History of Salt Lake City, Part 119

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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" If any man thinks he has influence among this people, to lead away a party, let him try it, and he will find out that there is power with the Apostles which will carry them off victorious through all the world, and build up and defend the Church and Kingdom of God.

"What do the people want? I feel as though I wanted the privilege to weep and mourn for thirty days at least, then rise up, shake myself, and tell the people what the Lord wants of them. Although my heart is too full of mourning to launch forth into business transactions and the organi- zation of the Church, I feel compelled this day to step forth in discharge of those duties God has placed upon me.

" There has been much said about Brother Rigdon being President of the Church, and leading people, being the head, etc. Brother Rigdon has come 1,600 miles to tell you what he wants to do for you. If the people want Brother Rigdon to lead them, they may have him ; but, I say unto you the Twelve have the keys of the Kingdom of God in all the world.

" The Twelve are pointed out by the finger of God. Here is Brigham, have his knees ever fal-

tered ? Have his lips ever quivered ? Here is Heber and the rest of the Twelve; an independent body, who have the keys of the priesthood, the keys of the Kingdom of God to deliver to all the world ; this is true, so help me God ! They stand next to Joseph, and are as the first presidency of the Church.

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

I do not know whether my enemies will take my life or not, and I do not care, for I wait to be with the man I love.

" You cannot till the office of a prophet, scer and revelator: God must do this. You are like children without a father and sheep without a shepherd. You must not appoint any man at your head ; if you should the Twelve must ordain him. You cannot appoint a man at your head; but if you do want any other man or men to lead you, take them, and we will go our way to build up the kingdom in all the world.

" I tell you there is an over anxiety to hurry matters here. You cannot take any man and put him at the head ; you would scatter the Saints to the four winds; you would sever the priesthood. So long as we remain as we are, the heavenly head is in constant co-operation with us; and if you go out of that course God will have nothing to do with you.

"Again, perhaps some think that our beloved Brother Rigdon would not be honored, would not be looked to as a friend ; but if he does right, and remains faithful, he will not act against our counsel nor we against his, but act together, and we shall be as one.

" I again repeat, no man can stand at our head except God reveals it from the heavens.

" I have spared no pains to learn my lesson of the kingdom in this world, and in the eternal worlds. If it were not so I could go and live in peace ; but for the gospel and your sakes, I shall stand in my place. We are liable to be killed all the day long. You never lived by faith.

" Brother Joseph, the Prophet, has laid the fonndation of a great work, and we will build upon it. You have never seen the quorums built one upon another. There is an Almighty foundation laid. And we can build a kingdom such as there never was in the world ; we can build a kingdom faster than Satan can kill the Saints off.

" Elder Rigdon claims to be a spokesman to the Prophet. Very well, he was; but can he now act in office ? If he wants now to be a spokesman to the Prophet, he must go to the other side of the veil, for the Prophet is there ; but Elder Rigdon is here. Why will Elder Rigdon be a fool? I am plain.

" I will ask, who has stood next to Joseph and Hyrum ? I have, and I will stand next to them. We have a head, and that head is the apostleship, the spirit and the power of Joseph, and we can now begin to see the necessity of that apostleship.

" Brother Rigdon was at his side-not above. No man has a right to counsel the Twelve but Joseph Smith. Think of these things. You cannot appoint a prophet, but if you will let the Twelve remain and act in their place, the keys of the kingdom are with them, and they can manage the af- fairs of the Church, and direct all things aright."

Much more was said by the President, but this brief synopsis will be sufficient to show the mas- ter spirit stepping into the place to which destiny had appointed him. On all these grand occasions of his life, Brigham Young has towered above his fellows, not so much in the character of a "spokes- man," as in that of a great and potent leader, whose spirit could inspire a whole people with his own matchless confidence and energy.

That day, "all Istrael " felt that the spirit which had moved Joseph to his work was living in Brigham Young. Apostle Cannon, describing the circumstance, says :

". It was the first sound of his voice which the people had heard since he had gone East on his mission, and the effect upon them was most wonderful. Who that was present on that occasion can ever forget the impression that it made upon them? If Joseph had risen from the dead, and again spoken in their hearing, the effect could not have been more startling than it was to many present at that meeting ; it was the voice of Joseph himself; and not only was it the voice of Joseph which was heard, but it seemed in the eyes of the people as though it was the very person of Joseph which stood before them. A more wonderful and miraculous event than was wrought that day in the pres- ence of that congregation we ever heard of. The Lord gave his people a testimony that left no room for doubt, as to who was the man he had chosen to lead them. They both saw and heard with their natural eyes and ears; and then the words which were uttered came, accompanied by the convincing power of God to their hearts, and they were filled with the Spirit and with great joy. There had been gloom and, in some hearts probably, doubt and uncertainty; but now it was plain to all that here was the man upon whom the Lord had bestowed the necessary authority to act in their midst in Joseph's stead."

That day saved the Church. The anti-Mormons had imagined that it was only necessary to murder the Prophet and Mormonism would cease to have a name in the earth. But " the blood of the Prophet was the seed of the Church ; " and a great man had risen to fulfill his mission.

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

The Twelve was sustained as the first Presidency by the unanimous vote of the people. Rig- don left for Pittsburgh, and gathered around him a few of his disciples, while the apostles at Nauvoo set to work to enlarge their superstructure.

"You have never seen the quorums built one upon another," Brigham had said on that great occasion. "There is an almighty foundation laid, and we will build a kingdom such as there never was in the world."

This was more fully comprehended when, at the next October conference, there was about sixty high priests and four hundred and thirty seventies ordained. And to-day his words have still a broader meaning, for there are now nearly one hundred quorums of the seventies, who constitute the grand missionary army of the Church, under the Twelve Apostles.

But turn we now to the more secular history of the Mormon people.

On the 27th of September, 1844, Governor Ford marched five hundred troops into Nauvoo. He came ostensibly to bring the murderers of Joseph and Hyrum Smith to justice ; for as they were, at the time of their assassination, State prisoners, under the plighted faith of the State, the Governor could do nothing less than support an investigation. On the day of his arrival, Brigham Young received his commission as Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion, previously held by Joseph Smith, and the next day the following was sent to His Excellency :

" HEAD-QUARTERS NAUVOO LEGION, Sept. 28th, 1844.

Sir :- The review of the Nauvoo Legion will take place this day at 12 M., at which time the Commander-in-chief, with his staff, is respectfully solicited to accept an escort from the Legion, and be present at the review.

"BRIGHAM YOUNG, " Lieut,-Gen. Nauvoo Legion."

The Lieutenant-General reviewed the Legion, the Governor, General J. J. Harden and staff present. Salutes were fired, and the Legion made a soldier-like appearance; several of its staff officers, however, came in uniform but without arms, which the Governor regarded as a hint to re- mind him of his having disarmed the Legion previous to the massacre of Joseph Smith.

Soon afterwards the Governor issued the following very suggestive order, accompanied with instructions :

"STATE OF ILLINOIS, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, "SPRINGFIELD, Oct. 9th, 1844.

' To Lieut .- General Brigham Young, of the Nauvoo Legion.

"SIR :- It may be probable that there may be further disturbances in Hancock County by those opposed to the prosecutions against the murderers of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. They may com- bine together in arms to subvert justice and prevent those prosecutions from going on. They may also attack or resist the civil authorities of the State in that county, and they may attack some of the settlements or people there with violence.

" The sheriff of the county may want a military force to guard the court and protect it, or its officers or the jurors thereof, or the witnesses attending court, from the violence of a mob.

"In all these cases you are hereby ordered and directed to hold in readiness a sufficient force, under your command, of the Nauvoo Legion, to act under the direction of the said sheriff, for the purpose aforesaid; and also to suppress mobs which may be collected in said county to injure the persons or property of any of the citizens.

"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the State, the day and year first herein above written

" THOMAS FORD, " Governor and Commander-in-chief."

" The inclosed order is one of great delicacy to execute. I have conversed with Mr. Back- enstos and others, and my opinion is the same as theirs, that employing the Legion, even legally, may call down the vengeance of the people against your city. If it should be the means of get- ting up a civil war in Hancock, I do not know how much force I could bring to the aid of the Gov- ernment. A force to be efficient would have to be called out as volunteers ; a draft would bring

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

friends and enemies ahke. 1 called for twenty-five hundred before ; and, by ordering out indepen- dent companies, got four hundred and seventy-five. Three of those companies, the most efficient, have been broken up, and would refuse to go again. I should anticipate but a small force could be raised by volunteers. I would not undertake to march a drafted militia there. Two-thirds of them would join the enemy. The enclosed order is more intended as a permission to use the Legion, in the manner indicated, if upon consideration of the whole matter it is thought advisable. than a compulsory command.

" Your most wise and discreet counsellors and the county officers will have to act according to their best judgment.

"THOMAS FORD."

This order, with the private instructions, is very significant, in connection with the history of the Mormons in Missouri and Illinois. Constitutionally they were right. The murder of the Prophet and his brother had brought them into the service of the State. Thus employed, Brigham Young and the Legion could have taken care of their people, and, if necessary, could have main- trined the Governor through the issue of a civil war. This would, however, have given Illinois to the dominance of the Mormons. Hence the " delicacy " of his Excellency in calling the Legion into service ; doing substantially what Joseph Smith had done, which in him had been construed as high treason against the State.

The anti-Mormons were keen to perceive the advantage which the people of Nauvoo had gained not only from the intrinsic righteousness of their cause, but in their patient bearing of intolerable wrongs. It became their policy from that moment to repeal the charter of Nauvoo and the char- ter of the Legion. This the legislature of Illinois did in the month of January, 1845. The Mor- mon people were now virtually outlawed, and all constitutional powers for their preservation taken away from them.

The members of the legislature were but too ready to execute any plan proposed for the ex- inction of the Mormon community. One of the members of the senate, Jacob C. Davis, was un- der indictment for the murder of the Prophet and his brother. In relation to this action of the legislature, the attorney-general of the State, Josial. Lamborn, wrote to President Young thus:

" I have always considered that your enemies have been prompted by religious and political prejudices, and by a desire for plunder and blood, more than for the common good. By the repeal of your charter, and by refusing all amendments and modifications, our legislature has given a kind of sanction to the barbarous manner in which you have been treated. Your two representatives ex- erted themselves to the extent of their ability in your behalf, but the tide of popular passion and frenzy was too strong to be resisted. It is truly a melancholy spectacle to witness the law-makers of a sovereign State condescending to pander to the vices, ignorance and malevolence of a class of peo- ple who are at all times ready for riot, murder and rebellion."

Of Jacob C. Davis, he said .

" Your senator, Jacob C. Davis, has done much to poison the minds of members against any- thing in your favor. He walks at large, in defiance of law, an indicted murderer. If a Mormon was in his position, the senate would afford no protection, but he would be dragged forth to the jall or to the gallows, or to be shot down by a cowardly and brutal mob."

On the 19th of May, the trial of the men indicted by the grand jury for the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, was begun at Carthage, Hon. Richard M. Young of Quincy on the bench. The men on trial were : Col. Levi Williams, a Baptist preacher ; Thomas C. Sharp, editor of the War- saw Signal ; Jacob C. Davis, senator; Mark Aldrich and William N. Grover. They were outrage- ously held to bail, upon their personal recognicances, in the unprecedentedly insignificant sum of one thousand dollars each, to make their appearance in the court each day of the term. They made two affidavits, asking for the array of jurors to be quashed, obtained the discharge of the county commissioners, the sheriff and his deputies, and the appointment by the court of two special officers to select jurors. Ninety-six were summoned, out of whom the defence chose a suitable panel. One of the lawyers for the accused, Calvin A. Warren, in his defence of them, said: " If the prisoners were guilty of murder, then he himself was guilty. It was the public opinion that the Smiths ought to be killed, and the public opinion made the laws ; consequently it was not murder to kill them!" This was strange doctrine to be affirmed in a great murder case, in which the State was a party, not in an ordinary but an extraordinary sense ; affirmed too and sustained in open court.

It is scarcely necessary to add that the assassins were " honorably acquitted !"

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

But the tragedy of those days was not without an occasional relief. One of the richest practical jokes ever perpetrated is thus related by one of the actors :

" By the time we were at work in the Nauvoo Temple," says President Young, "officiating in the ordinances, the mob had learned that 'Mormonism' was not dead, as they had supposed. We had completed the walls of the temple, and the attic story from about half-way up of the first win- dows, in about fifteen months. It went up like magic, and then we commenced officiating in the ordinances. Then the mob commenced to hunt for other victims; they had already killed the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum in Carthage jail, while under the pledge of the State for their safety, and now they wanted Brigham, the President of the Twelve Apostles, who were then acting as the presidency of the Church. I was in my room in the temple ; it was the southeast corner of the upper story, I learned that a posse was lurking around the temple, and that the United States Marshal was waiting for me to come down, whereupon I knelt down and asked my Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus, to guide and protect me, that I might live to prove advan- tageous to the Saints ; I arose from my knees, and sat down in my chair. There came a rap at my door. Come in, I said : and Brother George D. Grant, who was then engaged driving my carriage and doing chores for me, entered the room. Said he, 'Brother Brigham, do you know that a posse and the United States Marshal are here ?' I told him I had heard so. On entering the room, Brother Grant left the door open. Nothing came into my mind what to do until looking across the hall, I saw Brother Willlam Miller leaning against the wall. As I stepped towards the door I beck- oned to him; he came. Brother William, I said, the marshal is here for me ; will you go and do just as I tell you ? If you will I will serve them a trick. I knew that Brother Miller was an excellent man, perfectly reliable, capable of carrying out my project, Here take my cloak, said I; but it happened to be Brother Heber C. Kimball's; our cloaks were alike in color, fashion and size. I threw it around his shoulders, and told him to wear my hat and accompany Brother George D. Grant. He did so. George, you step into the carriage, said I to Brother Grant, and look towards Brother Miller, and say to him, as though you were addressing me, are you ready to ride? You can do this, and they will suppose Brother Miller to be me, and proceed accordingly ; which they did. Just as Brother Miller was entering the carriage, the Marshal stepped up to him, and, placing his hand upon his shoulder, said. 'You are my prisoner.' Brother William entered the carriage, and said to the marshal, 'I am going to the Mansion House, won't you ride with me?' They both went to the Mansion House, There were my sons Joseph A., Brigham Jr., and Brother Heber C. Kim- ball's boys and others, who were looking on, and all seemed at once to understand and participate in the joke. They followed the carriage to the Mansion House, and gathered around Brother Miller with tears in their eyes, saying, father, or President Young, where are you going ? Brother Miller looked at them kindly, but made no reply ; and the marshal really thought he had got 'Brother Brigham.'

"Lawyer Edmonds, who was then staying at the Mansion House, appreciating the joke, volun- teered to Brother Miller to go to Carthage with him and see him safe through.

" When they arrived within two or three miles of Carthage, the marshal, with his posse, stopped. They arose in their carriages, buggies and wagons, and, like a tribe of Indians going to battle, or as if they were a pack of demons, yelling and shouting, exclaimed : 'We've got him ; we've got him ; we've got him !'

" When they reached Carthage, the marshal took the supposed Brigham into an upper room of the hotel, and placed a guard over him, at the same time telling those around that he had got him. Brother Miller remained in the room until they bid him come to supper. While there, parties came in, one after the other, and asked for Brigham. Brother Miller was pointed out to them. So it con- tinued, until an apostate Mormon, by the name of Thatcher, who had lived in Nauvoo, came in, sat down and asked the landlord where Brigham was.

"' That is Mr. Young,' said the landlord, pointing across the table to Brother Miller.

"' Where? I can't see any one that looks like Brigham,' Thatcher replied.

" The landlord told him it was that fleshy man, eating.

"' Oh, H-H!' exclaimed Thatcher, ' that's not Brigham ; that's William Miller, one of my old neighbors.'

" Upon hearing this the landlord went, and, tapping the sheriff on the shoulder, took him a few steps to one side, and said :

" ' You have made a mistake. That is not Brigham Young. It is William Miller, of Nauvoo.'

" The marshal, very much astonished, exclaimed : 'Good heavens ! and he passed for Brigham.'

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

He then took Brother Miller into a room, and turning to him, siid: ' What in h-1 is the reason you did not te'l me your name ?'

""You have not asked me my name,' Brother Miller replied.

" . Well, what is your name?' said the sheriff, with another oath.

" . My name is William Miller.'

"' I thought your name was Brigham Young. Do you siy this for a fact ?'

"'Certainly 1 do,' returned Brother Miller.

"''T'hen.' said the marshal, 'Why did you not tell me that before ?'

"' { was under no obligation to tell you,' replied Miller.

" The marshal, in a rage, walked out of the room, followed by Brother Miller, who walked off in company with Lawyer Edmonds, Sheriff Backenstos and others, who took him across lots to a place of safety ; and this is the real birth of the story of ' Bogus Brigham,' as far as I can recollect."

The energy, referred to by the President in the completion of the temple, signifies that the au- thorities were anxious for the Saints to receive their endowments before their removal, which was every day becoming more matured and pressing in their minds. They did not wish to make their flight in haste, and it was pretty evident that they had not a moment to spare for a well-planned exodus.

It may seem strange to some, who do not appreciate the carnest, genuine faith of these singular people, that they should thus finish their temple merely, as it would seem, to leave it as a monument for a triumphant mob. But the Saints had been commanded by revelation to build that temple ; and the administration of their ordinances was of more than earthly importance to then.

From their retreats, where they had secreted themselves to avoid arrest, President Young and the apostles came forth on the morning of Saturday, the 24th of May, 1815, to lay the cap-stone on the southeast corner of the temple.

" The singers sang their sweetes notes," writes one of the apostles; "their voices thrilled the hearts of the assemblage, and the music of the band, which played on the occasion, never sounded more charming ; and when President Young placed the stone in its position and said :

" The last stone is now laid upon the temple and I pray the Almighty, in the name of Jesus, to defend us in this place and sustain us until the temple is finished, and we have all got our endowments.' And the whole congregation shouted, 'Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna, to God and the Lamb, amen, amen, and amen;' and repeated these words the second and third time. The Spirit of God descended upon the people; gladness filled every heart, and tears of joy coursed down many cheeks. The words of praise were uttered with earnestness and fervor; it was a relief to many to be able to give expression to the feelings with which their hearts were overcharged. Altogether the scene was a very impressive one, and we doubt not that angels looked upon it and rejoiced."

"So let it be," said President Young, concluding the ceremonies; " this is the seventh day of the week, or the Jewish Sabbath. It is the day on which the Almighty finished his work and rested from his labors. We have finished the walls of the temple, and may rest to-day from our labors."

The workmen were dismissed for the day, the congregation dispersed, and the 'I'welve Apostles returned to their places of retreat.

Governor Ford, in a letter to President Young, under date of April Sth, 1845, urging the migra- tion of the Mormons to California, said :

" If you can get off by yourselves you may enjoy peace ; but, surrounded by such neighbors, 1 confess that I do not see the time when you will be permitted to enjoy quiet. I was informed by General Joseph Smith last summer that he contemplated a removal west; and from what I learned from him and others at that time, I think, if he had lived, he would have begun to move in the mat- ter before this time. I would be willing to exert all my feeble abilities and influence to further your views in this respect if it was the wish of your peop'e.

" I would suggest a matter in confidence. California now offers a field for the prettiest enter- prise that has been undertaken in modern times. It is but sparsely inhabited, and by none but the In- dian or imbecile Mexic in Spaniards. I have not enquired enough to know how strong it is in men and means. But this we know, that if conquered from Mexico, that country is so physically weak and morally distracted that she could never send a force there to reconquer it. Why should it not be a pretty operation for your people to go out there, take possession of and conquer a portion of the vicant country, and establish an independent government of your own, subject only to the laws of nitions ? You would remain there a long time before you would be disturbed by the proximity of

HEBER C. KIMBALL.

other settlements. If you conclude to do this, your design ought not to be known, or otherwise it would become the duty of the United States to prevent your emigration. If once you cross the line of the United States Territories, you would be in no danger of being interfered with."

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 119

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194