The Life of John Taylor / Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

by B. H. Roberts

"God bless you all, in time and throughout the eternities to come, is the prayer of your affectionate husband, father and friend in the new and everlasting covenant—

"JOHN TAYLOR."

CHAPTER XLVI.

REFLECTIONS—DEATH OF SOPHIA TAYLOR—DETERMINATION TO BRING ABOUT AN ISSUE—A VIOLENT ONE PREFERRED—HALF MASTING EPISODE—THE COURSE OF THE G. A. R.—WARLIKE PREPARATIONS FOR PIONEER DAY—FLAGS AT HALF MAST THROUGHOUT THE UNION—EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE AND CONFIDENCE—LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH OF PRESIDENT TAYLOR.

Such was the man whom the United States officials in Utah thought it necessary to hunt down like an atrocious felon, and even put a price upon his head for his apprehension! This is the man adjudged unworthy by the Edmunds law to vote or hold office in the United States! This is the man who must be driven from his family and the comforts of home to satisfy the clamor of an unthinking, prejudiced populace, aroused to a frenzy of excited intolerance by misrepresentation and an appeal to passion! It is a sad comment on the subserviency of our national legislators to have it to say that they yielded a ready submission to the clamors of the multitude, and steadily refused to investigate the charges against the Latter-day Saints before enacting the proscriptive legislation under which President Taylor and men of like character suffered.

His wife Sophia mentioned in the foregoing letter, who was suffering from the effects of a paralytic stroke at the time it was written, died on the 27th of February following. During her distressing illness he could not visit her; nor yet when the last sad rites that men performed for the dead were held over her remains could he be present to look upon the face of this loving and faithful wife. During her illness her house was closely watched by spies, and even while she was dying it was searched in hopes of finding him. Though his heart was torn with anguish under these trying circumstances, he bowed to the hard conditions with that Christian fortitude which had been characteristic of him all his life.

When President Taylor retired from public view on the evening of the 1st of February, 1885, it was not out of any consideration for his personal safety, or ease or comfort, but for the public good and in the interests of peace. There can be no question but that there was a cunningly devised plan on the part of the assailants of the Church to involve the Saints in difficulty with the government, to provoke them to acts of violence against the alleged execution of the law, that a pretext might be found for their destruction or expulsion from the land they had redeemed from the desert. What meant, else, that unwarranted invasion of the homes of the people? What meant this inhuman hounding of men so highly honored in the community? What meant this reign of terror in which laws were perverted, time-honored precedents overturned, and nearly all the rules of jurisprudence ignored? What meant the repeated efforts to engage the military power in the settlement of Utah affairs if violence was not contemplated? That a pre-text for violence was eagerly sought is clearly seen in the following:

On the 4th of July, 1885, the United States flag was raised at half-mast at the City Hall, in Salt Lake City, and over some other buildings, among them, Z. C. M. I., Deseret News Office and Tabernacle. This action was designed to express sorrow at the subversion of those principles of religious and civil liberty in our Territory for which the founders of our government had fought and died. This act was construed to be an insult to the flag, and to portend treason and rebellion. The wildest excitement prevailed; and threats of violence were indulged in by the enemies of the Saints.

"Pioneer Day," the 24th of July, was not far off, and it was alleged by the enemies of the Saints that it was the intention of the "Mormons" to again "insult" the flag by putting it at half-mast, and draping it in mourning. By industriously circulating such a rumor the country expected a conflict on that date, and General O. O. Howard, deceived by the misrepresentations of the anti-Mormon clique, in Salt Lake City, made such representations to President Cleveland that he was directed to keep all posts of the Western Platte department of the army in full strength and be prepared for any emergency that might arise in Utah in the near future. General Hatch with the Fifth Cavalry was ordered to remain in readiness at Ogallala, Nebraska, to proceed by express train to Salt Lake City if necessary.