(Transcribed from the digitized typescript at the Marriott Library; page breaks marked. Minor OCR artifacts silently corrected; original spelling and punctuation otherwise preserved.)
Nashville, Tenn. 20th April 1882
President John Taylor Salt Lake City, Utah
Dear Brother:
Elder Cowley and myself bade goodbye to the Saints and left Manassa on the 10th inst., feeling much encouraged at the evidences of prosperity in the midst of the people, many of whom had heard the sound of the Gospel under our voices in their former homes, and we felt to rejoice at the favorable circumstances by which they were at the present surrounded, and the prospect that lay before them, of obtaining happy homes.
On our way back we called and spent one day at Richmond Mo., the home of David Whitmer, with whom we had an extended interview. We found him in fair health, considering his advanced age, and perfectly willing to answer such general questions as we saw proper to ask. He bore a faithful testimony to the divine character of the Book of Mormon and related many incidents connected with the earliest history of the Church. His feelings seemed to be of the very kindest toward all and many enquiries were made, as to the whereabouts of old acquaintances. After a lengthy interview with Mr. Whitmer we had quite a pleasant hour with Gen. A. W. Doniphan, who retains a lively recollection of our people and of the peculiar circumstances surrounding his association with them, and of a visit some few years ago to Salt Lake City. All with whom we came in contact treated us very kindly and we felt well repaid for our day's delay.
Arriving in St. Louis we were joined by four of the brethren from Utah, en route to the South; we remained, and attended the St. Louis Conference, which was quite interesting, the branch having increased to some 30 members, with a number of applications for baptism in the near future.
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On our arrival at Nashville we were met by Elder Snow, who has charge of matters during our absence; he reported everything moving along quite favorably, some 35 baptisms having been reported during the past week, and a general good feeling prevailing. There seems to exist a wide spread spirit of investigation that we have not met with before and our prospects for success in the near future are apparently good. The speeches delivered in the Senate by the Southern Senators against the Edmunds Bill, which we have in pamphlet form, have proven quite effective in allaying prejudice and opening the way before the Elders.
During the winter we made application for ten Elders for this Mission to report after the April Conference; we find only five called, four of whom have reported. We are not as yet informed, as to why no more were called, whether it was by mistake, or whether you only desired a limited number to be sent here. Should it be thought prudent to furnish the assistance we at present stand in need of, ten more Elders will have to be called, to report as soon as circumstances will permit, not later than June 1st if possible, and twenty more to report by the 15th of Sept. next. Should it be thought proper to send any more Elders this spring, we should be pleased to know at as early a date as convenient, when they will take their departure, so that we may be enabled to time our movements, so as to meet with them here. Our Conference meetings commence in the different districts next week and we shall be absent from the city much of the time, for two or three months, hence the necessity for the information desired.
With kind regards in which Elder Snow joins, I remain your brother in the Gospel Covenant.
John Morgan