He was followed by President Young, who took occasion to commend the labors of the committee appointed to present Utah's claims for admission into the Union (Elder Taylor was one of the committee, it will be remembered), and respecting the individual labors of Elder Taylor, expressed himself as follows: "With regard to the labors of Brother Taylor in editing the paper called _The Mormon_, published in the city of New York, I have heard many remarks concerning the editorials in that paper, not only from the Saints, but from those who do not profess to believe the religion we have embraced; and it is probably one of the strongest edited papers that is now published. I can say, as to its editorials, that it is one of the strongest papers ever published, so far as my information extends; and I have never read one sentence in them but what my heart could bid success to it, and beat a happy response to every sentence that I have read or heard read. Brother Taylor, that is for you; and I believe that these are the feelings and the sentiments of all in this community who have perused that paper." It was a critical time in Utah when he returned. For several years the crops, through excessive drouth and grass-hoppers, had been at least a partial failure; the isolation of the people from manufacturing and commercial centers, with very limited and very slow means of transportation, had left them almost destitute of clothing; an army was _enroute_ for the Territory, but as to its mission the governor received no definite information, though there was a general and a fairly accurate understanding that its mission was not one of intended peace and good will to the people of Utah. If its mission was to be judged by the boasts of its officers and men, there was to be a sort of "Mormon conquest," and Mormon houses, gardens, orchards, vineyards, fields, and also Mormon wives and daughters were to be the spoils. The very houses were picked out that certain persons were to inhabit; farms, property and women were to be distributed. "Beauty and booty" were their very watchwords.