This "sermon" was preached at Great Salt Lake City, June 19, 1853, and is published in the "Journal of Discourses," vol. i. p. 188. Brigham had appointed his second counsellor, Willard Richards, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the departure of Secretary Harris. So the saints had fairly succeeded in ridding themselves of the obnoxious officials,--the remaining Judge, and the District Attorney, being Mormons in good standing. The Hon. Z. Snow then proceeded to hold his court, unmolested by gentile law or judges. He tried and convicted several Spaniards of buying Indian children for slaves, took the children from the Spaniards, and turned them over to the "brethren." The Indians now began to be hostile, and the brethren were obliged to cease pursuing the gentiles, and prepare to defend themselves against the "Lamanites." During the years 1852-53-54, more or less disturbances prevailed. In October, 1852, Judge Shaver arrived, as successor to Judge Brochus; and Lazarus H. Reed, of New York, was appointed Chief Justice, to succeed Judge Brandenburg. Judge Reed arrived in the Territory in June, 1853. Of these, Brigham said,-- "One of our judges, Judge Shaver, has been here during the winter, and, as far as he is known, he is a straightforward, judicious, upright man, and a good adjudicator in the law. He and Judge Reed, who has lately arrived, I believe will do the best they can, and all is right." Judge Snow continued to hold his office until succeeded by Judge Stiles, in the fall of 1854. Judge Shaver lived among the saints until his death, and was "buried with the faithful." It is currently reported, and believed by many, that Judge Shaver died from the effects of poison, administered by the hands of a Mormon. He was a Southerner by birth, agreed very well with the Mormons, gave suppers, and drank with them, and was considered a "hail-fellow well met." There was, however, some difficulty between the Judge and the Prophet, the nature of which was not distinctly known. The difficulty increased, and one morning the Judge was found dead in his bed. The heads of the church took great pains to have the affair investigated, and came to the conclusion that the Judge had died of some "disease of the head." He was followed to the grave by a large concourse of people, and preceded by a band of music. Less regard would be paid to these invidious reports, were it not for the fact that Brigham Young's connection with the violent death of divers other persons is too notorious to be denied. To say nothing of the Mountain Meadow massacre, in which he is distinctly implicated by evidence of an overwhelming character, there are other cases in which his agency in causing in some way the death of the party, is scarcely denied by himself.