The Mormon Prophet and His Harem / Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children

by C. V. Waite

ACT II. Scene I.

Room with an altar in the centre.

[Enter Apostles Peter, James, and John, with the candidates for endowment.

Peter. Dearly beloved, you are now in the way of salvation.

Be faithful to each other, and all your brethren. Betray not the secret things of Zion to the ungodly gentiles. Think not with your own thoughts, but come to the priesthood. They are the mediators between God and man. Obey, without murmuring, whatever they command, though it may seem to you unjust or unreasonable. Your hearts are not so fully sanctified as to enable you to judge as to the merit of their acts. Be ever ready and willing to forsake father or mother, husband or wife, houses or lands, for the glory of Zion, and the upbuilding of God's kingdom on the Earth. And more especially, brethren, as you value your eternal salvation and temporal welfare, speak no evil of the Lord's anointed.

[An oath is now administered, with particulars the most disgusting and revolting. Another sign, key-word, and grip, are communicated, and the First Degree of the Melchisedec Priesthood is conferred.]

SCENE II.

Another room with an altar in the centre; on it the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Book of Doctrine and Covenants. Jehovah in the room, and Eloheim in the next, looking on. The candidates are ranged round the altar. The Apostles are also present.

Peter. You are now in a saved condition, and acceptable in the sight of God. You are to enter on the work of the Lord, in truth and sincerity.

"Behold now," saith the Lord, "the wicked and ungodly gentiles; they have slain the Prophet Joseph, persecuted the saints, and mocked at my priesthood. Therefore, O Israel, arise in thy strength, go forth and revenge the wrongs of my people on this perverse generation. They have spilled the blood of the saints, and wasted their substance. Therefore let their blood be spilled, and let their substance be wasted."

Let the curse of God rest on this nation and Government. Let wars and famine, and cruel pestilence overtake them, and let the Church of God, in its glory and power, rule over all the nations, and fill the whole earth.

Therefore, brethren, be ye vigilant; and let no opportunity pass to vindicate the name of your God; and if you cannot do it, teach it to your children. Let them take it from their mother's breast. Teach it to them from your bed of death, and leave it for an inheritance, that all people may know that the God of Israel has set his hand to gather his people, and to destroy the wicked from off the face of the earth.

[Here another oath is administered, binding the endowee to revenge the death of Joseph Smith on this generation; to cherish constant enmity toward the United States Government, doing all in his power for its overthrow; to baffle its designs, to refuse submission and renounce all allegiance, and to obey the church authorities, and no other.

Curses the most frightful, penalties the most barbarous, accompany the obligation, to add to its binding efficacy, and to insure secrecy. A new sign, grip, &c., complete the Second Degree of the Melchisedec Priesthood.]

John. You are the children of the Most High, endued with powers and blessings. Your robes of righteousness, which you must henceforth wear, in token of your covenants, are on the wrong shoulder, and none but God's priesthood can set them right. [The robes are changed to the other shoulder, and the candidates are stationed in a circle, around the altar.]

Peter. Little children, you are now chosen of God to carry on his mighty work, and He, through his servant, will teach you how to pray, that your supplications may reach the eternal throne, and call down an immediate answer.

[Peter kneels on his right knee, takes hold of the hand of one of the standing brethren, all of whom are united by a fantastic intertwining of hands, and prays slowly, all repeating his words after him:]

"O, God, ruler of the celestial world, we have this day taken upon ourselves covenants and powers from thy hand. Make us faithful to those covenants; and if we obey not thy commands, let thy curses descend upon our heads. Make us quick to hear and obey God's servants in the holy priesthood, and if we ever divulge anything that we have received, let the curses this day pronounced, fall upon our heads. Make us faithful in Zion and in the upbuilding of her cause, and at last receive us into thy celestial kingdom, with all the gifts, powers, and blessings this day pronounced upon the faithful in Israel. Amen."

Peter. Brethren, you are now members of the holy orders of God's priesthood. Henceforth you are entitled to all the blessings and privileges of the same.

[The endowees, fitted for Heaven and celestial glory, pass "behind the vail," a new name is whispered very softly and quickly to each; certain marks, resembling the Masonic square and compass, are cut in the under garment, on the left breast; also a similar one on the knee. The candidates are then ushered into the full light and glory of the celestial kingdom. The brethren turn back to the vail, and admit their wives, whose garments are marked in a similar manner.]

SCENE III. The Celestial Kingdom.

In the centre of this apartment is an altar, nicely cushioned, with a cushioned ledge to kneel upon. The men kneel upon one side and the women upon the other, each brother holding the hand of his wife, also of the woman to whom he is to be sealed, with the patriarchal grip. The ceremony of sealing for eternity then commences.

Eloheim. Children of Earth, you have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and the power of my holy priesthood. You have been faithful unto the end, and shall now receive a crown of glory. In like manner as I gave Eve unto your father Adam, while he was yet pure and holy, I give unto

you wives and children, that you may be Gods in your season, and that worlds may be peopled by your posterity. [Each candidate is asked the usual questions, and after the answers have been received, Eloheim proceeds:]

Because of your faithfulness in all these things, I seal upon you the blessings of the Holy Resurrection, with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed with glory, immortality, and eternal lives; and I seal upon you the blessings of thrones and dominions, and principalities, and powers, and exaltations; together with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and say unto you, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, that you may have joy and rejoicing in your posterity, in the day of the Lord Jesus. All these blessings, together with all other blessings pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, I seal upon your heads, and enjoin your faithfulness unto the end.

[The candidates dress, get a lunch, and return to the "celestial kingdom" to hear a lecture by Kimball, explanatory of the whole scheme. The signs, tokens, marks, and ideas are many of them taken from the Masonic Order. "The intention of the mystery is to teach unlimited obedience to Brigham, and treason against the country.">[

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CHAPTER XIV.
BRIGHAM AS GRAND ARCHEE OF THE ORDER OF THE GODS.

Organization of the Order of the Archees.—The Grand Archees.—The Archees.—The Danites.—Organization of Brigham's Celestial Kingdom.—Doctrine of Adoption.—Case of Dr. Sprague.—Description of Leading Danites: Bill Hickman, Porter Rockwell, Robert T. Burton.—Affidavits.—Recent Attacks on Emigrant Trains.

"There on that throne, to which the blind belief

Of millions raised him, sat the Prophet Chief.

. . . . . . . . .

On either side, with ready hearts and hands,

His chosen guard of bold believers, stands;

Young fire-eyed disputants, who deem their swords

On points of faith more eloquent than words;

And such their zeal, there's not a youth with brand

Uplifted there, but, at the Chief's command,

Would make his own devoted heart its sheath,

And bless the lips that doom'd so dear a death."

The Order of the Danites has been, for many years, an established institution in the Mormon Church.

Brigham and his two Counsellors form the First Presidency of this Order, under the style of Gods, or Grand Archees. These are, at present, Young, Kimball, and Wells. A few, also, of the Apostles, hold the rank of Grand Archees. These have the power of life and death.

Next in importance, is a body of men called Archees. They are entitled to sit in Council with the Gods or Grand Archees, in matters relating to the taking of life. This "Quorum," as it is called, also includes some of the Bishops and Presidents of other quorums in the church. Their office is to examine cases of offenders thought to require a summary disposal, and submit the result of such examination to

the Grand Archees. In some cases, where the utmost discretion is required, they act as agents and swift-winged messengers, to carry into effect the decrees of the Gods.

The Archees have discretionary and independent power over the lives of all gentiles and "apostates."

Next in rank are the Danites, whose office is to assist the Archees in the execution of their bloody deeds. These are formed into bands of fifty men each. One band, at least, belongs to each Archee, they serving under him as minutemen. These "Danite Bands" are generally composed of inferior officers and teachers, constables, and policemen, and those who, having committed heinous crimes, as murder, theft, adultery, &c., would sooner be sworn to serve in this bloody office, than have their deeds exposed and receive their justly merited punishment.

The officers in all these grades are solemnly sworn to secrecy, and to the duties of their respective offices, on pain of instant death.

Where the danger of discovery is imminent, and the matter in hand too important to be trusted to the Danites, the Archees meet and perform the dirty work themselves; as in the case of Secretary Babbett, Brewer, and the unlucky attempt on Dr. Hurt. In other cases, the Danites are called upon; instance the Parishes, Potter, Bowman, Mountain Meadows, &c.

The Danites are also expected to act as spies upon the federal officers and other gentiles; to watch the feelings and spirits of the saints, and to report the first indications of disaffection. Such cases are at once attended to, and if they are deemed of a dangerous character, are summarily disposed of.

The spoil is divided, one half going to the Grand Archees, and the other half to the Archees and Danites who are employed in the commission of the crime.

When Judge Cradlebaugh attempted to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mountain-Meadow Massacre, and

various other crimes, several bishops and many other leading Mormons fled to the mountains, where they remained several weeks. Their place of refuge they named "Mount Kolob," which means "the residence of the Gods."

The remark is frequently made in Utah,—"Brigham is the only God I care a d— about." The deep meaning of this is only to be explained by reference to this organized system of crime, taken in connection with the organization of the "celestial kingdom."

The theory is, that Brigham Young is a God in embryo. That he is laying the foundation here for a celestial kingdom. That there will be created for him a world, which his posterity will inhabit, and of which he will be the King and God.

His kingdom will be constituted as follows:—

1st. Himself as God.

2d. His wives as Goddesses and Queens, each ruling her own posterity, with Brigham as husband and God.

3d. His sons and their families.

4th. The daughters, by the celestial law, would, when married, pass out of their father's kingdom, and be added to the husbands'. To obviate this difficulty, every man who marries one of the President's daughters, is obliged to be adopted by and sealed to his father-in-law. The daughter is thus retained to augment her father's kingdom, by the addition of her family. This is one reason why female children are so lightly esteemed in Utah. They cannot add to the father's glory, but must go to glorify others.

5th. Many young men who have no families, and therefore no kingdoms, are sealed to Brigham, to add to his celestial glory,—in some instances, also, men of families, who have not ambition enough to aspire to kingdoms of their own. This relationship pertains to this world as well as to the next. Brigham becomes a father to them here, supports them if necessary, and demands their respect and obedience.

A case recently occurred in Salt Lake, which fully illustrates the power which Young exercises over this class of his subjects.

Dr. Sprague, an Eastern man, has been at Salt Lake about twelve years. During most of that time he has officiated in the Endowment House, in the washings and anointings. He has also had charge of the Tabernacle, and acted as family physician to the inmates of the Harem.

He has a wife and two children. His son is on a mission, and the daughter, a little girl of thirteen, is an invalid. Mrs. Sprague is a model New-England housewife. She has toiled early and late to procure the comforts, and some of the luxuries of life. By the most persevering effort, they at length succeeded in building a beautiful house, and Doctor Sprague's garden is the prettiest in Salt Lake.

The family removed to their new residence in the fall of 1862, and had but just furnished it. By the Mormon law of adoption, the property of the adopted child belongs to the father, or is under his control. Dr. Sprague is the adopted son of Brigham Young. His whole property is worth not less than $10,000.

Mrs. Emeline Free Young has been very melancholy since Brigham married Amelia. Her health continued to decline until it was thought advisable to remove her from the Lion House, the scene of her joys and sorrow, and situate her more pleasantly. Accordingly one day Brigham called on Dr. Sprague and wife, and coolly told them that he wanted their place for three or four years, for Emeline, until he could build her one. At the end of that time they could have it again, and in the mean time they could live in the house formerly occupied by J. M. Grant, which he would have repaired for their use.

The husband and wife were astonished and confounded at this request, and Mrs. Sprague, under the first impulse of her indignation, said "she did not relish the idea of giving up her house to people who read novels every day." "Very

well," replied the Prophet, "if you prefer to incur my displeasure rather than to let me have your home, you can do so." With this he left them.

The Doctor and his wife began thinking the matter over. It would never do to incur the displeasure of Brother Brigham. He was their father in this world, and their God in the celestial kingdom. Then the Doctor was advancing in years, and should he lose his situation in the Endowment House and Tabernacle, where would be the support for himself and family in his declining years? He had served his adopted father so long and faithfully, should he break with him now? It would never do; so, after many sleepless nights and much anguish of spirit, he made up his mind to make the sacrifice. As to Mrs. Sprague, she cared not for herself, but her poor sick child! She had lived for years almost entirely in the beautiful garden, and how could she leave it now? With frail and faltering step she had wandered amid the flowers and fruit, culling this bright geranium and that lovely rose, plucking this beautiful strawberry, and that luscious bunch of grapes, and by this sweet communion with Nature, the child seemed to receive afresh the life-giving principle. She was now to be torn from her little paradise, by whom, and for what? No wonder if the heart of the mother grew somewhat stony at the reflection.

When the poor girl heard that she must leave these "delightful shades," she wept until oblivion wrapt her senses, and in a fit of convulsions, she forgot, for the time being, at least, her cruel fate.

The sisters came to condole with Sister Sprague; said it was too bad. "Sister Sprague, it is too bad, but you had better do it than to have Brother Brigham's curse resting upon you."

Emeline, who is really a kind-hearted creature, came and wept with Sister S., saying she did not want her home, "but Brigham," said she, "has set his mind upon it, and we don't any of us dare to speak to him about it."

Young remained inexorable,—the change was made; and to-day the whilome favored wife and now cast-off mistress of Brigham Young, occupies the beautiful residence of Dr. Sprague, the fruit of his many years of toil and economy.

Bill Hickman is one of the most notorious of the Danite leaders. He is now about fifty years of age. He is a man of medium size, heavy set, of florid complexion, troubled of late years with weak eyes, causing him to wear goggles. He is of Southern birth, and a strong secessionist, but professes much friendship for the United States Government, and the federal officers. He is wily and cunning, with much of the suaviter in modo, and is something of a lawyer. He glories in a household of seven "women" and about twenty children, but does not maintain them in the highest style.

Porter Rockwell, another noted character, is somewhat of the same style of Hickman. Shorter of stature, with the Utah floridity of complexion, and very voluble in conversation. Anything that is all right with Rockwell, is "on the square." It is "wheat"; and nearly every act and expression of a stranger, is of that character.

Robert T. Burton, Sheriff of Salt Lake County, and Collector of Internal Revenue, who bids fair to rival or outdo all the others in his lawless deeds, is a tall, wiry man, one it would be hard to hit with a bullet. He is cool and imperturbable; in fact, never thrown off his balance, never wanting in case of an emergency. No fitter person to carry out the plans of Young could be found within or without the Territory, and upon him Brigham relies implicitly. With or without a "writ," he is always ready.

It is not my purpose to enter into a history of the many crimes to be traced with more or less certainty to the doors of these and other Mormon leaders. Some of them will be found collated in the appendix to the speech of Judge Cradlebaugh, already mentioned. Others are touched upon in the pages of this volume.

One or two affidavits, from a large number in the writer's

possession, will here be given, to illustrate the workings of the Mormon system, and to show how little the perpetration of crime stands in the way of the prosecution of the plans and purposes of the church leaders.

"United States of America, Territory of Utah.

ss.

"—— of said Territory, being duly sworn, says:—

"About —— years ago, I was living on the —— River, in the —— Ward, and was Bishop of that Ward. Was in good standing in the Mormon Church.

"During that summer, a man who had had a difficulty with a Bishop living near me, was killed. When the man was missed, the Bishop refused to help look for him. Myself and several others turned out, and after considerable search, found the body. It was perforated by two balls. One had entered the back, the other, the back of the head. The difficulty related to a girl, whom the Bishop wanted to marry, for a plural wife.

"A relative of the murdered man went to Salt Lake City, and related all the facts to Elias Smith, Probate Judge of Great Salt Lake County, (Mormon,) asking his advice. This relative told me afterward, that Judge Smith said, 'Keep still for a while.' Nothing was ever done. No examination, coroner's jury, or investigation of any kind.

(Signed) —— ——.

"Subscribed and sworn to before me, at Salt Lake City, this 18th day of April, A. D. 1863.

"Charles B. Waite,

"Associate Justice for Utah Territory."

[Taken in presence of two witnesses.]

"United States of America, Territory of Utah.

ss.

"——, of said Territory, being duly sworn, says:—

"I have resided in the Territory of Utah about eight years. Some time in the fall of 1855, two men, one of them named Frank Keene, rented a house on East Weber, in Weber County, in this Territory. They rented of a Mr. Cox, and paid the rent up to the last day of March ensuing. Some time in February Cox

endeavored to take possession of the house. The tenants remonstrated, and the matter was referred to the Teacher of the district. Cox was a Mormon; the tenants were not. The Teacher decided they should remain until the lease expired. Cox appealed to the Bishop of the Ward, Abiah Wadsworth. Wadsworth heard the case. The Bishop at first confirmed the decision of the Teacher; but immediately afterward, he said, as the tenants were gentiles, they must leave; and turning round to his clerk, directed him to write a notice to them to leave within a week. There were two or three feet of snow on the ground. Frank Keene was destitute of means. They both left as ordered. Nearly a month remained of the time for which rent was paid, and there was no pretence that the lease had been broken. It was a very severe winter, and a famine was prevailing.

"The next winter, a man by the name of Jones was denounced, and his life threatened, in a church meeting. The cause was this: He had loaned Lorenzo Snow, in England, one hundred pounds sterling, to print the 'Book of Mormon' in the Italian language. Upon arriving in the Territory, Jones tried to get payment of the money, but could not. It was because he insisted upon having his money, that he was denounced.

"The meeting was held at Centreville; and so much excitement was raised against Jones, and so many threats made against him, that he fled for his life. At the same time, the order was given, that no one should feed or entertain him, but he should be left to perish. Stoddard, one of the High-Priests, told me that the Bishop was so angry that he came down from the stand to kill Jones, in the meeting, but he fled. I saw Jones some weeks afterward. He corroborated these statements, and said the Bishop tried to kill him.

"I have often heard the doctrine of cutting the throats of apostates preached from the pulpit, particularly during the year 1856, when, for several months, I scarcely attended meeting without hearing such preaching. They would say, 'If you find a man with his throat cut, pay no attention to it.'

"At one time, my life was threatened by a Danite, and his intention to take my life was sanctioned at a meeting, by the Bishop and authorities. No cause was alleged, except a trivial remark made by my wife, reflecting slightly on one of the First Presidents. The remark had been exaggerated and attributed to me, and

although it was fully explained, I was followed and threatened for over a year. At that time my wife and myself were members of the Mormon Church, in good standing.

"In December, 1857, Bishop Abiah Wadsworth, of East Weber Ward, gave permission to his friends to steal cattle for beef, from gentile merchants, and aided them in so doing. In carrying on these operations, they took cattle belonging to Mormons who had purchased them of gentile merchants. Having the brand of those merchants upon them, it was supposed they belonged to gentiles. The taking of the Mormon cattle gave rise to a church meeting to investigate the affair. I was present at that meeting. The result was, that those who had taken cattle which were proved to belong to Mormons, should pay for them. It was also determined at the same meeting, that those who had taken cattle belonging to gentiles, should pay their value to Brigham Young, as Trustee of the Emigrating Fund. The gentile owners of these cattle had been driven out of the Territory.

(Signed) —— ——.

"Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 2d day of May, A. D. 1863, at Great Salt Lake City.

"Charles B. Waite,

"Associate Justice for Utah Territory."

The names of these affiants, and some of the circumstances tending to identify them, are omitted, as the writer does not feel at liberty to place their lives in danger. We do not hesitate to say, however, that the evidence furnished by them is entirely reliable. Both of these witnesses saw Burton shoot Morris, and corroborate Dow's affidavit on that point.

Many of the murders committed on the Plains, and attacks on emigrant trains, usually attributed to Indians, may be traced to the Mormons. Some light is thrown upon these transactions by the following statements furnished by men who were crossing the Plains in the summer of 1863.

Statement of James P. Veatch.

"I am going to Oregon. Am from Newbern, Marion County, Iowa.

"We travelled on the road from Salt Lake City to within eight miles of the City of Rocks, when we turned north, and went about three miles. There we struck the old California Road, which passes by the City of Rocks. Just before reaching the road, we came to a large camping-ground, or corral, covering about an acre.

"Here we saw rifle-pits and entrenchments, and some half a dozen ox-yokes,—also bones of cattle. We then proceeded east, on the same road, some three or four miles, where we found a wagon-bed,—also a letter written by a man named Bradley, and directed to Indianola, Warren County, Iowa. About half a mile farther, we found a small provision-box. [This statement was made at a camp on Snake River, a few days after Veatch and his party had passed the scene of the massacre.] We also found a Bible, a copy of Wesley's Sermons, and a large Testament. These books were pretty well decayed. Some of them we still have. Also a volume entitled 'The Wide, Wide World.'

"About seventy-five yards farther, we found two graves of grown persons; no names on them. They had the appearance of being last year's graves. We then drove four or five miles, and camped near a creek emptying into Raft River.

"Next morning, after going about two miles, we came to where five or six wagons had been corralled. Here feather-beds had been opened, and feathers scattered; many were still matted on the ground. There was an old chair or two partly burned; also a chest, with the hinges torn off, and the lock broken open. Also several books: a spelling-book, Bible, melodeon note-books, etc. Also 'The Journeyings of the Children of Israel.' The name of James H. Smith was in the Bible and another book; that of Caroline Smith in another. [Some of these books are now in the writer's possession.]

"There were also the bones of twelve or fifteen head of cattle, which must have been killed last summer. There were signs of men having been there within a few days. There is no emigration on the road this season; but there were the fresh tracks of three wagons,—mule and horse teams.

"About three fourths of a mile beyond this place, we crossed the creek. There I saw three or four skull-bones. Others of the company saw more of them. At this place a skeleton was found, nearly complete. A little farther on, we found a cast-iron cooking

stove, broken in pieces. Men had lately been at this place. A handful of buckshot was found.

"Near the junction of this with the Oregon road, we saw two graves,—one of a man from Keokuk, Iowa, buried in August, 1862; the other, of a lady 23 years of age, named E. J. Adams, and marked, 'Shot by Indians on the 9th, and died on the 12th of August, 1862.'

"Fourteen wagon-tires and a twelve-pound cannon-ball were found at this place. We carried the ball to our camping-ground, and there left it.

"Two young men, Francis Kelsey and Harrison Edwards, told us, that when they went down, about five weeks ago, they saw two wagons nearly complete, at the place where we noticed the wagon-bed, but when we passed, they were gone.

"I know that a train went from Newbern, Iowa, starting about the 11th of May, 1862, bound for Oregon. George Leeper, from that train, was killed by Indians. A train from Indianola, Iowa, was attacked by Indians last summer, their property taken, and several of their number killed and wounded. The survivors were assisted back to Salt Lake City, by the Mormons. John Gamble, of Knoxville, Iowa, can give further information concerning this matter; also Rev. Joseph Howard, Newbern, Marion County, Iowa."

Statement of W. F. Lawrence.

"I am from Appanoose County, Iowa. At our first camp, after striking the Oregon Road, I saw three wagons approaching; they were going eastward. A man from the wagons came to our camp. He was a short, thick-set person, with light complexion, light hair, and full, round face, considerably freckled; downcast look. He said he was from the outside settlements of Salt Lake, near Lovelands, and was out here gathering up old irons. Said they came to a place on Snake River, where they could walk across on the rocks, but did not dare to go farther, for fear the Indians would steal their horses. Said his party consisted of three white men and one Ute Indian, whom they had brought along to recover their horses, should the Indians steal them.

"He asked if they could camp with us; and being told they could, said he would go up and drive the wagons down; but instead of doing so, the party went off in a direction which would be twenty miles to water,—and this was near sundown.

"The night before, a man had been among our cattle, and when our guide cried 'Halt!' he ran off toward the road. This man was supposed to be young Bernard, the 'Mormon from the outside settlements.'"

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CHAPTER XV.
RECENT EVENTS.—CONCLUSION.

Personal Appearance and Character of Brigham Young.—His Aims and Purposes.—Solution of the Mormon Question.—New Complications.—Military Reviews of Mormons.—Governor Durkee.—Counteracting Influences.—The Mines and Miners.—Rev. Norman McLeod.—The "Salt Lake Vedette."—Administration of General Connor.—Murder of Brassfield.—Order of Young for the Expulsion of the Gentiles.—Order for the Murder of Eighty Men.—Difficulties concerning the Public Lands.—Murder of Dr. Robinson.—The Gentiles flee in Terror.—The Government fails to protect its Officers and Citizens.—The Hero of Three Wars of the Republic hunted through the Territory.—Rev. Mr. McLeod warned not to return to Utah.—The Reign of Terror commenced.—The Gentiles call for Help.

Brigham Young is a man of medium height, compact frame, with a manner deliberate and impressive. There is less of ostentation, however, in his bearing toward strangers than might be expected in a religious pretender. His hair is sandy, and inclined to curl; features regular, and expressive of great determination.

In conversation he is pleasant and affable, but is restive under the slightest contradiction or opposition. Strangers are favorably impressed with the first visit to his office. They go to see and hear, and Brigham looks well and is a good talker. He has talent, and is not destitute of genius; when, therefore, he is master of the field, and has the choice of topics, he never fails to make himself interesting, if so disposed. Indeed, is it not in itself interesting to see and hear the Mohammed of America?

His early education was very limited, and his sermons are illiterate. But in that most important of all fields of education, a knowledge of mankind and of human nature, he is

proficient. It is true, that even here he sometimes grossly errs in his estimate of men. This is because his experience is mostly confined to certain phases of human nature. In those phases he is an adept. Outside of them, he brings to bear a strong judgment, upon a limited range of facts, and if he misses the conclusion, he has the tact to retrieve his error as speedily as possible. He has no pride of consistency, which conflicts in the slightest degree with the accomplishment of his purposes. If necessary to attain his ends, he is one thing to-day, and another to-morrow, and all in the name of the Lord!

Much has been said as to his sincerity in his religious professions and belief. In his younger days he may have been sincere; doubtless was. The character of his religion, and the degree of his sincerity, at the present time, may be inferred from the following incident.

A physician at Salt Lake was urged by Brigham to join the church. He had lived in the city several years, and was doing a good business, and it was pressed upon him as a reciprocal duty. The Doctor, like too many of his profession, was tainted with infidelity. "I wouldn't mind joining your church," said he, "but I don't believe in your religion. In fact," he added, with emphasis, "I don't believe in any religion." "Oh," replied Brigham, "that don't make any difference. Come and be baptized, and it will all be right!"

The Doctor was baptized, and became a good enough Mormon. He received as his reward, from the hand of Brigham, a beautiful young lady as a "second wife."

Young's talent is all of a practical character,—his shrewdness is ever ready to extricate him from any difficulty or emergency. As a financial and political leader, he is far superior to Joseph Smith. As a religious leader, he is much his inferior. Smith was brave; Young is cowardly. Smith was enthusiastic and impetuous, while Young is cool and calculating.

Brigham is a good speaker. Oratory, however, he uses as a means to accomplish certain ends; and he seldom, even when most excited, says anything that has not its object.

His manner in the pulpit is impressive and authoritative; and he sometimes rises to a high degree of eloquence. His illustrations are apt, his sentences frequently pungent and sarcastic.

He is lamentably deficient in moral sense. No falsehood staggers him, no blasphemy shocks him. Why, then, should he hesitate at the perpetration of any crime which will conduce to the accomplishment of his life-purpose. Even the traveller Burton, his admirer and panegyrist, thus frankly expresses his doubts as to this phase of his character: "I cannot pronounce about his scrupulousness; all the world over, the sincerest religious belief, and the practice of devotion, are sometimes compatible not only with the most disorderly life, but with the most terrible crimes; for mankind mostly believes that 'Il est avec le ceil des accomodements.' He has been called hypocrite, swindler, forger, murderer. No one looks it less." This is, perhaps, true; but therein lies his hypocrisy.

We have already shown that polygamy originated in the passions and lusts of himself and followers, and was afterward reduced to a system and promulgated as part of the Mormon religion. So with other phases of the system. The Celestial Kingdom, the Grand Archee, the Prophet, the Seer, the Revelator,—all tend to self and self-aggrandizement. Everything must yield and become subservient to the purposes of his unholy ambition. Principles, conscience, the moral sense, Christianity, the divine brotherhood of man, human liberty and republican institutions, the sacred associations of the home-fireside and of the family altar, all the thrilling sentiment and ennobling effect of love, the purity and fidelity of the marriage relation, all the rights of property and life, all the relations of man to God,—yea, God himself, with all the machinery of Heaven and the spiritual world, including angels, spirits, and demons,—are brought under contribution to this one man, and made to revolve about him,—a confused constellation of chaotic elements from the mental, and moral world. Neither social nor

political restraint does he recognize. Setting himself above all law, human and divine, he becomes a law to himself and his deluded followers.

How long this state of things is to last, how big this God-defying creature is yet to swell ere he is checked in his tyrannical and blasphemous career, how long this theocratic monarchy is to stand in the centre of the Republic, remains to be seen.

But the question will be asked, "Is there any remedy other than by the strong hand? And would not that increase rather than diminish the number of his followers?" Whether there can be any peaceful solution of the question is doubtful. Inflamed by power, blinded by ambition, he will not tamely submit to the laws and the constituted authorities, so long as he has thousands of obedient followers around him, ready to move as a single man at his word of command.

The only hope of a peaceful result lies in the gradual assimilation of the "gentile" with the Mormon element. A wonderful change is already in progress in this respect, caused by the presence of United States volunteers, the influx of miners, and the preaching of true religion. This is seen by Young, who already trembles, as he turns his thoughts into the future.

Fearful that the migration of miners into the Territory would tend to lessen his power, and desirous of removing the government troops from Camp Douglas, he spent several months in the spring of 1864, in inducing the farmers to unite in raising the price of their produce, and enlisting the people generally in favor of a combination against the gentiles. To the same end he has been laboring for years.

On Monday, the 8th of August, 1864, a Convention of Delegates from the several Wards in the Territory assembled, in accordance with this scheme and by direction of the "President," at the Tabernacle, in Great Salt Lake City, to adopt measures for the establishment of the prices of produce upon a gold basis.

The scheme signally failed. Temporarily, supplies for the

troops were brought across the Plains, and were purchased as they could be had. But General Connor more than hinted that if this plan should be persisted in, what supplies he could not purchase at a fair price with the currency of the country, he would take. This had the desired effect, and after some further spasmodic efforts, this attempt to lay an embargo upon the traffic of the people with the Government, was abandoned.

This meeting, like every other in Utah, merely gave expression to the preconceived views and preconcerted measures of the leaders. No steps were taken to raise the wages of the mechanic or laborer. Brigham denounced the mechanics bitterly, because they were opposed to raising the price of produce, calling them a parcel of thieves and rascals. He indulged in a tirade of abuse and vulgar language, unfit for publication.

This may be cited as one of the instances in which he misjudged human nature. By espousing the interests of one class against those of the other, instead of attempting to reconcile them, he introduced a new element of discord into his already inharmonious kingdom. Two of the delegates at the meeting had sufficient manly dignity and moral courage to plead the cause of the mechanic and laborer; also of the poorer class generally; showing the amount of misery and suffering that would be entailed upon them by the adoption of the proposed measures. To which Young replied, in a tone of sarcasm and contempt, that even if he were to build houses for the poor, and provide them with all the necessaries and comforts of life, they would not be satisfied unless they had free admission to his house and the privilege of listening to his daughters playing on the piano.

The fact that leading Mormons were found to vindicate the people, notwithstanding the degraded condition which such language implies, and openly to oppose Young's measures in a public meeting, is a hopeful one, and of deep significance.

In pursuance of the same policy of segregation of the

faithful, and preparatory to the accomplishment of his ambitious schemes, Young has established a system of militia training and reviews, confined exclusively to Mormons. This system he sedulously fosters and maintains, commanding the Mormon militia as Governor of the State of Deseret.

On the 2d of November, 1865, such a review was held on the plains of Salt Lake Valley, near the Jordan River. On that occasion Governor Durkee, who had lately arrived in the Territory as the successor of the lamented Doty, visited the Mormon troops and marched in a procession headed by Brigham Young. The Organic Act of Utah makes the Governor the Commander-in-Chief of the Militia, and it would seem to have been more consonant with the spirit of that provision, and more conservative of the dignity of his position, to have headed the procession, or if not permitted to do so, to have dispersed it as an illegal assemblage.

General Connor, who has lately returned to Salt Lake from a brilliant Indian campaign, is the military commander of the Department of Utah. He does not look with favor upon the marshalling of military forces composed exclusively of Mormons, and considers such gatherings but little better than displays of rebels in arms. The progress of events will soon determine whether the military organization of the Mormon militia is conducive to loyalty and good order, or to anarchy and rebellion.

Notwithstanding these attempts to organize and nationalize his followers, there are, within the dominions of Brigham Young, and among the masses of his adherents, various conflicting elements, furnishing hopeful indications to the statesman and the lover of his country. It may reasonably be expected that Young will soon appear to the deluded people in his true character; not as a branch of the Divinity, but as a selfish, corrupt, ambitious, and very dangerous man.

To this end, every attempt to enlighten and disabuse them, should be encouraged, and such changes in the Organic Act should be made as may be necessary to protect the rights of

gentiles resident in the Territory. The extraordinary jurisdiction now exercised by the Probate Courts should be taken away and limited to the District Courts. The Governor should not only be authorized, but required to take the leadership and control of the militia of the Territory. The laws of Congress against polygamy should be rigidly enforced. Mormon postmasters and other Mormon federal officers should be removed. These and kindred measures should be adopted and enforced, until the authority of the Federal Government shall be fully vindicated and acknowledged.

Among the agencies already at work to accomplish this desirable end, and to redeem Utah from her enthralment, may be mentioned the discovery of mines of precious metals, and the large influx of miners,—the preaching not only of a purer Mormon faith, under the auspices of Joseph Smith Jr., but the promulgation of the Gospel itself, and of the principles of Christianity in their purity, by Rev. Norman McLeod, a Congregational minister of great boldness and talent, who is now firmly established in the Territory,—the extended and controlling influence of the "Union Vedette," a daily and weekly paper published at Salt Lake City, and edited with an ability which is but a synonym for immense moral, intellectual, and political power,—and above all, the military administration of General Connor, who, by the discreet but firm hand with which he has held a check upon the movements of unprincipled church leaders, by the establishment and support of the journal just mentioned, and by the encouragement given to gentiles and disaffected Mormons, has done more to undermine and overthrow the whole system of Mormonism than all other influences combined!

Much is to be expected from the discovery of valuable mines of gold, silver, and copper, in various localities in Utah. Already mining camps have been established, mining companies formed, and villages and settlements of miners are springing up in different directions. In Rush Valley, west of the Oquirrh, or West Mountain, about forty miles southwest

from Salt Lake City, is a flourishing mining town called Stockton, which has been built entirely since the winter of 1863-4. The mines in this valley are good, and are attracting much attention abroad. Over fifty ledges have been discovered, which prospect well in gold and silver. In Cottonwood Canyon copper mines have been discovered yielding 75 per cent. of pure ore. Extensive arrangements have been made for bringing on machinery, building mills, &c.

It has steadily been the policy of Brigham to discourage prospecting, and to prevent, if possible, the opening of these mines to the gentile public. It has long been known that such mines existed, not only from the whisperings and traditions of dissatisfied saints, but by the boastings of Young himself, whose vanity would not permit him to be entirely silent upon a subject so well calculated to magnify his own importance. On one occasion he said to Bishop Simpson, "I can stand in my door and see plenty of gold and silver."

These hidden riches, thank God, have been brought to light. Miners are flocking in by thousands, and their rights will be protected, if necessary, by the strong arm of a strong government.

Mormonism must soon give way before the advancing tide of American civilization.

Brigham Young, with his band of desperadoes, may not much longer despise and trample upon our laws, and outrage the rights of our people. If he is to be permitted to continue his system of heathen polygamy, he will be obliged to leave the Republic he has discarded and would have overthrown, and fleeing from the scenes of his impieties and his crimes, set up his kingdom in some new refuge,—perchance in the Sandwich Islands, which have long been one of the stakes of Zion.

The events of the last two years have not been of a character to inspire confidence either in Young and his associates, or in the policy, or rather want of policy, of the government, in connection with the affairs of that Territory. The same

spirit of lawlessness and violence which has marked the entire history of the Territory still prevails. Partially repressed for a few years, and kept in check by the determination and known bravery of General Connor and his officers, it has now, since their retirement from the service and the withdrawal of nearly all the military stationed at Camp Douglas, broken out more fiercely than ever.

The disbanding of the volunteers was immediately followed by denunciations of the gentiles, and threats and warnings of every description. A letter containing the representation of a bloody hand was sent to the "Vedette" office.

Anonymous communications were frequently received by leading gentile citizens. Fiery and vehement declamation was indulged in from the rostrum; and the prophecy was frequently made that in a few months not a gentile would be left in the Territory. Yet that class of proscribed citizens kept on in the even tenor of their way; the "Vedette" appeared as usual, always bold and determined in its opposition to the wrong and injustice prevailing around it. There was danger that the prophets would be brought into disrepute and contempt.

At this juncture, it having been determined "in council" that a blow should be struck, the community was startled by the announcement of one of the most atrocious murders recorded in history.

On the evening of the second of April, 1865, Squire Newton Brassfield, a resident of Austin, Nevada, temporarily residing in Salt Lake, was shot down in the streets while in the company of the United States Marshal, and under his protection. The particulars, as well as the pretext for this bloody murder, are fully given in the following editorials taken from the "Salt Lake Vedette," of April 4th, 1865:—

"We are called upon this morning to chronicle one of the most cold-blooded and inhuman murders that has ever fallen under our notice—unparalleled even in the bloody record of Utah's foulest crimes. The victim of this last exhibition of the hellish doctrine

of 'blood atonement,' promulgated by these fiends of hell from the rostrum of their Tabernacle, is Squire Newton Brassfield, late a resident of Austin, Nevada, by business a freighter, and aged about thirty years. The circumstances which led to his murder are briefly as follows:—

"On the evening of the 27th ult. Mr. Brassfield was married by Judge McCurdy, of the Supreme Court, to Mary, second wife of A. N. Hill, a Mormon missionary now in Europe. A short time after the marriage, Brassfield went with his wife to her late residence to get her clothes and household goods which had been packed up ready for removal. While there he was arrested by the city police, charged with resisting an officer, and lodged all night in the county jail. The next morning he was taken before the Probate Court to answer the charge, and bound over in the sum of five hundred dollars to await the action of the Grand Jury. The next day two indictments were brought against him, one on the charge above named, and the other for larceny,—for being present and assisting in taking away his wife's goods and clothing. He gave bail in the sum of one thousand dollars. On Monday last his counsel, Major C. H. Hempstead, quashed the indictment for resisting an officer, and proceeded to trial on the charge of larceny. The trial was not concluded when the court adjourned on Monday, and was to have been continued on the following day.

"The wife had two children, one nine and the other five years of age. About these children a contest was evident—Mrs. Brassfield claiming them, and the friends of Hill being determined to keep them from her. The mother obtained a writ of habeas corpus from Judge McCurdy, and the Hill party from the Probate Court, each claiming the right to the custody of the children. The writ of Judge McCurdy was first executed, and a hearing held by him last Saturday night. Major Hempstead argued the case for the petitioner, and claimed that as Hill had a wife living at the time of his alleged marriage with Mrs. Brassfield, it was illegal and void, and that, as there was no legal father, the mother was entitled to the custody of the minor children. Thus the legality of polygamous marriages was made a direct issue in the case. Judge Snow appeared against the petitioner and in the capacity of Deputy Attorney-General of the Territory, and desired further time to prepare the case of the defendant, and the hearing was continued until Monday evening at seven o'clock.

"At that hour the house was crowded, the friends of both parties being present in large numbers. After a few preliminary remarks and the filing of some papers by Judge Snow, the hearing was again adjourned until Wednesday morning at ten o'clock. The children in the mean time had been committed to the custody of the United States Marshal, Hosmer, until further orders of the court, and on Monday the writ from the Probate Court was served on him, when he appeared before Judge Smith and stated that he held the children by order of Judge McCurdy, and declined to produce them in that court, when he was threatened with an attachment for contempt, and warned that unless he produced the children he would be imprisoned in the county jail! The Probate Court of Salt Lake, imprisoning a United States Marshal, for obeying an order of the Supreme Court! Our readers can make their own comments.

"Thus stood the several phases of the case at the adjournment of Judge McCurdy's court on Monday evening. The court adjourned at about half-past eight o'clock, and on his way home, and while in company with the United States Marshal, Hosmer, Mr. Brassfield was shot and killed; adding another to the long list of victims of Mormon 'law' and Mormon 'justice.'"

"STATEMENT OF MARSHAL HOSMER.

"About half-past eight o'clock on Monday evening, the second instant, I was accompanying Mr. Brassfield home to the National Hotel from Independence Hall. As we turned the corner by the small building west of the hotel, a man who stood between the bay-window and door of that building advanced one step from the corner and fired at Mr. Brassfield, the shot taking effect in his arm and side; four buck-shot entered the arm, one striking the elbow joint and breaking the arm. The fifth shot, which was much larger than the others, entered his right side. When the gun was fired Mr. Brassfield fell, and said, 'O my God! I am shot!' He was carried into the International Hotel, where he lingered in agony about forty-five minutes and then expired. The assassin, after firing, ran across the street, and turning the corner by the theatre, continued in a northerly direction. As he passed the St. Charles Restaurant, he was fired at twice by a policeman. I lost sight of him as he turned the corner of the theatre."

"THE FEELING AMONG THE PEOPLE.

"It would be useless to deny the fact that in the opinion of the gentile community of this city, the killing of Mr. Brassfield was a deliberately planned scheme, concocted and advised by men high in authority in the Mormon Church. It is a reminder of the days that were, and a foretaste of what will be again 'when the troops are removed.' The community is struck dumb at the appalling audacity of the affair. Men say but little, but the lowering brows and compressed lips everywhere visible, bespeak a rising storm, which, when it bursts, will be very hard to control."

"THE SPIRIT OF ASSASSINATION.

"From time to time during the past nineteen years, the people have been almost palsied with the announcement of dark and fearful crimes committed within the limits of this Territory—crimes of the greatest magnitude and of the blackest character have been perpetrated, and in no known instance have the guilty parties been brought to the tribunal of justice.

"The Mountain Meadow massacre, the Parish, Potter, and Forbes murders, the assassination of Sergeant Pike on the main street of Salt Lake City, in broad daylight, were all committed with an impunity and immunity from punishment having no parallel elsewhere in the country.

"Last Monday evening the community was astounded with the intelligence of another foul assassination committed on Theatre Street, only a few steps east of Main Street.

"The man who was assassinated was known throughout Nevada, and more particularly at Austin and Reese River, as one of the best and most reliable citizens of that State, and was engaged in the freighting business between this place and Reese River. His conduct, while here, was that of a good, quiet, peaceable citizen, violating no law of the land, interfering in no way with the legitimate business of any person, and honored and respected by all who knew him."

This high-handed outrage was immediately followed by a fulmination from Brigham Young, warning the gentiles to leave the Territory, and throwing out various dark hints of the consequences in case the warning should be disregarded.

The serious character of this order was well understood in that community, and had the effect to cause many citizens to quietly take themselves out of harm's way.

For the information of those who may doubt whether anything criminal was intended by this edict, or whether Young would scruple in the use of means in carrying out his plan of getting rid of the gentiles, we refer them to the Order of Brigham issued in 1858, for the murder of eighty men by his Danite followers. The following is a copy of the Order:—

"Salt Lake City, April 9, 1858.

"Special Order.

"The officer in command of escort is hereby ordered to see that every man is well prepared with ammunition and have it ready at the time you see those teamsters a hundred miles from the settlements. President Young advises that they should be all killed to prevent them from returning to Bridger to join our enemies. Every precaution should be taken and see that not one escapes. Secrecy is required.

"By order of Genl. Danl. H. Wells.

James Ferguson, Asst. Adjt. Genl."

The teamsters alluded to were eighty in number, discharged from Johnson's command when at Fort Bridger, and were en route to California. Maloney, who commanded the escort, is and has been for four years employed at Camp Douglas. He was too humane to execute the order. He however preserved it, and it is now in the possession of Hon. John Titus, Chief Justice of the Territory. The signature of Ferguson is authenticated under oath, by two prominent Mormons of Salt Lake. The Mormons have on several occasions attempted to take the life of Maloney, and only a short time since destroyed a house of his near Camp Douglas.

About this time a new source of difficulty arose in the settlement of the public lands. The entire body of land in the Territory belongs to the United States Government, subject to the claims of Indian tribes roving through the country. The land has never been open to market. But very little of it, indeed, has ever been surveyed.

The Mormons claim to own the valley of the Salt Lake, and all the adjacent country; not only that which they have reduced to possession, but the square miles of adjoining land untouched by human being.

But the gentiles were not disposed to concede the rightfulness of these claims. In the summers of 1865-66, various settlements were made upon the public lands in Utah, under the National Homestead Act, by anti-Mormon or gentile citizens.

The Mormons affected to consider this an infringement of their rights, and from denunciations and threats proceeded to open violence to prevent these intrusions.

Some account of these outrages is given in the following extracts from a letter written by Captain S. E. Jocelyn, and published in the "Chicago Republican," of January 4, 1867.

As the writer is fully posted in relation to the recent history of the Territory, I have given other quotations also, from the same letter:—

"Chicago, Dec. 28, 1866.

"It has been my fortune to reside in Utah Territory during the last four years, whence I have recently arrived in your city. While en route, and since my arrival in 'America'—for so the gentiles are accustomed to call the Eastern States—I have observed a great and universal interest existing on all hands concerning affairs among the Mormons.

"As early as last spring threats were made by the Mormon authorities toward certain parties, not Mormons, then doing business of one kind or another in Salt Lake City, looking to the forcible entry of their premises and the destruction of property without due process of law. These threats were of a general character, and it was believed that, under cover of breaking up certain places where disreputable business was carried on, it was the intention to destroy other establishments of a different character, but interfering with certain monopolies of the city and church patriarchs. To prevent this, the local military commander, under constructive orders from Gen. Sherman, called upon Brigham Young to exact a promise that no violence should be done to private property without due process of law, which, after some

hesitation, was obtained. Matters progressed smoothly until the adjournment of Congress, for, fearing the effect on that body of any violent measures inaugurated against gentiles, Brigham kept his promise strictly. But no sooner did the telegraph flash across the continent the announcement of the adjournment of Congress, than his pent-up wrath broke forth, and he openly urged the policy of violence toward the gentiles. With regard to the public lands, he said repeatedly that he owned land, and plenty of it, and any man who attempted to 'jump' the same should have 'a preëmption title which would last till the resurrection.' This was called forth by the fact that a number of locations had already been made by discharged soldiers and others upon unoccupied land lying along the west bank of the Jordan River, contiguous to Salt Lake City, and there was considerable talk of many others following in the same course, induced by the prospective coming of the Pacific Railroad, and a desire to obtain as eligible situations for homes convenient thereto as possible. But the idea of allowing gentiles to settle in any considerable numbers in the vicinity of Mormon communities is totally at variance with the well-understood policy of the leaders, and must, therefore, be prevented by every possible means—else, what would become of polygamy? Hence the hostility of Brigham Young to any such scheme as they contemplated, for in it he scented danger to his favorite institution, and hence, too, his threat of death to 'land jumpers.'

"Now the fact is that there has never been, to my knowledge, one foot of land 'jumped' in Utah; in other words, no locations whatever have been made or attempted by gentiles except upon totally unoccupied lands. But, in violation of the Territorial organic act, the Legislative Assembly of Utah has, from time to time, granted away to Brigham Young, and others, certain valuable timber and tracts of arable lands for a nominal consideration, and it is to protect these from gentile intrusion, as well as for reasons already stated, that a reign of terror has been inaugurated.

"As early as last August, the writer of this article called attention, in the columns of the 'Salt Lake Vedette,' to the threats being made by the Mormon Head Centre to inflame the passions of his followers, predicting the result which has already been reached, and putting his language on record, that it might be known who should be held responsible when the event transpired.

"On the night of September 24th occurred the Jordan outrage, in which a number of land preëmptors were attacked about midnight by a gang of some forty or fifty ruffians, disguised and armed, and flagrantly abused, their houses destroyed, themselves thrown into the river, and their lives only saved by a promise to leave the Territory within forty-eight hours. One in attempting to get away, was fired upon and wounded, but effected his escape—very fortunately for the entire party beyond a doubt, for there can be little question that the original purpose was to put them all out of the way, which would certainly have been accomplished had any of the forty or fifty shots fired at the fugitive taken fatal effect. The better nature of some of the party prevailed over the malignant influence of the master whom they served, and they probably hoped to reach the result he desired—terror to gentiles—by less sanguinary means than those he contemplated. The result proved them wrong, for the parties warned did not leave the Territory, though any further attempts to secure homesteads were abandoned. Then followed the demolition of a portion of Dr. Robinson's premises, three of the city police, including the chief, being identified as accomplices, and held to answer therefor. Then the abduction of Mr. Weston, of the 'Vedette,' to a remote part of the city, where he was subjected to the most shameful indignities at the hands of a half score of miscreants, some of whom, at least, he recognized as belonging to the city police."

These outrages were closely followed by another atrocious murder, only equalled in ferocity and cold-blooded cruelty by that of Brassfield.

On the 22d day of October, 1866, Dr. J. K. Robinson, a prominent and influential citizen of Salt Lake City, who had recently had some difficulty with the city authorities, was shot in the streets, but a few steps from his own door. He had retired for the evening, when he was called up and requested to go a short distance to attend upon a neighbor, who, it was alleged, had broken his leg.

He quickly obeyed the call, followed his summoners a few rods from the house, when he was brutally assassinated by those who had him in charge. The following allusion to this murder is from the letter of Captain Jocelyn already quoted from:

—"I do not hesitate to state my most earnest conviction that Brigham Young is the author of Dr. Robinson's assassination, and in this I do not go one iota beyond the public opinion of all gentiles in Salt Lake City, and, I have no doubt, of the Mormons as well, could their secret thoughts be known. He signified his consent, which was the victim's death warrant; some of his satellites—probably Daniel H. Wells—made the detail for the execution; and not the least hideous feature of the whole affair is, that, in all probability, the perpetrators of that most atrocious crime feel no guilt for this deed, have no visitations of remorse or compunctions of conscience in consequence, but consider that they have only done their duty and proved their faith in thus obeying the behests of their Prophet. I will trace the chain of evidence leading to the foregoing conclusion; Brigham Young is the Mormon Church, since therein his word is law. It is the deliberate policy of the church to isolate Mormonism from the intrusion of persons averse to the peculiar faith it teaches. That such is the burden of the discourses of its leaders throughout the Territory, and has been for years, will not be seriously disputed by any sensible Mormon. Hence their strenuous efforts to settle up the valleys, or the more desirable portions, by gathering the saints together from all parts of the world, and concentrating their force in Utah. In Missouri they controlled one county by this means; they now control, and will, if possible perpetuate their authority over an entire Territory which, they hope may become a State, under the absolute dominion of Brigham Young. To effect this, gentiles cannot be permitted to mingle with Mormons unopposed, nor to settle in their vicinity, on account of the dangerous influence they would thus exert. The control of the church authorities over personal actions extends to every possible circumstance. When the headquarters of the District of Utah were established in Salt Lake City by order one year ago, his authority was exercised to prevent the lease of any buildings for that or any other public purpose, and the person from whom they were finally obtained was afterward 'cut off' from the church for disregard of 'counsel' in that particular, and has since been subjected to all manner of petty persecution in consequence. Dr. Robinson had leased certain city property, which he managed without regard to the wishes of the Mormon magnates. Formerly the property of an elder in the church, it was now the place where the 'Vedette' newspaper found

refuge, when driven from every other covert. Moreover, Dr. Robinson was foremost in encouraging the idea that gentiles, as well as Mormons, had rights in Utah, and among them a right to a portion of the public domain, whereon to build themselves homes. Acting upon this unorthodox theory, he, with others, had procured the survey of certain lands near the city, including the famous Warm Sulphur Springs, and had taken all the necessary steps to perfect a title, according to act of Congress regulating the location of cities on the public domain.

"The buildings in process of erection thereon were demolished, and there the matter rested for more than a year, when it was formally revived by Dr. Robinson, who brought the case before the United States Third District Court, praying to be put in possession of his property, from which he was unlawfully restrained.

"About the same time other parties began locating on vacant land near the city, as already stated. No objection was made by any person, however, until Brigham Young began his inflammatory harangues, giving the key-note of assassination. Early in October the semi-annual conference convened in Salt Lake City, and it was attended beyond all precedent. To the thousands there assembled he repeated all his violent language,—and no man knows better how to inspire his hearers with his own purposes,—concluding by taking a vote, in effect, whether the policy thus strenuously urged should be adopted and at once inaugurated.

"What more was necessary for him to do? Not to strike the blow, surely, for there were hundreds ready to do that; all they wanted was to be told who, where, and when. The event was predicted by the writer in a communication to the 'New York Tribune,' dated ten days previous to Dr. Robinson's assassination. None knew, indeed, on whom the blow would descend, but all felt sure it was impending. To my personal knowledge many of those who believed or knew themselves under ban took extraordinary precautions to meet the threatened danger.

"On Saturday, October 20th, Dr. Robinson, acting under legal advice, called on Daniel H. Wells, Mayor of the city, 'Lieutenant-General' of the Utah militia, and only second to Brigham Young in the church, to demand payment of the city for damages done to his premises by police acting under Wells's orders without due process of law. Wells no sooner learned that he was

the person contesting the Warm Springs case, than he ordered him from his house, with every circumstance of gross insult. On the night of Monday following Dr. Robinson was murdered. The full moon made the night almost as light as day. There were at least seven of the assassins. They did the deed, knowing that within twenty steps a witness was observing them. They did not rifle the pockets of their victim. The deduction is irresistible. No mere murderers would commit so heinous a crime under such circumstances, unless certain of adequate backing and sure protection. He had no personal enemies. Who desired his death? Who could protect his murderers? I leave the answer to public opinion, which, I trust, may soon compel our timid lawgivers to do their duty. For myself, I have no doubt on the point. I know as well as I ever hope to know who caused the murder of Dr. Robinson. I feel and write warmly on the subject, for the victim was my intimate friend. Not three days before his foul murder, he expressed to me a sense of the danger he felt himself exposed to in attempting, single-handed, to fight the Mormon authorities of Salt Lake City. The event very soon proved how prophetic were those fears. I was by his side only a few minutes after he was stricken down—held his hand and felt the last faint pulse that flitted from his heart when he died. Who could look upon such a sight—a strong man basely stricken down in his early prime by assassin hands, his family crushed with the awful weight of such a sorrow—and not feel it a duty to use every means which honor allows to bring the perpetrators to punishment. During my residence in Utah I have carefully studied the Mormon system, and confidently assert it to be dangerous to the commonweal. I have traced the connection between public utterances of the leaders and crimes wherewith they have been charged, and entertain no doubt of their guilt from evidences found in their own record.

"Well, Dr. Robinson sleeps in the cemetery at Camp Douglas, the second victim of Mormon hatred to gentiles, within the year, whose ashes repose therein. They sleep as do the Parishes, the innocents slaughtered at the Mountain Meadows, and the hundreds of other victims who have perished to appease the insatiate demon of blood-atonement—the tutelary deity by whose fell assistance Brigham Young maintains his power, and hopes to accomplish his evil purposes."

The following comments upon the same affair, together with the closing portion of the eloquent speech of Governor Weller before the Coroner's Jury, are taken from the "San Francisco Bulletin" of November 16th, 1866:—

"San Francisco, Nov. 16th.

"The gentiles of Salt Lake may find very great attractions in a business way in that city, but they do not dwell in very secure habitations. Now and then one of their number is taken off as stealthily as when a wolf pounces down upon the fold. Bassfield made himself obnoxious by a marriage, and his days were numbered. The manner of his taking off was well known, but it availed nothing to trace the crime to its perpetrators. Mormon vengeance selects a shining mark even though it lets its bolts fly in the dark, and there is always a Mormon moral to the tragedy.

"The recent assassination of Dr. J. K. Robinson, in Salt Lake City, does not differ in its diabolical features from others which preceded it. He was a representative man, and as such, the murder may have peculiar significance.

"Robinson in 1864 was Assistant Surgeon of United States Volunteers, and soon after took charge of the hospital at Camp Douglas, near Salt Lake City, and sometime after, being mustered out of the service, he settled down in that city as a regular practitioner of medicine, which pursuit he followed with success, and was a leading man, at least among the gentiles. Indeed, it was said that no man stood higher, socially or morally. It seems that Robinson was at the time contesting a claim known as the Warm Springs, before the United States Territorial Court, and with good prospect of ultimate success. His opponents were, of course, Mormons, and may have chosen a more expeditious way of quieting title by quieting the claimant at the same time. But certainly a Mormon jury could have settled the claim without blood; only there might not have been such an impressive and saintly moral for the benefit of the gentiles.

"But there were other reasons why Robinson's permanent absence was deemed far more desirable than his presence. He had been very active in educational and religious enterprises, not altogether after the pattern prescribed by the saints. Nearly two years ago Rev. Norman McLeod, a Congregational minister, commenced preaching at Camp Douglas, and finding so much

encouragement from Gen. Connor and the whole gentile community, he established a preaching station in the city, and finally organized a church. An intelligent congregation was gathered every Sunday to hear a gentile preacher in the city of the saints. Money was liberally subscribed, and a church edifice, we believe, was in process of erection. A Sunday-school was organized, and considerable assistance was sent from this city. Dr. Robinson was the Superintendent of the Sunday-school, and was very effective in all matters connected with the new religious society. Some time in March last, Rev. Mr. McLeod was summoned to Washington by a Congressional Committee to state the results of his observations concerning the attitude of the Mormons toward the Federal Government, and such other knowledge concerning the workings of Mormonism as he possessed. There being no alternative, he obeyed the summons. But previous to his departure Dr. Robinson, his intimate friend and room-mate, was united by him in marriage with the daughter of the late Dr. Kay, a lady identified also with the new religious enterprise. Six months or more afterwards, and before McLeod's return, Robinson was called up in the night on pretense that he was wanted professionally, waylaid and murdered.

"A fact of some significance comes out at this juncture. Gen. Connor, who had taken a warm interest in the religious society, and was the fast friend of Robinson and McLeod, telegraphed to the latter, who is still at the East, advising him not to return as his life was in danger. Thus, the leading layman in the society was assassinated, and the pastor warned by his best friend that it is not safe to return. It may be said that the gentile society had, from the beginning, exerted a quiet but powerful influence against polygamy, and already much of doubt and skepticism on this point had begun to pervade the Mormon community. In New Zealand and some other places, the natives sometimes roasted and ate a missionary. In Salt Lake they assassinate him and throw him to the dogs. At the coroner's inquest, ex-Governor John B. Weller being present as counsel on behalf of the friends of the murdered man, addressed the jury and submitted the following suggestive propositions:—

"'And upon this evidence I have a few plain questions to propound, which I will leave you and others to answer. I do not propose to discuss them, simply because I could not do so without

increasing the excitement which already exists, and producing an exasperated state of feeling, which could not at the present time result in any public good.

"'1. If my associate, Judge Stout, the City Attorney, had been murdered under the circumstances Dr. Robinson was, would the police have exhibited a greater degree of vigilance and energy?

"'2. Would the attention of the 4000 people who assembled at the 'Tabernacle' (where secular affairs are often discussed) on the succeeding Sabbath have been called to the crime and exhorted to use every effort to ferret out the assassins?

"'3. Could any prominent Mormon be murdered under the same circumstances and no clew whatever found to the murderer?

"'4. Would any portion of the five hundred special police have been called into requisition or ordered on duty?

"'5. Would any of the numerous witnesses who saw the assassins fleeing from their bloody work, have been able to recognize and name them?

"'6. Have we not utterly failed to prove, after full investigation, that Dr. Robinson had a personal enemy in the world, and have we not proved that he had had difficulties with none except the city authorities?

"'7. Is there any evidence that he had done anything to make personal enemies, unless it was having the Chief of Police and two others bound over to answer a charge of riot?

"'8. Would he have been murdered if he had not by his land claim raised a question as to the validity of the city charter?

"'9. Would the ten-pin alley have been destroyed if it had not been his property, and that he had a suit pending against the city?

"'10. Would the Mayor of the city have ordered him out of his house two days before he was murdered, if he had not understood that he claimed damages from the city for the wanton destruction of his property?

"'11. Is it not remarkable that a gang of men could go to a bowling alley, nearly surrounded by houses, within sixty steps of the most public street in the city, between the hours of eleven and twelve o'clock at night, demolish the windows and break up with axes and sledges the alley, and no witnesses found to identify the men or who knew anything whatever about the perpetrators of the act?

"'12. Are not the jury satisfied that some witnesses have withheld evidence calculated to fasten guilt upon certain parties, because they feared personal violence?

"'13. Is there not an organized influence here which prevents the detection and punishment of men who commit acts of violence upon the persons or property of gentiles?

"'14. If a Mormon of good standing had been murdered, would the Mayor, to whom the Chief of Police reports, have been informed of the act before ten o'clock the next day?

"'15. Would the Chief of Police have gone to bed as soon as he heard of the crime, and waited three days before he visited the scene of the murder?

"'16. Was the murder committed for the purpose of striking terror into the gentiles and preventing them from settling in this Territory?

"'17. Is it the settled policy of the authorities here to prevent citizens of the United States, not Mormons, from asserting their claims to a portion of the public domain in the regularly organized judicial tribunals of the country?

"'18. Are all legal questions which may arise in this city between Mormons and gentiles to be settled by brute force?

"'19. Do the public teachings of the Tabernacle lead the people to respect and obey the laws of the country, or do they lead to violence and bloodshed?'

"He then referred to the practices and teachings of the Mormons and the natural results that flowed from them:—

"'Whilst following the practices of some of the patriarchs of old they have also adopted the creed, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." What has been the result of these teachings upon society here? There are a number of respectable men in this city, some of whom have families, who dare not go upon your streets at night! Nor are they men who are afraid of shadows. They have shown their courage upon the field of battle in defence of the honor of the country, and would not shrink from meeting any of them single-handed in the light of day. But they do not choose to meet an organized band of assassins at midnight. They dare not go to your theatre or other public places of amusement. Is it not hard that here, in an American Territory, supposed to be under the protection of our national flag, citizens who have perilled their lives to sustain the supremacy of our laws and the

integrity of the government, are compelled to remain in their houses at night to escape the hands of murderers? men who have violated no law, trespassed upon the right of no one, but have simply incurred the displeasure of the dominant party? Can this state of things be tolerated on American soil? A government which habitually fails to give protection to its people must soon cease to command their confidence or respect. But I do not choose to pursue this subject further.

"'In this connection, however, I feel called upon to notice the extraordinary efforts which have been made and are still being made at the Tabernacle, as well as by the press, to destroy the confidence of the people in the courts established by the Federal Government in this Territory. Judges selected by the government, because of their legal attainments and sterling integrity, have been sent out here to administer the laws and preserve the peace and order of society. If, in the faithful discharge of their duties under the oath they have taken, they make a decision in conflict with the interests or the opinions of the dominant party, they are bitterly denounced and every effort made to impair their power and lessen their influence. To effect this, slander and ridicule are generally employed. If a Federal Judge will decide every question which arises between a Mormon and gentile in favor of the former, he can have an easy and quiet time. He can have as much fulsome praise as he deserves. But if he decides in favor of the latter, "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown".'"

The murder of Dr. Robinson, following so closely upon that of Brassfield, and the outrages upon Williamson and his companions, quite unsettled the nerves of those gentiles who had had the hardihood to remain, and they now fled in terror from before the face of the infuriated fanatics, to whose tender mercies they had been turned over by that government which should have afforded them the fullest protection.

The garrison stationed at Camp Douglas, instead of being strengthened as it should have been, had been disbanded and withdrawn, till scarcely a corporal's guard remained; not enough to inspire the least respect for the government or its representatives. General Connor, whose name had been a

terror to the offender for three years, now found himself an outcast and a refugee, in the land which had so lately been under his control. Finding his life constantly in danger in Salt Lake City, he removed with his family, a few months after the assassination of Robinson, to Stockton, in Rush Valley, forty miles west of Salt Lake, where he now resides. He is engaged in mining operations, and having considerable capital invested in developing the silver mines in that locality, cannot well leave without much financial sacrifice. His life is in constant danger, as well as that of every anti-Mormon resident of the Territory.

The following extract from a letter of General Connor, dated Salt Lake, December 26, 1866, written just before his removal to Stockton, will give some idea of the condition of the Territory at that time:—

"Matters are getting worse here. You will see by the 'Vedette,' that the merchants have addressed a card to Brigham Young, in reference to his action in not permitting the people to trade with gentile merchants. Several gentiles established themselves in business in the outer settlements. Some of them have been ordered to close their stores, and are doing so, and are glad to get away with their lives.

"Of the hundreds who came here to spend the winter, all or nearly all have left, and many of the old gentile inhabitants are leaving, or preparing to do so in the spring, if nothing is done for us by Congress or the Administration."

The Rev. Mr. McLeod who, previous to the murder of Robinson, had made a visit to the States, was cautioned by his friends, by telegraph, not to return, as his life was in danger.[297:A]

Many fled the Territory. But a small number remained.

And from that Spartan band the cry now comes up for aid and protection.

Will that cry be heeded by the government of their country? Or will that same masterly inactivity which has hitherto characterized the course of the Federal Government on this subject, still prevail?

This is a question which now demands the serious attention of Congress and of the country.

If the Mormons are to remain in the country, it would seem to be time that some system were adopted to enforce the execution of the laws among them. I am aware that the subject is one of some difficulty, but one would suppose that among all those who have been grappling with the great questions of Southern reconstruction, enough statesmanship might be found to devise some efficient mode of protecting life and property in Utah.

Let us at least hope the attempt will be made.

THE END.

---

FOOTNOTES:

[297:A] Rev. William Roberts, also one of the ablest ministers on the Pacific coast, was deputed, at the last annual Methodist Conference of Oregon, to act as a missionary at Salt Lake. He proceeded to execute the mission, but after a short stay, returned to his former charge in Idaho, there to remain till such time as American citizens in Utah should be protected in their lives and property.

---

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:

Ellipses match the original.

Page vi is blank in the original.

Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been left as in the original.

The following corrections have been make to the text:

Page ix: Description of the Harem.[original has a comma]

Page ix: THE ENDOWMENT.[original has a comma]

Page 5: Here new difficulties arose.[period missing in original]

Page 12: following boundaries, to wit:"[quotation mark missing in original]

Page 20: Brochus and Zerubbabel Snow, Associate Justices;[semi-colon missing in original]

Page 21: spirits of the audience, he[original has "be">[ turned to the Judge

Page 29: It is not our purpose to detract from the merits of any one.[period missing in original]

Page 57: taking with them their household goods[original has "gods">[, and provisions

Page 130: and the interpretation[original has "intrepretation">[ of tongues

Page 133: Each has another[original has "an" and "other" on two separate lines—the hyphen is missing] part

Page 155: Thirdly[original has "Thirdy">[, They must be baptized

Page 158: The passage was: '[quotation mark missing in original]To us there is but one God

Page 163: this small remnant[original has "remant">[ of the tribe

Page 228: then editor of the "Star,"[original has single quote]

Page 233: that which God had[original has "aad">[ joined together

Page 255: "O, when shall we see Jesus," &c.[original has extraneous comma]

Page 256: the prophets, even Joseph Smith.[original has extraneous quotation mark]

Page 259: upon the faithful in Israel. Amen."[quotation mark missing in original]

Page 276: diminish the number of his followers?"[quotation mark missing in original]

Page 282: after the marriage, Brassfield[original has "Brassfied">[ went

Page 287: a preëmption[original has "pre/emption" split across a line break] title which would last

On pages 294 and 295, in the original, all of the numbered paragraphs are missing an opening single quote inside the opening double quote. The single quote has been added.

Page 296: "'[single quote missing in the original]In this connection, however

Page 296: "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown"[quotation mark missing in original]

The plans of the Lion House are difficult to read. Below is an ascii representation of the plans along with a key to the rooms. If what you see is illegible, try downloading the text or html version of this ebook.

BASEMENT STORY.
East.
+----+--+------+------+----+--------+--+----+-+---------------+
|No. | | |Pantry|No. |Weaving |--|No. | | General |
|19 | | |No. 18|17 | Room |--|15 | | Cellar |
| | | | | |No. 16 |28| | | No. 14 |
+----+--+------+------+----+--------+--+----+-+---------------+
| Main Hall. No. 25. |
N. | +---------+ +-----------+ | S.
| 27 ||||||||||| Basement. ||||||||||||| 26 |
+------+---------+-------+----+-+-----+---+-+-----------------+
| | No. | No. | No. | Dining |
| School Room | 21 | 22 | 23 | Room |
| No. 20 | | | | No. 24 |
+------------------------+------+-----+-----+-----------------+
West.

• No. 14. General Cellar.
• No. 15. Ash House.
• No. 16. Weaving Room.
• No. 17. Coachman's Room.
• No. 18. Pantry.
• No. 19. Back Hall.
• No. 20. School Room.
• No. 21. Wash Room.
• No. 22. Kitchen.
• No. 23. Dish Room.
• No. 24. Dining Room.
• No. 25. Main Hall.
• No. 26. Stairs.
• No. 27. Stairs.
• No. 28. Hall.

PRINCIPAL STORY.
East.
+--+----+----+----+-+----+---------+-+----+-------+
| | A |No. |No. | |No. | No. 6 | |No. | 5 | Steps.
| +----+10 | 9 |C| 7 | +----+E+----+ | --
| | B | | | | | | D | | | | ----
+--+----+----+----+-+----+----+----+-+----+-------+---------+
| Main Hall. |Portico. |
N. | 11. +---------+ No. 13. +-----------+ 12. | | S.
+------+-----+------+----+----+----+------+-------+---------+
| | F |No. | | |
| No. 4 +---+--+ 3 | No. 2 | No. 1 |
| | G | | | |
+------------+---+-------+---------+--------------+
West.

• No. 1. Parlor.
• No. 2. Emeline's Room.
• No. 3. Mrs. Cobb.
• No. 4. Clara Chase.
• No. 5. Lucy Decker's Rooms.
• No. 6. Clara Decker.
• No. 7. Lucy Bigelow.
• No. 8. Doesn't appear on the plan.
• No. 9. Emily Partridge.
• No. 10. Aunt Fanny's Room.
• No. 11. Stairs.
• No. 12. Stairs.
• No. 13. Main Hall.
• A. Aunt Fanny's Bed Room.
• B. Emily's Servant's Room.
• C. Hall.
• D. Clara Decker's Children.
• E. Hall.
• F. Emmeline's Children.
• G. Clara Chase.

UPPER STORY.
East.
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |
|38 |37 |36 |35 |34 |33 |32 |31 |30 |29 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---------+
| Main Hall. | Upper | Lion.
N. | +---------+ No. 49. +-----------+ |Portico.| S.
+----+-+--+----+-+--+----+----+----+----+-+--+----+---------+
|No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |No. |
|48 |47 |46 |45 |44 |43 |42 |41 |40 |39 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
West.

• No. 29. Twiss.
• No. 30. Unassigned.
• No. 31. Hall leading to Portico.
• No. 32. Mrs. Hampton.
• No. 33. Harriet Cook.
• No. 34. Mrs. Weston.
• No. 35. Eliza Snow.
• No. 36. Spare Room.
• No. 37. Margaret Pierce.
• No. 38. Hired Help.
• No. 39. Harriet Barney.
• No. 40. Eliza Burgess.
• No. 41. Harriet Seeley.
• No. 42. Charlotte Cobb.
• No. 43. Zina D. Huntington.
• No. 44. Martha Bowker.
• No. 45. Spare Room.
• No. 46. Unassigned.
• No. 47. Ellen Rockwood.
• No. 48. Susan Snively.
• No. 49. Main Hall.

To see an ascii rendering of the diagram of the Lion House, download the text or html version of this ebook.