USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > The founder of the city of Cleveland, and other sketches > Part 8
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was elected. He accepted the position, but after a service of two years resigned. He pre- ferred the practice of law, because he found it quite as agreeable and much more remunera- tive. In 1871 the Western Reserve College bestowed on him the honorary degree of doctor of laws. In 1876 he was chosen president of the board of managers who represented the interests of the State at the Philadelphia Cen- tennial Exposition. At the presidential elec- tion of 1880, he was nominated a senatorial elector by the Democratic State convention, and failed of an election because the party ticket was defeated. In the same year he was chosen by a State convention of lawyers to the presidency of the Ohio State Bar Association. His address to the bar at the close of his term of office was regarded as a masterpiece of true eloquence and sound logie. He was for several years president of the board of trustees of the Case School of Applied Science, which has an endowment of a million and a half of dollars bequeathed to it by the late Leonard Case of Cleveland. The trust was one of honor as well as of great responsibility.
Judge Ranney is still devoted to the practice of law at Cleveland. He is eminent in his pro- fession and enjoys the confidence of the public. Ile seems to have been born a logician. What-
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ever may be the complexity of a legal question submitted to him, he at once subjects it to the test of logic and solves it upon logical prin- ciples. When he has done this it is like a nail driven in a sure place and clinched. His men- tal powers are gigantic and cannot be measured with rule or plummet. In a great case, com- plex as it may be, he always proves himself. equal to its clear exposition and logical solu- tion. Yet he is modest even to timidity, and does not seem to be conscious of his powers. He has all the qualities of a great statesman as well as jurist. As a politician he is severely honest, and for the sake of office would not accept the presidency of the United States. He is one of the very few who never sought an office, yet has held many important offices. The offices he has held came to him without solicitation. In all of them he has acquitted himself with signal ability. As an advocate at the bar he is eloquent and forcible, and often rises to the sweeping majesty of a tidal wave. His law practice is chiefly confined to great cases, and is both lucrative and extensive. He is not only an adept in legal science, but is acquainted with the sciences generally as well as with classical and modern literature. He is familiar with the principles of the Justinian code and code Napoleon, and also with the
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leading decisions of the English and American courts. He can readily cite from memory the important legal authorities known to the pro- fession, and is himself a legal authority. While on the bench of the supreme court he elevated the bench more than the bench elevated him. He has a dignified presence, and a moral char- acter that is above reproach. In a word, he is a man who has ripened into a noble manhood.
VISIT TO SALT LAKE CITY
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VISIT TO SALT LAKE CITY
TN the fall of that memorable year in which the last spike was driven that completed the first transcontinental railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, myself and wife passed over the route, and on our way stopped off for a few days at Salt Lake City. There was no railway connection at that time with the eity. The only method of public travel was by stage- coach, a distance of about thirty miles. The road ran along the base of the mountains which encircle this great valley, as if to guard it from the profane intrusion of the outside world. The dark blue waters of Salt Lake slumbered calmly on our right, and occupy a central posi- tion in the valley. It is about seventy-five miles long by ten wide. In its centre there looms up a mountain island, which gleams like an emerald set in ebony. Its outline is oval. The extensive meadow-like plains that border on the lake are rich and beautiful, and divided into ranelies occupied for the most part by Mor- mons. The margin of the lake is enerusted with erystallized salt of excellent quality, which
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the people here generally use for domestic pur- poses, and which any one may shovel up and carry away by the wagon load, if he cares to do so. In other words, here are Nature's salt works.
In passing around the spur of a mountain as we approached the city, we drove through the rapid current of a hot spring flowing from the mountain's base, and steaming with offensive gases, and so heated that you could not hold your hand in it. Its volume is quite large, almost a rivulet, and its waters are said to be highly esteemed for their medicinal properties. Springs of a like character abound still nearer the city, and even within its limits, where several bathing-houses have been erected to which Brigham and his disciples often resort and undergo ablutions which, I doubt not, they much need; and yet I question whether the waters, though heated to a scalding tempera- ture, could cleanse them from their moral lep- rosy.
Very soon after passing the hot springs we entered the city proper, and took lodgings at a Mormon hotel. Here we found excellent accommodations, and during our stay were treated with all the attention and politeness we could desire. We observed nothing, while at the hotel, which induced us to believe that
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it differed in any respect from other first-class hotels; and yet, as a matter of fact, our land- lord rejoiced in the possession of five wives, if joy there can be in having five times too much of a good thing. The first wife was, appar- ently, past middle age, wore a faded calico dress and a downeast look, and seemed unhappy. The second appeared much younger and pret- tier, was clad in silks and. jewels, and had the general superintendence of the servants and of the household. The other three, it was said, kept house by themselves in different parts of the town, and took charge of their own children and family affairs; yet were, in fact, supported by the landlord, their common husband. How many children he has by his five wives we did not learn, but they are said to be numerous. He is regarded as a man of wealth, and in his style of manners has the appearance of an accomplished gentleman. He is a native of Maine, apparently about sixty years old, and has resided in Salt Lake City twenty years.
On Sunday morning we attended church, and heard Brigham Young preach. He had a full house, and appeared to be a man of much more polish and cultme than I expected to see. from all I had heard said of him. His language was select, and his style of oratory earnest, talka- tive, and sincere. Ile indulged in no expres-
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sions which could be regarded as inconsistent with good taste; yet when contradicted or irri- tated, it is said, he sometimes employs coarse and unqualified language. He evidently feels and knows that he is the acknowledged dic- tator and Supreme Head of the Church in Mor- mondom. It must be admitted that he is a shrewd taetician, decidedly foxy, and ever ready in adopting expedients. If this were not so, he could never have achieved what he has. If not a great genius, he is certainly no ordinary man. This was my impression of him at first sight. His discourse was not written, nor did he take a text, but proceeded at once to give utterance' to his train of thought. If I had not known who he was, I should not have questioned the orthodoxy of his discourse, until he alluded to the subject of polygamy. In this allusion he pronounced it a divine institution, and then remarked that the outside world called it his "peculiar institution." He said there was really nothing peculiar about it, and declared that polygamy was sanctioned by both the Old and New Testament, as well as by the present customs of mankind in various parts of the eiv- ilized world. He also declared the Book of Mormon a Divine Revelation, because he knew it to be such. asserting that the "Latter Day Saints " are the only true chosen people of God.
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He said all other systems of religion had failed in their object, and that the new revelation became a necessity, and is therefore the true "light of the world." He called Christ his elder brother, and claimed the power of work- ing miracles. In conclusion, he appealed to the women to be submissive to their condition, and urged this as a religious duty. He told them that God destined them to become the mothers of mankind, and that they were made wives and mothers in the providence of God, for the purpose of building up Zion for "Zion's sake."
In personal appearance, Brigham is a · fine- looking gentleman, tall and portly, easy and self-possessed in manner, dresses elegantly, is about seventy years of age, yet appears much younger, and weighs at least two hundred. He has more wives than pounds of flesh. If dis- tributed among them, he wouldn't go round at a pound apiece. He has wives celestial and wives terrestrial. Of the celestial there are several hundred; of the terrestrial some thirty, or more. The former are pious, confiding old ladies, who have lost their charms, and only claim the privilege of pinning their faith to his sleeve. The latter are still possessed of .considerable youth and beauty, and have the privilege of "building up Zion." How many
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children Brigham really has, is not known, and it is doubtful if he knows; but they say he has somewhere from fifty to one hundred and fifty. In providing for their education, he erected especially for them a large two-story school- house, which has now become too small to accommodate them He has nineteen or twenty favorite wives, who occupy distinct dwellings in different parts of the city. He visits them
occasionally, and so far as they are unable to take care of themselves, he provides for them. The salvation of every woman who marries Brigham, or any of his church dignitaries, is considered absolutely certain. Hence, their system of celestial marriages embraces old women as well as young, and often women who have been in their graves for years. The nuptial ceremonies are performed in church. In marrying a deceased woman, the bridegroom appears before the priest, locked arm in arm with a living wife, who consents to the nup- tials, as the representative of the invisible bride; in this way the departed woman is sealed to an earthly husband in celestial mar- riage. The faithful, especially the widows, believe in celestial marriages; and of course are all anxious to secure their salvation by becoming sealed as celestial wives to Brigham, or to some one of his divine officials in the
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church. The Mormons claim that all within the pale of their church are brothers and sisters in a natural as well as spiritual sense, and therefore hold that intermarriages without re- gard to the degree of consanguinity are in per- fect accordance with the dietates of God and Nature. While we were in the city a brother married his sister, as we were credibly in- formed.
The priesthood go so far as to say that father and daughter, mother and son, may, without violating either natural or divine law, inter- marry, if they choose. Such is polygamy in its tendency and in its most revolting form., Is there no remedy? The time is rapidly ap- proaching, I trust, when this corroding stain, this foul plague-spot on our national escuteh- eon, will be forever obliterated, and that, too, without the hope of a resurrection. And yet what can be done, or what will be done, remains to be seen.
In the afternoon, on Sunday, religious ser- vices were held in the great Mormon Tab- ernacle by the subordinate members of the priesthood. Brigham does not often preach, and when he does, he prefers to preach in the chapel, which is much smaller than the taber- naele, and in which it is much easier for him to speak since he has worn his lungs "thread-
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bare," as he expresses it, by the publie speaking he has done in the last twenty-five years.
Both the chapel and tabernacle are enclosed in the same lot or square, of ten acres, by a close substantial fence or wall, fifteen feet high, and entered through massive prison-like gates. The tabernacle is an immense structure, two hundred and fifty feet long by one hundred and fifty broad, and ninety-five feet high. It is oval in its outline, roof and sides, and looks like a huge land-turtle standing motionless in its tracks. The roof rests on the side walls, and has no inside pillars to support it. Its acoustic properties are far-famed. It is also said to be the largest building ever erected in this country, without having interior columns, and will seat ten thousand people. At one end there is an elevated platform broad enough to accommodate the entire priesthood, which con- sists of Brigham as Divine Master, his three divine counsellors, twelve apostles, and seventy elders.
On this platform there stands a magnificent organ, brilliantly gilded in front, which is seventy-five feet high and thirty-five wide. It was built by a Mormon. Its tones are as heavy as the muttering thunders, and yet as sweet as the music of the spheres. We were politely seated by the usher in a front seat, below, with
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the audience. There are no galleries. The house was well filled, probably not less than six or eight thousand people were in attend- ance. The priesthood occupied the platform, and, judging from their numbers, I should sup- pose they were all there except Brigham, who seldom attends serviee in the afternoon. The women occupied the central seats in the main body of the tabernacle, and the men encireled them round about like a hoop. I never before saw such a sea of upturned, credulous faces, as I beheld in this assemblage. There were twice as many women as men, and "such beauties did they grow," that you would have fancied yourself anywhere else than in a field of lilies. The audience was composed of almost every nationality known on the face of the globe. They all seemed absorbed in the services, which consisted in singing, reports from re- turned missionaries, and a rambling, hit-and- miss discourse from one of Brigham's divine counsellors. Most of the priests appeared to be elderly men, with broken constitutions, who presided with a degree of rustic dignity that appeared somewhat ludicrous.
Brigham owes his success mainly to his mis- sionaries. He sends them by hundreds to almost every part of the civilized world. The result is, that he obtains proselytes by the thousands,
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every year. Five parties of immigrants were reported at the tabernacle last Sabbath, as being on their way, or as having arrived this year, each party numbering from three hundred to seven hundred persons. In one of these parties seven different languages were spoken, indieat- ing the various countries from which they came. All this was reported as the fruit of a single year's missionary labor.
The Mormon church is rich, and transports its proselytes from Europe to Utah at its own expense, and is afterwards reimbursed from their earnings in this country. After they have paid this expense in work which is allotted them, they are then, like all other Mormons, required to pay tithes to the church in cash or in kind, annually, during their natural lives. These tithes in kind are either sold or applied, as needed, to support poor immigrants, until they become able to provide for themselves. Nearly all the proselytes to the Mormon faith for the last fifteen years are made up. of the ignorant and poverty-stricken classes of the Old World, who, having nothing to lose, but every- thing to gain, were induced to believe that in Salt Lake Valley they would find, not only an earthly paradise, but be enriched with all the blessings and wealth that this world can bestow. It is seldom that an American joins the Mor-
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mons. When Brigham dies, if not before, the organization will explode. Already there are factions in the church which threaten its exist- ence. In fact, Brigham seems aware that he has an elephant on his hands, and in order to prevent a crisis, will soon be obliged to an- nounce a new Revelation.
Salt Lake City contains about twenty thou- sand inhabitants. It is laid out in one hundred and eighty square blocks of ten acres each, with intervening avenues of one hundred and thirty feet in width. The blocks are then subdivided into lots, larger or smaller, to suit the wants of the citizens, and are generally built up 'with wood or adobe dwellings, in which two or three families, sometimes more, belonging to one man, are often domiciled. With some exceptions, each family occupies a distinet apartment, which is entered through a separate outside door. You can generally tell, therefore, how many families occupy the same house by the number of its front doors. The gardens are usually large and filled with fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Peaches, pears, and apples, of the largest size and finest quality I ever saw, abound here. Living streams of pure water which de- seend from the neighboring snow-capped moun- tains, course along on either side of every avenue in the city, and are conducted in small
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rills through side-cuts into gardens and lawns to such extent as may be needed for the pur- pose of irrigation. The town is located on a plain, which extends from the base of the cir- cular mountains on one side to the banks of the river Jordan on the other, a distance of two miles or more. This sacred river, as the Mor- mons esteem it, is ten or twelve rods wide and fifteen miles long, connecting Lake Utah with Salt Lake. In the holy waters of this modern Jordan the Mormon converts are baptized, and, as they say, washed of their sins. We visited the river, and picked up on its shore a black jasper, which we retain for exhibition to our friends, and as a memento of Mormonism, the grandest humbug of the nineteenth century.
It is a singular fact that Salt Lake has no outlet, and though it receives into its basin several streams of fresh water, it grows none the less saline. It is in many respects like the Dead Sea. Neither fish nor other living thing can inhabit its waters. It is a fountain if not a pillar of salt which, though not consecrated to Lot's wife, will forever remind mankind of Brigham's wives.
Beside Salt Lake Valley there are many other beautiful valleys in Utah; though much smaller in extent, they are as rich and fertile as the great valley. Nearly all of them, within a
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circuit of a hundred and fifty miles, are now occupied by Mormons and regularly visited by their Home Missionaries, who, in many in- stances, have wives and families of children in each valley with whom they stop when on the circuit. These families are expected to take care of themselves; but if unable to do so, they receive aid from the church revenues or tithes. The entire Mormon population, at this time, is said to be nearly two hundred thousand, and is rapidly increasing. The Mormons intend to control Utah as they ever have done, when it becomes a State. The penniless dupes they import are told that Utah is "a land flowing with milk and honey," and encircled with mountains of gold and silver, and that its climate is a summer of perpetual fruits and flowers, with bread enough and to spare; nor are they informed, especially the women, until they arrive, that polygamy is embraced.in the articles of their new faith. It is then too late, destitute as they are, to retrace their steps. The priests select the handsomest girls for their wives, and do not seem to regard the act as amounting even to "a pious fraud."
And yet, in all this there may be a wise Providence that looks to higher, nobler, and holier results. Had it not been for the early, not to say unjust, persecution of the Mormons
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in the Eastern States, and their forced emigra- tion to Utah in search of protection and a peaceful home, the grand Trans-continental Railway, in all probability, would not have been built for at least fifty years to come. The Mormons were thus made the pioneers who took the lead and opened the gateways into a new world, where they may finally be compelled to - abandon their "peculiar institution," and lose forever their identity in the flowing tide of western emigration.
Be this as it may, Salt Lake City will have a name, fame, and record, which time cannot obliterate. It is a beautiful city, and the nat- ural scenery which surrounds it is not only beautiful, but grand and sublime. The climate of the valley is mild and summer-like through- out the year, and the soil as rich and produc- tive as the garden of Eden. Nature has made the spot an earthly paradise. Brigham Young founded the city. It is and ever will be a monument, which will commemorate his name. Yet not satisfied with this, he has already laid the foundation of a mighty temple which, when completed, will exceed in cost and grandeur the temple of Solomon. It is to be constructed of granite, with many spires and turrets, in accordance with divine instructions communi- cated, as he says, by an angel from heaven,
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who appeared to him in a vision. We saw the foundation. It is built of immense blocks of hewn granite, procured from the mountains, eighteen miles distant, and cost a million of dollars, as we were informed by the architect. The whole cost of the temple, when finished, is estimated at three millions.
Brigham is full of gigantic projects. He
evidently means to survive death. He has done some good things. He edueates the youth of his city, and prohibits the sale, within its limits, of all intoxicating liquors; yet tolerates a theatre, for the sake of its revenues, and often attends it himself. He maintains an efficient police force for the protection of the eity and its citizens, and it is understood that he has secret agents, who execute the unrevealed de- crees of the priesthood. As Head of the Church, he owns nearly all the real estate of the city, and has several millions of gold deposited in the Bank of England, with which to meet emergencies.
From appearances, I am satisfied that the women of Salt Lake are generally unhappy, and if they but had the opportunity, or had wings, would leave like a flock of pigeons. But this is impossible, so long as Brigham is the great law-giver, and accepted as the second Christ by his misguided followers. As much
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as he may love women, he loves gold still more, and no man understands better than he the power of a blind religious faith, or the arts by which it may be made available in promoting selfish and unhallowed purposes. And yet time may sanctify the character of Brigham, and perhaps deify him. At any rate, he has established a religion which will not die with - him; though it may undergo material modifi- cations. Mormonism is, in fact, but a revised edition of Mohammedanism.
THE CAREER OF DE SOTO
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THE CAREER OF DE SOTO
F ERNANDO DE SOTO was born in Spain in the year 1490. He inherited a chivalric spirit, and received a superior literary and sci- . entific education. He excelled when young not only in his studies, but in athletic exercises. He exhibited traits of character that secured him the patronage of Pedrasias Davila, a dis- tinguished citizen of Spain, who had accepted the governorship of the Isthmus of Darien. In 1519 De Soto accompanied his patron to Darien. Here he soon discovered that the citizens of the isthmus regarded the government of Davila as tyrannical and oppressive. This induced De Soto to espouse the popular cause and take open action against the administration. In conse- quence of this action, De Soto incurred the dis- pleasure of his patron and was discharged from his service.
De Soto was ambitious and desired to accom- plish some grand achievement on his own account. He undertook, in 1528, to explore the extensive territories of Guatemala and Yucatan with the expectation of finding a
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water channel, that could be navigated, con- necting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific; but in this he was destined to disappointment. In 1532 he joined Pizarro in his expedition for the conquest of Peru, and distinguished him- self in many a conflict as a brave commander. He possessed a spirit as humane as it was heroic, and manifested it by exerting his ut- most influence with Pizarro to spare the life of the unhappy monarch Atahualpa, who had been promised his freedom on the surrender of his vast accumulation of gold. De Soto, though more merciful, was not less avaricious than Pizarro. They shared the gold between them in such a way as to provoke an outspoken dis- satisfaction among the subordinate officers and valiant soldiers whom they had led to victory. De Soto, fearing an outbreak that might deprive him of the liberal share of gold he had received, returned to Spain to enjoy his wealth and the honors he had won in Peru as a victorious mili- tary commander.
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