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.