"If there is a spokesman, if he is a king and priest, let him go and build up a kingdom unto himself. The Twelve are at the head of the Church. I want to live on the earth and spread truth through all the world. You Saints of Latter-days want things right. If ten thousand should rise up and say they have Joseph's shoes, I know they would be imposters. In the priesthood you have a right to build up a kingdom if you know how the Church is organized.
"Now if you want Sidney Rigdon or William Law to lead you, or any body else, you are welcome to them both, but I tell you in the name of the Lord that no man can put another between the Twelve and the Prophet Joseph. Why? Because Joseph was their file leader and he has committed into their hands the keys of the Kingdom in this last dispensation for all the world. I ask, who has stood next to Joseph? I have; and I will stand next to him. We have a head and that head is the Apostleship, the spirit and power of Joseph, and we now can begin to see the necessity of that Apostleship.
"President Rigdon was at his side, not above. No man had a right to counsel the Twelve but Joseph Smith. Think of these sayings. You cannot appoint a prophet; but if you let the Twelve remain and act in their place, the keys of the Kingdom are with them, and they can manage the affairs of the Church and direct all things aright.
"Now all this does not lessen the character of President Rigdon. Let him magnify his calling and Joseph will want him behind the veil. Let him be careful what he does lest that thread which binds us together be cut asunder. May God bless us all."
Following the remarks of President Brigham Young, Amasa Lyman spoke a few words fully sustaining President Young and the Twelve. Elder Lyman had been chosen as a counselor to the Prophet Joseph and in reference to the matter pending said: "I am gratified with the open, frank, and plain exposition of President Young. He has seen the relation I bear to our deceased brother. I never did conceive that it gave me a right to stand above the Twelve. I make no exceptions, whatever, to anything he has said. President Young has stood next to the Prophet Joseph with the Twelve and I have stood next to them and will be with the Twelve forever. We have a head here. What is that head? The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles."
The words, the appearance, and the spirit of Brigham Young were so convincing and so like those of the Prophet Joseph that the people knew the voice of their new shepherd.
President Rigdon next called upon W. W. Phelps to speak for him as he could not speak for himself. Although Elder Phelps spoke at some length, he did not advocate the claims of Elder Rigdon. He sustained the right and duty of the Twelve Apostles to stand at the head, and expressed his hope that Elder Rigdon would submit to that authority.
Apostle Parley P. Pratt then spoke in support of President Young and the Twelve and said with reference to the wicked men in Nauvoo: "If there are wicked men here, it is because we support them. Stop dealing with them and they will go away. I am willing to do good to all men, especially to the household of faith. Mobs and wicked men will cease only when you cease to support them. I know we can all live and be happy—when we deal with honest men. If some men want a doctor to cure them, they will send directly for the worst man they can find. I would die a natural death rather than have a wicked doctor help me off. Cunning device and hypocritical sophistry gain an ascendency in Nauvoo, and this they have often done elsewhere in the History of the Church."
At the close of Elder Pratt's remarks President Young arose and said: "If Brother Rigdon is the person you want to lead you, vote for him; but if you do, then follow him and take his counsel hereafter as you did the counsel of Joseph; and do not say so unless you mean to follow him. I will say the same for the Twelve. Don't make a covenant to support them unless you intend to abide by their counsel. President Rigdon wants me to bring up the first question of sustaining the Twelve. If the Church wants the Twelve to stand at its head, to be the Presidency of the Church in all the world, standing next to Joseph, to walk in their calling and to hold the keys of this Kingdom, manifest it by holding up the right hand. (There was a unanimous vote in favor of the proposition.) If there be any of a contrary mind, lift up your hands in like manner. (No hand went up). This supercedes the other question and the necessity of putting it to the quorums."
The remarks of President Young on this occasion clearly indicate that there was no disposition to treat unkindly or with disrespect the feelings of Elder Rigdon, or to disregard the fact of his long experience, and of his sufferings for the gospel's sake. President Young continued: "We feel as though we could take Brother Rigdon along with us. We want such a man. Let him be one with us and we one with him." Later in his remarks President Young asked the congregation if they would sustain Elder Rigdon in his relationship to the Twelve. The vote to do so was unanimous.