Sir—By the prospectus of the Bee, I discover a disposition in that useful creature to spread its wings over the whole earth, eye all the various scenery of its surface, and gather the precious drops from every flower, whether on tree, shrub, or plant, to fill the golden bowl of intelligence to the brim; that all variety of appetite may be gratified, and every epicure may be sated with the abundance of the delicious fluid in your market. If I may be permitted to add one drop, to the great fountain of the store-house of the Bee, you may expect more, anon.

One of the greatest curiosities, in this day of intelligence, is, an editor, who appreciates the high and responsible nature of his calling, in giving tone to the public sentiment and feeling; and, rising above all party prejudices, sectarian dogmas, and political intrigues, emits light from every leaf, and furnishes an intellectual feast at every sitting, that exalts, enriches, and ennobles his fellow man, raising him to the high dignity of “lord of the creation.”

There is a great complaint that it is “hard times,” and difficult to “get up” in the world, and “the less a business man makes himself busy with business,” the better for his estate, which, right or wrong, is surely a grand apology for a lazy man.

When rags became tender legal at a thousand times their value, and all the fashionables turned bankrupt, I found trade of little use, and resorted to the popular method of travelling to and fro, from one side of the to the other, till I came to the far-famed “ of the Mormons,” the capital of the “New Western Empire,” and residence of the great prophet of the nineteenth century—Joe Smith.

From what I had heard and read, before my arrival in the golden , I might well have expected to have met with a band of outlaws; marauders of the forest; ruffians of the darkest die; midnight assassins, clad in skins of beasts with horns and hoofs, more ugly than Lucifer himself; with a mighty chieftain at their head, desperate and bloody, before whom, Mahomet or Nero would fall into insignificance: Yes, the visions of Daniel and John, with their beasts of seven heads and ten horns, and eyes within and without, darting firebrands, arrows and death at every glance, were as nothing, compared with the description of this outlandish host; and in contemplating their deeds of darkness, one might well have exclaimed, Ne plus ultra. The cry of blood and murder was wafted on every breeze, but, as I had never been accused from the steamer, which had safely borne me over the waters of the majestic , and landed safely on terra firma, in the midst of this wonderful people, just as the frost was about to suspend navigation; and here I am yet—ice-bound.

Immediately on my arrival, I made my way into the very heart of the , and judge of my astonishment, when, instead of finding myself surrounded by savages, more terrible than the copper man of the forest, with his tomahawk and scalping knife, I discovered that I was in the midst of an intelligent and enlightened people; as peaceable, quiet, sober, and industrious as those of any city I had ever visited.

I have had several interviews with the great prophet, and other big lions of this community, and will do them the justice to say, that I have never found more of the true gentleman, among any people—entirely free from that sophistry in deportment, which characterises many of the fashionables of civilized society.

The Mormon Prophet may well be considered the one hundred and first wonder of the age, and the caution too, if I may judge by a few calls at his office, and the frequent exhibititons of himself in public. The dignity, combined with ease, familiarity, and urbanity of manner, which characterise his deportment; on the judgment seat, as Chief Magistrate of the ; as commander of the ; as President of a numerous ; as the head of a noble family; and as a general business calculator, is unsurpassed: but this is not sufficient to occupy his mind, his eye appears to glance with the velocity of lightning to the utmost bounds of earth, and he compasses other worlds in his imaginations, or revelations, (true or false, Judge ye) never losing sight of the signs in the heavens, and commotion of the elements, the contentions of nations, and even minute circumstances of every description, which he supposes will have an influence on the happiness, misery, or destiny of himself or his fellow men, and especially of those, his followers, who refer to him for counsel.

I have taken a survey of the location of the , and many other things, such as its charters, number of inhabitants, age of the , municipal organization and discipline, politics, legion, general and particular relations, as individuals and body politic, literary institutions, morals, commerce, currency, wealth and poverty, prospects, revelations, , faith, &c. &c., so far as the intense cold would suffer a man, with safety, to trust his nose out of doors, which has been seldom; but will say no more, till I have examined more critically; for there has been so much speculation, concerning this people, that I am determind to write nothing but from my own observation.