted to counter act the purposes of our enemies, whether to attact them before they come near us or wait untill they come near, or whether it is yet best to fight at all only in unavoidable self defense or in case a large force is sent against us this spring whether to fight or burn our houses & destroy every thing in and around us and flee to the mountains & deserts &c &c &c
It appears that the course pursued hitherto by Gov Young in baffelling the oppressive purposes of Prest Buckhannan has redounded to the honor of Gov Young and the Saints and equally to the disgrace of the President & his cabinet[.] Mormonism is on the ascendancy and now what is the best policy to maintain that ascendency. If we whip out and use up the few troops at Bridger will not the excitement and sympathy which is now raising in our favor in the states, be turned against us. Whereas if we only anoy and impede their progress while we "Burn up" [Salt Lake City] and flee, the folly, and meanness of the President will be the more apparrant and he and his measures more unpopular &c[.] This was about a fair statement of the subject matter in council[.] There was no definite measures adoptedmany spoke on the subject and the council adjourned till 8th April at 2 p.m. at the Tabernacle.
[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
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