United States District Attorney's
d.

Office, June 23, 1851

Sir I have the honor to report that the U S Steamer Michigan arrived here last evening with James J Strang, who Claims to be the Prophet of God, and King of the Earth, and ten of his Confederates Charged with robbing the mail, Counterfeiting the Coin and Committing immense depredations on the Public Lands. We reached Beaver Island on Wednesday, and left on Saturday evening, having in the interval taken the depositions of nearly sixty witnesses to be used on the trial, who otherwise would have been brought to Detroit at an expense of not less than Sixty dollars each. The evidence, Copies of which I shall forward so soon as they Can be made, discloses the most extraordinary State of things that has even been known, and will exhibit to the world a degree of Credulity and Crime, that will astonish All Men All the Mormon Witnesses testify that they not only believe, but know that Strang is the Prophet of God, gifted as Isaiah and the other Prophets with the power of Speaking in unknown tongues, that God revealed to him Strang, that the Beaver Islands belong to him, and that the Federal Government had no title thereto. He parcels it out as he pleases and they have literally destroyed the Gentiles who have bought and paid for their land, the trials will take place this week, and by means of Your prompt orders to the Steamer we have not only taught them that the Law must be respected and obeyed but have Saved an expense to the United States of at least ten thousand dollars, as the Newspapers are trying to make some political Capital out of this matter, and as I owe it to the administration to defend them from Such assaults, by keeping these deluded

Creatures in the Wong I enclose a letter written by me to the Bishop Pro
Tempore on the Island in reply to his note enclosed, and addressed to Mr
Beardsley. After perusing them both will you Send them to the Republic,
With a request from me to publish it. I wish to forestall all their ef-
forts to get up the cry of persecution. And now sir permit me once more
as a Citizen of Michigan and Officer of the Government to thank you for the
promptness with which You have placed the Marshall in a position to dis-
charge his high duties, Without this aid from you we should be as powerless
as our State Authorities have been. Capt Bullus and all his officers exhibited
the utmost zeal and energy and deserve the thanks of the Department

I have the honor to be

Your Obt Servt

Geo C Bates

US Dis Atty

Mich

To the President

Washington

D C