CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
Cornell University Library 
 BX8645 .B36 1870a 
 
 Lif e . Jn ..Utah; or, .The. .mysteries ..and prim 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 029 475 039 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029475039 
 
LIFE IN UTAH; 
 
 OE, THE 
 
 MYSTlffiS Al CRIIS OF MORMOll. 
 
 BEING A-N EXPOSE 
 
 OP THE 
 
 SECRET RITES AND CEREMONIES 
 
 LATTER-DAY SAINTS, 
 
 FULL AND AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF POLYGAMY AND THE MORMON 
 SECT FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT TIME. 
 
 J. H. BEADLE, 
 
 EDITOR OP THE SALT LAKE REPORTER, AND UTAH COBRESPONDEBT 
 OF THE CINCINNATI COUHERCIAL. 
 
 'issued by subscription only, nnd not for sale in the book stores. Residents of any State desiring 
 a copy should address the publishers, and an agent will call upon them. — See page 541. 
 
 NATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. ; CHICAGO, III.; CINCINNATI, Ohio ; ST. LOUIS, Mo. ; 
 BOSTON, Mass., and ATLANTA, Ga. 
 
Entered according to Act of Coagress, in the year 1S70, by 
 
 J. R. JONES, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastera 
 District of PennsyWanla. 
 
MOEMON TEMPLE NOW BEING BUILT IN SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
POKTEAITS OF LEADING MORMONS. 
 
16 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 THEORETICAL POLYGAMY — ITS HISTORY. 
 
 Poetry of religious concubinage — Fanaticism and Sensualism— Two 
 extremes — Origin of Polygamy — The great revelation — Its contra- 
 dictions and absurdities — Mormon argument — Eeal origin — Begin- 
 ning of Polygamy — A prostitute for religion's sake—Failures and 
 scandals — War in the Church — Stealing a Brother's wife — Furore in 
 consequence — The Expositor — Its destruction — Death of the Smiths 
 — Polygamy practiced secretly and denied openly— Brigham's mar- 
 riages — ^Nine years of concealment — A'^owal at last — Argument in 
 its favor — Demoralization in the English Churoh — A climax of un- 
 natural obscenity — The " Reformation " — Temporary decline in 
 Polygamy — Hostility of native Mormon girls — Outside influence — 
 Difference of opinion — It dies hard — Spiritual wives— 7Mystery and 
 abomination 882 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 
 
 Open evils and hidden sufferings — Miss S. E. Carmichael's testimony 
 — Mormon sophistry — The sexual principle — Its objects — Theory 
 and facts — Monogamist vs. Polygamist — Turk, Persian and African 
 «s. the Christian White — The same effects in Utah — Jealousy and 
 misery — Children of different wives — Cultivated indifference — 
 Hatred among children — Brigham's idea of parental duty — Are the 
 Mormon women happy ?— Submission and silence— Degradation of 
 women — Mormon idea of politeness — Heber 0. Kimball and his 
 " cows " — " My women "—Slavery of sex — Moses and Mohammed 
 outdone — Incest — Marrying a whole family— Robert Sharkey — 
 Remorse and suicide — Uncle and niece — Bishop Smith and his nieces 
 — Mixture of blood — Horrible crimes — Half-brother and sister— The 
 Prophet "sold"— The doctrine of incest— "Too strong now, but 
 the people will come to it "—Now openly avowed— Brothers and 
 sisters to marry for a "pure priesthood "—Testimony of William 
 Hepworth Dixon— Father and daughter may marry— Effects upon 
 the young — Infant mortality— Large average-mortality — Fatal 
 blindness — The growing youth — Demoralization — Youthful de- 
 pravity — No hope for young men and women— Sophistry and mad- 
 ness— Ancient sensualism to be revived 354 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 15 
 
 chosen— He recites the Church history— First view of Brigham — 
 He curses the Gentiles— A " nasty sermon "—Coarseness and pro- 
 fanity — Bitterness of other speakers — Swearing in the pulpit — Excit- 
 ing the people — Their frenzy and fanaticism — Hatred against the 
 United States— Foolish bravado— The author gains new light on 
 Mormonism— A subject to be studied— English and European Sects 
 of like character — Division of the subject 278 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ANALYSIS OF MORMON SOCIETY. . 
 
 Difficulty at the outset— ^Extremes among witnesses — Prejudice on 
 both sides— First impressions favorable—" Whlted Sepulchres " — 
 Classes of Mormons — Brigham Young ; impostor or fanatic ? — The 
 dishonest class — The "earnest Mormons" — Disloyalty — Church 
 and State — Killing men to save their souls — Slavery of women — 
 Brigham the government — Prophecy against the United States — 
 " War " — " Seven women to take hold of one man '' — Another war 
 expected — Blood and thunder in store for the Gentiles — "The great 
 tribulation" about due — Popular errors — Witchcraft— " Faith-doc- 
 toring " — Zion, in Jackson County, Missouri — Comfortable prospect. 290 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 ANALYSIS OF MORMON THEOLOGY. 
 
 Its origin — A theologic conglomerate — Mythology, Paganism, Mo- 
 hammedanism, cornjpt Christianity and Philosophy run mad — 
 "First principles of the Gospel" — The five points of variance — 
 Materialism — No spirit — A god with "body, parts and passions " — 
 Matter eternal — No "creation" — Intelligent atoms — Pre existent 
 souls — High times in the Spirit Wgrlds — Birth of Spirits — They hunt 
 for " Earthly Tabernacles " — The " Second Estate " — Apotheosis — 
 The " Third Estate "— " Fourth Estate ' '—Men become gods—"' Di- 
 vine generation" — Earthly Families and Heavenly Kingdoms — Did 
 Man come from the Sun ? — " Building up the Kingdom " — One day 
 as a tliousand years — The time of the Gentiles about out — Great 
 events at hand — "Gog and Magog," et. al. — Gentiles, prepare to 
 make tracks — Return to "Zion," in Missouri — Christ's earthly empire 
 — Great destiny for Missouri — Tenets from Christianity — Baptism a 
 "Saving Ordinance" — Baptized twelve times — Office of the Holy 
 Ghost — Strange fanaticism — Eclectic Theology — A personal god — 
 The homoouaian and the liomoiousian — The Logos and the Aeon — 
 Crossness and Vulgarity '. 311 
 
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TO 
 
 GENERAL W. H. H. BEADLE, 
 
 LONG A COMPANION IN STUDY AND BiOPE, 
 
 ALWAYS 
 
 A TEUE BROTHER AND HELPER: 
 
 AS A 
 
 SLI&HT TESTIMONIAL FOR VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 INCEPTION OF THE WORK, 
 
 AND 
 
 SUBSTANTIAL AID IN ITS EXECUTION; 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 AMERICA is the paradise of heterodoxy. All sorts of 
 wild, strange and even abominable religions flourish 
 uncheclsed, side by side, and generally without violent 
 collision. The wild dreams of the fervid Oriental im- 
 agination ; the vague shadowings of Gothic mysticism ; 
 the coarse materialism of French infidelity, and the 
 ideal fancies of Greek and Asiatic, all the errors and 
 worn out theories of the Old World, of schisms in the 
 early Church, the monkish age and the rationalistic 
 period, find here a free air, a fertile soil, a more congenial 
 clime and a second native country, as it were, in which 
 new and more luxuriant growths spring rapidly from 
 the old and "half dead stocks of pseudo-theology. 
 
 But the inventive American mind is not content 
 merely with old errors, and the Yankee is nothing if 
 not practical; hence we see that to every new or purely 
 American phase of religious error, there is always tacked 
 a feature of political power, communism of property, 
 social license or moral perversion, a general revolt 
 against accepted theories in law, medicine, marriage. 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 government or social relations. Let the extreme tend 
 which way it will, it is equally an extreme; whether 
 of the .anti-marriage Shakers, the celibate Harmonists, 
 the wife-communists of Oneida, or the polygamous Mor- 
 mons. All this is, perhaps, a necessary evil — an inevit- 
 able adjunct to a great good. In the perfect liberty of 
 conscience guaranteed, the perverted or diseased con- 
 science is equally free with the pure or healthy ; and 
 where every man is free to choose as he will, it is 
 reasonable to suppose that many will choose but poorly. 
 Like all good principles this liberty of conscience is 
 strangely liable to abuse; but a careful examination 
 will show, I think, that the present condition is far 
 better, with all its evil outgrowths, than would be any 
 aiming at repression. Repression is not unity. Sup- 
 pose either of the prominent sects to be made the 
 Established Church — ^if indeed the mind can possibly 
 conceive of an Established Church in America — the 
 Methodist, for instance; then would that church at 
 once lose many of its communicants ; most people would 
 avoid it to the farthest extent allowed by law, not from 
 any particular hostility to that one church, but simply 
 because it was established. 
 
 We may, indeed, congratulate ourselves, that with such 
 perfect liberty of choice so few have adopted beliefs at 
 all dangerous either to the State or to society; for 
 these last are the only questions with which we have a 
 
PREFACE. 7 
 
 right to deal. But certain forms of .belief cannot pos- 
 sibly confine themselves to 'speculative errors; the per- 
 version of moral and ethical principles is too radical to 
 be confined to the heart, and the hideous moral gan- 
 grene, starting from the soul and center, works out- 
 wardly through the life in all manner of corruption, 
 confusion and abomination. When the faith is per- 
 fectly inwrought, it cannot but show itself in acts, and 
 with these the State has a right to deal. Perfect tolera- 
 tion is due to all beliefs, and these gross forms of error 
 only demand attention when endeavoring, against the 
 -good of the State, to make a peculiar moral condition 
 the general law for a whole people, and still more as 
 laboring to radically pervert the Christian idea of mar- 
 riage. If the experience of all civilized nations for 
 three thousand years, and the best judgment of the 
 best minds in law founded upon that experience, have 
 proved any one fact more than another, it is that the 
 marriage relation should be strictly regulated by law, 
 that the State has an absolute right to prescribe the 
 civil conditions accompanying and the civil rights re- 
 sulting from it ; and that the human passions, whether 
 excited by mere lust or by religious fanaticism, must be 
 controlled by positive law. It matters not if an indi- 
 vidual esteem it his natural right to act contrary to ex- 
 press law, or if several individuals constituting a commu- 
 nity believe it to be a religious right; they are equally 
 subject thereto, and must take the legal consequence of 
 
8 PEEFACE. 
 
 disobedience. It is then a gratifying fact, that so few 
 have adopted beliefs tending to pervert the marriage 
 relation. Of the forty millions in America less than 
 half a million are included in all of such sects. In this 
 light liberty of conscience in America is almost a per- 
 fect success. 
 
 The vast majority of our people have founded their 
 religious behef on theories not inimical to the pubhc 
 good ; and the scores of varying sects which arise from 
 year to year, generally do so only to run a brief and 
 meteor-like race, and sink like dissolved exhalations in 
 the bogs and mire of ignorance from which they arose. 
 But occasionally we see one of these parasitic growths 
 upon the body of religious freedom, which, from peculiar 
 and special causes, extends its existence beypnd what 
 we would naturally look for; and a few, originally 
 transplanted from Europe where the parent organiza- 
 tion has long since expired, maintain a sort of sickly 
 life through two or three generations in America. Of 
 such are the Shakers from England, and the Har- 
 monists from Grermany. But where in contact with 
 vital Christianity, they must sooner or later yield ; 
 their wild enthusiam is sufl&cient for rise and growth, 
 but lacks the virtuous energy to direct and continue. 
 To such, comparatively innocent and harmless, the 
 public direct Uttle attention. But there are a few- 
 which manage to preserve a sort of isolation even in 
 the midst of other sects, or in extreme cases, to get 
 
PREFACE. 9 
 
 apart and aside, and maintain for a long period an 
 independent existence. Of these none have attained 
 to such prominence as the sect called Mormons. Hav- 
 ing leaders at once sagacious and unscrupulous, they 
 have long managed to avoid whatever contact would 
 weaken their organization. We have seen them, from 
 small and obscure beginnings, rise to a strength suffi- 
 cient . to create a local rebelhon in Missouri ; trans- 
 planted thence to Illinois, rise to a threatening power ; 
 transplanted again, flourish rapidly for a while, and 
 though now evidently on the decline, yet strong enough 
 to create a diflBcult and delicate political problem, and 
 like the Bohon Upas, overshadow a whole Territory 
 with a deadly influence. Scattered through the nation 
 Mormonism would be the weakest of all religions; 
 collected into one Territory, and ruling there with al- 
 most absolute power, they present a painfully interest- 
 ing problem. Comparatively, their numbers are trifling ; 
 locally, they are of great importance. In the light of 
 the principles here enunciated, and with perfect con- 
 fidence in their correctness, this work has been prepared; 
 with a view to the better enlightenment of the Ameri- 
 can public on this question and if possible, to make the 
 duty of Government and people more plain, to set 
 forth the most salient points in the progress of 
 religious imposture, and to draw attention to a Territory 
 rich in natural resources. It is believed that the- 
 work contains most of the material facts of interest 
 
10 PREFACE. 
 
 in regard to Utah and the Mormons ; whether of the 
 chmate and resources of the former, or the history, 
 theology and peculiar social practices of the latter. 
 The history of the sect is drawn from many sources : 
 from their own works, from personal records of several 
 who have spent many years among them, from evidence 
 published by the State of Missouri, from official docu- 
 ments of States or the General Government, from 
 previous compilations and other accredited sources. 
 Of charges against the Mormons, not fully proved, the 
 statements for and against them have been equally 
 presented. The same rules of evidence have been ap- 
 phed in summing up their history, as are held appKcable 
 in courts of justice. The author's opportunities for 
 personal observation will be seen in the course of the 
 work. . The author is well aware of the many imperfec- 
 tions of the work, but. does not seek to disarm criticism 
 by a prefaced apology; it is given as a compilation 
 of testimony, on which the reader has the same 
 privilege of passing judgment as the author has exer- 
 cised on those before him. Whatever may be thought 
 of the style in which they are presented, I trust many 
 of the facts will be found interesting, and if the work 
 should excite an intelhgent interest among the Ameri- 
 can people, in regard to the affairs of Utah, it wiU have 
 accomplished the dearest wish of the author. 
 
 J. H. B. 
 iCoEiNNE, Utah Territory, April 5th, 1870. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER 1. 
 HISTORICAL. 
 
 Birth and early life of the Mormon Prophet— The original Smith 
 family— Opinion of Brigham Young— The " peep-stone "—" Call- 
 ing "of Joe Smith— The Golden Plates— " Reformed Egyptian" 
 translated — " Book of Mormon " published — Synopsis of its con- 
 tents — Real author of the -work-" The glorious six " first converts 
 — Emma Smith, " Elect Lady and Daughter of God "—Sidney Rig- 
 don takes the field — First Hegira — "Zion"in Missouri— Kirtland 
 Bank — Swindling and "persecution" — War in Jackson County — 
 Smith " marches on Missouri " — Failure of the " Lord's Bank " — 
 Flight of the Prophet— " Mormon War"— Capture of Smith- 
 Flight into Illinois ,. 21 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 HISTORY FROM THE FOUNDING OF NAUVOO TILL 1843. 
 
 Rapid growth of Nauvoo — Apparent prosperity — ' ' The vultures gather 
 to the carcass" — Crime, polygamy and politics — Subserviency of 
 the Politicians — Nauvoo Charters — A government within a govern- 
 ment—Joe Smith twice arrested — Released by S. A. Douglas — Sec- 
 ond time by Municipal Court of Nauvoo— McKinney's account — 
 Petty thieving — Gentiles driven out of Nauvoo — " Whittling Dea- 
 cons" — "Danites" — Anti-Mormons organize a Political Party — 
 Treachery of Davis and Owens — Defeat of Anti-Mormons — Cam- 
 paign of 1843— Cyrus Walker, a great Criminal Lawyer— " Revela- 
 tion" on voting — The Prophet cheats the lawyer — ^Astounding 
 perfidy of the Mormon leaders — Great increase of popular hatred — 
 
 Just anger against the Saints '. 58 
 
 11 
 
12 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER 111. 
 
 MORMON DIFFICULTIES- AND DEATH OF THE PROPHET. 
 
 Ford's account— Double treachery in the Quincy district— New and 
 startling developments in Nauvoo— Tyranny of Joe Smith— Bevolt 
 of a portion of his followers— The " Expositor "—It is declared " a 
 nuisance" and "abated"— Flight of apostates— "Warrants issued 
 for Smith and other Mormons — Constables driven out of Nauvoo— 
 Militia called for — Nauvoo fortified — Mormon war imminent — Gov- 
 enor Ford takes the field in person— Flight of the Prophet and 
 ■ Patriarch to Iowa — Their return and arrest — The Governor pledged 
 for their safety — In his absence the jail is attaclsed — ^Death of the 
 Smiths — Character of tlie Prophet — Comments 89 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TWO TEARS OF STRIFE — ^EXODUS FROM ILLINOIS. 
 
 No successor to the Prophet — David Hyrum Smith, the " Son of 
 Promise" — Contest for the leadership — Diplomacy of Brigham 
 Young — Curious trials — All of Brighani's opponents " cut oflF" — 
 Troubles renewed — Fights, outrages, robberies and murder — An- 
 other election and more treachery — Singular " Wolf Hunt " — Cap- 
 ture and trial of Smith's murderers — Of the Mormon rioters — Fail- 
 ure and defects of the law — Further outrages on Gentiles — Trouble in 
 Adams County — The " Oneness " — The people of Adams drive out 
 the Mormons — ^Revenge by the Mormons — Murders of McBratney, 
 Worrell, Wilcox and Daubeneyer — Retaliation, and murder of 
 Durfee — The Mormons ravage Hancock — Flight of the Gentiles — 
 Militia called and Hancock put under martial law — The Mormons 
 begin to leave Illinois — Fresh quarrels — More Mormon treachery 
 — ^Bombardment of Nauvoo, and final expulsion of the Mormons. ... 123 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FROM THE NAUVOO EXODUS TO THE MORMON WAR IN UTAH. 
 
 The Yia^Dolorom of Mormon History — Through Iowa — Great suffer- 
 ing — " Stakes of Zion " — Settlement in Nebraska — "Mormon Bat- 
 taliion" — Journey to Utah — Founding of Salt Lake City — Early 
 accounts — Outrages upon California emigrants — Travelers murdered 
 • — Apostates "missing'" — ^Dangers of rivalry in love with a Mormon 
 
CONTENTS. 13 
 
 Bishop — Usurpations of Mormon Courts and officers — Federal 
 Judges driven out— Murders of Babbitt and Williams— Flight of 
 Judges Stiles and Drummond— The Army set in motion for Utah- 
 New officers appointed— Suspicious delay of the Army— The " Mor- 
 mon War" beigun .i 155 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 THE BLOODY PERIOD. 
 
 Sounds of war in Utah — Popular excitement — Fears of the disaffected 
 — Attempted flight — Murder of the Potter and Parrish families — 
 Massacre of the Aiken party — Assassination of Yates — Killing of 
 Forbes — Brigham "Turns loose the Indians" — Mountain Meadow 
 Massaoeb — Horrible barbarity of Indians and Mormons — Evidence 
 in the case — Attempt of Judge Crablebaugh — Progress of the "Mor- 
 mon War " — Delay of the army — Treachery or inefficiency ? — Mor- 
 mon Legion — Lieutenant-General Wells — Brigham "Commands" 
 the National troops to withdraw — Army trains destroyed — Lot 
 Smith, the Mormon Guerilla — The "Army of Utah" in Winter 
 Quarters — Colonel Kane again — Negotiations with Brigham — Gov- 
 ernor Gumming "passed" through the Mormon lines — "Peace 
 Commissioners" — Mormon exodus — Weakness of Gumming — End 
 of the War — Murders of Pike, the Jones's, Bernard, Drown, Arnold, 
 McNeil and others — A change at last 177 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 GENTILES IN UTAH. 
 
 A New Elements-Livingston and Kinkead — " Jack-Mormonism at 
 Washington" — Judge Drummond — M. Jules Remy — Gilbert and 
 Son^^Heavy trade — Later Gentile Merchants — Walker Brothers — 
 Sales at Camp Floyd — " Crushing the Mormons " — Ransohoff & Co. 
 — Mormon outrages again — ^Murders of Brassfleld and Dr. Robinson — 
 Whipping of Weston — Evidence in case of Dr. Robinson — Outrages 
 on Lieutenant Brown and Dr. Williamson — Gentiles' driven from 
 the Public Land — Territorial Surveyor — Success of General Connor's 
 Administration — The Government returns to the old policy — ^Mur- 
 ders of Potter and Wilson — Horrible death of " Negro Tom " — The 
 last witness "put out of the way" — "Danites" again — Murder 
 each other — ^Death of Hatch — Flight of Hickman — Forty-three mur- 
 ders — Another change of officials — Doty — Durkee — Shameful 
 neglect by the Government — Flight of the Gentiles — Comparative 
 quiet again — A better day — The author arrives in Utah 196 
 
14 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 FIRST VIEWS IN UTAH. 
 
 The real " Am-erican. Desert "—No My tft— Bitter Creek-^Green River 
 —Lone Rock— Plains of Bridger— Quaking Asp Ridge— Bear River 
 —A Mormon autobiography— " Polling hair "—" Aristocracy " on 
 the Plains— "Mule Skinners" and " BuUwackers "— The BuU- 
 wackers Epic"- Cache Cave— Echo Canon— Mormon "fortifica- 
 tions "-Braggadocio— Storm in Weber Canon— Up the Weber- 
 Parley's Park— A wife-stealing Apostle — Down the Canon— Majestic 
 scenery— First view of the valley— The " City of the Saints." 317 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 TWO WEEKS IN SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 Views of the City— Temple Block— Brigham's Block— Theatre— Im- 
 migrants — Mormon arguments — Reasons for polygamy — " Book of 
 Mormon"— First Mormon sermon— "Old" Joe Young — His 
 beauty (?) — His sermon — Mormon style of preaching — Order of 
 services — ^First impressions rather favorable — Much to learn yet 339 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 TRIP TO BEAR RIVER AND RETURN. 
 
 Northward afoot — Hot Springs — "Sessions Settlement" — Polygamy 
 again — "Ephe Roberts' young wife" — Farmington — Kaysville— . 
 Three wives, and stone walls between — " Let ns have Peace " — Red 
 Sand Ridge — Ogden — Brigham City — Into the poor district — Scan- 
 dinavian Porridge — English cookery — Rural life in Utah — Bear 
 River, North — Cache Valley and the Canon — "Professor" Barker, 
 the " Mad Philosopher" — ^A New Cosmogony — Mormon science — 
 "Celestial Masonry" — ^^AAseax" redivivus — A modern "Eve"-^ 
 Folly and fanaticism — ^Mineral Springs — The country vs. the city 
 Mormon .' 360 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE CONFERENCE AND ITS RESULTS. 
 
 A Mormon mass-meeting — Faces and features — Great enthusiasm — A 
 living " martyr " — ^A Mormon hymn — The poetess — ^A " president " 
 
Missing Page 
 
Missing Page 
 
CONTENTS. 17 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 THE MORMON THEOCRACT. 
 
 Absolutism — An ancient model — Three governments in Utah — Church 
 officials — First President — First Presidency — " The worst man in 
 Utah " — Quorum of Apostles — " The Twelve " — A dozen men with 
 fifty-two wives — President x)f Seventies — Patriarch — " A blessing 
 for a dollar" — Bishops — Division of the City and Territory — Their 
 magisterial capacity High Council — Judge and jury — "Ward teachers 
 — The confessional — The priesthood-r-Aaronic and Melchisedec — 
 Evangelists — Secret police or "Danites" — Civil government only 
 an appendage — Excessive po^er of the Mormon Courts — Perver- 
 sions of law and justice — Organic Act defective — Federal Judges — • 
 Their weakness and disgrace — Verdict by ecclesiastical " counsel " — 
 Verdicts dictated from the pulpit — Probate Judges really appointed 
 by Brigham Young — Voting system — Marked ballots — " Protecting 
 the ballot" — The Hooper-McGroarty race-^Plurality of offices as 
 well as wives — Tyranny of the Church — The Mormon vs. the Ameri- 
 can idea— The evils of which Gentiles complain... S81 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 RECUSANT SECTS OF MORMONS. 
 
 Repression not unity — Great break-up at Nauvoo— Sidney Eigdon''s 
 Church — J. J. Strang — Cutler, Brewster and Heddrick: "The 
 Gatherers "—The " Truth Teller "—Lyman Wight in Texas— San 
 Bernardino Mormons— Apostasy, Spiritualism and insanity— Brig- 
 ham supreme in Utah — First secession, the "Gladdenites"— Perse- 
 cution and murders — Blood-atonement introduced — Second seces- 
 sion, the "Morrisites" — "War with the sect — Massacre of the" 
 ■•' Morrisites " — Governor Harding's adventure — General Connor 
 protects the recusants — Soda Springs — Another Prophet — The 
 "infant Christ" — Beginning of the Josephites Emma and her 
 sons— The "Eeorganized Church "—First Mission— Mission of the 
 "Smith Boys "—Excitement at Salt Lake— Priestly lying- The 
 God-be schism— Liberal principles— Hopeful indications— After 
 Brigham, who?— Orson Hyde?— Daniel H. Wells ?— George A. 
 
 Smith ?— Probable future of the Church 403 
 
 2 
 
18 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 GEOGKAPHICAL FEATURES. 
 
 Territorial limits— " Basins"— " Sinks"— "Flats"— Kain and evapora- 
 tion—Elemental action and reactlon-=-Potamology— Jordan— Kay's 
 Creek- Weber— Bear River Cache Valley Timber— Blue Creek 
 —Promontory — Great Desert — Utah Lake — Spanish Fork — Salt 
 Creek — Tirapanogos — Sevier River — Colorado System — Fish- 
 Thermal and Chemical Springs— Healing vraters — Hotwater plants 
 — Analysis by Dr. Gale — Mineral Springs — Salt beds — Alkali flats 
 — Native saltSr-GitEAT Salt Lake — First accounts — Fbemont — 
 Stansbukt — Amount of salt — Valleys-^Rise of the Lake — Islands 
 — Bear Lake — " Ginasticutis " — Utah Lake — Climate — Increase of 
 rain — Singular phenomena — Fine air — Relief for pulmonary com- 
 plaints : 435 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 MATERIAL RESOURCES OF UTAH. 
 
 Amount of arable land — Its nature and location — Increased rainfall — 
 Causes — Probable greater increase— Mode of irrigation — Aquarian 
 Socialism — No room for competition — Alkali — Some advantages — 
 Yield of various crops-"-" Beet-sugar " — Sorghum syrup -Mormon 
 improvements ( ? ) — Grossly exaggerated — True Wealth of Utah — 
 Mining and grazing — Bunch-grass — Mountain pastures — Sheep and 
 goats — " Fur, fin and feather" — Trapping and hunting — Carnivora 
 — Ruminants — Buffalo — None in the Basin — Shoshonee tradition — 
 Game, fowl — Amphibia — " Sandy toad " — Serpents — Fish — Oysters 
 in Salt Lake — Insects — " Mormon bedbugs " — Advantages from the 
 dry air — Insectivora — Crickets — Grasshoppers or locusts ? — Indians 
 of Utah— Rapid extinction — "Diggers" — "Club-men" — Utes — 
 Shoshonees— Their origin— Mormon theory — Scientific theory— 
 ' Chinese annals — Tartans in America — Mormon settlei-s — Twenty- 
 three years of "gathering" — Much work, slow progress— Reasons 
 Inherent weakness of the system — Great apostasy — Their present 
 number — Exaggeration — Enumeration of settlements and population 
 — Nationality— Total military force — Future of the Territory 460 
 
CONTENTS. 19 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 MORMON MYSTERIES — THEIR ORIGIN. 
 
 The Endowment — Actors — Scenery and dress — Pre-requisites — Adam 
 and Eve, the Devil and Michael, Jehovah and Eloheim — A new 
 version — Blasphemous assumptions — Terrible oaths— Barbarous 
 penalties — Origin— Scriptures and Paradise Lost — Eleusinian mys- 
 teries -" Morgan's Free-masonry " — The witnesses— Probabilities 
 — Their reasons — Changes 486 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PRESENT CONDITION AND PROSPECTS. 
 
 Co-opei'ation — The "bull's eye" signs — Inherent weakness of the 
 system — Immediate effects on the Gentiles— Pinal result to the 
 Saints — Founding of Corinne — Its bright prospects — Trip to Sevier 
 — The deserted city — New Silverado — Mines and mining — A new 
 interest in Utah— Eich discoveries — Hindrances — Grant's Admin- 
 istration in Utah — Better men in the Revenue Department — 
 Experience of Dr. J. P. Taggart — More "persecution" — The 
 Judges — The Governor — Congressional Legislation — " Cullom 
 Bill" — Probable effects — Guesses at the future — Another exodus 
 — "Zion,"inSonora 503 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 REDEEMING AGENCIES. 
 
 The Church — First attempt — Rev. Norman McLeod — ^Dr. J. K. Rob- 
 inson — SiBCond attempt. Father Kelley — Last attempt — The Epis- 
 copal Mission, success and progress — Sabbath School— Grammar 
 School of St. Marks— A building needed — Mission of Rev. George 
 W. Foote — Difficulties of the situation — Number and occupation of 
 Gentiles — Political prospects — Gentile newspapers— The FaKey Tan 
 
 The Vedette — The Utah Rbportek — S. S. Saul, the founder — 
 
 Messrs. Aulbach and Barrett — The author's experience— Principles 
 advocated — Courtesy of the Gentiles — Conclusion.. 527 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 1. Portrait of Brigham Young Frontispiece. 
 
 2. Portrait of Joseph Smith " 
 
 3. Portrait of Heber C. Kimball " 
 
 4. Portrait of Hyrum Smith '' 
 
 5. Portrait of Orson Pratt " 
 
 6. Portrait of Orson Hyde " 
 
 7. Portrait of John Taylor " 
 
 8. Mormon Temple being built in Salt Lake City. .. .•. " 
 
 9. One of the six Bronze Plates found in the State of Illinois, in 
 
 1843 ; said by old Mormons to closely resemble the 
 original Plates of the " Book of Mormon." 25 
 
 10. Fac-simile, according to Joe Smith, of the writing on the 
 
 Original Plates of the " Book of Mormon." 30 
 
 11. Flight of the Mormons from Jackson Countj', Missouri 40 
 
 12. Tarring and Feathering Joe Smith 57 
 
 13. " Lie uj;. -Gen." Joseph bmith Reviewing the Nauvoo Legion. 77 
 
 14. Mormon Temple at Nauvoo, Illinois 81 
 
 15. Death of Joseph Smith 113. 
 
 16. Mormons driven out of Nauvoo, crossing the Mississippi on 
 
 the ice 144 
 
 17. Brigham Young Preaching in the Wilderness 154 
 
 18. Mormon Camp at Council Bluff, Iowa.. 157 
 
 19. View of Salt Lake City in 1850— From the Northwest 165 
 
 20. Mormon Tabernacle Camp on their arrival in Utah 170 
 
 21. California Emigrants Attacked at the Humboldt Canon, Utah- 172 
 
 22. Mountain Meadow Massacre — 132 Emigrants killed by Mor- 
 
 mons and Indians 183 
 
 23. Ceremony of Confirmation 202 
 
 24. Scene in Echo Canon 228 
 
 25. Four Wives 234 
 
 26. Mormon Tabernacle— Endowment House in the Distance. . . 242 
 
 27. Mormon Missionary Preaching to the Lower Classes in 
 
 London — Proselyting 248 
 
 28. Hot Springs near Salt Lake City 259 
 
 29. Scene on the upper part of Bear River, Utah 260 
 
 30. " Let us have Peace." 266 
 
 h\. Mormon Baptism 319 
 
 32. Massacre of the Morrisites 419 
 
 33. Mormon women and children taking refuge at a U. S. Camp. 426 
 
 34. Mirage seen on the Promontory North of Great Salt Lake. . . 442 
 
 35. Mormon " Improvements " — a Willow Corral 407 
 
 36. Mormon Alphabet. Invented by O. Pratt and W. Phelps to 
 
 be used in Mormon Literature 470 
 
 37. Scenes in the Endowment Ceremonies 486 
 
 20 
 
LIFE IN UTAH ; 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 MYSTERIES AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HISTORICAL. 
 
 Birth and early life of the Mormon Prophet — The original Smith family- 
 Opinion of Brigham Young — The "peep-stone" — "Calling" of Joe 
 Smith— The Golden Plates—" Eefornved Egyptian" translated—" Book 
 of Mormon " published — Synopsis of its contents — Real author of the 
 ■work — " The glorious six" first converts — Enmia Smith, "Elect Lady 
 and Daughter of God" — Sidney Rigdon takes the field — First Hegira — 
 " Zion" in Missouri — Kirtland Bank — Swindling and "persecution" — 
 War in Jackson County — Smith " marches on Missouri " — Failure of 
 the "Lord's Bank "—Plight of the Prophet— "Mormon War"— Cap- 
 ture of Smith— Flight into Illinois." 
 
 Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was born 
 December 23d, 1805, at Sharon, Windsor county, Ver- 
 mont. His parents, Joseph Smith, Sen., and Lucy- 
 Mack Smith, belonged to the lowest grade of society, 
 and, by the testimony of all their neighbors, were illit- 
 erate and superstitious, as well as indolent and unre- 
 liable. They could believe in the supernatural as 
 e^isily as the natural ; for they were as ignorant of the 
 one as the other. These qualities seemed to descend 
 upon the son by "ordinary generation;" but at an 
 
22 LIFE IN UTAH; OR THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 early age he showed that he far excelled all the rest 
 of the family in a peculiar low cunning, and a certain 
 faculty of invention, which enabled him to have a 
 story ready for any emergency. 
 
 In the year 1815, the Smith family removed to New 
 York, and settled near Palmyra, Wayne county, where 
 they resided ten years. Here young Joseph developed 
 a remarkable talent for living without work, and at an 
 early age adopted the profession of '.'Water Witch," 
 in which calling' he wandered about the adjoining 
 country with a forked stick, or hazel rod, by the de- 
 flections of which, when held in a peculiar manner, 
 he claimed to determine the spot where a vein of water 
 lay nearest the surface. This had been a part of his 
 father's business ; but Joe was possessed of real genius, 
 though of a peculiar kind, and soon struck into higher 
 paths. He began to " divine" the locality of things 
 which had been stolen, by means of a " peep-stone" 
 placed in his hat, and by the same means to point out 
 where hidden treasures lay. Almost innumerable are 
 the stories of his youth, giving bright promise of future 
 rascality. But many of them depend on little more 
 than popular report, and we can only receive as au- 
 thentic those events which rest upon the sworn testi- 
 mony of reliable men who were his neighbors. After 
 ten years' residence in Wayne, the family moved to 
 the adjoining county of Ontario, and settled near the 
 town of Manchester. Here, from pointing out the 
 place for wells, Joe went to work digging them. While 
 in this work for Mr. Willard Chase, a peculiar, round, 
 white stone was found by him and the other workmen, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM 23 
 
 which Joe took possession of and carried away, much 
 to the regret of Mr. Chase's children, to whom it had 
 been given as a curious plaything. This was after- 
 wards the noted " peep-stone/' in which Joe saw such 
 wonders. Many of these statements are not very stren- 
 uously denied by "the bestrinformed Mormons. They 
 acknowledge, generally, that Joe Smith was of humble 
 parentage, very poor and illiterate, and that he was for 
 many years a " wild boy." Brigham Young is espe- 
 cially frank upon the subject, adding, in conclusion : 
 " That the Prophet was of mean birth, that he was 
 wild, intemperate, even dishonest and tricky in his 
 youth, is nothing against his mission. God can, and 
 does, make use of the vilest instruments. . Joseph has 
 brought forth a religion which will save us if we abide 
 by it. Bring anything against that if you can. I 
 care not if he gamble, lie, swear, and run horses every 
 day, for I embrace no man in my faith. The religion 
 is all in all." 
 
 Brigham is correct ; the early character of the Pro- 
 phet has little to do with the religion, except as 
 determining the character and credibility of his evi- 
 dence. Let us then examine briefly the origin of this 
 new theology, present the main testimony; and, as 
 impartial judges, hear the Prophet's account first. 
 Many years after, when Mormonism was an established 
 fact, Joseph gave the following account : At the early 
 age of fifteen he became much concerned about the 
 salvation qf his soul, and at the same time a powerful 
 revival of religion spread throughout Western New 
 York. Joseph professed to be converted and his mo- 
 
24 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 ther, sister Sophronia and his brothers, Samuel and 
 Hyrum (so spelled by his father) joined the church. 
 But when the revival ceased, a "great rush" took 
 place among the ministers of various denominations as 
 to veho should secure most of the new converts; 
 Joseph's soul was vexed, and he began to have serious 
 doubts. In this frame of mind he opened the Bible, 
 and his eye fell upon this text : " If any of you lack 
 wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men 
 liberally, and upbraideth not" — James, Chap. I. v. 5. 
 He, therefore, retired to a secluded thicket near his fa- 
 ther's house, and knelt in prayer, supplicating the 
 Lord to know " which of all the sects was really right." 
 While praying, the entire wood was illuminated with a 
 great light, he was enveloped in the midst of it and 
 caught away in' a heavenly vision, he saw two glorious 
 personages and was told that his sins were forgiven. 
 He learned also that none of the sects was quite right, 
 but that God had chosen him to restore the true priest- 
 hood upon earth. Afterwards, he began again to doubt, 
 and, being quite young, fell into sin, and it was not 
 until September 23d, 1823, that God again heard his 
 prayers, and sent heavenly messengers to tell him his 
 sins were forgiven. An angel visited him from time 
 to time afterwards, instructing him in his duties, and 
 finally informed him that in " the hill Cumorah," not 
 far from Manchester, certain Golden Plates were buried, 
 containing an account of the settlement of America, be- 
 fore Christ. After several preliminary visits, on the 
 22d of September, 1826, the Golden Plates were taken 
 up from the hill Cumorah " with a mighty display of 
 
c 
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 2 
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 >-. c 
 
 XI o 
 
 -o £ 
 
 (S o 
 
 00 ^ 
 
 — o 
 c o 
 
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 o 
 
 tn 
 
 <1> 
 
 <a 
 
 •s 
 
 ■s 
 
 w 
 
 a. 
 
 
 
 <D 
 
 ca 
 
 -C 
 
 c 
 
 -I-' 
 
 
 _C 
 
 !§i 
 
 
 
 -a 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 
 <u 
 
 3 
 
 -C 
 
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 H- 
 
 (U 
 
 
 J2 
 
 B 
 
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 CL 
 
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 0) 
 
 (D 
 
 
 N 
 
 >> 
 
 o 
 
 <D 
 
 
 i/> 
 
 m 
 
 O 
 
AND CRIMES OP MOEMONISM. 25 
 
 celestial machinery," and delivered by the angel to- Jo- 
 seph. His vision being cleared, at the same time, he saw 
 a great concourse of devils struggling with angels to 
 prevent the work. The plates were "of the thick- 
 ness of tin, bound together like a book, fastened at one 
 side by three rings which run through the whole, form- 
 ing a volume about six inches thick." The record was 
 engraved on the p]^tes in " reformed Egyptian " charac- 
 ters, consisting of " the language of the Jews and the 
 writing of the Egyptians." In the same box with the 
 plates, were found two stones, " transparent and clear as 
 crystal, the Urim and Thummim used by seers in an- 
 cient times, the instruments of revelations of things dis- 
 tant, past and future." When the news of this discov- 
 ery spread abroad, " the Prophet was the sport of Hes, 
 slanders and mobs, and vain attempts to rob him of his 
 plates." He was ere long supplied with witnesses. Oli- 
 ver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris make 
 the following solemn certificate : 
 
 " We have seen the plates which contain the records ; 
 they were translated by the gift and power of God, for 
 His voice hath declared it unto us, wherefore we know 
 of a sxirety that the work is true ; and' we declare with 
 words of soberness that an angel of God came down from 
 heaven, and brought and laid before our eyes, that we 
 beheld and saw the plates and the engravings thereon."' 
 
 The testimony of these three is prefixed to all printed; 
 copies of the " Book of Mormon," for such is the name 
 now given to the work. Oliver Cowdery was at that 
 time a sort of wandering schoolmaster, rather noted as 
 an elegant scribe. He assisted in translating the in,- 
 
26 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 scriptions on the plates, continued an active Saint for 
 many years, and was finally expelled from the Church 
 in Missouri, " for lying, counterfeiting and immorality." 
 He led a rambling life for many years, and died a short 
 time since a miserable drunkard. 
 
 Martin Harris was a credulous farmer who lived near 
 the Smiths. He had imbibed the notion, so common iu 
 the religious excitement of that period, that " the last 
 days were at hand," and mortgaged his farm for three 
 thousand dollars, to pay for printing the first edition of 
 the book. He continued with the Mormons tiU his 
 means were exhausted, and, having quarrelled with Joe 
 Smith, in Missouri, returned to his old residence ia New 
 York. Of David Whitmer Httle is known. He dropped 
 out of the Mormon community, iii one of the " drives " 
 in Missouri, and settled in that State. But the Prophet 
 had other witnesses. Soon after, four of the 'Smiths, 
 three of the Whitmers, and another witness, eight in 
 all, testify as follows : " Joseph Smith, the translator, 
 has shown us the plates of which hath been spoken, 
 which had the appearance of gold ; and as many of the 
 plates as the said Smith had translated, we did handle 
 with our hands and also saw the engravings thereon,-all 
 of which had the appearance of ancient work and cu- 
 rious workmanship." 
 
 According to Smith's account, he fiurst met Oliver 
 'Cowdery, April 16th, 1829, and after convincing him of 
 his divine mission, on the 15th of May following, John 
 the Baptist appeared, and ordained them both into the 
 Aaronic Priesthood, after which they baptized each 
 lother. In July following, the Golden Plates were shown 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 27 
 
 the "three witnesses," and in that year the translation 
 was completed. It was begun some time before, but 
 suspended in July, 1828, from the angular circumstance 
 that the wife of Martin Harris had stolen a hundred and 
 eighteen pages of the manuscript. As afterwards ap- 
 peared, the translators thought she intended to wait 
 until they had supplied the stolen part, then reprodiice 
 the original, and prove that- they did not Hterally cor- 
 respond. But it seems they had credited her with moije 
 cunning than she possessed. She had bitterly op- 
 posed her husband in his venture upon the new 
 speculation, and had burned that part of the manuscript 
 he brought home, hoping thereby to put a stop to the 
 work. She afterwards attempted, by legal proceedings, 
 to prevent the disposal of his farm ; but, faiUng in that, 
 finally separated from him. The translation was then 
 completed, Oliver Cowdery making most of the final 
 copy. The " Book of Mormon " was first given to the 
 world early in 1830, when three thousand volumes were 
 pubhshed, under contract, by Mr. Pomeroy Tucker, then 
 proprietor of a paper in the county. He has, within a 
 few years, given to the world a valuable work on the 
 " Origin and Progress of Mormonism," containing many 
 interesting facts concerning the origin of the sect. The 
 first proof-sheet of the work was given by Mr. Tucker, 
 as a sort of curiosity, to his cousia Steve S. Harding, 
 whom he styles " a fun-loving youth of that vicinity." 
 Mr. Harding soon after removed to Indiana, and, just 
 thirty-two years afterwards, was appointed by President 
 Lincoln Governor of Utah, whither he carried the proof- 
 sheet, and pi^sented it to the Church Historian. 
 
28 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 The " Book of Mormon " was rapidly circulated, and 
 attracted some comment. And at this point, a brief 
 s^Tiopsis of this work is appropriate. It consists of a 
 number of Books, named after their reputed authors — 
 Book of Nephi, Book of Alma, Esther, Jared, etc. They 
 contain the following history : 
 
 In the reign of Zedekiah, six hundred years before 
 Christ, a Jewish family, with a few friends and retain- 
 ers, left Jerusalem, being warned of God that a great 
 destruction and captivity were at hand, and journeyed 
 eastward in search of a " land of promise." After many 
 wanderings, and the death of the Patriarch, they reached 
 the sea, when Nephi, who had succeeded his father in 
 the Patriarchate and Priesthood, was directed by the 
 Lord to build a boat ; and, furnished with a " double 
 ball and spindle," which served the exact purpose of the 
 modem maririer's compass. They embarked, and ia 
 due time reached the continent of America. Subsequent 
 revelations have decided that they landed in Central 
 America. There they increased rapidly ; but a great 
 schism arose, and one Laman, with his followers, re- 
 fused to obey the true priesthood, for which they were 
 cut off, cursed, and condemned " to be a brutish and a 
 savage people, having dark skins, compelled to dig in 
 the ground for roots, and hunt their meat in the forests 
 like beasts of prey." But it was foretold that a rem- 
 nant of them should, in time, " have the curse removed, 
 and become a fair and delightsome people," who should 
 " blossom as the rose, under the teachings of the Latter- 
 day Saints." These were the Lamanites, the present 
 Indians, while the Christian party were known as ,Ne- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 29 
 
 phites.. The latter spread over all of North and South 
 America, became rich and powerful, and built the cities 
 of Zarahemla, Jacobbugath, Manti, Gidgiddoni, and 
 scores of others, thus accounting for the numerous ruins 
 found on this continent. They were ruled over suc- 
 cessively by Nephi the Pirst, Second, and Third, by 
 Noah, Alma, Kish, Coriantumnr, and numerous other 
 kings, and were successively instructed by a number of 
 prophets. But the Lamanites increased Hkewise, and 
 carried on almost perpetual war with the Nephites, till 
 a great part of the land was desolate. According to 
 this history, there have been no people of the Old 
 World so warlike and blood-thirsty as these ; and battles 
 in which from twenty to fifty thousand were slain were 
 of common occurrence. The Nephites were troubled, 
 too, by " false doctrine, heresy, and schism j" the true 
 priesthood was reviled; one man arose and preached 
 Universalism, " that God would save aU mankind at the 
 last day," and others followed strange gods. An im- 
 mense mass of the nation turned back and joined the 
 Lamanites, and a band of robbers, under one Gadianton, 
 desolated a large part of the land. At length prophets 
 appeared and announced the coming of Christ, who, 
 after he was crucified at Jerusalem, preached the Gospel 
 in America. At the time of his death, this country, 
 also, was shrouded in darkness ; a mighty earthquake 
 threw down the wicked city of Jacobbugath, opened 
 great chasms and basins throughout the land, and the 
 whole face of the country was changed. ' The Nephites 
 accepted Christ at once ; . but in a few generations, fell 
 again into apostasy, and the Lord delivered them into 
 
30 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 the hand of their enemies. The mighty Chieftain 
 Omandagus, whose rule was from the Eocky Mountains 
 to the Mississippi, fought against the Nephites, and after 
 him many others. Little by little, the Nephites were 
 driven eastward, but made a stand near the shores of 
 Lake Erie, and fought " till the whole land was covered 
 with dead bodies." They made their final stand about 
 430, A. D., at the hill Cumorah, in Ontario County, 
 New York, where the Lamanites came against them, 
 and the battle raged tiU two hundred and thirty thou- 
 sand Nephites were slain ; the little remnant was cap- 
 tured, and only Mormon and his son Moroni escaped. 
 
 The various kings and priests had kept a record of 
 their history, which Mormon now collected in one 
 volume, added a book of his own, and gave them to his 
 son. The latter finished the record, and buried the 
 whole in the hill Cumorah, being assured of God that 
 in fourteen centuries, a great Prophet should restore 
 them to man. Such is the book, and Joseph's account 
 of it. On such testimony alone there is sufficient cause 
 to reject it, the book itself containuag abundant internal 
 evidence of a fraud. 
 
 Let us now glance at the opposing account. In the 
 year 1812, a written work, called the " Manuscript 
 Found," was presented to Mr. Patterson, a bookseller of 
 Pittsburg, Penna., by the author, Kev. Solomon Spauld- 
 ing. This gentlemajQ was bom in Pennsylvania, was a 
 graduate of Dartmouth College, and for many years a 
 Presbyterian minister ; he fell into bad health, left the 
 ministry, and finally died of consumption. The " Man- 
 uscript Found " was written by Spaulding as a historical 
 
O 
 
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 S. 
 3' 
 
 (IP 
 
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 CD 
 
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 On 
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AlfD CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 31 
 
 romance, to account for the settlement of America, and 
 he proposed to Mr. Patterson to publish it with a pre- 
 face, giving an imaginary account of its having been 
 taken from plates dug up in Ohio ; but the latter did not 
 think the enterprise would pay. Sidney Rigdon was 
 then at work in the office of Mr. Patterson ; the latter 
 died in 1826, and what became of that copy of the man- 
 uscript is not known. Mrs. Spaulding had another com- 
 plete copy; but in the year 1825, while residing in 
 Ontario Co., N. Y., next door to a man named Stroude, 
 for whom Joe Smith was then digging a well, that copy 
 also was lost. She thinks it was stolen from her trunk. 
 Thus far all is clear, and there is no particular discrep- 
 ancy between the two accounts ; but when the " Book 
 of Mormon " was pubhshed, the widow and brother of 
 Solomon Spaulding, and several other persons who had 
 heard him read his work, forthwith claimed that the 
 new publication was nearly identical with the " Manu- 
 script Found," varying only in certain interpolated 
 texts on doctrinal points. This claim was circulated 
 abroad, and caused Sidney Rigdon to write a highly 
 slanderous and abusive letter to the press in regard to 
 Mrs. Spaulding. Mormon historians say that Spaul- 
 ding's book was a mere idolatrous romance, and that the 
 whole story is the invention of Dr. Philastus Hurlbut, 
 who seceded. from the saints in Ohio, and "persecuted" 
 Joe Smith in various ways. The widow's and brother's 
 statement is supported by the evidence of Mr. Joseph 
 Miller, Sr., now of Washington Co., Penna., who had 
 often heard Spaulding read his work j by that of Mr. 
 Redick McKee, who formerly boarded with the Spaul- 
 
32 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 ding's, and by others who knew of the work. Space 
 fails to set forth all the evidence presented in support 
 of this view. Suffice it to say, that while it is of moral 
 force sufficient to convince most minds, it is yet not such 
 proof as would estabhsh the fact beyond all doubt, or 
 convict Smith and Rigdon of theft and forgery in a 
 court of justice. If the proof were any less strong than 
 it is, I would decide against the Spaulding claim, solely 
 from the internal evidence of the book ; for the style and 
 matter are such as to raise a veiy strong presumption 
 that it could not be the work of any man with intelli- 
 gence enough for a minister, or of a graduate from Dart- 
 mouth College. But the true theory no doubt is, that 
 the writing of Spaulding was taken by Smith, Eigdon, 
 Cowdery and others, as the suggestion and idea of their 
 work ; but was greatly modified and interpolated by 
 them, leaving sufficient characteristics to be recognized 
 by the Spaulding witnesses, who were left solely to 
 their memory for a comparison with the " Book of Mor- 
 monj" recognizing what was in it, and forgetting much 
 that was not included. 
 
 Of the " three witnesses " it is unnecessary to treat ; 
 their subsequent course shows what weight is to be 
 attached to their testimony. The best evidence further- 
 more shows, that Sidney Rigdon was the prime mover 
 in the fraud, and that Joe Smith was conveniently put 
 forward as the Prophet. 
 
 The year 1830 ranks as number one of the Mormon 
 era. Early in the spring, the " Book of Mormon " ap- 
 peared, and on the memorable 6th of April following, 
 the Mormon Church was organized near Manchester. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 33 
 
 Six members were baptized and ordained elders, viz. : 
 Joseph Smith, Sr., Joseph Smith, Jr., Hyrum Smith, 
 Samuel Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and Joseph Knight, 
 all but the last two of the " original Smith family." 
 The sacrament was forthwith administered, and hands 
 laid on " for the gift of the Holy Ghost." On the 11th 
 of April, Oliver Cowdery preached the first public dis- 
 course on the new faith, and the same month the 
 "first miracle" was performed in Colesville, Broome Co., 
 N. Y. On the first of June, the Church, which had 
 meanwhile gained a few more Whitmers and some 
 others, held its " First Conference " at Fayette, in 
 Seneca Co. ; and the same month Joe Smith was twice 
 arrested, " on false charges," tried and acquitted. Mean- 
 while, on the 18th of January, 1827, he had married 
 Emma Hale, daughter, of Isaac Hale, of South Bain- 
 bridge, Chenango Co., N. Y. ; and, in 1830, she was, 
 by special revelation, pronounced " Elect Lady and 
 Daughter of God," afterwards more learnedly styled 
 Electa Gyria. She became thoroughly disgusted at 
 her husband's religion while in Nauvoo, and expressed 
 no particular regret at his death ; she refused to emi- 
 grate to Utah, but apostatized and married a Gentile, 
 and is rather popular as land-lady of the old Mansion 
 House, at Nauvoo. In August of 1830, Parley P. Pratt, 
 a young Campbellite preacher, came on a visit especially 
 to hear of the new faith, and was at once converted, 
 and soon after, Sidney Kigdon appeared as a leading 
 Mormon. Their own history states that he had never 
 heard of Smith until this time. Soon after, Orson 
 Pratt was baptized, and the new Church now had valu- 
 3 
 
34 LITE IN UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 able material in its composition. The wild, poetical 
 zeal of Parley, and the cool determination of Orson 
 Pratt, the immense biblical knowledge and controver- 
 sial skill of Sidney "Rigdon, and the shrewd cunning of 
 Joe Smith, were united in the work of propagandism, 
 and converts multiplied. In October, missionaries were 
 sent to the "Lamanites," and in December, Sidney 
 Rigdon visited Joe Smith, and preached several times 
 in the vicinity. In January, Smith and Rigdon pro- 
 ceeded to the latter's residence, near Kirtland, Ohio, 
 preaching by the way. Rigdon had previously col- 
 lected a band of nearly one hundred persons, who called 
 themselves Disciples ; mostly seceders from other de- 
 nominations, holding to a literal and rapid fulfilment 
 of the prophecies, very fanatical and looking daily 
 for "some great event to occur." Many of these 
 adopted the new faith at once, and a church of thirty 
 was organized. " By revelation " of February 9 th, 
 the elders were commanded " to go forth in pairs and 
 preach," and it was ordered they should dwell particu- 
 larly upbn the fact that " the last days were at hand." 
 This idea is one that has a great hold upon many 
 minds. Nor is it confined to the ignorant ; many intel- 
 ligent men in every generation become impressed with 
 the idea that " in our day the world has become so cor- 
 rupt, that God Almighty is going to make a great change," 
 and ia spite of the plain declarations of Scripture, fan- 
 atics will wrest the mild precepts of the Gospel, and 
 force them to iadicate that hell-fire and destruction are 
 impending over everybody but their own particular sect. 
 The Mormons began as Millenarians, and that of the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 35 
 
 maddest sort ; but they did not preach that the world 
 itself was to be destroyed, only that destruction was soon 
 to fall upon all who did not embrace the new gospel. 
 No particular time was set for this Consummation, but it 
 was understood to be imminent. Early in 1831, John 
 Whitmer was appointed Church recorder and historian, 
 and about the same time, the remaining New York 
 Saints came to Rirtland, which is set down in Mormon 
 annals as the First Hegira. 
 
 On the 6th of June, the' Melchisedek, or Superior 
 Priesthood, was first conferred upon the elders, and soon 
 after Joe Smith had a revelation that the final gather- 
 ing place of the Saints was to be in Missouri. He set 
 out the same month with a few elders, and in the middle 
 of July, reached Jackson County, Missouri, where an- 
 other revelation was granted that this was " Zion which 
 should never be moved," and the whole land was " sol- 
 emnly dedicated to the Lord and His Saints." They 
 began at once to build,, and laid the first log in Kaw 
 Township, twelve miles west o^ Independence. Another 
 revelation, of August 2d, fixed the site of the Great 
 Temple " three hundred yards west of the Court House 
 in Independence," which spot was accordingly dedicated 
 by religious exercises, which were followed by a great 
 accession of " gifts." On the 4th of August, another 
 large party arrived from Kirtland, a " General Confer- 
 ence " was held in the " land of Zion," and another rev- 
 elation vouchsafed to Joseph, that the whole land should 
 be theirs, and should not be obtained " hut hy purchase 
 or hy hlood." 
 
 Just what was to be imderstood by that strangfy 
 
■36 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 wording, it is now impossible to tell. The Mormons 
 explain it very innocently, and the Missourians con- 
 strued it to mean that the Saints would unite with the 
 Indians and drive out the old settlers. Joe Smith re- 
 turned to Kirtland the latter part of August, and soon 
 aft^ estahhshed a mill, store,- and bank. The last was 
 what was then denominated a " wild cat " bank, that is, 
 it had no charter, and deposited no State bonds for se- 
 curity ; but rested solely on the individual credit of the 
 proprietors. As several wealthy men had come into 
 the new organization, the notes of the bank circulated 
 at par. Joseph Smith was made President, and Sidney 
 Rigdon, Cashier. Tor the next five months, Joseph 
 travelled and preached in the Northern and Eastern 
 States, making many converts, who " gathered " either 
 at Kirtland, or in Missouri. The elders sent out in 
 February previous had met with tolerable success, and 
 Samuel H. Smith, brother of the Prophet, had added 
 greatly to the Church by converting Brigham Young. 
 This noted personage was born at Whittingham, Wind- 
 ham Co., Vermont, June 1st, 1801. He had four brothers 
 and six sisters, all of whom became Mormons. He was 
 baptized in. April, 1832, by Eleazer Millard, and soon 
 after " gathered " at Kirtland. He was brought up on 
 a farm, and learned the trade of painter and glazier, 
 which he followed tiU after his conversion to Mormon- 
 ism. In him Joe Smith recognized one " born to rule," 
 and his deep cunning and wonderful knowledge of the 
 weak points in human nature, soon gave him a leading 
 position in the Church. In March, 1832, Joe Smith 
 xnd Sidney Rigdon, while absent from home, were tarred 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 37 
 
 and feathered by a mob, " for attempting to establish 
 Co m munism, for forgery and dishonorable dealing," ac- 
 cording to their adversaries ; by their own account, " for 
 the truth's sake," and this is set down as " the beginning 
 of persecutions." Early in April, Joe Smith found it 
 necessary to go again to Independence, Mo., whefe a 
 sort of " CEcumenical Council " was held, and a printing 
 office set up. 1% June, was issued the " Morning and 
 Evening Star," the first Mormon periodical, edited by 
 W. W. Phelps. Joe Smith soon returned to Kirtland, 
 and the latter part of the same year Heber Chase Kim- 
 ball was baptized into the Church. In February, 1883, 
 Joe Smith finished his "inspired retranslation" of the 
 New Testament, and soon after received a " revelation 
 to square things in Zion." A quorum of three High 
 Priests, Joseph Smith, Sidney Eigdon, and Frederick 
 G. Williams, was organized as " Presidency of the 
 Church," and they were at once favored with " visions of 
 the Saviour and concourse of angels." 
 
 By th^ spring of 1833, the Mormons numbered some 
 fifteen hundred in Jackson County, Missouri. They 
 had taken virtual possession of Independence, where 
 their paper was pubhshed, and were fast extending their 
 settlements westward. The intense reUgious excitement 
 which raged throughout the United States during the 
 decade of 1820-30, which led to the wild phenomena of 
 "jerks," and so-called religious exercises of howling, 
 jumping, barking and muttering, seems to have left a 
 precipitate of its worst materials in Mormonism. They 
 daily proclaimed to the older settlers that the Lord had 
 given them the whole land of Missouri; that bloody 
 
38 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 wars would extirpate all other sects from the country; 
 that " it would, be one gore of blood from the Mississippi 
 to the border," and that the few who survived would be 
 servants to the Saints, who would own aU the property 
 in the country. As their numbers increased, arrogance 
 and spiritual pride took possession of them ; they pro- 
 claimed themselves "Kings and priests of the Most 
 High God," and regarded all others as reprobates, des- 
 tined to a speedy destruction. In conversation with the 
 Missourians, they never wearied of declaring that all 
 the Churches established by the latter were " alike the 
 creation of the devil," that they were under the curse 
 of God and all their members doomed, castaway Gen- 
 tiles, worse than heathen, and unworthy of longer Hfe. 
 At the same time it does not appear that there were any 
 more violations of law among them, than would be 
 among the same number of very poor and ignorant peo- 
 ple anywhere; but their general conduct was insufferable. 
 In the first flush of their religious enthusiasm, they seem 
 to have been governed by no ideas of moderation; they 
 proclaimed through the coimtry that it was useless folly 
 for Gentiles to open farms, the Lord would never allow 
 them to enjoy the fruits of their labor; they notified 
 the workmen upon new buildings that they could never 
 hope to be paid therefor, and generally proclaimed that 
 in a very few months the Gentiles would have neither 
 name nor place in Missouri. 
 
 The simple-minded Missourians hstened with a vague 
 wonder to their first predictions, then smiled at their 
 confident boastings of superior purity and holiness ; but 
 soon their increasing numbers and arrogance awakened 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 39 
 
 serious fears of the future. The Missourians, unaccus- 
 tomed to the language of hyperbole in prophecy, inter 
 preted their predictions to mean that the Saints 
 themselves would be the ministers of God's vengeance, 
 and smite the unbelievers ; many were incensed against 
 them for their language, and the public mind was 
 greatly inflamed. In April, 1833, a number of Missou- 
 rians came togetJ;ier in Independence, and decided that 
 " means of defence ought to be taken," but determined 
 upon nothing. The first June number of the Morning 
 and Evening Star contained an intemperate article, 
 headed, " Free People of Color," which excited the 
 wrath of the old citizens against the Mormons, as 
 " abolitionists," and was answered by a small pamphlet, 
 headed, " Beware of False Prophets." As summer ad- 
 vanced, it appeared that the Mormons would be suffi- 
 ciently numerous to carry the county at the August 
 election, and this roused all the fears of the old settlers 
 afresh. Without apparent concert, an armed mob of 
 three hundred assembled at Independence, tore down 
 the newspaper office, tarred and feathered several of the 
 Saints, whipped two of them a little and ordered all to 
 leave the county. Oliver Cowdery was started to Kirt- 
 land to consult with Joe Smith ; but, during his absence, 
 the Saints agreed with the citizens to leave Jackson 
 County. ^ On the 8th of October, W. W. Phelps and 
 Orson Hyde presented a memorial to Governor Dunklin, 
 of Missouri, praying for redress, to which that officer 
 made answer, that they "had a right to the protection 
 of the law, if they chose to stay in Jackson." Embold- 
 ened by this, they refused to leave according to agree- 
 
40 LIFE IN UTA.H; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 FLIGHT OF THE MORMONS FROM JACKSON CO., MO. 
 
 ment, and the last of the month the mob again rose, 
 burnt ten Mormons' houses and committed a few other 
 outrages. The Mormons armed in turn, and fired into 
 a portion of the mob, killing two ; the whole body of 
 citizens then arose against them, calling in aid from 
 other counties, when the Mormons became panic- 
 stricken and suddenly evacuated Jackson, crossing the 
 Missouri River during the nights of November 4th and 
 5th, into Clay County. 
 
 This first expulsion of the Mormons is a point upon 
 which there has been much discussion. That the people 
 of Jackson Coimty were not justified in law is plain ; 
 but that they did exactly as the people of nine counties 
 out of ten would have done, is equally plain. They 
 seem to have been actuated much more by a fear of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 41 
 
 what the Mormons would do when they had the power, 
 than by what they had done ; and that those fears were 
 well founded, is abundantly shown by subsequent events- 
 The near vicinity of the Mormons was intolerable, and 
 the settlers were determined they should leave. The 
 mob allowed the Saints to carry their printing material 
 to Liberty, Clay Co., where they soon after began to 
 publish the Missoyg-i Enquirer. They spread themselves 
 over Clay and into Van Buren County ; but were " per- 
 secuted " and annoyed in the latter so they made no 
 great settlement. 
 
 Meanwhile, Joe Smith and a much more intelligent 
 class of Mormons were building up Kirtland. July 2d, 
 1833, Smith completed his "inspired translation" of 
 the Old Testament, and soon after a printing press 
 was set up in Kirtland, and the Latter-Bay Saints' 
 Messenger and Advocate established. " Old man Smith," 
 the Prophet's father, was made Patriarch, and Bishop 
 Partridge head of that branch of the Church. When 
 the news of affairs in Jackson County reached him, 
 Joseph "determined on war, and began at once to 
 collect a small force." He soon had two hundred men, 
 with whom he started westward ; " marched on Mis- 
 souri," according to Gentile history ; " hoped to redeem 
 Zion," according to Mormon annals. About this time, 
 Joseph had another revelation "as to business," which 
 will be found in the Doctrine and Covenants with . the 
 rest, which contained, among other directions, this re- 
 markable passage : — " Behold, it is said or written in 
 my laws : Thou shialt not get in debt to thine enemies. 
 But, behold, it is not said at any time the Lord should 
 
42 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 not take when He pleases, and pay as seemeth to Him 
 good. Wherefore, as ye are on the Lord's business, 
 whatsoever ye do," etc. We need not be surprised, 
 therefore, to learn, as we do from Joseph's Autobiograr 
 phy, that the people along the road were very hostile. 
 Two days before starting, on May 3d, the Conference 
 of Elders, in Kirtland, repudiated the name of Mor- 
 mons and adopted, for the first time, that of Latter- 
 Day Saints ; and we notice in Joseph's account that 
 along the road they constantly denied the name of 
 Mormons. These being the " last days," they were 
 Latter-day Saints, as well as to distinguish them from 
 the Saints of former days ; the term Mormon, on the 
 contrary, is supposed to be derived from the Greek 
 Mop/iou ^MormoiC], signifying a "horrible fright" or "bug- 
 bear." 
 
 Joe and his " army " reached Missouri in the latter 
 part of June, but while near the MJississippi, the cholera, 
 then but just known in America, broke out in his camp, 
 and in a few days twenty of the company died. Joe 
 preached, prayed and prophesied in vain ; his followers 
 were panic-stricken at the horrible and unknown dis- 
 ease. He first attempted to cure it " by laying on of 
 hands," but desisted with the remark, that " when the 
 Lord would destroy, it was vain for man to attempt to 
 stay His hand." An armed force which had meanwhile 
 gathered in Jackson County, in anticipation of his 
 coming, was scattered by a violeiit storm, and in a few 
 days, the cholera having spent its force, the company 
 reached Liberty. There was nothing to be done, and 
 in a few days Smith returned to Kirtland. A quorum 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM 43 
 
 of twelve apostles was then organized, among them, 
 Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. The former 
 received the " gift of tongues," and was sent on a mis- 
 sion to the Eastern States, and in May, 1835, all the 
 twelve left Kirtland on general missions. The ensuing 
 August, there was a General Assembly at Kirtland, in 
 which the " Book of Doctrine and Covenants," and 
 the "Lectures op Faith," by Sidney Rigdon, were 
 adopted as the rule of faith. About this time, a learned 
 Jew, formerly Professor of Oriental tongues in New 
 York, was connected with the Mormons, and on the 
 4th of January, 1836, a Hebrew professorship was 
 established at Kirtland, Joseph Smith and several 
 other leading Mormons entering upon the study. A 
 Temple had been projected early in the settlement, 
 which was completed and dedicated as the " House of 
 the Lord," March 27th, 1836. This was their first 
 temple, and its estimated cost, f 4 0,000. Meanwhile. 
 Governor Dunklin had 'attempted to have the iiormons 
 again put in possession of their lands, in Jackson 
 County, whereupon a committee of citizens from the 
 latter met a committee of the Mormons, and ofiered the 
 following : ' 
 
 "Proposition of the people of Jackson Gounty to the 
 
 Moi'mons : 
 
 " The undersigned conimittee, being fully authorized 
 by the people of Jackson Gounty, hereby propose to the 
 Mormons, that they will buy all the land- that the said 
 Mormons own in the County of Jackson, and also all 
 the improvements which the said Mormons had on any 
 of the pubUc lands in said County of Jackson, as they 
 
44 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 existed before the first disturbance between the people 
 of Jackson and the Mormons,' and for such as they have 
 made since. They further propose, that the valuation 
 of said land and improvements shall be ascertained by 
 three disinterested arbitrators, to be chosen and agreed 
 to by both parties. They further propose, that should 
 the parties disagree in the choice of arbitrators, then 
 
 ^is to choose them. They further propose, that 
 
 twelve of the Mormons shall be permitted to go alorfg 
 with the arbitrators, to show them their land and im- 
 provements while valuing the same, and such other of 
 the Mormons as the arbitrators shall wish to do so, to 
 give them information ; and the people of Jackson County 
 hereby guarantee their entire safety while doing so. 
 They further propose, that when the arbitrators report 
 the value of the land and improvements, as aforesaid, 
 the people of Jackson will pay the valuation, with one 
 hundred per cent., added thereon, to the Mormons within 
 thirty days thereafter. 
 
 " They further propose, that the Mormons are not to 
 make any effort, ever after, to settle either collectively 
 or individually within the limits of . Jackson County. 
 The Mormons are to enter into bonds to insure the con- 
 veyance of their land in Jackson County, according to 
 the above terms, when payment shall be made ; and the 
 cominittee will enter into a like bond, with such security 
 as may be deemed sufficient for the payment of the 
 money, according to the above proposition, etc., etc." 
 
 The Mormons have always maintained that their later 
 troubles were " solely on account of their religion," but 
 that they were driven from Jackson County because 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 45 
 
 " the mob desired to get possession of their lands." The 
 above document certainly fends to disprove that charge. 
 The foremost men in the county offered their personal 
 security for the pajmient, but the Mormons rejected the 
 proposition, on the ground that the Lord had said, " Zion 
 should never be moved." The citizens of Jackson then 
 became apprehensive that they would be attacked from 
 Clay County, and stirred up those iu the latter county 
 who considered they already had cause to complain of 
 the Mormons ; so they " requested " the latter, in May, 
 1836, to remove, which they did, this time settUng in 
 Carroll, Davis and Caldwell Counties. In the last named 
 they founded the town of Far- West, and these counties 
 being new and unoccupied, they prospered greatly for a 
 while. 
 
 In June, 1837, the first organized foreign mission was 
 sent to England, consisting" of H. C. Kimball, Orson 
 Hyde and W. Richards. On the 30th of July following, 
 they baptized the first converts there, in the river Kib- 
 ble, and the first confirmation of members was at Wal- 
 kerford, August 4th. The first Conference of Enghsh 
 Mormons was held in the cock-pit at Preston, the 25th 
 of the following December. 
 
 In the autumn of the same year, the ^' Kirtland Safety 
 Society Bank," engineered by Smith and Rigdon, failed, 
 under circumstances which created great scandal, and 
 the Prophet had a revelation to " depart for the land of 
 Zion," in Missouri. Smith and Rigdon left Kirtland 
 " between two days," and their creditors pursued them 
 for a hundred miles; but in the language of Joseph's 
 Autobiography, " the Lord dehvered them out of the 
 
46 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 hands of their persecutors." They reached Far-West in 
 March, and found a fearful schism raging in the Church. 
 The authority of Joseph was unequal to the task of re- 
 storing order, and Martin Harris, OUver Cowdery and 
 one L. E. Johnson were "cut off from the Church," 
 while Orson Hyde, Thomas B. Marsh, W. W. Phelps 
 and many others apostatized and brought many serious 
 charges against Joe Smith and other leaders. It was 
 said they were plotting treason against the State, that 
 they were conspiring with the Indians, that they were 
 engaged in counterfeiting and cattle-stealing, and were 
 attempting to establish a community of goods as well as 
 wives. The dissenters stirred up the neighboring people 
 against the Saints, and for purposes of defence and re- 
 taliation the "Danite Band" was organized. They 
 were first commanded by D. W. Patton, who took the 
 name of "Captain Feamot," and styled themselves 
 " Daughters of Gideon." Afterwards they adopted their 
 present name from the suggestion in Genesis xlix. 17 : 
 " Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the 
 path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall 
 fall backward." 
 
 On the 4th of July, Sidney Eigdon preached what he 
 called, " Sidney's last sermon ;" in which he threatened 
 Gentiles and apostates with violence, and declared that 
 the " Saints were above all law." Troubles soon after 
 arose in Davis County, at elections ; the Mormons all 
 voting one way secured control of the County ; a gen- 
 eral fight occurred at the August election in the town of 
 Gallatin, in which a number were seriously wounded on 
 both sides. For two months there were occasional fights 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 47 
 
 all over Davis County, and the Mormons at length de- 
 clared their "independence of all earthly rulers and 
 magistrates." The Clerk of the county, a Mormon, 
 was commanded by Joe Smith to issue no more writs 
 against the Saints ; and the Justice of the Peace in Gal- 
 latin was mobbed for. entertaining suits against them. 
 Scattering parties of militia began to assemble under 
 arms in the neighboring counties, one of which, com- 
 manded by Captain Bogart, came to battle with a party 
 of seventy Mormons and defeated them. Another party 
 of Mormons attacked the militia near Richmond-, in Clay 
 County, and killed two of them; the latter returned 
 the fire, killing " Caplain Fearnot." The Mormons then 
 rose en masse and drove out all the officers of Davis 
 County not of their faith, and burned and plundered 
 the town of Gallatin, another small village, and much of 
 the surrounding country, driving out the inhabitants. 
 
 About this time, Brigham Young fled for his life to 
 Quuicy, Illinois. The troubles grew so extensive and 
 complicated, that after many attempts to learn something 
 definite from " the seat of war," Governor Lilburn W. 
 Boggs called out fifteen thousand militia to restore order. 
 The first detachment had a sort of battle with the Mor- 
 mons in Carroll County, after which, Governor Boggs 
 issued an order that the Mormons " should be expelled 
 from the State," adding, " even if it was necessary to ex- 
 terminate them." This is the celebrated " extermina- 
 ting order," and Governor Boggs the " Nero " of Mor- 
 mon historians. Another body of militia were fired 
 upon by the Mormons at Haun's Mill, and in revenge 
 exterminated the whole Mormon party, variously esti- 
 
48 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 mated at from sixteen to thirty. Only two escaped 
 alive. The Mormon forces then began to retreat on 
 every hand, and finally rniited in the town of Far- 
 West, where they were surrounded by a large militia 
 force under Generals Doniphan, Lucas and Clarke, and 
 compelled to surrender at discretion. Most of their 
 plunder was recaptured and delivered to the owners, and 
 the great body of the Mormons were released under a 
 promise to leave the State. 
 
 Joe Smith, Hyrum Smith, and forty others were held 
 for trial,, and the mihtia ofl&cers forthwith organized a 
 Court Martial and condemned several of them to be 
 shot ! But General Doniphan, a sound lawyer and 
 brave man, by a firm use of his authority and influence, 
 prevented this foolishly illegal action. The prisoners 
 were taken before the nearest Circuit Judge and put 
 upon trial " for treason, murder, robbery, arson, larceny, 
 and breach of the peace." They could not well have 
 been tried for more ; but it seems by the evidence that 
 many of them were guilty on most of the charges.. 
 They were committed to jail to await their final trial. 
 The evidence in the case was printed by order of the 
 Missouri Legislature, and presents a singular instance of 
 how a few knaves may lead to their destruction a whole 
 people, if sufficiently ignorant and fanatical. Comparar 
 tive peace was restored, but the history of civil commo- 
 tions shows that private revenge will seek such a period 
 for its gratification, and in many neighborhoods' fearful 
 outrages were perpetrated upon individual Mormons by 
 those who held a personal animosity against them. 
 Their leaders had provoked a conflict for which the in- 
 
ANI> CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 49 
 
 uocent suffered ; and the most quiet and unoffending 
 portion of the Mormons were hunted out and rudely 
 hurried from their homes at the most inclement season 
 of the year, often without a chance to supply themselves 
 or dispose of their property, and much suffering was the 
 result. They jiow numbered over twelve thousand, and 
 ia the month of December this large body began the 
 journey into Illinois, which the most of them reached 
 in January, 1839. They spread over the western coun- 
 ties wherever they could find food or employment, par- 
 ticularly about the town of Quincy, in Adams county ; 
 while many went as far east as Springfield, and others 
 to St. Louis. They were everywhere received as suf- 
 ferers for their religion, and to some extent for their 
 " free-state " sentiments ; for Illinois Was just then be- 
 ginning to be agitated by the anti-slavery excitement, 
 and the Mormons had been driven from a slave State. 
 The Missouri border had never been well spoken of, nor 
 was it till long afterwards ; and the lUinoisans rather 
 seemed pleased with the opportunity of showing how 
 superior they were to the " border rufiians." They re- 
 garded but little the Mormon statement that their reli- 
 gion was the only cause of trouble ; in fact the more in- 
 telligent knew that such could not be the case ; but they 
 made haste to assume that the Mormons were "New 
 York and New England Yankees, driven out as abolition- 
 ists," becj-use the Missourians would not tolerate such 
 sentiments. The people of Illinois, particularly of the 
 western counties, knew little and cared less about dif- 
 ' ferences of speculative theology. That portion known 
 as the " Military Tract" had but lately come into mar- 
 
 4 
 
50 LIFE IN UTAH J OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 ket, and was settled very rapidly; the religious training 
 of the people had not kept pace with the advance -of 
 their material interests, and a sermon to them was a 
 sermon, whether preached by Arminian or Calvinist, 
 orthodox Trinitarian or heterodox Unitarian. Perhaps 
 they were not impious or skeptical ; religion was " at 
 loose ends," but there was always a sentiment in its 
 favor, only sectarianism was little understood, talked 
 of, or cared for. In short the charity of these people 
 was broad enough to cover all sects, and no man was 
 persecuted or called in question for his religious belief. 
 Under these circumstances they gave the Mormon peo- 
 ple protection, and welcomed them to their homes and 
 tables ; they listened to the story of their wrongs with 
 tears in their eyes ; they grasped the outcasts by the 
 hand, and swore to stand by them to the bitter end. 
 Subscriptions were opened for them in many places; 
 even the Indians, yet upon a near reservation, con- 
 tributed liberally, and several sections made kindly 
 overtures, and pressingly invited the fugitives to settle 
 among them. They had not yet caught sight of the 
 cloven foot of the monster, or seen its miscreated front. 
 The Missourians found, in the meantime, that they 
 had "caught an elephant;" they had Joe Smith, his 
 brother Hyrum, and forty others in jail on a multitude 
 of charges ; but many of the witnesses were gone, the 
 trial would have been long and expensive, and it was 
 probably the best policy to get them all out of the 
 State in such a way that none would re-enter it, rather* 
 than condemn a few to the penitentiary. Accordingly, 
 they were removed from place to place, loosely guarded, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 51 
 
 and on the 15th of April, Joseph and a few others 
 escaped from their guards, ivho were either drunk or 
 pretended to be. They hastily made their way to 
 Quincy, followed by the small remnant of Mormons 
 which had been left at Far-West. The remaining 
 prisoners escaped and followed soon after, and in the 
 language of Governor Boggs' next message, " the young 
 and growing State was happily rid of the fanatical 
 sect ;" but in the language of Mormon poetry, 
 
 Missouri, 
 
 Lilce a wliirlwind in her fury, 
 
 Drove the Saints and spilled their blood." 
 
 Early in May, Joe Smith went to Commerce, in 
 Hancock County, Illinois, by invitation of Dr. Isaac 
 Galland, from whom he obtained a large tract of land 
 near the head of the Des Moines Rapids, and shortly 
 had another revelation for his people to settle there. 
 To a proper understanding of their future history a 
 brief sketch of the locality is necessary, which has 
 been kindly furnished me by R. W. McKinney, Esq., 
 present Postmaster at Nauvoo, who has resided in that 
 vicinity since 1837 : 
 
 " Hancock is a river county, washed on the west by 
 the Mississippi for forty miles, taking into account the 
 windings of the river. It was originally nearly all 
 prairie, extending eastward in a direct line from 
 Commerce twenty-five miles ; high and rolling, with a 
 soil of inexhaustible fertility, and with most of the 
 timber fringing the streams along the eastern border. 
 The western part of the county, bordering on the Des 
 Moines Rapids ; was always a favorite spot of beauty to 
 
52 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 the voyager on the Mississippi; the eye was here 
 relieved by a most inviting prospect, the river was 
 fringed by lotv wooded hills, from which gushed 
 clear and sparkling brooks, passing with low musical 
 murmurs over their rocky beds until they were finally 
 lost in the 'Father of Waters.' 
 
 "But the early progress of Hancock County was 
 anything but encouraging. While other sections of 
 the State, with fewer advantages and a less healthy 
 climate, rapidly augmented in wealth and population, 
 this remained almost a wilderness, and this by reason 
 of uncertain titles. 
 
 " Hancock County, fair, healthful, and fertile, ' even 
 as the Garden of the Lord,' was one of those unfor- 
 tunate counties comprised in that afilicted section lying 
 between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, known as 
 the ' Military Tract.' It had been set apart by Act of 
 Congress as bounty land for the soldiers of the War of 
 1812 ; but few of them emigrated there, and nearly all 
 of the patents, or ' soldiers' rights,' as they were called, 
 were thrown upon the market for sale. This furnished, 
 for a score of years, a rich harvest for speculators and 
 land jobbers, and the ' Military Tract ' became the 
 'happy hunting ground' of sharks and sharpers of 
 every description. A race of ' bloated patent holders ' 
 was thus created, whose broad tracts of wilderness land 
 rivalled in extent the proudest dukiedoms and baronies 
 of the old world. It was against sound public policy 
 to create such a land monopoly on the public domain ; 
 but much greater evils grew out of this thing in the 
 establishment of a conflict of titles, creating doubt and 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 53 
 
 uncertainty, casting a shadow on every man's home- 
 stead who dared to erect it on the Tract, and driving 
 away honest and enterprising settlers. A system arose 
 in the East of forging patents by having absent or de- 
 ceased soldiers represented by others, and even by 
 making duplicate copies entire without affidavit, or aid 
 from the Land Office. 
 
 " In hundreds of instances there were three patents 
 upon the same section, with facilities to make a thou- 
 sand, in fact, the entire Tract was eventually strewn 
 with patents as thick as autumn leaves in an un- 
 broken forest. So great grew the evils of this system, 
 and from the non-payment of taxes by non-residents, 
 that the Legislature of Illinois went to work to devise 
 a, remedy. But the Legislators of new States are not 
 generally very learned or capable statesmen, and the 
 sharpers laughed at the idea of illiterate men thwarting 
 the plans of nien whose business it was to ' pierce the 
 centre ' of the most explicit statute. The Legislature 
 having tried sharp and pointed statutes on the frar 
 ternity before, but without success, instead of tinkering 
 and amending laws which 'John Doe, et al.,' had 
 laughed at, tried the virtue of a more sweeping enact- 
 ment. They enacted, in substance, that if any one 
 held possession of land for seven years imder color 
 of title, such possession should be proof of title conclu- 
 sive against all the world, and that ' John Doe et al.,' 
 with their pockets full of patents, should be forever 
 barred and excluded. When John Doe and his com- 
 peer^ took in the force of this statute, not a smile lit 
 up their solemn countenances. They were caught at 
 
54 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTEKIES 
 
 last. But everybody was disappointed by the final 
 operation of the statute. It only created or attracjfed 
 another ' swarm of flies, more hungry, voracious, and 
 pestilent than any that had preceded them; the 
 heavens and the earth were darkened by their myriads, 
 and no friendly swallow appeared to drive them away.' 
 "No sooner was the 'Delinquent List' exposed for 
 sale for non-payment of taxes, than a crowd appeared 
 in and around the Court House, hungry and haggard, 
 the like of which had surely not been seen since Phar 
 raoh's lean kine emerged from the river Nile. Here 
 were congregated broken down tradesmen, tinkers 
 and vagabonds ; rough, roaring, swearing fellows, and 
 smooth-faced, hypocritical, canting knaves, jostled each 
 other, and mingled and commingled in the halls of jus- 
 tice, each one striving with the few dollars he had con- 
 trived to save out of the general wreck by cheating his 
 creditors, to retrieve his fortunes, and the result w^s a 
 land-monopoly more corrupt than any that had pre- 
 ceded it. The law had been aimed at the non-resident 
 jobber, to compel the payment of taxes ; but this un- 
 scrupulous crowd hurled it without mercy or discrimi- 
 nation at the heads of everybody ; if it carried away the 
 inheritance of the widow and orphan, it was all the 
 same to them. The wise Legislators stood aghast at 
 the havoc they had innocently caused. They had 
 ' called spirits from the vasty deep,' and contrary ta all 
 past experience they had come. These sharpers in- 
 spired general terror, and no wonder; for had the in- 
 congruous and villanous crowd made a descent into 
 hell, the devil would have fled howling to the most re- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 55 
 
 tired and gloomy corner of his domain, leaving them to 
 contend and squabble among themselves for a 'tax 
 title ' on his burning throne ! It was now an indis- 
 criminate fight on the ' Military Tract,' in which all 
 sorts of persons, with all sorts of papers, documents, 
 and titles, rushed to the conflict and couched their 
 lances for the fray. In this hot contest the unsophisti- 
 cated settler, not conversant with these matters, had 
 but little show. He could much more readily, with 
 the slightest possible assistance, ' read his title clear to 
 mansions in the skies ' than so establish his claim to a 
 single foot of land covered by ' soldiers' rights,' forged 
 patents, and tax titles on the whole Military Tract. 
 
 " Fortunately, Hancock County was not altogether 
 covered by these titles. The Act granted the soldier 
 ' one hundred and sixty acres of land,' no less, no more. 
 Hence, those quarters called 'fractional,' with less or 
 more than one hundred and sixty acres, were subject to 
 entry at the Land Office. These skirted the banks of 
 the river and along the township lines of the whole 
 county, and were rapidly taken up and settled before 
 the arrival of the Mormons, at which time Hancock 
 County contained a sparse population of several thou- 
 sand. Owing to greater security of title, most of them 
 were settled along the Mississippi. The Des Moines 
 Rapids excited much attention as a favorable site. 
 Among the conspicuous men who visited this section 
 was General Robert E. Lee, then a Lieutenant of Topo- 
 graphical Engineers, in the employ of the War Depart- 
 ment, for the purpose of making a survey of the rapids. 
 His visit was in 1832, and he remained in the county 
 
56 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 the whole season, and was favorably known td all the 
 old settlers, and much respected for his urbanity and 
 gentlemanly bearing. It was then a favorite idea with 
 some, that the Mississippi would in time be bridged at 
 these Rapids, and that at no other place could a perma- 
 nent structure be erected. Hancock was organized as 
 a county in 1829, and the Capital permanently estab- 
 lished a few years after at Carthage. 
 
 " Meanwhile the courts traveled around the country 
 after the manner of a public exhibition, holding terms 
 at such points as met the views of the lawyers, or per- 
 haps where it was considered that law and justice were 
 most needed. Among the lawyers who then practised 
 in Hancock, were Malcolm McGregor, Archibald Wil- 
 liams and 0. H. Browning; the former, a brilliant 
 genius, died young, and the latter two have since be- 
 come ' known to fame.' 
 
 ■■' First in history was a Post OflBce at the Rapids, 
 called Venice, but there was no town of that name. 
 In the year 1834, Commerce was laid out by Messrs. 
 Alex. White and James B. Teas ; and shortly after a 
 Mr. Hotchkiss, of New Haven, Conn., laid out Com- 
 merce City, just above the other town. All proved 
 failures, but many still had confidence that this was 
 ilie place for a great city in the future. Among the 
 owners of the ' bottom land ' was Dr. Isaac Galland, a 
 man of some enterprise, who, immediately after the fail- 
 ure of Hotchkiss, opened a correspondence with Joe 
 Smith, which resulted in an agreement that the latter 
 should settle all his people near Commerce." 
 
 To the foregoing graphic- sketch it is only necessary 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 
 
 57 
 
 to add, that the Prophet purchased a small tract and 
 received gratis a larger one; a convenient revelation 
 was vouchsafed for the Saints to gather to this stake of 
 Zion; they complied with rapidity, the plat of a great 
 city was laid out and the Mormon star was once more 
 in the ascendant. 
 
 TAKRING AND FEATHERING JOE SMITH. 
 
58 LIFE IN UTAH J OB, THE MYSTEKIB'S 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HISTORY FROM THE FOUNDING OF NAUVOO TILL 1843. 
 
 Rapid growth of Nauvoo— Apparent prosperity—" The vultures gather to 
 the carcass"— Crime, polygamy and politics— Subserviency of the 
 Politicians — Nauvoo Cliarters- A government within a goveijiment— 
 Joe Smith twice arrested — Released by S. A. Douglas— Second time 
 by Municipal Court of Nauvoo — McKinney's Account — Petty thieving 
 — Gentiles driven out of Nauvoo — " Whittling Deacons " — " Danites" — 
 Anti-Mormons organize a Political Party — Treachery of Davis and 
 Owens — Defeat of Anti-Mormons— Campaign of 1843 — Cyrus Walker, 
 a great Criminal Lawyer — "Revelation" on Voting — The Prophet 
 cheats the Lawyer -Astounding perfidy of the Mormon Leaders— Great 
 increase of popular hatred — Just anger against the Saints. 
 
 A CITY rose as if by magic. Temporary in cliaracter 
 as most of tlie buildings were, rude log houses or frame 
 shanties, they served to shelter the rapidly gathering 
 Saints. The first house on the new site was erected 
 June 11th, 1839, and in eighteen months thereafter 
 there were two thousand dwellings, besides school 
 houses and other public buildings. The ne-\^ city was 
 named Nauvoo, a word which has no* signification in 
 any known -language, but in the "reformed Egyptian" 
 of Joe Smith's imaginary history, is said to mean 
 " The Beautiful." The site was indeed beautiful, but 
 not the most feasible they could have selected. Instead 
 of locating immediately at the head of the Eapids, 
 where there was a convenient landing at all seasons, 
 they chose a spot one mile below, only approachable 
 by steamboats at high 'water. The temporary struc- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 59 
 
 tures, in no long time, gave way to more permanent 
 buildings; improvements multiplied on every hand, 
 and Joe Smith had almost daily revelations directing 
 how every work should be carried on. Here, it was 
 foretold, was to be built a great city and temple, which 
 should be the great gathering place of "Zion," and 
 central rendezvous of the sect, " until such time as the 
 Lord should open the way for their return to Zion, 
 indeed" — Jackson County, Missouri; and from here 
 were to spread gigantic operations for the conversion of 
 the world. One by one most of the Missouri apostates 
 came creeping back into the Church ; Orson Hyde was 
 restored to his place as apostle, and was able to explain 
 his apparent defection. A missionary board was organ- 
 ized, and arrangements perfected for foreign missions 
 embracing half the world. On the 29 th of August, 
 Orson Pratt and Parley P. Pratt set out on a mission 
 to England, followed, September the 20th, by Elders 
 Brigham Young, H. C. Kimball, George A. Smith, R. 
 Hedlock, and T. Turley. Brigham had been appointed 
 "President of the Twelve Apostles" in 1836, in place 
 of Thomas B. Marsh, the apostate. They landed at 
 Liverpool the 6th of April, 1840, and entered with zeal 
 upon their work. Brigham assumed entire control of 
 the enterprise, established various missions, baptized 
 numerous converts, labored among the common people, 
 preached, prayed, wrote and argued, lived hard, and 
 travelled hundreds of miles on foot. May the 29th, 
 1840, he established and issued the first number of the 
 Latter-Day Saints Millennial Star, a periodical never 
 suspended since. He organized a number of flourishing 
 
60 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 churches, and early in 1841 returned to Nauvoo, bring- 
 ing with him seven hundred and sixty-nine converts. 
 Shortly before this time, Sidney Rigdon had addressed 
 a memorial to the Legislature of the State of Pennsyl- 
 vania, prajdng for redress for the alleged losses of the 
 Saints in Missouri, and calling upon the Congressional 
 delegation from that State to move the General Govern- 
 ment in their behalf; and in October, 1839, Joseph 
 Smith, Sidney Rigdon,. Elias Higbee and Orrin Porter 
 Rockwell set out for Washington, delegated to seek 
 redress. They reached the Capital, November the 28th, 
 and were admitted forthwith to an audience with Presi- 
 dent Van Buren, who heard them through, and, accord- 
 ing to their report, replied, " Gentlemen, your cause is 
 just, but I can do nothing for you," adding, in under- 
 tone, " I should lose the vote of the State of Missouri." 
 By his own account this last remark was, " The Gene- 
 ral Government cannot interfere in the domestic con- 
 cerns of Missouri." Nothing- resulted from- either 
 application; but the attention of the country was 
 attracted to Nauvoo. The rapid growth of the city 
 excited the wonder of eastern people, and numerous 
 curiosity hunters, correspondents and tourists hastened 
 1;o visit it. They were treated with extreme complais- 
 ance, and in their reports the city lost nothing of its 
 wonders. In October, 1840, a petition with many 
 thousand names was forwarded for an. Act of Incorpo- 
 ration for Nauvoo, and about the same time Joe Smith 
 had another revelation that the Temple must be com- 
 menced at once, and ground was broken therefor Octo- 
 ber the 3d. The sudden and surprising prosperity of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 61 
 
 the sect attracted to them a number of ambitious and 
 unscrupulous men, of whom four deserve particular 
 notice. 
 
 Dr. Isaac Galland, was, in the early part of his Hfe, 
 a notorious horse-thief and counterfeiter, belonging to 
 the " Massac Gang," as it was called, on the Ohio 
 river. He had then nominally reformed and moved 
 into Hancock Coupty, where he was in 1834, a candi- 
 date for the Legislature, but was defeated by a small 
 majority. Soon after, he came into possession of a 
 large tract of land, and induced Joe Smith to settle 
 on a part with a view to enhancing the value of the 
 rest. ' 
 
 Jacob Backinstos came to Hancock from Sangamon 
 County, where he had got credit for a stock of goods, 
 sold them, and defrauded his creditors ; after which he 
 came over to the Mormons seeking his fortunes. His 
 brother married a niece of Joe Smith, but Backinstos 
 held off and took rank as a " managing Democrat," a 
 sort of local politician. In this capacity he rendered 
 some service to Judge Stephen A. Douglas, who, in 
 turn, appointed him Clerk of the Hancock Circuit 
 Court, this giving him great political power with the 
 Mormons. By them he was at different times elected 
 Sheriff and member of the Legislature, and continued a 
 "Jack Mormon " to the end of the chapter. 
 
 "General" James Arlington Bennett was an ad- 
 venturer of some talent, whose "range" was from 
 Virginia to New York City, where he had an occa- 
 sional connection with the press. He early wrote to 
 Joe Smith, proposing a religious and political alliance, 
 
62 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 adding, with refreshing candor, "You know Moham- 
 med had his right hand man." Joe replied in a tone 
 of good humored sarcasm, adding, however, a sort of 
 offer for Bennett to visit Nauvoo. 
 
 The latter came soon after, and was baptized into the 
 church, but not being trusted to the extent he desired, 
 soon departed. 
 
 Dr. John C. Bennett was usually considered "one 
 of the greatest scamps in the Western country." He 
 was a man of real talent, some ambition, overbearing 
 zeal, and all engrossing lust ; at the same time rather 
 good looking, of smooth manners and easy address. 
 Besides being a medical graduate and practising physi- 
 cian, he had acquired considerable military and engi- 
 neering skill, and had been Adjutant General of the 
 State of Illinois. He now brought his talents and 
 rascality to an alliance with Joe Smith ; for a year and 
 a/-half he was his intimate friend and trusted coun- 
 selor, when, as has often happened before, a beautiful 
 woman set them at outs, and forever put an end to 
 this touching friendship. These, and a score of others 
 of like character, attached themselves to the rising sect 
 and became Joe Smith's unscrupulous tools and allies. 
 As for the common Saints, the pliable mass, though 
 pot nearly so foolish and fanatical as in Jackson County, 
 they were quite as obsequious and worked steadily to 
 build up the material interests of " Zion." 
 
 The missions in England, "Wales and Scotland, pros- 
 pered greatly, and many thousands of foreign Saints 
 arrived in Nauvoo ; some remained, but the majority 
 were scattered in settlements through the country, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 63 
 
 which the Prophet called "Stakes of Zion." They 
 were not to rival the great city, but to be its feeders 
 and tributaries. The swamp land adjacent to Nauvoo 
 was drained, and the site rendered quite healthy ; the 
 rapids were surveyed by J. C. Bennett, and a wing 
 dam projected which was to make a commodious har- 
 bor in front of Nauvoo, and secure driving power suffi- 
 cient* to turn all the factory wheels of a vast commercial 
 city. 
 
 These were the p41my days of Joe Smith ; this was 
 the " Golden age " of Mormonism. The former was no 
 more the wandering lad, with " peep-stone " and hazel 
 rod, or the fugitive vagabond fleeing from Missouri 
 rifles ; he was at the head of a now consolidated and 
 rapidly augmenting sect ; he was courted and flattered 
 of politicians ; he was absolute ruler and main proprie- 
 tor of a city already populous, and destined to be rich 
 and powerful. Bright visions of future aggrandizement 
 and wealth floated through his brain, and he confidently 
 looked forward to the time when he should be virtual 
 dictator of a powerful State. But into the very noon 
 of this halcyon day floated the faint rumbling of a dis- 
 tant earthquake, and afar upon the political and social 
 horizon appeared a little cloud, "no bigger than a man's 
 hand," which stayed not till it darkened the whole 
 heaven of the future, and dashed this proud fabric to 
 the ground. 
 
 There now devolves upon me the narration of a 
 change in public sentiment, swift and violent, almost 
 without parallel in America ; and the reader will learn 
 with surprise that in a brief period hatred took the place 
 
64 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 of friendship, and the same people who had received the 
 Mormons with gladness were in hot haste to drive them 
 out at the bayonet's point. The consideration of what 
 caused this unprecedented change in public sentiment, 
 arid the intense hatred against the Mormons, presents 
 some points of pertinent inquiry to politicians, and per- 
 haps some lessons to rehgious sects. The various 
 causes which led to the Mormon troubles in Illinois, 
 and their final expulsion, may be grouppd under three 
 heads : 
 
 I. Criminal. II. Moral and Social. III. Political. 
 
 I. In the first, it may well be said, the Mormons 
 were destined to experience, in all its bitterness, the 
 force of the homely adage in regard to giving a dog a 
 bad name. The Mississippi Valley, from St. Louis to 
 Galena, had been for years unusually infested with 
 reckless and blood-stained men. The whole of south- 
 eastern Iowa and much of northeastern Missouri was 
 in a comparatively wild and lawless state ; the " half- 
 breed" tract of the former, from unsettled land titles 
 and other causes, was appropriated as a refuge for and 
 overrun by coiners, horse-thieves and robbers ; and the 
 latter section, adjacent, was little if any better. The 
 law was enforced with slackness, or the combination of 
 rogues was too great for the ordinary machinery of jus- 
 tice; people had but little confidence in courts and 
 juries, and, in more atrocious cases than common, sai> 
 isfied themselves with lynch law. 
 
 The islands and groves farther up the river, near 
 Davenport and Eock Island, were Jfche hiding places of 
 regularly organized bands of marauders; as also were 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 65 
 
 the bayous and hollows west of Nauvoo. The writer 
 was but a boy, but remembers well the thrills of horror 
 that ran through the West at the murder of Miller and 
 Liecy in Lee County, I'owa, of Col. Davenport at Kock 
 Island, of an entire family of five persons in Adams 
 County, and others too numerous to mention. Long 
 afterwards, while the writer was travelling through 
 Hancock, Pike, and Adams counties, no family thought 
 of retiring at night .without barring and double-locking 
 every ingress ; and the names of John Long, Aaron 
 Long, Granville Young, Robert Birch, the Hodges and 
 Foxes, and dozens of other murderers, were as common 
 as household words. 
 
 To all that class the bad name given the Mormons 
 in Missouri was so much capital, and it gathered around 
 them, with the real vulture instinct. Hundreds of li- 
 centious villains, cut throats, and robbers made their way 
 into Nauvoo, were baptized into the Church as a con- 
 venient cover for their crimes, and made that their 
 secret headquarters. Property stolen far up the river, 
 or east of the city, was run through and concealed in 
 the western bayous, or hastily disposed of to innocent 
 purchasers, so that the owners generally found it among 
 the Mormons. The crinainals were, in many instances, 
 traced directly to Nauvoo ; but once within the charmed 
 circle, all power to punish them was gone. 
 
 Their secret confederates were ready to "swear " them 
 clear, and too often the cry of " persecution " was suf- 
 ficient to mislead really honest Mormons, and cause 
 them to defend one who, though really guilty, claimed 
 the name of a Saint. Thus, while the Mormons could. 
 5 
 
66 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 truly say there was less crime in Nauvoo than in most 
 other cities of its size, it was still true that more crimi- 
 nals issued thence than from any other. 
 
 How many of the real Mormons were concerned in 
 these depredations it is impossible to say, probably very 
 few ; but the factremained that the criminals had most 
 of them, assumed ihe name, of Mormons, that J;hey were 
 not thrust out and punished, and that the really inno- 
 cent portion obstinately refused to ejitertain any charge 
 against the guilty, making the_^ixrckAcomplete_eover 
 and exemptionjcff-^rime. An angry people could not 
 be expected to go into their city and discriminate 
 between them ; they struck blindly at the whole com- 
 munity, and thus while two-thirds of them were proba- 
 bly guiltless of crime, all suffered alike. In the outer 
 settlements there was actual cause to complain of the 
 foreign Saints ; thousands of them had " gathered " in 
 great haste and extreme poverty ; they had nothing, and 
 knew not how to rapidly accommodate themselves to 
 their new pursuits, and at the same time very naturally 
 refused to starve in a plentiful country. 
 
 Their doctrines virtually invited them to take what 
 they needed, and they did. 
 
 As to the heads of the Ch'urch and their newly-ac- 
 quired allies, enough has been said to show that much 
 of their conduct was on the very border-line of rascal- 
 ity, if it did not altogether step over it. 
 
 II. Of the second class of causes, but little need be 
 added to the history of polygamy, to be more fuUy re- 
 cited hereafter. Of the ten thousand intrigues of Smith, 
 Bennett, Rigdon and other leaders, it is useless to speak. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 67 
 
 except to give their public results. While the estab- 
 lished denominations of Illinois were threatened, and 
 her political stability endangered, her people were also 
 shocked by the introduction of new, and to them, re- 
 volting vices. 
 
 III. But the great cause of popular hostility, which 
 finally led to the worst result, was the Mormon system 
 of voting_solidly^ at_the dictaiaon joL ,a,Jfew men. 
 
 "They have always insisted on this principle, pretend- 
 ing that there would be no union in their Church, if the 
 members were allowed to vote by individual will. Such 
 a course must ever have one effect, to cause the Church 
 to be regarded as a mere political entity, to be fought 
 accordingly, and in time, arouse the fiercest opposition. 
 It will hardly doto say;^no church has a right to so di- 
 recFits vote, and yet, if persisted liS^ it must be a con- 
 stant source of faction. Any such church would con- 
 stitute a dangerous power in a republican government ; 
 and would .soon have arrayed against it all those who 
 were defeated by its vote, all who failed to get its sup- 
 port, all who disdained to stoop to the arts necessary to 
 obtain it, and all those who clearly saw the evil tendency 
 of such a system. In two years after he entered IIU- 
 nois, Joe Smith was absolute master of three thousand 
 votes ; practically, he ffiight just as well have been al- 
 lowed to cast 'so many Tiimself. The offices of the 
 county were in his gift*; no man could hope to reach 
 Congress from that district, withoutTiis favor, and it was 
 highly probable, that"by the next election, his simple 
 will would determine who should be Governor of the 
 State. 
 
68 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Such power in the hands of a corrupt man, used with 
 a siQgular perfidy and in the interests of the worst 
 clique ever assembled, would alone be almost sufficient 
 to determine the people upon the expulsion of him and 
 his fanatical sect. The particular situ ation, at th e time, 
 rendered this evil ten-fold mpreli^arent For the first 
 tnn&'siEce~its "organization, the Whig Party had a fair 
 prospect of carrying the State and the nation ; but 
 lUinois was doubtful. 
 
 K Henry Clay shotfld again be the nominee of the 
 Whigs, Kentucky, Louisiana and other Southern States 
 were considered certain for that party, and, in certain 
 very probable contiagencies, Illinois would turn the 
 scale one way or the other. It was quite certain the 
 Mormons would, by 1844, give the casting vote in Ilh- 
 nois, and Joe Smith had perfect control of the Mormon 
 vote. Such contingencies are liable to frequently occur 
 in our politics, and henceforth set it down as an Amer- 
 ican axiom, that any church assuming to cast its vote 
 as a unit, for its own interests, under the dictation of its 
 spiritual head or heads, is the deadly foe of our hberties, 
 and justly an object of distrust and dislike to every 
 lover of his country. With this digression, I resume 
 the thread of history. 
 
 The " Harrison Campaign" of 1840 was in full tide, 
 and the politicians gathered thick around Joe Smith. 
 His people had been driven from a Democratic State 
 by order of a Democratic Governor, and himself denied 
 redress by a Democratic President ; while his " memo- 
 rial " against Missouri had been introduced and counte- 
 nanced in the Senate of the United States by Henry 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 69 
 
 Clay, and in the House by John F. Stuart, both 
 Whigs. 
 
 He felt friendly to them, but finding he had great 
 power, determined to use it well and took good care 
 not to commit himself. When wiiied, dined, toasted, 
 and feasted by managers of both parties, he stated in 
 general terms that he felt no particular interest in 
 politics ; he had tried the Yankees of New York, and 
 the "free soilers" of the Western Reserve, and had 
 met with rough treatment ; he had gone thence to the 
 pro-slavery Missourians, and had met with rougher treats 
 ment ; the Democrats had robbed him, and the Whigs 
 refused him redress, and he had little confidence in either. 
 
 But there were certain things absolutely necessary 
 for his city to receive from the Legislature, to protect 
 him and his people from mobs, and the party that 
 could most certainly give him these would obtain his 
 support. This cheerful frankness was met by renewed 
 protestations of respect and good-will, and both parties 
 were eager to grant him favors. 
 
 After secret consultation with his counselors at 
 Nauvoo, Joe had a revelation to support the Whig 
 ticket, which the Mormons did unainimously in 1840 
 and '41. In the Legislature of '40-41, it became an 
 object with the Democrats to conciliate them, and at 
 that session Dr. J. C. Bennett came with a charter, 
 mainly drawn up by himself and Joe Smith, for the 
 incorporation of Nauvoo. The charter was referred to 
 the Judiciary Committee who reported favorably, the 
 ayes and noes were called in neither house, and the 
 charter passed without a dissenting vote. 
 
70 LITE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The annals of ancient and modern legislation might 
 be searched in vain for a parallel to that Nauvoo 
 Charter. It gave all the powers ever granted to in- 
 corporated cities, and gave them power to pass all laws 
 " not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, 
 or of this State," which was afterwards interpreted to 
 mean that they might pass local ordinances contrary to 
 the laws of the State. It provided for a Mayor, four 
 Aldermen, and nine Councillors, and established a 
 Mayor's Court with exclusive jurisdiction of all cases 
 arising under the city ordinances. 
 
 It also established a Municipal Court, to be com- 
 posed of the Mayor as Chief Justice, and four Alder- 
 men as associates, and gave this court the power to 
 issue writs of Habeas Corpus. And this not only to 
 try the sufficiency of writs issuing from any other court, 
 which is a power rarely granted a Municipal Court, 
 but to go beyond that and try the original cause of 
 action. Hitherto none but Judges of the Supreme and 
 Circuit Courts could issue such writs, and there were 
 just nine persons in the State empowered to do so; 
 but this Act- at one fell swoop conferred it upon the 
 five judges of this Municipal Court, and those the per- 
 sons above all others most liable to abuse it. It also 
 incorporated the militia of Nauvoo into a body to be 
 called the " Nauvoo Legion," independent of all other 
 militia officers in the State, except the Governor as 
 "Commander-in-Chief It established a court-martial for 
 this Legion composed of the commissioned officers, en- 
 tirely independent of all other officers, and in the 
 regulations not governed hy the laws of the State ! 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 71 
 
 This Legion was to be at the disposal of the Mayor 
 in executing the ordinances of the city. Another 
 charter incorporated a great tavern to be known afe'the 
 Nauvoo House. " Thus," says Governor Ford, " it was 
 proposed to re-establish for the Mormons a government 
 within a government; a legislature with power to pass 
 ordinances at war with the laws of the State ; courts 
 to execute them .with but little dependence upon the 
 constitutional judiciary, and a military force at their 
 own command, to be governed by its own laws and 
 ordinances, and subject to no State authority but that 
 of the Governor. 
 
 " The powers conferred were expressed in language 
 at once ambiguous and undefined ; as if on purpose to 
 allow of misconstruction. The great law of the sep- 
 aration of the powers of government was wholly dis- 
 regarded. The Mayor was at once the executive power, 
 the judiciary, and part of the legislature. The Com- 
 mon Council, in passing ordinances, Avere restrained 
 only by the Constitution. One would have thought 
 that these charters stood a poor chance of passing the 
 Legislature of a republican people jealous of their liber- 
 ties. Nevertheless they did pass unanimously through 
 both houses. Messrs. Little and Douglas managed with 
 great dexterity with their respective parties. _Each 
 party was afraid to object tojhfim,, for Jeax, of losing 
 the llTormM'TcM^^Aje^helieYed ihafeit, had secured^ 
 tlreii:"1avor. A city government, under the charter, was 
 organizea"inT841, and Joe Smith was elected Mayor.- 
 
 "In this capacity he presided in the Common Council, 
 and assisted in making the laws for the government of 
 
72 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 the city ; and as Mayor, also, he was to see these laws 
 put into force. He was ex-officio judge of the Mayor's 
 Court, and chief justice of the Municipal Court, and in 
 these capacities he was to interpret the laws which he 
 had assisted to make. The Nauvoo Legion was also 
 organized, with a great multitude of high oflScers. It 
 was divided into divisions, brigades, cohorts, regiments, 
 battalions and companies. Each division, brigade and 
 cohort had its General, and over the whole, as Com- 
 mander-in-Chief, Joe Smith was appointed Lieutenant- 
 General. These offices, and particularly the last, were 
 created by an ordinance of the Court-martial composed 
 of the commissioned officers of the Legion. 
 
 " The Common Council passed many ordinances for 
 the punishment of crime. The punishments were gen- 
 erally different from, and vastly more severe than the 
 punishments provided by the laws of the State." 
 
 Elder Howard Coray, who was at that time a confi- 
 dential clerk of Joe Smith's, states that he was present 
 at the time Smith and Bennett were constructing this 
 Charter; that Bennett objected to certain clauses as 
 being "too strong," to which Smith replied, "We must 
 have that power in our courts, for this work will gather 
 of all mankind ; the Turk, with his ten wives, will come 
 to Nauvoo, and we must have laws to protect him with 
 these wives." Elder Coray, now a devoted Brighamite, 
 at Salt Lake, advanced this to disprove the statement 
 of Joe Smith's sons that their father did not establish 
 polygamy. It merely proves, as will hereafter be 
 shown, that he was in that practice long before the 
 date of his pretended revelation. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 73 
 
 It was, indeed, necessary for him to fence out the 
 Missourians with strong ordinances, for his old enemies 
 in that State were busy in schemes against him. In 
 the fall of 1841, the Governor sent a requisition to 
 IlUnois for Smith's arrest, and after some evasion it was 
 executed. A writ of JIaheaa Corpus was sued out be- 
 fore Judge S. A. Douglas, whose circuit embraced Han- 
 cock. On techn^al grounds Douglas released Smith, 
 which the latter considered a great favor from the 
 Democrats. Again, in 1842, Smith was arrested on a 
 requisition, and this time forcibly rescued by his follow- 
 ers. The election of 1842 was approaching; the 
 Whigs nominated Joseph Duncan for Governor, and the 
 Democrats Thos. L. Ford. After an immense amount 
 of wire pulling, Joe Smith issued a proclamation to his 
 people — there seems to have been no revelation this 
 time — pronouncing "Judge Douglas a master-spirit," 
 and commanding the__people^_to_vote the Democratic 
 ticket, ^^'ordrwas^elected, and assumed the duties of 
 Governor, late in 1842. He has embodied the official 
 acts of his Administration in his " History of Illinois," 
 and throughout this part of my narrative the quotations 
 are from that work, unless otherwise credited. 
 
 The Democrats would almost certainly have carried 
 the State without the Mormons; but in 1843, there 
 was to be an election for Congressman in their district, 
 and therein they were absolute. But the great reaction 
 had set in, and the Mormons were fast becoming odious 
 to the body of the people. After the political account, 
 the reader will be interested in the anti-Mormon ac- 
 count, and I quote from the narrative of K. W. 
 
74 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 McKinney, Esq., before alluded to, a witness of the 
 facts : 
 
 " The preaching of Mormonism was a greater success 
 than could have been reasonably expected in so en- 
 lightened an age, and one to a great extent inclined to 
 skepticism. A new spirit of emigration was excited, 
 and every convert was urged to hasten to where he 
 could gaze upon the divine face of the Prophet, and 
 where the wealth of the Gentile world would flow in 
 upon them. Two years had not elapsed since the first 
 fugitives arrived at Nauvoo before' the Mormons out- 
 numbered the old settlers. The latter began to think 
 they had enough for the present. None of the prom- 
 ised advantages had accrued from the settlement of the 
 Mormons among them. They had created but little 
 trade or commerce, had made no improvement of the 
 rapids, had established no manufactories, erected no 
 school-houses, organized no institutions for instruction, 
 and made no provision for the support of the poor. 
 They were pressed into Joe's service, and employed 
 upon the erection of a temple of an order of architecture 
 such as the world had never seen. They now assumed' 
 a haughty bearing and arrogant speech towards their 
 old friends and protectors, and the latter were constantly 
 sneered at as blind and erring Gentiles, whose steps 
 were tending downward to the deepest pit of hell. The 
 Saints were to possess the earth and the Gentiles be 
 crushed beneath their footsteps. This doctrine had a 
 fearful effect upon the common Mormon; he looked 
 upon the old settler much as the followers of Moses and 
 Joshua looked upon the Canaanites. If the earth was 
 
AND CRIMES OP MOKMONISM. • 75 
 
 to be delivered to the Saints with the fullness thereof, 
 why not take possession at once, or so much of it as to 
 supply present wants ? The old settlers began to feel 
 that the inflated declarations of the Prophet meant 
 something more than idle gasconade. Their cattle, 
 which had pastured safely on the broad prairies, now 
 failed to come up ; their poultry took wings and flew 
 away to some undiscovered country, never to return, 
 and their barns and granaries were depleted with un- 
 heard of rapidity. If one visited Nauvoo in search of 
 estrays, if by accident he peeped into the shambles or 
 slaughter-pens of the Saints, he was rudely rebuffed as 
 a disturber of the peace of Zion. He was fortunate if 
 he escaped arrest, and did not often escape annoyance. 
 The Mormons prided themselves on their genius in de- 
 vising modes of annoyance by which a suspicious stran- 
 ger could be driven away without resort to violence ; 
 the Prophet had systemized annoyance, and reduced it 
 to a science. He had organized clubs of loafers and 
 boys into what he called 'whittling deacons.' 
 
 " They were composed of the lowest grade of vaga- 
 bonds in Nauvoo, and were stationed around the streets 
 and corners, armed with pieces ot pine board and 
 sharp dirk-knives, always ready for instant service. If 
 a stranger were seen on the streets, the first thing was 
 to find out if he were obnoxious. An experienced spy 
 was placed upon his track, who followed him until it 
 was ascertained what the stranger was. If he appeared 
 hostile to the Saints, if he spoke disparagingly of the 
 Prophet or his religion, ' the whittling deacons ' were 
 put at his heels. 
 
§ 
 
 I— I 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 > 
 
 H 
 W 
 t^ 
 
 > 
 
 O 
 
 
•AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 77 
 
 volvers. Their business was to terrify and insult him, 
 to salute his ears with strange oaths and blasphemies, 
 to menace him with threats of instant death and to 
 flourish their deadly weapons in his face. But were 
 there no police to appeal to ? These assailants were 
 themselves the police, powerful only for evil. If the 
 suspected was still fool-hardy enough to refuse to leave, 
 his case was reported to a higher tribunal, who gave 
 secret and mysterious warnings, written in mystic char- 
 acters and stained with blood, which were dropped in 
 the way of the suspected, were found in his bed-room, 
 under his pillow or about his person. Dire was his fate 
 if he disregarded this last solemn admonition. He 
 would never again be heard from ; the mission of the 
 ' destroying angel ' was sudden, sure and complete. 
 
 " The Prophet's ambition and love of display had been 
 sated by a shower of civic honors thrust upon him by 
 the Corporation Act. " His love of power and desire 
 for vengeance were gratified by a review of his solid 
 squares of infantry, his squadrons of cavalry and 
 parks of artillery. He was the only man of his age 
 beneath the rank of Grand Duke, that could summon 
 a well-equipped army from his retainers. But he 
 had other vices to gratify besides ambition and love of 
 display. 
 
 " How to gratify his licentious desires became with 
 him a great study. To overcome the virtue of his fe- 
 male followers and establish prostitution as a religious 
 rite, he had a revelation. None of his compeers or suc- 
 cessors could compete with him in revelations. His son 
 Joe, who claims to be his legitimate successor, has been 
 
78 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 SO reticent as to receive from the Brighamites, and de- 
 serve, the title of the ' dumb Prophet.' The elder Joe, 
 had revelations on all sorts of subjects ; building houses, 
 plowing lands and selling merchandise, and now author- 
 izing him to seduce and degrade his female devotees. 
 His elders were now instructed that the time had arrived 
 when seven women should take hold of one man ; that 
 no woman could be saved unless united to a husband in 
 a spiritual sense ; that such imion was enjoined by di- 
 vine authority, and to resist it was to resist the ordinance 
 of God. Here was the dilemma for the female Saint: 
 she must succumb to a libidinous priest, or be sent to 
 perdition; she must accept prostitution or damnation, 
 and there was no escape. It was at first claimed that 
 this connection was purely spiritual and platonic ; but 
 the admissions of incautious Saints, and the testimony 
 of many women, soon left no doubt in any intelligent 
 mind that the system was one of complete concubinage. 
 
 " The two young Smiths, who lately made a raid into 
 Utah, denying that their father practiced polygamy, 
 ought to . know, as every intelligent person does know, 
 that the will of Joe Smith was absolute in Nauvoo, and 
 all the councils, sanhedrims and priests in the city could 
 never have established polygamy there, if he had but 
 shook his little finger in opposition. 
 
 " The Mormons were not only introducing a new 
 religion, but striving to introduce a new civilization; 
 or rather laboring to abolish all civilization, and to re- 
 establish a barbarism old as the infancy of the world. 
 If an old patriarch, who lived immediately after the 
 earth emerged from the deluge, through ignorance 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 79 
 
 married a sister or an aunt, the Mormon assumed the 
 same right. If another patriarch armed his numerous 
 servants, and invade^ the tented city of a rival, carried 
 his wives and children into captivity, and drove away 
 his sheep, cattle and oxen, it was a divine precedent 
 which the Saint would do well to follow. As in those 
 remote ages the whole people labored and toiled for 
 the aggrandizement of their chieftain in erecting castles 
 for his protection, or guarding the flocks and herds in 
 which his wealth consisted, so the Mormon chieftain 
 employed his retainers in the erection of a gorgeous 
 temple. The anti-Mormons saw that the Mormons 
 were industrious, and saw too that much of their labor 
 was misdirected, and that they derived no benefit from 
 it, more than the enslaved multitudes who toiled on 
 the Egyptian pyramids in the traditional ages of the 
 world. They saw that Hancock. County, under the 
 control of the dominant sect, was receding to the re- 
 motest and most barbarous ages of the world. They 
 farther understood that the multitudes who lived in 
 shanties, and worked without pay, were not likely to 
 starve as long as they were taught that the earth and 
 all things therein belonged to the Saints of the Lord. 
 It was thought high time to impose some barrier to 
 the further increase of the dominant Mormons. No one 
 then thought of violence or war ; there had been no 
 lawless demonstrations prior to the Mormons' arrival, 
 and in justice to the old settlers it should be noted' 
 there has been none since their expulsion. Every one 
 considered that most of the evils resulted from the 
 power vested in the Prophet by the Mormon Charter. 
 
80 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 and the creation of the Legion. It was, therefore, 
 thought best to constitute a new political organization, 
 uniting all anti-Mormons without regard to previous 
 predilections, having for its object united opposition to 
 the Mormons, and repeal of all the Mormon Charters 
 and disbanding of the Nauvoo Legion. A general 
 mass-meeting was called, and was fully attended. 
 Whigs and Democrats fraternized and rivalled each 
 other in their zeal to rid the country of the growing 
 incubus. But when it came to county nominations, 
 unfortunately there were more aspirants than offices. 
 Those who received nominations were content; but 
 the rejected ones affected to consider themselves badly 
 abused men. Among them were two who went right 
 over with their influence to Joe Smith. The first was 
 a Reverend Thomas Owens, a renegade Baptist preacher, 
 and the other Jacob C. Davis, a lawyer, too indolent 
 to labor or study, but the political oracle of the red- 
 eyed loafers who congregated together in the low 
 groggeries of the town where he lived. This brace 
 of worthies wended their way to Nauvoo, and in- 
 formed the Mormon autocrat of the combination 
 against him; but tendered him their sympathy and 
 support, offering to run as the Mormon candidates for 
 the Legislature. The Prophet chose Jacob Davis as 
 his candidate for the State Senate, and Bill Smith, his 
 own brother, and Thomas Owens, his candidates for the 
 Lower House. The rest of the county ticket was filled 
 out by the Prophet from his own Mormon tools. 
 
 " The issue was for the first time clearly drawn, the 
 election in due time came off, and the Prophet was 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 
 
 81 
 
 MOKMON TEMPLE AT NAUVOO, rLMNOIS. 
 
 triumphant. He had elected everything on the county 
 ticket. By his combinations he had completely de- 
 feated the anti-Mormon move, and had for county- 
 ofl&cers his trusty friends, devoted to his interests. If 
 his enemies chose to appeal from the decision of the 
 polls, he was ready for them. His battalions were 
 models of discipline, devoted to his service, numbered 
 by thousands, and armed with an efficiency which dis- 
 tinguished no other troops in America. The walls of 
 the Temple were progressing rapidly. The anti-Mor- 
 mons looked upon the structure with many doubts and 
 apprehensions. Everything the Mormons did was veiled 
 6 
 
82 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 in mystery. This structure resembled no church, its 
 walls of massive limestone were impervious to the shot 
 of the heaviest cannon. It had two tiers of circular 
 windows which looked to the wondering Gentiles very 
 much as if they were port-holes for the manning of 
 cannon. The building was near the center of a square 
 of four acres, to be surrounded by a massive wall ten 
 feet in height and six in thickness. This, the Mor- 
 mons said, was for a promenade; the anti-Mormons 
 would have told you, it could have been constructed for 
 no other purpose than a fortification, and one which 
 would have stood a heavy bombardment without being 
 breached. 
 
 " Another charter provided for the erection of ' a large 
 hotel,' and it was denominated the 'Lord's boarding 
 house,' to which a revelation is added that Joe Smith 
 and his heirs were to have ' a suite of rooms dedicated 
 to their use forever.' 
 
 " It was the boast of Joe that this would be the 
 great 'Mission House' of the world; that in its parlor 
 he would entertain princes, kings and emperors from 
 Europe and Asiaj who would leave their distant homes 
 to receive information and instruction from him in the 
 new faith. So completely had Joe's head been turned 
 and so wild and visionary had he become, that it was 
 not without reason that his wife, only a few years after 
 his death, published a statement in the Quincy Whig 
 that she had no belief in his prophetic character, and 
 considered his pretended revelations the emanations of 
 a diseased mind. It may be some gratification to know 
 that the apostolic dignitaries did not always agree 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 83 
 
 among themselves, after the establishment of 'spiritual 
 wifery,' in the distribution of female prizes. They had 
 no disputes in polemic theology. The oracle Joe settled 
 everything of that sort by immediate revelation. But 
 when the face of a handsome female Saint was seen 
 peering from under the curtains of an immigrant wagon, 
 it was like throwing the apple of discord atoong the 
 lascivious priests <of the new religion ; and hojvever 
 submissive the sacred college may have been to the 
 settlement of a theological tenet, when the same oracle 
 pronoimced a verdict in regard to a female prize against 
 one of them, his curses were loud and deep. In fact, 
 this system was soon the means of destroying the Mor- 
 mon unity right at home; the entering wedge that 
 divided Nauvoo into factions, and gave the anti-Mor- 
 mons a clue to success. 
 
 "The name of Cyrus Walker had long been con- 
 spicuous in western Illinois. He was an eminent 
 lawyer, who had acquired a great reputation in Ken- 
 tucky, where he came into competition with Ben 
 Hardin, John Rowan and the Wickliffs. He was past 
 middle life, and had never been a politician ; but in 
 1843 the Whigs needed a popular candidate, in the 
 Hancock district, for Congress. There was no hope of 
 his election unless Joe Smith and his followers could 
 be manipulated, and thiis balance the Democratic mar 
 jority. Mr. Walker resided in the adjoining county of 
 McDonough, and was thought to be just the man, as 
 in a long criminal practice his mind had become a per- 
 fect storehouse of expedients, artifices and dodges. He 
 was nominated, and accepted in the full behef that he 
 
84 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTEKIES 
 
 was a match for the tricky Prophet. His chances were 
 rather doubtful, as the Whigs had been most active in 
 the anti-Mormon Convention. Owen and Davis, Demo- 
 crats, had deserted to the Mormon camp ; but no Whig 
 had been guilty of such defection. But it was confi- 
 dently anticipated Walker could out-general the 
 common-place Mr. Hoge, the Democratic candidate. 
 Meanwhile the peace of the Mormon Zion was dis- 
 turbed. Men who had toiled without remuneration 
 began to murmur, and the families of those who went 
 forth to preach the gospel, without 'purse or scrip,' 
 often suffered greatly in their absence. Dr. John C. 
 Bennett, to whose instructions the Legion owed its ad- 
 mirable drill and discipline, had not risen to that high 
 rank in the Hierarchy which he fancied his talents en- 
 titled him to, and had been. slighted in the distribution 
 of female prizes. He had seceded, and was a conspira- 
 tor against the Prophet, denouncing him with a bitter- 
 ness born of imaginary slight and wrong. He traveled 
 through the West, secured large crowds wherever he 
 lectured, of all who were attracted by the disgusting 
 details of Mormon depravity. But at the same time 
 the Prophet was engaged in exposing and denouncing 
 him ; while he proved Joe to be immoral and licentious, 
 the latter proved the same thing against him, and the 
 community soon became satisfied that it was a quarrel 
 between two great rascals, and they were not called upon 
 to decide which was the greater. Joe had apparently 
 forgotten all about the indictment still pending against 
 him in Missouri ; but Bennett had not, and by his in- 
 trigues, a fresh requisition was issued, and Joe was 
 
AND CHIMES OF MORMONISM. 85 
 
 arrested in Henderson County, at one of the ' Stakes of 
 Zion,' some twenty-five miles from Nauvoo. But the 
 officers soon found themselves surrounded by a detach- 
 ment of the Nauvoo Legion, and the whole party was 
 conducted in triumph to that city. The Municipal 
 Court met to try the legality of the requisition and the 
 regularity of the proceedings, and Cyrus Walker was 
 called upon for hiis opinion. Their judgment was in no 
 wise controlled by his arguments ; but his approval of 
 such jurisdiction was of great value to Joe Smith. He 
 was profuse in his thanks to Walker, and promised ear- 
 nestly to support him. Walker fully believed that this 
 settled every Mormon vote in his favor, was satisfied 
 he need do nothing more, and returned home to study 
 up the political questions of the day, and fit himself for 
 his future duties in Congress. 
 
 " But there was some ' wire-pulling ' going on of 
 which he little dreamed; there was a great deal of 
 running to and fro of ' managing Democrats ' between 
 Nauvoo and Springfield, and suddenly the Mormons 
 were called in a mass meeting, the second day before 
 the election, when Hyrum Smith arose and announced 
 that he had just received a revelation from heaven that 
 the Mormons were to vote for the Democrat, Mr. Hoge ! 
 They were still in doubt till the Prophet arrived next 
 day, when the whole voting population of Nauvoo again 
 assembled to hear from him. He stated that he was 
 not prepared to advise them with regard to election 
 matters ; he could only inform them that he had pledged 
 his own vote to Mr. Walker, and would keep his pledge ; 
 but he had received no communication from the Lord 
 
86 LIFE IN UTAH; OR,- THE MYSTERIES 
 
 on the subject ; ' he had not seen the Lord, nor had he 
 gone to seek the Lord about the matter. He was not 
 disposed to call upon the Lord at the request or desire 
 of any Gentile politician ; if the Lord really wanted to 
 see him, there was nothing to prevent His calling upon 
 him. So far as he was concerned, the people might 
 vote for Walker, Hoge, or the devil ; it was all the 
 same to him. But,' continued the Prophet, ' I am in- 
 formed my brother Hyrum has seen the Lord,' and has 
 something to say to you. I have known brother Hyrum 
 ever since he was a boy, and never knew him to lie. 
 When the Lord speaks let all the earth keep silent.' 
 Thereupon brother Hyrum took the stand and boldly 
 announced that he had seen the Lord, who had instructed 
 him to support Mr. Hoge, ' and brethren, you are all 
 commanded to vote for Mr. Hoge, for thus saith the 
 Lord God Almighty.' This short address of -the Pa- 
 triarch was no doubt the most powerful and convincing 
 ' stump speech ' ever delivered. When the count was 
 rendered next day, Mr. Cyrus Walker had one vote, 
 whilst Hoge's counted by thousands. It is diflBcult to 
 realize that in this enlightened age and most enlightened 
 nation, any assembly could be found, so deplorably igno- 
 rant as to be controlled by two such blackguard impos- 
 tors, yet so it was ; they listened to these blasphemous 
 deceivers as though .Go3lspokfijEtQm^e_heavens. Mr, 
 Walker did not go to Congress.. He withdrew forever 
 from politics, devoted himself to his profession and grew 
 rich. He heard the result of the Nauvoo election with 
 deep mortification. He had been, a match for the 
 shrewdest and most cultivated m_embers,of his own pro- 
 
'AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 87 
 
 fession ^ he was now tricked and_sol d by a mi serable, 
 impostor, beneath 'tKe n otice o f any r especta ble man. 
 Mr. Walker retired t6~his bed"oir?EaFmghrTh51nosT 
 bitter, uncompromising and persevering anti-Mormon 
 in the State of Illinois." 
 
 To this interesting recital it is only necessary to 
 add a few facts from the official record. Early in May, 
 1843, Governor ^Lilburn W. Boggs, of Missouri, while 
 sitting in the evening near an opdh window, was shot 
 from without and seriously wounded in the head. By 
 the testimony of various apostates it appears, that Joe 
 Smith had frequently foretold the " sudden vengeance 
 of God on the Nero of Missouri," who had used the 
 State troops to expel the Mormons ; and that about this 
 time, Orrin Porter Rockwell was for some time absent 
 from Nauvoo, and when Joe Smith was asked his where- 
 abouts, he replied with a laugh, " 0, just gone to fulfil 
 prophecy." On these and other statements an indicts 
 ment was found in Missouri against Smith and Rock- 
 well, and soon after the officers of that State secured 
 another requisition from Goverftor Ford, for Joe Smith. 
 He was arrested and released by his own Municipal 
 Court, with the advice of Mr. Walker, as already rer 
 lated. The agents of Missouri went forthwith to make 
 application to Governor Ford, for a body of militia to 
 enforce the writ, and Walker was sent by the Mormons 
 as their attorney to resist the application. Governor 
 Ford declined either to act at once, or to say how he 
 would finally act ; as he afterwards stated, because he 
 was not clear as to his duty, and knew the politicians 
 only wanted his decision to carry back to the Mormons. 
 
88 LIFE IN TJTA.H; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 In this state of uncertainty the Mormon leaders sent 
 "Jake" Backinstos to manoeuvre at Springfield, and 
 ascertain if possibly what the Governor would finally 
 do. Governor Ford was absent at St. Louis, and a 
 prominent Democrat, in his interest at Springfield, gave 
 the most solemn assurances in the Governor's name, 
 that the militia would not be sent against the Mormons, 
 if they voted the Democratic ticket. Neither Governor 
 Ford nor any other responsible official knew aught of 
 this promise in his name, till after the Mormons left the 
 State. With this promise, Backinstos reached Nauvoo 
 but two days before the election, with what result has 
 already been seen. Such damning political treachery 
 was not without due punishment. The Whigs now 
 saw with amazement, that the most solemn promises 
 meant nothing from Joe Smith; the Democrats gen- 
 erally felt that a sect of such political power, for sale 
 every day and every hour in the day, and uncertain till 
 the last hour of election, was no safe ally, and both 
 parties awaked to the startling fact, that Joe Smith 
 was actual dictator of^their politics and ch ose their 
 rulers! The anti-Mormon excitement was accelerated 
 ten-fold, and ceased not till their final and complete ex- 
 pulsion from the State, And disastrous as was that 
 expulsion, terrible as were the sufferings of individual 
 Mormons, it is scarcely too much to say they richly de- 
 served it, for this one act of perfidy and folly. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 89 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 MORMON DIFFICULTIES AND DEATH OF THE PROPHET. 
 
 Ford's account — ^DoutiJe treachery in the Quincy district— New and start- 
 ling developments in Nauvoo — ^Tyranny of Joe Smith— Eevolt of a por- 
 tion of his followers— The " Expositor "—It is declared "a nuisance" 
 and " abated "—Plight of apostates— Warrants issued for Smith and 
 other Mormons — Constables driven out of Nauvoo— Militia called for— 
 Nauvoo fortified — Mormon war imminent — Governor Ford takes the 
 field in person— Plight of the Prophet and Patriarch to Iowa — Their re- 
 turn and arrest — The Governor pledged for their safety — In his absence 
 the jail is attacked— Death of the Smiths — Character of the Prophet — 
 Comments. 
 
 As from this point nearly everything connected with 
 the Illinois history of the Mormons is official and politi- 
 cal, I here take up Governor Ford's account : — 
 
 " It appears that the Mormons had been directed by 
 their leaders to vote the Whig ticket in the Quincy, as 
 well as the Hancock district. In the Quincy district. 
 Judge Douglas was the Democratic candidate, and 0. 
 H. Browning the candidate of the Whigs. The lead- 
 ing Mormons at Nauvoo having never determilied in 
 favor of the Democrats until a day or two before the 
 election, there was not sufficient time, or it was neg- 
 lected, to send orders from Nauvoo into the Quincy 
 district, to effect a change there. The Mormons in that 
 district voted for Browning. Douglas and his friends, 
 being afraid that I might be in his way for the United 
 States Senate in 1846, seized hold of this circumstance 
 
90 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 to affect my party standing, and thereby gave counte- 
 nance to the clamor of the Whigs, secretly whispering 
 it about that I had not only influenced the Mormons to 
 vote for Hoge, but for Browning also. This decided 
 many of the Democrats in favor of the expulsion of the 
 Mormons. 
 
 " No further demand for the arrest of Joe Smith 
 having been made by Missouri, he became emboldened 
 by success. The Mormons became more arrogant and 
 overbearing. In the winter of 1843-4, the Common 
 Council passed some further ordinances to protect their 
 leaders from arrest, on demand from Missouri. They 
 enacted that no writ issued from any other place than 
 Nauvoo, for the arrest of any person in it, should be 
 executed in the city, without an approval endorsed 
 thereon by the Mayor; that if any public officer, by 
 virtue of any foreign writ, should attempt to make any 
 arrest in the city, without such approval of his process, 
 he should be subject to imprisonment for life, and that 
 the Governor of the State should not have the power 
 of pardoning the offender without the consent of the 
 Mayor. When these ordinances were published, they 
 created general astonishment. Many people began to 
 believe in good earnest that the Mormons were about 
 to set up a separate government for themselves in defi- 
 ance of the laws of the State. Owners of property 
 stolen in other counties made pursuit into Nauvoo, and 
 were fined by the Mormon courts for daring to seek 
 their property in the holy city. To one such I granted 
 a pardon. Several of the Mormons had been convicted 
 of larceny, and they never failed in any instance to 
 
AND CRIMES OP MOEMONISM. 91 
 
 procure petitions signed by 1,500 or 2,000 of their 
 friends for their pardon. But that which made it more 
 certain than everything else, that the Mormons con- 
 templated a separate government, was that about this 
 time they petitioned Congress to establish a territorial 
 government for them in Nauvoo ; as if Congress had 
 any power to establish such a government, or any other, 
 within the bounds of a State. 
 
 "To crown the whole folly of the Mormons, in the 
 spring of 1844, Joe Smith announced himself as a can- 
 didate for President of the United States. His follow- 
 ers were confident that he would be elected. Two or 
 three thousand missionaries were immediately sent out 
 to preach their religion, and to electioneer in favor of 
 their prophet for the Presidency. This folly at once 
 covered that people with ridicule in the minds of all 
 sensible men, and brought them into conflict with the 
 zealpts and bigots of all political parties ; as the arro- 
 gance and extrayagance of their religious pretensions 
 had already aroused the opposition of all other denomi- 
 nations in religion. It seems, from the best information 
 that could be got from the best men who had seceded 
 from the Mormon church, that Joe Smith about this time 
 conceived the idea of making himself a temporal prince 
 as well as spiritual leader of his people. He instituted 
 a new and select order of the priesthood, the members 
 of which were to be priests and kings temporally and 
 spiritually. These were to be his nobility, who were 
 to be the upholders of his throne. He caused himself 
 to be crowned and anointed king and priest, far above 
 the rest ; and he prescribed the form of an oath of 
 
92 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 allegiance to himself, which he administered to his 
 principal followers. To uphold his pretensions to roy- 
 alty, he deduced his descent by an unbroken chain 
 from Joseph the son of Jacob, and that of his wife 
 from some other renowned personage of Old Testament 
 history. The Mormons openly denounced the goverment 
 of the United States as utterly corrupt, and as being 
 about to pass away, and to be replaced by the govern- 
 ment of God, to be administered by his servant Joseph. 
 It is at this day certain, also, that about this' time, 
 the prophet re-instituted an order in the Church called 
 the ' Danite Band.' These were to be a body of police 
 and guards about the person of their sovereign, who 
 were sworn to obey his orders as the orders of God 
 himself. 
 
 " Soon after these institutions were established, Joe 
 Smith began to play the tyrant over several of his fol- 
 lowers. The first act of this sort which excited atten- 
 tion, was an attempt to take the wife .of William Law, 
 one of his most talented and principal disciples, and 
 make her a spiritual wife. By means of his Common 
 Council,- without the authority of law, he established a 
 recorder's office in Nauvoo, in which alone the titles of 
 property could be recorded. In the same m-anner and 
 with the same want of legal authority, he established 
 an office for issuMg, marriage lioenaeg to Mormons, so 
 as to give him absolute control of the marrying pro- 
 pensities of his people. He proclaimed that none in 
 the city should purchase real estate to sell again, but 
 himself. He also permitted no one but himself to 
 have a license in the city for the sale of spirituous 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 93 
 
 liquors ; and in many other ways lie undertook to regu- 
 late and control the business of the Mormons. This 
 despotism, administered by a corrupt and unprincipled 
 man, soon became intolerable. William Law, one of 
 the most eloquent preachers of the Mormons, who 
 appeared to me to be a deluded but conscientious and 
 candid man, Wilson Law, his brother, Major-General 
 of the Legion, an^ four or five other Mormon leaders, 
 resolved upon a rebellion against the authority of the 
 Prophet. They designed to enlighten their brethren 
 and fellow-citizens upon the new institutions, the new 
 turn given to Mormonism, and the practices under the 
 new system, by procuring a printing-press and estab- 
 lishing a newspaper in the city, to be the organ of their 
 complaints and views. But they never issued but one 
 number ; before the second could appear, the. press was 
 demolished by an order of the Common Council, and 
 the conspirators were ejected from the Mormon 
 Church. 
 
 " The Mormons themselves published the proceedings 
 of the Council in the trial and destruction of the heret- 
 ical press ; from which it does not appear that any one 
 was tried, or that the editor or any of the owners of the 
 property had notice of the trial, or were permitted to 
 defend in any particular. 
 
 " The proceeding was an exparte proceeding, partly 
 civil and partly ecclesiastical, against the press itself. 
 No jury was called or sworn, nor were the witnesses re- 
 quired to give their evidence upon oath. The council- 
 lors stood up one after another, and some of them sev- 
 eral times, and related what they pretended to know. 
 
94 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 In this mode it was abundantly proved that the owners 
 of the proscribed press were sinners, whoremasters, 
 thieves, swindlers, counterfeiters and robbers; the evi- 
 dence of which is reported in the trial at full length. 
 It was altogether the most curious and irregular trial 
 that ever was recorded in any civilized country ; and 
 one finds diflftculty in determining whether the proceed- 
 ings of the Council were more the result of insanity or 
 depravity. The trial resulted in the conviction of the 
 press as a public nuisance. The Mayor was ordered to 
 see it abated as such, and if necessary, to call the Legion" 
 to his assistance. The Mayor issued his warrant to the 
 City Marshal, who, aided by a portion of the Legion, 
 proceed,ed to the obnoxious printing-office, and destroyed 
 the press and scattered the types and other materials. 
 
 " After this, it bectime too hot for the Seceding and 
 rejected Mormons to remain in the holy city. They 
 retired to Carthage, the county-seat of Hancock County, 
 and took out warrants for the Mayor and members of 
 the Common Council, and others engaged in the outrage, 
 for a riot. Some of those were arrested, but were im- 
 mediately taken before the Municipal Court of the city 
 on habeas corpus, and discharged from custody. 
 • " On the seventeenth day of June following, a com- 
 mittee of a meeting of the citizens of Carthage, pre- 
 sented themselves to me with a request that the militia 
 might be ordered out to assist in executing process in 
 the city of Nauvoo. I determined to visit in person 
 that section of country, and examine for myself the 
 truth and nature of their complaints. No order for the 
 militia was made ; and I arrived at Carthage on the 
 morning of the 21st day of the same month. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 96 
 
 " Upon my arrival, I found an armed force assembled 
 and hourly increasing, under the summons and direction 
 of the constables of the county, to serve as a posse com- 
 itatus to assist in the execution of process. The general 
 of the brigade had also called for the militia, en masse, 
 of the counties of McDonough and Schuyler, for a sim- 
 ilar purpose. Another assemblage to a considerable 
 number had been made at Warsaw, under military com- 
 mand of Col. Levi Williams. 
 
 " The first thing which I did on my arrival was to 
 place all the militia then assembled, and which were 
 expected to assemble, under military command of their 
 proper officers. I next dispatched a messenger to 
 Nauvoo, informing the Mayor and Common Council of 
 the nature of the complaint made against them; and 
 requested that persons might be sent to me to lay their 
 side of the question before me. A Committee was. 
 accordingly sent, who made such acknowledgments 
 that I had no difficulty in concluding what were the 
 facts. 
 
 " It appeared clearly, both from the complaints of the 
 citizens and the acknowledgments of the Mormon Com- 
 mittee, that the whole proceedings of the Mayor, the 
 Common Council, and the Municipal Court, were 
 irregular and illegal, and not to be endured in a free 
 country ; though, perhaps, some apology might be made 
 for the Court, as it had been repeatedly assured by 
 some of the best lawyers in the State, who had been 
 candidates for office before that people, that it had full 
 and competent power to issue writs of haheas carpus in 
 all cases whatever. The Common Council violated the 
 
96 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 law in assuming the exercise of judicial power; in 
 proceeding exparte without notice to the owners of the 
 property; in proceeding against the property in rem; 
 in not calling a jury; in not swearing all the witnesses; 
 in not giving the owners of the property, accused of 
 being a nuisance, in consequence of being libelous, an 
 opportunity of giving the truth in evidence ; • and in 
 fact, by not proceeding by civil suit or indictment, as 
 in other cases of libel. The Mayor violated the law in 
 ordering this erroneous and absurd judgment of the 
 Common Council to be executed. And the Municipal 
 Court erred in discharging them from arrest. 
 
 "As this proceeding touched the liberty of the press, 
 which is justly dear to any Republican people, it was 
 well calculated to raise a great flame of excitement. 
 And it may well be questioned whether years of 
 misrepresentation by the most profligate newspaper 
 could have engendered such a feeling as was produced 
 by the destruction of this one press. It is apparent 
 that the Mormon leaders but little understood, and 
 regarded less the true principles of civil liberty. 'A 
 free press, well conducted, is a great blessing to a free 
 people ; a profligate one is likely soon to deprive itself 
 of all credit and influence by the multitude of false- 
 hoods put forth by it. In addition to these causes of 
 excitement, there were a great many reports in 
 circulation, and generally believed by the people. 
 
 "Fortunately for the purposes of those who were 
 active in creating excitement, there were many known 
 truths which gave countenance to some of these accusa- 
 tions. It was sufficiently proved in a proceeding at 
 
AND CRIMES 'OF MORMONISM 97 
 
 Carthage whilst I was there, that Joe Smith had sent 
 a band of his followers to Missouri, to kidnap two men 
 who were witnesses against a member of his Church 
 then in jail, about to be tried on a charge of larceny. 
 It was also a notorious fact, that he had assaulted and 
 severely beaten an officer of the county, for an alleged 
 non-performance of his duty, at a time when that 
 officer was just r^overing from a severe illness. It is 
 a fact also, that he stood indicted for the crime of 
 perjury, as was alleged, in swearing to an accusation 
 for murdier, in order to drive a man out of Nauvoo, 
 who had been engaged, in buying and selling lots and 
 land, and thus interfering with the monopoly of the 
 Prophet as a speculator. It is a fact also, that his 
 Municipal Court, of which he was Chief Justice, by 
 writ of habeas corpus, had frequently discharged indi- 
 viduals accused of high crimes and offences against the 
 laws of the State; and on, one occasion had discharged 
 . a person accused of swindling the Government of the 
 United States, who had been arrested by process of the 
 Federal Courts; thereby giving countenance to the 
 report, that he obsiructed the administration of justice, 
 and had set up a government at Nauvoo, independent 
 of the laws and Government of the State. This idea 
 was further corroborated in the minds of the people, by 
 the fact that the people of Nauvoo had' petitioned 
 Congress for a Territorial Government to be established 
 there, and to be independent of the State Government. 
 It was a fact also, ^hat some larcenies and robberies 
 had been committed,- and that Mormons had been 
 convicted of the crimes, and that other larcenies had 
 7 
 
98 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 been committed by persons unknown, but suspected to 
 be Mormons. Justice, however, requires me here to 
 say, that upon such investigation as I then could make, 
 the charge of promiscuous stealing appeared to be 
 exaggerated. 
 
 " Another cause of excitement, was a report industri- 
 ously circulated, and generally believed, that Hiram 
 Smith, another leader of the Mormon Church, had 
 offered a reward for the destruction of the press of the 
 ' Warsaw Signal,' a newspaper published in the county, 
 and the organ of the opposition to the Mormons. It 
 was also asserted, that the Mormons scattered through 
 the settlements of the county, had threatened all 
 persons who turned out to assist, the constables, with 
 the destruction of their property and the murder of 
 their families, in the absence of their fathers, brothers 
 and husbands. A Mormon woman in McDonough 
 County was imprisoned for threatening to poison the 
 wells of the people who turned out in the posse ; and a 
 Mormon in Warsaw publicly avowed that he was 
 bound by his religion to obey all orders of the prophet, 
 even to commit murder, if so commanded. ■ 
 
 ''But the great cause, of popular fury was, that the 
 Mormons at several preceding elections had cast their 
 vote as a unit ; thereby making the fact apparent, that 
 no one could aspire to the honors or offices of the 
 country within the sphere of their influence, without 
 their approbation and votes. 
 
 " As my object in visiting Hancock was expressly to 
 assist in the execution of the laws, and not to violate 
 them, or to witness or permit their violation, as I was 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 99 
 
 convinced that the Mormon leaders had committed a 
 crime in the destruction of the press, and had resisted 
 the execution of process, I determined to exert the 
 whole force of the State, if necessary, to bring them 
 to justice. But seeing the great excitement in the 
 public mind, and the manifest tendency of this excite- 
 ment to run into mobocracy, I was of opinion, that- 
 before I acted, I. ought to obtain a pledge from the 
 officers and men to support me in strictly legal meas- 
 ures, and to protect the prisoners in case they surren- 
 dered. I was determined, if possible, the forms of law 
 should not be made the catspaw of a mob, to seduce 
 these people to a quiet surrender, as the convenient 
 victims of popular .fury. I therefore called together 
 the whole force then assembled at Carthage, and made 
 an address, explaining to them what I could, and what 
 I could not, legally do; and also adducing to thena 
 various reasons why they as well as the Mormons 
 should submit to the laws ; and why, if they had re- 
 solved on revolutionary proceedings, their purpose 
 should be abandoned. The assembled troops seemed 
 much pleased with the address ; and upOn its conclu- 
 sion, the officers and men unanimously voted, with 
 •acclamation, to sustain me in a strictly legal course, 
 and that the prisoners should be protected from vio- 
 lence. Upon the arrival of additional forces from 
 Warsaw, McDonough, and Schuyler, similar addresses 
 were made, with the same result. 
 
 " It seemed to me that these votes fully authorized 
 me to promise the accused Mormons the protection of 
 the law in case they surrendered. They were accord- 
 
100 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 ingly duly informed that if they surrendered they 
 would be protected, and if they did not, the whole 
 force of the State would be called out, if necessary, to 
 compel their submission. A force of ten men was de- 
 spatched with the constable to make the arrests, and 
 to guard the prisoners to headquarters. 
 
 "In the meantime, Joe Smith, as Lieutenant-Gen- 
 eral of the Nauvoo Legion, h^id declared martial law in 
 the city; the Legion was assembled, and ordered under 
 arms ; the members of it residing in the country were 
 ordered into town. The Mormon settlements obeyed 
 the summons of their leader, and marched to his assist- 
 ance. Nauvoo was one great military camp, strictly 
 guarded and watched ; and no ingress or egress was 
 allowed except upon the strictest examination. Li 
 one instance, which came to my knowledge, a citizen 
 of McDonough, who happened to be in the city, was 
 denied the privilege of returning, until he made oath 
 that he did not belong to the party at Carthage, that 
 he would return home without calling at Carthage, 
 and that he would give no information of the move- 
 ments of the Mormons. 
 
 "However, upon the arrival of the constable and 
 guard, the Mayor and Common Council at once signi- 
 fied .their willingness to surrender, and stated their 
 readiness to proceed to Carthage next morning at eight 
 o'clock. Martial law had previously been abolished. 
 The hour of eight o'clock came, and the accused failed 
 to make thieir appearance. The constable and his escort 
 returned. The constable made no effort to arrest any 
 of them, nor would he or the guard delay their departure 
 
AND CEIMES OF MORMONISM. 101 
 
 one minute beyond the time, to see whether an arrest 
 could be made. Upon their return, they reported that 
 they had been informed that the accused had fled, and 
 could not be found. 
 
 "In the meantime, I made a requisition upon the 
 officers of the Nauvoo Legion for the State firms in their 
 possession. It appears that there was no evidence in 
 the quartetmaster^eneral's office of the number and de- 
 scription of the arms with which the Legion had been 
 furnished. Dr. Bennett, after he had been appointed 
 quartermaster-general, had joined the Mormons, and 
 had disposed of the public arms as he pleased, without 
 keeping or giving any account of them. On this subject 
 I applied to General Wilson Law for information. He 
 had lately been the Major-general of the Legion. He 
 had seceded from the Mormon party ; was one of the 
 owners of the proscribed press ; had left the city, as he 
 said, in fear of his life, and was one of the party asking 
 for justice against its constituted authorities. He was 
 interested to exaggerate the number of arms i-ather than 
 to place it at too low an estimate. From his informa- 
 tion I learned that the Legion had received three pieces 
 of cannon, and about two hundred and fifty stand of 
 small arms and their accoutrements. Of these, the 
 three pieces of cannon and two hundred and fifty stand 
 of small arms were surrendered. These arms were de- 
 manded because the Legion was illegally used in the de- 
 struction of the press, and in enforcing martial law in 
 the city, in open resistance to legal process, and the 
 posse comitatus. 
 
 " I demanded the surrender also, on account of the 
 
102 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 great prejudice and excitement whicli the possession of 
 these arms by the Mormons had always kindled in the 
 minds of the people. A large portion of the people, by 
 pure misrepresentation, had been made to believe that 
 the Legion had received from the State as many as thirty 
 pieces of artillery and five or six thousand stands of small 
 arms, which, in all probability, would soon be wielded 
 for the conquest of the country, and for their subjection 
 to Mormon domination. I was of opinion that the re- 
 moval of these arms would tend much to allay this ex- 
 citement and prejudice; and in point of fact, although 
 wearing a severe aspect, would be an act of real kind- 
 ness to the Mormons themselves. 
 
 " On the 23d or 24th day of June, Joe Smith, the 
 Mayor of Nauvoo, together with his brother Hyrum 
 and all the members. of the Council, and all others de- 
 manded, came into Carthage and surrendered them- 
 selves prisoners to the constable, on the charge of riot. 
 They all voluntarily entered into a recognizance before 
 the Justice of the Peace, for their appearance at court 
 to answer the charge. And all of them were discharged 
 from custody except Joe and Hyrum Smith, against 
 whom the magistrate had issued a new writ, on a com- 
 plaint of treason. They were immediately arrested by 
 the constable on this charge, and retained in his custody 
 to answer it. 
 
 " Soon after the surrender of the Smiths, at their re- 
 quest I dispatched Captain Singleton with his company, 
 from Brown County to Nauvoo, to guard the town ; and 
 I authorized him to take command of the Legion. He 
 reported to me afterwards, that he called out the Legion 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 103 
 
 for inspection; and that, upon two hours' notice, two 
 thousand of them assembled, all of them armed ; and 
 this after the public arms had been taken away from 
 them. So it appears that they had a sufficiency of 
 private arms for any reasonable purpose. 
 
 " After the Smiths had been arrested on the new 
 charge of treason, the Justice of the Peace postponed 
 the examination^ because neither of the parties were 
 prepared with their witnesses for trial. . Meanwhile he 
 committed them to the jail of the county for greater 
 security. The jail in which they were confined, is a 
 considerable stone building ; containing a residence for 
 the jailor, cells for the close and secure confinement of 
 prisoners, and one larger room not so strong, but more 
 airy and comfortable than the cells. They were put 
 into the cells by the jailor; but upon their remonstrance 
 and request, and by my advice, they were transferred 
 to the larger room ; and there they remained until the 
 final catastrophe. Neither they nor I seriously appre- 
 hended an attack on the jail, through the guard sta- 
 tioned to protect it. Nor did I apprehend the least 
 danger on their part of an attempt to escape. For I 
 was very sure that any such an attempt would have 
 been the signal of their immediate death. Indeed, if 
 they had escaped, it would have been fortunate for the 
 purposes of those who were anxious for the expulsion 
 of the Mormon population. For the great body of 
 that people would most assuredly have followed their 
 Prophet and principal leaders, as they did in their flight 
 from Missouri. I learned afterwards that the leaders 
 of the anti-Mormons did much to stimulate their fol- 
 
104 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 lowers to the murder of the Smiths in jail, by alleging 
 that the Governor intended to favor their escape. If 
 this had been true, and could have been well carried 
 out, it would have been the best way of getting rid of 
 the Mormons. The leaders would not have dared to 
 return, and all their church would have followed. I 
 had such a plan in my mind, but I had never breathed 
 it to a living soul, and was thus thwarted in ridding 
 the State of the Mormons two years before^ they actu- 
 ally left, by the insane fury of the anti-Mormons. 
 
 " The force assembled at Carthage amounted to about 
 twelve or thirteen hundred men, and it was calculated 
 that four or five hundred more were assembled at War- 
 saw. Nearly all that portion resident in Hancock were 
 anxious to be marched into Nauvooi This measure was 
 supposed to be necessary, to search for counterfeit money 
 and the apparatus to make it, and also to strike a salu- 
 tary terror into the Mormon people, by an exhibition of 
 the force of the State, and thereby prevent future out- 
 rages, murders, robberies, burnings, and the like, appre- 
 hended as the effect of Mormon vengeance on those who 
 had taken a part against them. On my part, at one time, 
 this arrangement was agreed to. The morning of the 
 27th day of June was appointed for the march; and Gold- 
 en's Point,near the Mississippi river, and about equidistant, 
 from Nauvoo and Warsaw, was selected as the place of 
 rendezvous. I had determined to prevail on the Justice 
 to bring out his prisoners, and take them along. A coun- 
 cil of ofl&cers, however, determined that this would be 
 highly inexpedient and dangerous, and offered such sub" 
 stantial reasons for their opinions as induced me to 
 change my resolution. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 105 
 
 " Two or three days' preparation had been made for 
 this expedition. I observed that some of the people 
 became more and more excited and inflammatory, the 
 further the preparations were advanced. Occasional 
 threats came to my ears of destroying the city and mur- 
 dering or expelling the inhabitants. I had no objection 
 to ease the terrors of the people by such a display of 
 force, and was most anxious also to search for the al- 
 leged apparatus for making counterfeit money; and, in 
 fact, to inquire into all the charges against that people, 
 if I could have been a'ssured of my command against 
 mutiny and insubordination. But I gradually learned 
 to my entire satisfaction, that theite was a plan to get 
 the troops' into Nauvoo, and there to begin the war, prob- 
 ably by some of our own party, or some of the seceding 
 Mormons, taking advantage of the night to fire on our 
 own force, and then laying it to the Mormons. I was 
 satisfied there were those amongst us fully capable of 
 such an act, hoping that in the alarm, bustle and con- 
 fusion of a militia camp, the truth could not be dis- 
 covered, and that it might lead to the desired collision. 
 
 "All these considerations were duly urged by me 
 upon the attention of a council of officers, convened on 
 the morning of June 27th. I also urged upon. the 
 council, that such wanton and unprovoked barbarity 
 on their part would turn the sympathy of the people 
 in the surrounding counties in favor of the Mormons, 
 and therefore it would be impossible to raise a volun- 
 teer militia force to protect such a people against them. 
 Many of the ofiicers admitted that ther^ might be 
 danger of collision. But such was the blind fury pre- 
 
106 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 vailing at the time, though not showing itself by much 
 visible excitement, that a small majority of the council 
 adhered to the first resolution of marching into Nauvoo; 
 most of the officers of the Schuyler and McDonough 
 militia voting against it, and most of those of the 
 County of Hancock voting in its favor. 
 
 "A very responsible duty now devolved upon me to 
 determine whether I would, as Commander-in-Chief, be 
 governed by the advice of this majority. I had no 
 hesitation in deciding that I would not ; but on the 
 contrary, I ordered the troops to be disbanded, both at 
 Carthage and Warsaw, with the exception of three com- 
 panies, two of which were retained as a guard to the 
 jail, and the other to accompany me to Nauvoo. 
 
 " I ordered two companies under the command of Cap- 
 tain R. F. Smith, of the Carthage Grays, to guard the 
 jail. In selecting these companies, and particularly 
 the company of the Carthage Grays for this service, 1 
 have been subjected to some censure. It has been said 
 that this company had already been guilty of mutinyj, 
 and had been ordered to be arrested whilst in the en- 
 campment at Carthage; and they and their officers 
 were the deadly enemies of the prisoners. Indeed it 
 woujd have been difficult to find friends of the prisoners 
 under my command, unless I had called in the Mor- 
 mons as a guard ; and this I was satisfied would have 
 led to immediate war, and the sure death of the 
 prisoners. 
 
 "Although I knew that this company were the ene- 
 mies of the Smiths, yet I had confidence in their loyalty 
 and integrity; because .their captain was universally 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 107 
 
 spoken of as a respectable citizen and honorable man. 
 The company itself was an old independent company, 
 "well armed, uniformed and drilled ; and the members of 
 it were the elite of the militia of the county. I relied 
 upon this company especially, because it was an inde- 
 pendent company, for a long time instructed and prac- 
 ticed in military discipline and subordination. I also 
 had their wordjof honor, officers and^ men, that they 
 would do their duty according to law. Besides all this 
 the officers and most of the men resided in Carthage ; 
 and in the near vicinity of Nauvoo ; and, as I thought, 
 must know that they would make themselves and their 
 property convenient and conspicuous marks of Mor- 
 mon vengeance, in case they were guilty of treachery. 
 
 "I had at first intended to select a guard from the 
 County of McDonough, but the militia of that county 
 were very much dissatisfied to remain ; their crops were 
 suffering at home ; they were in a perfect fever to be 
 discharged ; and I was destitute of provisions to supply 
 them for more than a few days. They were far from 
 home, where they could not supply themselves. Whilst 
 the Carthage company could board at their own homes, 
 and would be put to little inconvenience in comparison. 
 
 " It is true also,^that at this time I had not believed 
 or suspected that an attack would be made upon the 
 prisoners in jail. It is true that I was aware that a 
 great deal of hatred existed against them, and that 
 there were those who would do them an injury if they 
 could. I had heard of some threats being made, but 
 none of an attack upon the prisoners while in jail. 
 These threats seemed to be made by individuals not 
 
108 LIFE IN UTAH ; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 acting in concert. They were no more ttan the bluster 
 which might have been expected, and furnished no in- 
 dication of numbers combining for this or any other 
 purpose. Having ordered the guard and left Gen. 
 Deming in command and discharged the residue of the 
 militia, I immediately departed for Nauvoo, eighteen 
 miles distant, accompanied by Colonel Buckmaster, 
 Quartermaster General, and Captain Dunn's company 
 of dragoons. 
 
 "After we had proceeded four miles. Col. Buckmaster 
 intimated to me a suspicion that an attack would be 
 made upon the jail. He stated the matter as a mere 
 suspicion, arising from having seen two persons con- 
 verse together at Carthage with some air of mystery. 
 I myself entertained no suspicion of such an attack; 
 at any rate, none before the next day in the afternoon ; 
 because it was notorious that we had departed from 
 Carthage with the declared intention of being absent 
 at least two days. I could not believe that any person 
 would attack the jail whilst we were in Nauvoo, and 
 thereby expose my life and the life of my Companions 
 to the sudden vengeance of the Mormons, upon hearing 
 of the death of their leaders. Nevertheless, acting 
 upon the principle of providing against mere possibili- 
 ties, I sent back one of the conipany with a special 
 order to Captain Smith to guard the jail strictly, and 
 at the peril of his life, until my return. 
 
 " We proceeded on our journey four miles further. 
 By this time I had convinced myself that no attack 
 would be made upon the jail that day or night. I 
 supposed that a regard for my safety and the safety of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 109 
 
 my companions would prevent an attack until those to 
 be engaged in it .could be assured of our departure from 
 Nauvoo. I still think that this ought to have ap- 
 peared to me , to be a reasonable supposition. I there- 
 fore determined at this point to omit making the 
 search for counterfeit money at Nauvoo, and defer an 
 examination of all other abominations charged on that 
 people, in grder to return to Carthage that same night, 
 that I might be on the ground in person, in time to 
 prevent an attack upon the jail, if any had been medi- 
 tated. To this end we called a halt; the baggage 
 wagons were ordered to remain where they were until 
 towards evening, and then return to Carthage. 
 
 " Having made these arrangements, we proceeded on 
 our march, and arrived at Nauvoo about four o'clock 
 of the afternoon of the 27th day of June. As soon as 
 notice could be given, a crowd of the citizens assembled 
 to hear an address which I proposed to deliver to them. 
 The number present has been variously estimated at 
 from one to five thousand. 
 
 "In this address I stated to them how, and in what, 
 their functionaries had violated the laws. Also, the 
 many scandalous reports in circulation against them, 
 and that these reports, whether true or false, were 
 generally believed by the people. I distinctly stated 
 to them the amount of hatred and prejudice which pre- 
 vailed everywhere against them, and the causes of it, 
 at length. 
 
 " I also told them plainly and emphatically, that if 
 any vengeance should be attempted, openly or secretly 
 against the persons or property of the citizens who had 
 
110 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 taken part against their leaders, that the public hatred 
 amd excitement were such, that thousands would as- 
 semble for the total destruction of their city and the 
 extermination of their people ; and that no power in 
 the State would be able to prevent it. During this ad- 
 dress some impatience and resentment were manifested 
 by the Mormons, at the recital of the various reports 
 enumerated concerning them, which they strenuously 
 and indignantly denied to be true. They claimed to 
 be a law-abiding people, and insisted that as they 
 looked to the law alone for their protection, so were 
 they careful themselves to observe its provisions. Upon 
 the conclusion of this address, I proposed to take a vote 
 on the question whether they 'would strictly observe 
 the laws, even in opposition to their Prophet and 
 leaders. The vote was unanimous in favor of this 
 proposition. 
 
 " The anti-Mormons contended that such a vote from 
 the Mormons signified nothing; and truly the subse- 
 quent history of that people showed clearly that they 
 were loudest in their professions of attachment to the 
 law, when they were guilty of the greatest extrava- 
 gances ; and in fact, that they yrere so ignorant and 
 .stupid about matters of law, that they had no means of 
 judging of the legality of their conduct, only as they 
 were instructed by their spiritual leaders. 
 
 " A short time before sundown we departed on our 
 return to Carthage. When we had proceeded two 
 miles, we met two individuals, one of them a Momion, 
 who informed us that the Smiths had been assassinated in 
 jail, about five or six o'clock of that day. The intelli- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. Ill 
 
 gence seemed to strike everyonewitha kind of dumbness. 
 As to myself it was perfectly astounding ; and I an- 
 ticipated the very worst consequences from it. The 
 Mormons had been represented t* me as a lawless, 
 infatuated and fanatical people, not governed by the 
 ordinary motives which influence the rest of mankind. 
 If so, most likely an exterminating war would ensue, 
 and the whole land would be covered with desolation. 
 Acting upon this supposition, it was my duty to pro- 
 vide as well as I could for the event. I therefore took 
 the two messengers in custody back to Carthage, in 
 order to gain time and make such arrangements as 
 could be made, to prevent any sudden explosion of 
 Mormon excitement. I also despatched messengers to 
 Warsaw, to advise the citizens of the event. But the 
 people there knew all about it, and, like myself, feared 
 a general attack. The women and children were moved 
 across the river, and a committee despatched that night 
 to Quincy for assistance. The next morning by day- 
 light, the ringing of the bells in the city of Quincy an- 
 nounced a public meeting. The people assembled in 
 great numbers. The Warsaw committee stated to the 
 meeting, that a party of Mormons had attempted to 
 rescue the Smiths out of jail ; that a party of Missourians 
 and others had killed the prisoners to prevent their 
 escape ; that the Governor and his party were at Nau- 
 voo, at the time when intelligence of the fact Was. 
 brought there; that they had been attacked by the 
 Nauvoo Legion, and had retreated to a house where 
 they were then closely Besieged. That the Governor 
 had sent out word that he could maintain his position 
 
112 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 for two days, and would be certain to be massacred if 
 assistance did not arrive by tlie end of that time. It 
 is unnecessary to say that this entire story was a fabri- 
 cation. The effect cf it, however, was that by ten o'clock 
 on the 28th of June, between two and three hundred 
 men from Quincy, under command of Major Flood, 
 embarked on board a steamboat for Nauvoo, to assist 
 in raising the siege, as they honestly believed. 
 
 " Upon hearing of the assassination of the Smiths, I 
 was sensible that my command was at an end; that my 
 destruction was noieditated, as well as that of the Mor- 
 mons ; and that I could not reasonably confide longer in 
 one party or the other. I am convinced that it was the 
 expectation that the Mormons would assassinate me, on 
 the supposition that I had planned the murder of the 
 Smiths. Hence the conspirators committed their act 
 while I was at Nauvoo. 
 
 "It was many days after the assassination of the 
 Smiths before the circumstances of the murder became 
 fully known. It then appeared that, agreeably to pre- 
 vious orders, the posse at Warsaw had marched on the 
 morning of the 27th of June in the direction of Gold- 
 en's Point, with a view to join the force from Carthage, 
 the whole body then . to be marched into Nauvoo. 
 When they had gone eight miles, they were met by the 
 order to disband ; and learning, at the same time, that 
 the Governor was absent at Nauvoo, about two hun- 
 dred of these men, many of them disguised by blacking 
 their faces with powder and mud, hastened immediately 
 to Carthage. There they encamped at some distance 
 from the village, and soon learned that one of the com- 
 

 '^v-^' /',.'V%^ '-—'■--- 
 
 DEATH 0¥ JOSEPH SMITH. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 113 
 
 panies left as a guard had disbanded and returned to 
 their homes ; the other company, the Carthage Grays, 
 was stationed by the Captain in the pubHc square, a 
 hundred and fifty yards from the jail, whilst eight men 
 were detailed by him, under the command of Sergeant 
 Franklin A. Worrell, to guard the prisoners. A com- 
 munication was soon estabHshed between the conspirat^ 
 ors and the conapany ; and it was arranged that the 
 guard should have their guns charged with blank car- 
 tridges, and fire at the assailants when they attempted 
 to enter the jail. General Deming, who was left in 
 command, being deserted by some of his troops, and 
 perceiving the arrangement with the others, and having 
 no force upon which he could rely, for fear of his life, 
 retired from the village. The conspirators came up, 
 jumped the shght fence around the jaU, were fired 
 upon by the gua^d, which, according to arrangement, 
 was overpowered immediately, and the assailants en- 
 tered the prison, to the door of the room, where the 
 two prisoners were confined, with two of their friends, 
 who voluntarily bore them company. An attempt was 
 made to break open the door; but Joe Smith being 
 armed with a six barrelled pistol, furnished by his 
 friends, fired several times as the door 'was bursted 
 open, and wounded three of the assailants. At the 
 same time several shots were fired into the room, by 
 some of which John Tl'aylor received four wounds and 
 Hiram Smith was instantly killed. Joe Smith now 
 attempted to escape by jumping out of the second-story 
 window ; but the fall so stunned him that he was un- 
 able to arise, and, being placed in a mtting posture by 
 8 
 
114 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 the conspirators below, they despatched him with four 
 balls shot through his body. 
 
 " Thus fell Joe Smith, the most successful impostor 
 in modern times; a man who, though ignorant and 
 coarse, had some great natural parts, which fitted him 
 for temporary success, but which were so obscured and 
 counteracted by the inherent corruption and vices of 
 his nature, that he never could succeed in establishing 
 a system of policy which looked to permanent success 
 in the future. His lusts, his love of money and power, 
 always set him to studying present gratification and 
 convenience, rather than the remote consequences of 
 his plans. It seems that no power of intellect can 
 save a corrupt man from this error. The strong 
 cravings of the animal nature will never give fair 
 play to a fine understanding ; the judgment is never 
 allowed to choose that good which i^ far away, in pre- 
 ference to enticing evil near at hand. And this may 
 be considered a wise ordinance of Providence, by which 
 the counsels of talented but corrupt men are defeated 
 in the very act which promised success. 
 
 " It must not be supposed that the pretended Prophet 
 practiced the tricks of a common impostor ; that he 
 was a dark and gloomy person, with a long beard, a 
 grave, and severe aspect, and a reserved and saintly 
 carriage of his person ; on the contrary he was full of 
 levity, even to boyish romping ; dressed like a dandy, 
 and at times drank like a sailor and swore like a 
 pirate. He could, as occasion required, be exceedingly 
 meek in his deportment, and then again rough and 
 boisterous as a highway robber ; being always able to 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 115 
 
 satisfy tis followers of the propriety of his conduct. 
 He always quailed before power, and was arrogant to 
 weakness. At times he could put on the air of a peni- 
 tent, as if feeling the deepest humiliation for his sins, 
 and suiFering unutterable anguish, and indulging in 
 the most gloomy forebodings of eternal woe. At such 
 times, he would call for the prayers of the brethren in 
 his behalf, with^a wild and fearful energy and earnest> 
 ness. He was full six feet high, strongly built, and 
 uncommonly well muscled. No doubt he was as much 
 indebted for his influence over an ignorant people, to 
 the superiority of his physical vigor, as to his greater 
 cunning and intellect. 
 
 "His followers were divided into the leaders and 
 the led ; the first division embraced a numerous class 
 of broken-down, unprincipled men of talents, to be 
 found in every country, who, bankrupt in character 
 and fortune, had nothing to lose by deserting the 
 known religions, and carving out a new one of their 
 own. They were mostly infidels, who, holding all re- 
 ligions in derision, believed they had as gdbd a right 
 as Christ or Mahomet, or any of the founders of former 
 systems, to create one for themselves; and if they 
 could impose it upon mankind, to live upon the labor 
 of their dupes. Those of the second division were the 
 credulous, wondering part of men, whose easy belief 
 and admiring natures are always the victims of novelty 
 in whatever shape it may come ; who have a capacity 
 to believe any strange and wonderful matter, if it only 
 be new, whilst the wonders of former ages command 
 neither faith nor reverence ; they are men of feeble 
 
116 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 purposes, readily subjected to the will of the strong, 
 giving themselves up entirely to the direction of their 
 leaders ; and this accounts for the very great influence 
 of those leaders in controling them. In other respects 
 some of the Mormons were abandoned rogues, who had 
 taken shelter in Nauvoo, as a convenient place for the 
 headquarters of their villany ; and others were good, 
 honest, industrious people, who were the sincere vic- 
 tims of artful delusion. Such as these were more the 
 proper objects of pity than persecution. With them, 
 their religious belief was a kind of insanity ; and cer- 
 tainly no greater calamity can befall a human being 
 ' than to have a mind so constituted as to be made the 
 sincere dupe of a religious imposture." 
 
 It were vain to attempt to describe the mingled 
 feelings of grief and rage which agitated the people of 
 Nauvoo, when the death of Joe Smith was announiied 
 there. All his errors and tyrannies seemed to be 
 obliterated from their minds ; he had " sealed the truth 
 with his blood," aijd stood henceforth a sainted martyr. 
 Thie spiritual wives of the dead Prophet filled the city 
 with their cries, but his lawful wife Emma was quiet 
 and resigned. "When Joseph and Hyrum retreated 
 across the river to avoid the constable first sent from 
 Carthage, she had joined with the Apostle "William 
 Marks in writing them an indignant letter, in which 
 she charged them as "cowardly shepherds, who had 
 left the sheep in danger and fled." This statement 
 rests upon the testimony of Joseph F. Smith, son of 
 Hyrum, now an Apostle at Salt Lake, who adds: 
 " "When Joseph saw that letter his great heart almost 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 117 
 
 bursted, and he said, ' If that is all my wife and friends 
 care for my life, then I don't care for it,' and returned 
 and gave himself up." 
 
 The whole people turned out, in deep mourning, and 
 with every demonstration of grief, and the remains of 
 Joseph and Hyrum were honored with a magnificent 
 funeral. Joseph was thirty-nine, and Hyrum forty-four 
 years old. In the short space of fifteen years Joe 
 Smith and his coadjutors had brought forth a new 
 Bible, ordained a new morality, established a new 
 theology, and founded a Church with missions in half 
 the givilized world. Organized in 1830, the Church, 
 at the time of their death, numbered probably two 
 hundred thousand throughout the world. The Mor- 
 mons themselves claimed half a million. But they 
 have probably never exceeded the former number since 
 that time. Under the lead of Brigham Young they 
 made tolerable progress for a few years, but are certainly 
 losing in numbers at present. In the very germ of the 
 new sect was planted a fatal principle of progress in 
 evil, which, by its appeal to the vagaries and vices of 
 men, gave a predisposition to rapid rise and the 
 assurance of early decay. From a living and erring 
 Prophet of personal prowess and prestige, the progrfess 
 was regular and natural to intrigue, grossness and 
 materialism; materialism and sanctified lust necessi- 
 tated polygamy, and polygamy has in the perfect order 
 of nature proved the mother of incest and blood 
 atonement. From the worship of a human demigod 
 of passion, under a light and false mantle of religion, 
 the descent was easy to the worship of only sensual 
 
118 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 forms and practices. There is nothing more surprising 
 in it than in the progress from the serpent's egg to the 
 deadly viper. Nor is it strange that .the sect increased 
 rapidly; every century, and almost every generation, 
 has witnessed the sudden rise of a corrupt and law- 
 defjing sect ; and modern society still presents ample 
 materials. As like produces like, and everything its 
 kind in nature, so the evil-hearted and credulous will 
 be led to worse evil by any religion that does not 
 convert and reform. The various sects, too, have lost 
 much of that burning and aggressive vigor which 
 distinguished their rise ; and redemptive agencies have 
 not, in all respects, kept pace with sinful allurement, 
 and a fair field has been left for delusion. The 
 minister in many cases still travels on horseback, while 
 the devil goes by rail. With all the power of evan- 
 gelical organization and gospel at work, Satan too often 
 rides upon the whirlwind of popular passion, and 
 subsidizes by trick and prejudice the very enthusiasm 
 of man's nature. 
 
 The Methodists, who formerly prided themselves on 
 a hearty simplicity and earnest work among the masses, 
 have too often attained to the elegant conservatism of 
 thfe Old Mother ; they are in some places fixed almost in 
 gilded formalism, and in others reduced to the preju- 
 diced following after traditions of religion, both lacking 
 much the kindling of the " fire from the altar." The 
 Baptists, who were also the hardy pioneers, have so en- 
 trenched themselves about as to be separated from other 
 denominations in sympathy, and almost from the world, 
 leaving themselves open, at least, to the charge of follow- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 119 
 
 iiig " the water-god of exclusive errorists." The Pres- 
 byterians, whose universal suffrage should be peculiarly 
 suited to the genius of our whole people, seem to have 
 struck but a certain class of quietly reserved tastes ; and 
 they appear to the world as much interested in preserv- 
 ing the authority of an ancient Confession of Faith as in 
 vitalizing their republicanism for the conversion of the 
 people. The (Jampbellites have developed a controver- 
 sial spirit which may well be suspected of having gone 
 beyond a mere zeal for the truth. The Episcopalians, 
 with an organization essentially monarchical in form, 
 looking to its dignitaries for authority and power, di- 
 vided even here aS to the policy of carrying this princi- 
 ple further, cannot yet be said to be fully naturalized as 
 an American church. All have attained to a more 
 formal, or sober and intellectual sort of religion. Nor 
 should we quarrel with this, of itself. Intellectual men 
 must have an intellectual faith ; a mere emotional ex- 
 perience is quite impossible to them, nor would it con- 
 tent them. Notwithstanding this, the Unitarians, a sect 
 whose faith is more purely one of philosophy and taste, 
 have shown little vitality in extending their bounds. 
 There is still the great mass of men who will be content 
 with nothing short of a simple religion, warmed with a 
 generous enthusiasm ; and this, in the hands or under 
 the direction of corrupt or crazy men, becomes a wild, 
 fierce fanaticism. Not that religion should accommodate 
 the vices of human nature ; but while it reforms them 
 it should give virtuous direction to that enthusiasm 
 which will otherwise rend and tear them. It is not at 
 all too late for another suscessful delusion. Millions 
 
-120 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 pant for novelty, for a personal god, for present light 
 and prophecy, for something harmonious entirely with 
 our own day and nation, more real, more tangible, not 
 a mere matter of two thousand years of church erudi- 
 tion and history, grand as they are in the triumphs of 
 an improving civiUzation. 
 
 In the midst of such excitement in the West came 
 the impostor, and to the lowest manifestation of this 
 want Mormonism was addressed. But Mormonism 
 could never be a success in America, because it contro- 
 verted the inherent American idea ; it turned back to 
 sensualism for its inspiration, and to despotism for its 
 model. Had it been founded on progressive instead of 
 retrograde ideas, had it developed individuality and 
 personal freedom, had it claimed a higher consideration 
 for the feminine in creation and a more perfect inde- 
 pendence for woman, had it stepped forward and not 
 back, then it might have helped reform all America, and 
 founded a permanent, new order. 
 
 The religious public may then be re-assured; Mor- 
 monism is not the religion or sect which is to play havoc 
 among existing systems. But the signs of the times 
 indicate a new or modified phase of religion. We will 
 have a distinctly American Church. The Roman Em- 
 pire Christianized made Koman Catholicism, which has 
 been reformed as its people have in the governments ; 
 Russia made the finished Greek system ; Italy is Ultra- 
 montane Catholic; England has the Establishment; 
 Scandinavia has the Lutheran Church ; each nation has 
 developed one central, theologic and ecclesiastical idea, 
 and we are. not yet so fully completed and individual- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 121 
 
 ized, as to be without the same want and yearning. Per- 
 haps one of the present sects will modify and advance 
 to the needed place ; or from the spirit of union in many, 
 may come the ascendant and satisfying one. The Church 
 of the future must be both intellectual and emotional ; 
 it must look to the future for its hope, and to our own 
 land for its governing polity, and not to worn out sys- 
 tems which hav« proved too weak for earthly means ; 
 as truth is immortal it must look only for new develop- 
 ments of truth ; it must purify the marriage relation, 
 and recognize the political and social independence of 
 woman ; it must believe in sanctification, if even it does 
 not claim to have obtained it, and it must make un- 
 ceasing war upon every species of oppression, and every 
 form of intemperance. Such a Church must have more 
 truth than error both in method and creed, and for it, 
 a broad field is open. 
 
 But Mormonisra was a mushroom growth upon a rich 
 bed of decay, which sprang up merely because some- 
 ihing better was not planted, but had no enduring root. 
 It might flourish for half a century or more, upon the 
 scum of vice in America and the ignorance of Europe, 
 but could enjoy at best but a sort of living death, and 
 must soon wither and decay. 
 
122 LITE IN UTAH- OR THE MTSTEBIES 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TWO YEARS OF STRIFE — EXODUS FROM ILLINOIS. 
 
 No Successor to the Prophet -David Hyrum Smith, the " Son of Promise" 
 —Contest for the Leadership— Diplomacy of Brigham Young— Curious 
 Trials— All of Brigham' s Opponents " cut off"- Troubles Renewed— 
 Fights, Outrages, Robberies and Murder— Another Election and more 
 Treachery— Singular "Wolf Hunt"— Capture and Trial of Smith's 
 Murderers- Of the Mormon Rioters — Failure and Defects of the Law — 
 Further Outrages on Gentiles — Trouble in Adams County— The " One- 
 ness " — The People of Adams Drive out the Mormons— Revenge by the 
 Mormons— Murders of MoBratney, Worrell, Wilcox and Daubeneyer— 
 Retaliation, and Murder of Durfee — The Mormons Ravage Hancock — 
 • Flight of the Gentiles — Militia Called and Hancock put under Martial 
 ' Law — The Mormons Begin to Leave Illinois — Fresh Quarrels — More 
 Mormon Treachery — Bombardment of Nauvoo, arid Final Expulsionof 
 the Mormons. 
 
 The hostility of the Gentiles suddenly relaxed, and 
 a brief period of repose followed. But it was necessary 
 to provide for the government of the Church. The 
 theocratic polity had been fully established by Joe 
 Smith, but no provision made for a successor. The 
 Prophet had, it is true, laid his hands on the head of 
 his eldest son Joseph and ordained him a king and 
 priest in his stead, ?ind but a short time before his 
 death he stated that, "the man was not born who was 
 to lead this people, but of Emma Smith — then promising 
 him an heir — should be born a son who would succeed 
 in the Presidency after a season of disturbance." This 
 eon, named from his father's direction David Hyrum, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 123 
 
 was born at the Mansion House, on the 17th of No- 
 vember following. This is the "son of promise" whom 
 thousands of the Mormons still regard as the predes- 
 tined leader wno is finally to bring them back to 
 Jackson County. 
 
 But an immediate leader was needed. Many had 
 revelations that Joseph would, like the Saviour, rise 
 from the dead, a^d some reported that they had seen 
 him coursing the air on a great white horse. But all 
 these were finally condemned by tbfe priesthood as 
 " Ipng revelations." William Smith, the Prophet's 
 only surviving brother, claimed the succession on that 
 account. Sidney Rigdon, who was one of the First 
 Presidency, from his peculiar relations to the Church, 
 asserted the strongest claim. James Strang had an 
 immediate revelation that he was to lead the people 
 into Wisconsin." Lyman Wight received a divine 
 order to go to Texas, and Gladden Bishop, John E. 
 Page, Cutler; Hedrick, Brewster and others laid in 
 their claims. 
 
 On the 15th of August, the Twelve Apostles, headed 
 by Brigham Young, addressed an " Encyclical letter to 
 all the Saints in the world," and the 7th of October, the 
 Saints of Nauvoo and vicinity met in council to deter- 
 mine who should take control. Brigham had been 
 absent in Boston, and Eigdon, very busy among the 
 people, had succeeded in getting a special convention 
 called ; but Brigham arrived the very day of the meet- 
 ing, and signally defeated Rigdon. The people voted 
 that the government should for the present be in the 
 "College of Twelve Apostles," which was in efiect 
 
124 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 making Brigham chief ruler, fhe next day Brigham 
 made a savage address against Sidney Eigdon, who, 
 meanwhile, had a revelation that all the wealthy mem- 
 bers were to follow him to western Pennsylvania, and 
 establish a new " stake " for the others to gather to ! 
 Brigham then denounced Rigdon and all his revelations 
 as from the devil, and moved that he be "cut off." 
 Nearly a hundred voted in the negative, when it was 
 immediately resolved they were " in a spirit of apos- 
 tasy," and they were " cut off." It was then proposed 
 and unanimously carried, that " all who should hereafter 
 defend Rigdon should be cut off," which ^ended the so- 
 called election. Rigdon took a small band to Pennsyl^ 
 vania, and most of the other aspirants also took off 
 various sects, known in the Brighamite church as " Glad- 
 Qenites," " Strangites," " Brewsterites," " Cutlerites," 
 " Gatherers," etc. Most of these sects have fallen to 
 pieces. The Times and Seasons, a weekly periodical, 
 had been established at Nauvoo soon after its settlement^ 
 and in the fifth volume may be found a full account of 
 these curious trials. 
 
 Brigham Young now took entire control, hastened the 
 completion of the upper rooms of the Temple, and 
 hurried the people through their " endowments." These 
 consist of a mystical ceremony representing the various 
 stages in man's progress, during which the candidates 
 are initiated 'and passed to the various degrees of the 
 priesthood, and sworn to obey all orders of their supe- 
 riors. The penalties for violation of these oaths are, 
 according to the^uniform testimony of various apostates, 
 " having the throat cut," the " bowels sht across," the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 125 
 
 "heart plucked out," or the "blood spilt upon the 
 ground," according to the several degrees. Brigham 
 consolidated his power rapidly, but by the opening of 
 1845, outside hostility again began to be felt, and the 
 leaders secretly resolved to abandon Nauvoo. 
 
 The malcontents from the city, and those who had 
 suffered, would run away to anti-Mormon neighbor- 
 hoods, and stir up hatred against the Saints. Gentiles, 
 who owned property near Nauvoo, found it practically 
 worthless, for they could sell it to no other Gentiles ; 
 and in the county at large, where the Mormons settled 
 around an old resident, his society was gone ; he could 
 have no church nor school privileges; he could not 
 affiliate or be neighborly with the new comers, and 
 often suspected them of trespass and constant annoyance. 
 His land lost half its value, and the near presence of 
 foreigners of the fanatic sect caused him to be forever 
 on his guard. It became a settled conviction in the 
 minds of the people that they could have no peaceful 
 enjoyment of their property while the Saints remained. 
 Gentiles combined in groups for society and protection, 
 and Mormons did the same at command of the Church, 
 to which they were bound by such absolute oaths ; and 
 this, of course, led to local and sectional hatred, which, 
 among people who habitually wore arms, soon culmi- 
 nated in blood. Men became afraid to stir abroad, ex- 
 cept in squads; riots and regular skirmishes, amounting 
 almost to pitched battles, took place ; ]?lood was shed, 
 lives were lost, and the exasperation of both parties was 
 raised to the highest pitch. The Western press teemed 
 with accounts of the enormities of Nauvoo, no doubt, 
 
126 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 greatly exaggerated, but still" with considerable basis of 
 truth. A horrible murder was committed in Lee 
 County, Iowa, and the perpetrators were traced directly 
 to Nauvoo. At least a dozen Mormons swore positively 
 that the accused were in that city at the time of the 
 murder ; and yet so contradictory was their testimony, 
 and so plain the rest of the evidence, that the mur- 
 derers, two brothers named Hodges, were convicted and 
 hanged at Montrose, Iowa. It was whispered about 
 that they would be rescued by a Mormon -force, and 
 nearly every man in southern Iowa, then but eighty 
 miles wide, the rest to the Missouri being India^ coun- 
 try, attended the execution. This case excited all 
 of Iowa as well as Illinois afresh against Nauvoo. 
 Conspicuous among the journals of that period, in 
 advocating the expulsion' or extermination of the Mor- 
 mons, were the Sangamo Journal, Burlington Hawk-eye, 
 Quincy Whig and Warsaw Signal. At the same time, 
 the executive of the State was accused openly of favoring 
 the Mormons. Perhaps no fact in Mormon history so 
 fully illustrates the blind unreason of the laity, or tl^e 
 corruption and treachery of their leaders, as their treat- 
 ment of the Governor, Thomas L. Ford. He had been 
 elected with the aid of their votes, and had always 
 maintained that the crusade against them was only for 
 political effect ; he had been their friend in most diffi- 
 cult situations, and had even strained the facts to make 
 a sort of excuee for them ; he had done all that was 
 supposed necessary to save the Smiths, and had risked 
 his popularity and life to bring their murderers to pun- 
 ishment. And yet they are never weary of heaping 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 1'27 
 
 abuse upon him, because he did not accede to other 
 demands on their part ; they generally accuse him of 
 conniving at the murder of the Smiths, and heap exe- 
 crations upon his memory. It must be remembered, 
 that Governor Ford wrote his history the year after 
 the Mormons left, that it is not so much a history of 
 the State as a defence of his administration, that, pol- 
 litically, he was jpore of an enemy to the anti-Mormons 
 of western Illinois than to the Mormons, and con- 
 sequently inclined to make as favorable a showing as 
 possible for the latter. With this comment, or caution 
 rather, I return to his account : 
 
 "About one year after the apostles were installed in 
 power, thfey abandoned for the present the project of 
 converting the world to the new religion. All the 
 missionaries and members abroad were ordered home ; 
 it was announced that the world had rejected the 
 gospel by the murder of the Prophet and Patriarch, 
 and was to be left to perish in its sins. In the 
 meantime, both before and after this, the elders at 
 Nauvoo quit preaching about religion. The Mormons 
 came from every part pouring into the city ; the con- 
 gregations were regularly called together for worship, 
 but instead of expounding the new gospel, the zealous 
 and infuriated preachers now indulged only in curses 
 and strains of .abuse of the Gentiles, and it seemed to 
 be their design to fill their followers with the greatest 
 amount of hatred to all mankind excepting the ' Saints.' 
 A sermon was no more than an inflammatory stump 
 speech, relating to their quarrels with their enemies, 
 and ornamented with an abundance, of profanity. 
 
128 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 From my own personal knowledge of this people, I 
 can say, with truth, that I have never known much of 
 any of their leaders who was not addicted to profane 
 swearing. No other kind of discourses than these were 
 heard in the city. Curses upon their enemies, upon 
 the country, upon Government, upon all public officers, 
 were now the lessons taught by the elders, to inflame 
 their people with the highest degree of spite and malice 
 against all who were not of the Mormon CKurch, or its 
 obsequious tools. The reader can readily imagine how 
 a city of fifteen thousand inhabitants could be wrought 
 up and kept in a continual rage by the inflammatory 
 harangues of its leaders. 
 
 " In the meantime, the anti-Mormons were not idle ; 
 they were more than ever determined to expel the 
 Mormons; and, being passionately inflamed against 
 them, they made many applications for executive 
 assistance. On the other hand, the Mormons invoked 
 the assistance of Government to take vengeance upon 
 the murderers of the Smiths. The anti-Mormons 
 asked the Governor to violate the Constitution, which 
 he was sworn to support, by erecting himself into a 
 military despot and exiling the Mormons. The Mor- 
 mons on their part, in their newspapers, invited the 
 Governor to assume absolute power, by taking a 
 summary vengeance upon their enemies, by shooting 
 fifty or a hundred of them, without judge or jury. 
 Both parties were thoroughly disgusted with Consti- 
 tutional provisions, restraining them from summary 
 vengeance; each was ready to submit to arbitrary 
 power, to the fiat of a dictator, to make me a king for 
 
AND CRtMES OF MORMONISM. 129 
 
 the time being, or at least that I might exercise the 
 power of a king, to abolish both the forms and spirit 
 of free government, if the despotism to be erected upon 
 its ruins could only be wielded for their benefit, and to 
 take vengeance on their enemies. 
 
 "Another election was to come off in August, 1844, 
 for members of Congress and for the Legislature ; and 
 an election was ^jending throughout the nation for a 
 President of the United States. The war of party was 
 never more fierce and terrible than during the pen- 
 dency of these elections. As a means of allaying the 
 excitement, and making the question more managea- 
 ble, I was most anxious that the Mormons should not 
 vote at this election, and strongly advised them against 
 doing so. But Col. E. D. Taylor went to their city a 
 few days before the election, and the Mormons being 
 ever disposed to follow the worst advice they could get, 
 were induced by him and others to vote for all the 
 democratic candidates. Col. Taylor found them very 
 hostile to the Governor, and on that account much dis- 
 posed not to vote at this election. The leading Whig 
 anti-Mormons believing that I had an influence over 
 the Mormons, for the purpose .of destroying it, had as- 
 sumed them that the Governor had planned and been 
 favorable to the murder of their Prophet and Patriarch. 
 The Mormons pretended to suspect that the Governor 
 had given some countenance to the murder, or at least 
 had neglected to take the proper precautions to pre- 
 vent it. 
 
 " In the course of the fall of 1844, the anti-Mormon 
 leaders sent printed invitations to all the militia cap- 
 9 
 
130 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 tains in Hancock, and to the captains of militia in all 
 the neighboring counties in Illinois, Iowa, and Mis- 
 souri, to be present with their companies at a great 
 wolf hunt in Hancock ; and it was privately announced 
 that the wolves to be hunted were the Mormons, and 
 Jack Mormons.* Preparations were made for assem- 
 bling several thousand men, with provisions for six 
 days ; and the anti-Mormon newspapers, in aid of the 
 movement, commenced anew the most awful accounts 
 of thefts and robberies, and meditated outrages by the 
 Mormons. The Whig press in every part ©f the United 
 States came to their assistance. The Democratic news- 
 papers and the leading Democrats, who had received the 
 benefit of the Mormon votes ' to their party, quailed 
 under the tempest, leaving no organ for the correction 
 of public opinion, either at home or abroad, except the 
 discredited Mormon newspaper at Nauvoo. But very 
 few of my prominent Democratic friends would dare to 
 come up to the assistance of their Governor, and but few 
 of them dared openly to vindicate his motives in en- 
 deavoring to keep the peace. They were willing and 
 anxious for Mormon votes at elections, but they were 
 unwilling to risk their popularity with the people, by 
 taking a part in their favor, even when law and justice 
 and the Constitution were all on their side. Such 
 being the odious character of the Mormons, the hatred 
 of the common people against them, and such being 
 the pusillanimity of leading men, in fearing to encoun- 
 ter it. 
 
 " In this state of the case I applied to Brigadier-Gen- 
 * A slang name applied to Gentiles who favor the Mormons. 
 
AND CJEIMES OP MOEMONISM. 131 
 
 eral J. J. Hardin of the State militia, and to Colonels 
 Baker and Merriman, all Whigs, but all of them men of 
 military ambition, and they together with Colonel Wil- 
 liam Weatherford, a Democrat, with my own exertions, 
 succeeded in raising about five hundred volunteers ; and 
 thus did these Whigs, that which my own political 
 friends with two or three exceptions, were slow to do, 
 from a sense of 4uty and gratitude. 
 
 " With this little force under the command of General 
 Hardin, I arrived in Hancock County on the 25th of 
 October. T-he malcontents abandoned their design, and 
 all the leaders of it fled to Missouri. The Carthage 
 Grays fled almost in a Ibgdy, carrying their arms along 
 with them. During our stay in the county the anti* 
 Mormons thronged into the camp, and conversed freely 
 with the men, who were fast infected with their preju- 
 dices, and it was impossible to get any of the officers 
 .to aid in expelling them. Colonels Baker, Merriman 
 and Weatherford volunteered their services if I would 
 go with them, to cross with a force into Missouri, to 
 capture three of the anti-Mormon leaders, for whose 
 arrest writs had been issued for the murder of the 
 Smiths. To this I assented, and procured a boat which 
 was sent down in the night, and secretly landed a mile 
 above Warsaw. Our little force arrived at that place 
 about noon ; that night we were to cross the Missouri 
 at Churchville, and seize the accused there encamped 
 with a number of their friends; but that afternoon 
 Colonel Baker visited the hostile camp, and on his 
 return refused to partcipate in the expedition, and so 
 advised his friends. There was no authority for com- 
 
132 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 pelling men to invade a neighboring State, and for this 
 cause, much to the vexation of myself and others, the 
 matter fell through. It seems that Colonel Baker had 
 already partly arranged the terms for the accused to 
 surrender. They were to be taken to Quincy for ex- 
 amination under a military guard; the attorney for 
 the people was to be advised to admit them to bail, 
 and they were to be entitled to a continuance of their 
 trial at the next Court at Carthage ; upon this, two 
 of the accused came over and surrendered themselves 
 prisoners. 
 
 " I employed able lawyers to hunt up the testimony, 
 procure indictments and prosecute the oJOfenders. A" 
 trial was had before Judge Young in the summer of 
 1845. The Sheriff and panel of jurors selected by the 
 Mormon Court were set aside for prejudice, a new panel 
 was ordered and elisors were appointed for this purpose ; 
 but as more than a thousand men had assembled under 
 arms at the court, to keep away the Mormons and their 
 friends, the jury was made up of these military followers 
 of the court, who all swore that they had never formed 
 or expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of 
 the accused. The Mormons had one principal witness, 
 who was with the troops at Warsaw, had marched with 
 them until they were disbanded, heard their consulta- 
 tions, went before them to Carthage and saw them mur- 
 der the Smiths. But before the trial came on they had 
 induced him to become a Mormon; and being much more 
 anxious for the glorification of the Prophet than to 
 avenge his death, the leading Mormons made him pub- 
 lish a pamphlet giving an account of the murder, in 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 133 
 
 which he professed to have seen a bright and shining 
 light descend upon the head of Joe Smith, to strike some 
 of the conspirators with bUndness, and that he heard - 
 supernatural voices in the air confirming his mission as 
 a Prophet ! Having published this in a book, he was 
 compelled to swear to it in court, which of course de- 
 stroyed the credit of his evidence. This witness was 
 afterwards expelled from the Mormons, but no doubt 
 they will cling to his evidence in favor of the divine 
 mission of the Prophet. Many other witnesses were 
 examined who knew the facts, but, under the influence 
 of the demoralization of faction, denied all knowledge 
 'of them. It has been said, that faction may find men 
 honest, but it scarcely ever leaves them so. This was 
 verified to the letter, in the history of the Mormon 
 quarrel. The accused were all acquitted. 
 
 " At the next term, the leading Mormons were tried 
 and acquitted for the destruction of the heretical press. 
 It appears that, not being interested in objecting to the 
 Sherifi" or jury selected by a court elected by them- 
 selves, they, in their turn, got a favorable jury deter- 
 mined upon acquittal ; and yet the Mormon jurors all 
 swore that they had formed no opinion as to the guilt 
 or innocence of their accused friends. It appeared that 
 the laws furnished the means of suiting each party with 
 a jury. The Mormons could have a Mormon jury to 
 be tried by, selected by themselves ; and the anti-Mor- 
 mons, by objecting to the Sheriff and regular panel, 
 could have one from the anti-Mormons. Henceforth no 
 leading man on either side could be arrested without the 
 aid of an army, as the men of one party could not 
 
134 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 safely surrender to the other for fear of being murdered ; 
 when arrested by a military force, the Constitution pro- 
 hibited a trial in any other county without the consent 
 of me accused. No one would be convicted of any 
 crime in Hancock ; and this put an end to the adminis- 
 tration of the criminal law in that distracted county. 
 Government was at an end there, and the whole com- 
 munity was delivered up to the dominion of a frightful 
 anarchy. If the whole State had been in the same 
 condition, then indeed would have been verified to the 
 letter what was said by a wit, when he expressed an 
 opinion that the people were neither capable of gov- 
 erning themselves, nor of being governed by others." 
 
 Late in 1845, the Mormon Charters were revoked by 
 the Legislature, which act that body evidently considered 
 a cure for all the evils of Mormonism. 
 
 " Nauvoo was now a city of about 15,000 inhabitants 
 and was fast increasing, as the followers of the Prophet 
 were pouring into it from all parts of the world ; and 
 there were several other settlements and villages of Mor- 
 mons in Hancock County. Nauvoo was scattered over 
 about six square miles, a part of it being built upon the 
 flat, skirting and fronting on the Mississippi Eiver, but 
 the greater portion of it upon the bluffs back, east of 
 the river. The great Temple, which is said to have 
 cost a million of dollars in money and labor, occupied a 
 commanding position on the brow of this bluff, and 
 overlooked the country around for twenty miles in IIU- 
 nois and Iowa. 
 
 " The anti-Mormons complained of a large number of 
 larcenies and robberies. The Mormon press at Nauvoo 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 135 
 
 and. the anti-Mormon papers at Warsaw, Quincy, Spring- 
 field, Alton, and St. Louis, kept up a constant fire at 
 each other ; the anti-Mormons all the time calling, upon 
 the people to rise and expel, or exterminate the Mormons. 
 The great fires in Pittsburg and in other cities about 
 this time, were seized upon by the Mormon press to 
 countenance the assertion that the Lord had sent them 
 to manifest his displeasure against the Gentiles ; and to 
 hint that all other places which should countenance 
 the enemies of the Mormons, might expect to be 
 visited by ' hot drops ' of the sanie description. This 
 was interpreted by the anti-Mormons to be a threat by 
 Mormon incendiaries, to bum down all cities and places 
 ngt friendly to their religion. About this time also, a 
 suit had been commenced in the circuit court of the 
 United States against some of the Twelve Apostles, on 
 a note given in Ohio. The deputy marshal went to 
 summon the defendants. They were determined not to 
 be served with process, and a great meeting of their 
 people being called, outrageously inflammatory speeches 
 were made by the leaders ; the marshal was threatened 
 and abused for intending to serve, a lawful process, and 
 here it was publicly declared and agreed to by the 
 Mormons, that no more process should be served in 
 Nauvoo. Also,' about this time, a leading anti-Mormon 
 by the name of Dr. Marshall made an assault upon 
 Gen. Deming, the Sheriff of the County, and was killed 
 by the Sheriff in repelling the assault. The Sheriff was 
 arrested and held to bail by Judge Young, for man- 
 slaughter; though, as he had acted strictly in self- 
 defence, no one seriously believed him to be guilty 
 
136 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 of any crime whatever. But Dr. Marshall had many 
 friends disposed to revenge his death, and the rage of the 
 people ran very high, for which reason it was thought 
 best by the judge to hold the Sheriff to bail for some- 
 thing, to save him from being sacrificed to the public 
 fury. 
 
 " Not long after the trials of the supposed murderers 
 of the Smiths, it was discovered on the trial of a right 
 of property near Lima, in Adams county, by Morm&n 
 testimony, that that people had an institution in their 
 Church called a " Oneness," which was composed of an 
 association of five persons, over whom one was appointed 
 as a kind of guardian. This one was trustee for the rest, 
 was to own all the property of the association ; so that 
 if it were levied upon by an execution for debt, the 
 Mormons could prove that the property belonged to one 
 or the other of the parties, as might be required to defeat 
 the execution. And not long after this discovery, in the 
 fall of 1845, the anti-Mormons of Lima and Green 
 Plains held a meeting to devise means for the expulsion 
 of the Mormons from their neighborhood. They ap- 
 pointed some persons of their own number to fire a few 
 shots at the house where they were assembled ; but to 
 do it in such a way as to hurt none who attended the 
 meeting. The meeting was held, the house was fired at, 
 but so as to hurt no one ; and the anti-Mormons sud- 
 denly breaking up their meeting, rode all over the coun- 
 try, spreading the dire alarm that the Mormons had 
 commenced the work of massacre and death. 
 
 " This startling intelligence soon assembled a mob, 
 which proceeded to warn the Mormons to leave the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISlt. 137 
 
 neighborhood, and threatened them with fire and sword 
 if they remained. A very poor class of Mormons 
 resided there, and it is very likel}' that the other 
 inhabitants were annoyed beyond further endurance 
 by their little larcenies and rogueries. The Mormons 
 refused to remove; and about one hundred and seventy- 
 five houses and hovels were burnt, the inmates being 
 obliged to flee for their lives. They fled to Nauvoo in 
 a state of utter destitution, carrying their women and 
 children, aged and sick, along with them as best they 
 could. The sight of these miserable creatures aroused 
 the wrath of the Mormons of Nauvoo. As soon as 
 authentic intelligence of these events reached Spring- 
 field, I ordered General Hardin to raise a force and 
 restore the rule of law. But whilst this force was 
 gathering, the Sheriff of the County had talien the 
 matter in hand. General Deming had died not long 
 after the death of Dr. Marshall, and the Mormons had 
 elected Jacob B. Backinstos to be Sheriff in his place. 
 Being just now regarded as the political leader of the 
 Mormons, Backinstos was hated with a sincere and 
 thorough hatred by the opposite party. 
 
 " When the burning of houses commenced, the great 
 body of the anti-Mormons expressed themselves strongly 
 against it, giving hopes thereby that a posse of anti- 
 Mormons could be raised to put a stop to such incen- 
 diary and riotous conduct. But when they were called 
 on by the new Sheriff, not a man of them turned out 
 to his assistance, many of them no doubt being 
 influenced by their hatred of the Sheriff. Backinstos 
 then went to Nauvoo, where he raised a posse of 
 
138 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 several hundred armed Mormons, with which he swept 
 over the country, took possession of Carthage, and 
 estabUshed a permanent guard there. The anti-Mor- 
 mons everywhere fled from their houses before the 
 Sheriff, some of them to Iowa and Missouri, and others 
 to the neighboring counties in Illinois. The Sheriff 
 was unable or unwilling to bring any portion of the 
 rioters to battle, or to arrest any of them for their 
 crimes. The posse came near surprising one small 
 squad, but they made their escape, all but one, before 
 they could be attacked. This one, named McBratney, 
 was shot down by some of the posse in advance, by 
 whom he was hacked and mutilated as though h6 had 
 been murdered by the Indians. 
 
 " The Sheriff was also in continual peril of his life 
 from the anti-Mormons, who daily threatened him with 
 death the first opportunity. As he was going in a 
 buggy from Warsaw in the direction of Nauvoo, he 
 was pursued by three or four men to a place in the 
 road where some Mormon teams were standing. Back- 
 instos passed the teams a few rods, and then stopping, 
 the pursuers came up within one hundred and fifty 
 yards, when they were fired upon, with an unerring 
 aim, by some one concealed not far to one side of them. 
 By this fire* Franklin A. Worrell was killed. He 
 was the same man who had commanded the guard at 
 the jail at the time the Smiths were assassinated; and 
 there made himself conspicuous in betraying his trust, 
 
 * It has since transpired that "Port" Rockwell fired the fatal 
 shot ; and the gun he used is still preserved as a triumphant relic, in* 
 Salt Lake Gity. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 139 
 
 by consenting to the assassination. It is believed that 
 Backinstos expected to be pursued and attacked, and 
 had previously stationed some men in ambush, to fire 
 upon his pursuers. He was afterwards indicted for the 
 supposed murder, and procured a change of venue to 
 Peoria County, where he was acquitted of the charge. 
 About this time also, the Mormons murdered a man by 
 the name of Dai^beneyer, without any apparent pro- 
 vocation; and another anti-Mormon, named Wilcox, 
 was murdered in Nauvoo, as it was believed, by order 
 of the twelve apostles. The anti-Mormons also com- 
 mitted one murder. Some of them, under Backman, 
 set fire to some straw near a barn belonging to Durfee, 
 an old Mormon of seventy years; and then lay in 
 ambush until the old man came out to e^Ainguish the 
 fire, when they shot him dead from their place of 
 concealment. The perpetrators of this murder were 
 arrested and brought before 'an anti-Mormon justice of 
 the peace, and were acquitted, though their guilt was 
 sufficiently apparent. 
 
 "During the ascendancy of the Sheriff and the absence 
 of the anti-Mormons from their homes, the people who 
 had been burnt out of their homes assembled at Nau- 
 voo, from whence, with many others, they sallied forth 
 and ravaged the country, stealing and plundering what- 
 ever was convenient to carry or drive away. When 
 informed of these proceedings I hastened to Jackson- 
 ville, where, in a conference with General Hardin, 
 Major Warren, Judge Douglas, and the Attorney 
 General, Mr. McDougall, it was agreed that these 
 gentlemen should proceed to Hancock in all haste, with 
 
140 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 whatever forces had been raised, few or many, and put 
 an end to these disorders. It was now apparent that 
 neither party in Hancock could be trusted with the 
 power to keep the peace. It was also agreed that all 
 these gentlemen should unite their influence with mine 
 to induce the Mormons to leave the State. General 
 Hardin lost no time in raising three or four hundred 
 volunteers, and when he got to Carthage he found a 
 Mormon guard in possession of the Court House. This 
 force he ordered to disband and disperse in fifteen 
 minutes. The plundering parties of Mormons were 
 stopped in their ravages. The fugitive anti-Mormons 
 were recalled to their homes, and all parties above four 
 in number on either side were prohibited from assem- 
 bling and marching over the country. 
 
 " Whilst General Hardin was at Carthage, a conven- 
 tion previously appointed assembled at that place, 
 composed of delegates from the eight neighboring 
 counties. The people of the neighboring counties 
 were alarmed lest the anti-Mormons should entirely 
 desert Hancock, and by that means leave one of the 
 largest counties in the State to be possessed entirely 
 by Mormons. This they feared would bring the sur- 
 rounding counties into immediate collision with them. 
 They had, therefore, appointed this convention to con- 
 sider measures for the expulsion of the Mormons. The 
 twelve apostles had now become satisfied that the Mor- 
 mons could not remain, or if they did the leaders would 
 be compelled to abandon the sway and dominion they 
 exercised over them. They had now become con- 
 vinced that the kind of Mahometanism which they 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 141 
 
 sought to establish could never be maintained in 
 the near vicinity of a people whose morals and preju- 
 dices were all outraged and shocked by it, unless in- 
 deed they were prepared to establish it by force of 
 arms. Through the intervention of General Hardin, 
 acting under instructions from me, an agreement was 
 made between the hostile parties for the voluntary 
 removal of the greater part of the Mormons in the 
 spring of 1846. 
 
 "The two parties agreed that, in the meantime, they 
 would seek to make no arrests for crimes previously 
 committed ; and on my part, I agreed that an armed 
 force should be stationed in the county to keep the 
 peace. The presence of such a force, and amnesty 
 from prosecutions on all sides, were insisted on by the 
 Mormons that they mfght devote their time and energies 
 to prepare for their removal. General Hardin first 
 diminished his force to one hundred men, leaving Major 
 William B. Warren in command. And this force being 
 further reduced during the winter to fifty, and then to 
 ten men, was kept up until the last of May, 1846. 
 This force was commanded with great prudence and 
 efiiciency during all this winter and spring by Major 
 Warren ; and with it he was enabled to keep the tur- 
 bulent spirit of faction in check, the Mormons well 
 knowing that it would be supported by a much larger 
 force whenever the Governor saw proper to call for it. 
 In the meantime, they somewhat repented of their 
 bargain, and desired Major Warren to be withdrawn. 
 Backinstos was anxious to be again at the head of his 
 posse, to goster over the county and to take vengeance 
 
l42 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 on his enemies. The anti-Mormons were also dissatis- 
 fied, because the State force preserved a threatening 
 aspect toward them as well as the Mormons. He was 
 always ready to enforce arrests of criminals for new 
 offences on either side ; and this pleased neither party. 
 Civil war was upon the point of breaking out more than 
 a dozen times during the winter. Both parties com- 
 plained of Major Warren ; but I, well knowing that he 
 was manfully doing his duty, in one of the most difficult 
 and vexatious services, steadily sustained him against 
 the complaints on both sides. Great credit is due 
 General Hardin and Major Warren for their services, 
 which had the happiest results, and prevented a civil 
 war in the winter time, when much misery would have 
 followed it. 
 
 " During the winter of 1845-'46, the Morilions made 
 the most prodigious preparations for removal. All the 
 houses in Nauvoo, and even the Temple, were converted 
 into workshops ; and before spring more than twelve 
 thousand wagons were in readiness. The people from 
 all parts of the country flocked to Nauvoo to purchase 
 houses and farms, which were sold extremely low, lower 
 than the prices at a sheriff's sale, for money, wagons, 
 horses, oxen, cattle, and other articles of personal prop- 
 erty, which might be needed by the Mormons during 
 their exodus into the wilderness. By the middle of. 
 May it was estimated, that sixteen thousand Mormons 
 had crossed the Mississippi and taken up their line of 
 march westward; leaving behind them in Nauvoo a 
 small 'remnant of a thousand souls, being those who 
 were unable to sell their property, or having none to 
 sell, were unable to get ^way. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 143 
 
 " The twelve Apostles went first with about two 
 thousand of their followers. Indictments had been 
 found against nine of them in the Circuit Court of the 
 United States for the district of Illinois, at its Decem- 
 ber term, 1845, for counterfeiting the current coin of 
 the United States. The United States Marshal had 
 applied to me for a militia force to arrest them ; but in 
 pursuance of the amnesty agreed on, and consequent 
 considerations, I declined the application unless regu- 
 larly called on by the President according to law. 
 The arrest of the leaders would end the preparations 
 for removal, and it was notorious that none of them 
 could be convicted ; for they always commanded evi- 
 dence and witnesses enough to render conviction im- 
 possible. But with a view to hasten their removal 
 they were made to believe that the President would 
 order the regular army to Nauvoo as soon as naviga- 
 tion opened in the spring. This had its intended 
 effect ; the twelve with about two thousand followers 
 immediately crossed the Mississippi before the breaking 
 up of the ice. But before this, the deputy marshal 
 had sought to arrest the accused without success. 
 
 " Notwithstanding but few of the Mormons remained 
 behind, after June, 1846, the anti-Mormons were no 
 less anxious for their expulsion by force of arms ; being 
 another instance of a party not being satisfied with 
 success not brought about by themselves, and by 
 measures of their own. It was feared that the Mor- 
 mons might vote at the August election of that year ; 
 and that enough of them yet remained to control the 
 elections in the county, and perhaps in the district for 
 
144 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 145 
 
 Congress. They, therefore, took measures to get up a 
 new quarrel with the remaining Mormons. And for 
 this purpose they attacked and severely whipped a 
 party of eight or ten Mormons, which had been sent 
 o\it in the country to harvest some wheat in the neigh- 
 borhood of Pontoosuc, and who had provoked the 
 wrath of the settlement by hallooing, yelling, and 
 other arrogant |j[ehavior. Writs were sworn out in 
 Nauvoo against the men of Pontoosuc, who were kept 
 for several days under strict guard until they gave bail. 
 Then, in their turn, they swore out writs for the 
 arrest of the constable and his posse who had made 
 the first arrest, for false imprisonment. The Mormon 
 posse were no doubt really afraid to be arrested, be- 
 lieving that instead of being tried they would be mur- 
 dered. This made an excuse for an anti-Mormon 
 posse of several hundred men; but the matter was 
 finally adjusted without any one being taken. A com- 
 mittee of anti-Mormons was sent into Nauvoo, who 
 reported that the Mormons were making every possi- 
 ble preparation for removal ; and the leading Mormons 
 on their part agreed that their people should not vote 
 at the next election. 
 
 " The August election soon came, and the Mormons 
 all voted the whole Democratic ticket. I have since 
 been informed by Babbitt, the Mormon elder and agent 
 for the sale of Church property, that they were induced 
 to vote this time from the following considerations : 
 
 " The President of the United States had permitted 
 the Mormons to settle on the Indian lands on the Mis- 
 souri River, and had taken live hundred of them into 
 
 10 
 
146 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES • 
 
 the service as soldiers in the war with Mexico ; and, in 
 consequence of these favors, the Mormons felt under 
 obligations to vote for Democrats in support of the Ad- 
 ministration ; and so determined were they that their 
 support of the President should be efficient, that they 
 all voted three or four times each for a member of Con- 
 gress. 
 
 " This vote of the Mormons enraged the Whigs anew 
 against them ; the probability that they might attempt 
 to remain permanently in the country, and the certainty 
 that many designing persons for selfish purposes were 
 endeavoring to keep them there, revived all the excite- 
 ment which had ever existed against that people. In 
 pursuance of the advice and under the direction of 
 Archibald Williams, a distinguished lawyer and a Whig 
 politician of Quincy, writs were again sworn out for 
 the arrest of persons in Nauvoo, on various charges. 
 But to create a necessity for a great force to make the 
 arrests, it was freely admitted by John Carlin, the con- 
 stable sent in with the writs, that the prisoners would 
 be murdered if arrested and taken out of the city. And 
 now having failed to make the arrests, the constable 
 began to call out the jjossS comitatus. This was about 
 the 1st of September, 1846. The posse soon amounted 
 to several hundred men. The Mormons, in their turn, 
 swore out several writs for the arrest of leading anti- 
 Mormons. Here was writ against writ; constable 
 against constable ; law against law, and posse against 
 posse. 
 
 " Whilst the. parties were assembling their forces, the 
 trustees of Nauvoo being new citizens, not Mormons, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMOJTISM. 147 
 
 applied to the Governor for a militia officer to be sent 
 over with ten men, they supposing that this small force 
 would dispense with the services of the civil posse on 
 either side. There was such a want of confidence on 
 all sides, that no one would submit to be arrested by an 
 adversary, for fear of assassination. 
 
 " In looking around over the State for a suitable officer, 
 those upon whom»I had relied in all previous emergen- 
 cies having gone to the Mexican war, the choice fell 
 upon Major Parker, of Fulton County. He was a 
 Whig, and was selected partly for that reason, believ- 
 ing that now, as in previous cases, a Whig would have 
 more influence in restraining the anti-Mormons than a 
 Democrat. 
 
 " The posse continued to increase until it numbered 
 about eight hundred men ; and whilst it was getting 
 ready to march into the city, it was represented to me 
 by another committee, that the new citizens of Nauvoo 
 were themselves divided into two parties, the one siding 
 with the Mormons, the other with their enemies. The 
 Mormons threatened the disaffected with death, if they 
 did not join in defence of the city. For this reason, I 
 sent over M. Brayman, Elq., a judicious citizen of 
 Springfield, with suitable orders restraining all com- 
 pulsion, in forcing the citizens to join the Mormons 
 against their will, and generally to inquire into and re- 
 port all the circmnstances of the quarrel. Soon after 
 Mr. Bra3Tnan arrived there, he 'persuaded the leaders 
 on each side into an adjustment of the quarrel. It was 
 agreed that the Mormons should immediately surrender 
 their arms to some person to be appointed to receive 
 
148 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 them, and to be re-delivered when they left the State, 
 and that they would remove from the State in two 
 months. This treaty was agreed to by General Single- 
 ton, Colonel Chittenden and others on the side of the 
 Anties, and by Major Parker and some leading Mor- 
 mons on the other side. But when the treaty was sub- 
 mitted to the anti-Mormon forces for ratification, it was 
 rejected by a small majority. General Singleton and 
 Colonel Chittenden, with a proper self respect, immedi- 
 ately withdrew from command ; they not being the first 
 great men placed at the head of affairs at the beginning 
 of violence, who have been hurled from their places be- 
 fore the popular frenzy had run its course. And with 
 them also great Archibald Williams, the prime mover 
 of the enterprise, he not being the first man who has 
 got up a popular commotion and failed to govern it 
 afterwards. Indeed, the whole history of revolutions 
 and popular excitements leading to violence, is full of 
 instances like these. Mr. Brayman, the same day of 
 the rejection of the .treaty, reported to me that nearly 
 one-half of the anti-Mormons would abandon the en- 
 terprise and retire with their late commanders, 'leav- 
 ing a set of hair-brained fools to be flogged or to disperse 
 at their leisure.' It turned out, however, that the cal- 
 culations of Mr. Brayman were not realized ; for when 
 Singleton and Chittenden retired, Thomas S. Brockman 
 was put in command of the posse. This Brockman 
 was a Campbellite preacher, nominally belonging to the 
 Democratic party. He was a large, awkward, uncouth, 
 ignorant, semi-barbarian ; ambitious of ofiice, and bent 
 upon acquiring notoriety. After the appointment of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 149 
 
 Brockman, I was not enabled to hear in any authentic 
 shape of the movements on either side, until the anti- 
 Mormon forces had arrived near the suburbs of the 
 city, and were about ready to commence an attack. 
 The information which was received, was by mere 
 rumor of travelers, or by the newspapers from St. 
 Louis. And I will remark that during none of these 
 difficulties, have^JE been able to get letters and dispatches 
 from Nauvoo by the United States mail, coming as it 
 was obliged to do, through anti-Mormon settlements 
 and Post Ofl&ces." 
 
 The Governor's account proceeds to state the efforts 
 and failure to raise an additional force of militia to quell 
 the disturbance ;. that, if any had been raised, it 
 would have only operated to increase the excite- 
 ment and the anti-Mormon force; that, it was his 
 solemn conviction, no sufficient force could have been 
 raised, to fight in favor of the Mormons ; that, no force 
 could have more than temporarily suppressed the 
 difficulties, and such was the public prejudice against 
 the Mormons, that, ten chances to one, any large force 
 of militia which might have been ordered there would 
 have joined the rioters, rather than fought in favor of 
 the Mormons. 
 
 " The forces under Brockman numbered about 800 
 men; they were armed with the State arms, which 
 had been given up to them by independent militia 
 companies in the adjacent counties.. They also had 
 five six-pounder iron cannon, belonging to the State, 
 which they had obtained in the same way. The Mor- 
 mon party and their allies, being some of the new 
 
150 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 citizens under the command of Major Cliflford, num- 
 bered at first about two hundred and fifty men, but 
 were diminished by desertions and removals, before any 
 decisive fighting took place, to about one hundred and 
 fifty. Some of them were armed with sixteen shooting 
 rifles^ which experience proved ineffective in their 
 hands, and a few of them with muskets. They had four 
 or five cannon, rudely and hastily made by themselves 
 out of the shaft of a steamboat. The Mormons and 
 their allies took position in the suburbs, about one 
 mile east of the temple, where they threw up some 
 breastworks for the protection of their artillery. The 
 attacking force was strong enough to have been divided 
 and marched into the city, on each side of this battery, 
 and entirely out of the range of its shot ; and thus the 
 place might have been taken without the firing of a 
 gun. But Brockman, although he professed a desire 
 to save the lives of his men, planted his force directly 
 in front of the enemy's battery, but distant more than 
 half a mile ; and now both parties commenced a fire 
 from their cannon, and some few persons on each side 
 approached near enough to open a fire with their rifles 
 and muskets, but not near enough to do each other mar 
 terial injury. 
 
 " In this manner they continued to fire at each other, 
 at such a distance, and with such want of skill, 
 that there was but little prospect of injury, until the 
 anti-Mormons had exhausted their ammunition, when 
 they retreated in some disorder to their camp. They 
 were not pursued, and here the Mormons committed 
 an error, for all experience of irregular forces has 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 151 
 
 shown, that however brave they may be, a charge on 
 them Avhen they have once commenced a retreat, is 
 sure to be successful. Having waited a few days to 
 supply themselves with ammunition from Quincy, the 
 Anties again advanced to the attack, but without com- 
 ing nearer to the^ enemy than before, and that which 
 at the time was called a battle, was kept up three or 
 four days, during, all which time the Mormons admit a 
 loss of two men and, a boy killed, and three or four 
 wounded. The Anties admit a loss on their side of one 
 man mortally, and nine or ten others not so danger- 
 ously wounded. The Mormons claimed that they had 
 killed thirty or forty of the Anties. The Anties 
 claimed that they had killed thirty or forty of the 
 Mormons; and both parties could have proved their 
 claim by incontestable evidence, if their witnesses had 
 been credible. But the account which each party 
 renders of its own loss should be taken as the, true one,- 
 unless such account can be successfully controverted. 
 During all the skirmishing and firing of cannon, it is 
 estimated that from seven to nine hundred cannon 
 balls, and an infinite number of bullets, were fired on 
 each side, from which it appears that the remarkable 
 fact of so few being killed and wounded, can be ac- 
 counted for only by supposing great unskilfulness in 
 the use of arms, and by the very safe distance which 
 the parties kept from each other. , 
 
 " At last through the intervention of an anti-Mormon 
 committee of one hundred from Quincy, the Mormons 
 and their allies were induced to submit to such terms 
 as the posse chose to dictate, which were that the Mor- 
 
152 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 mons should immediately give up their arms to the 
 Quincy committee, and remove from the State. The 
 trustees of the Church and five of their clerks were per- 
 mitted to remain for the sale of Mormon property, and 
 the posse wete to march in unmolested, and to leave a 
 sufhcient force to guarantee the performance of these 
 stipulations. 
 
 " Accordingly the constable's posse marched in with 
 Brockman at their head, consisting of about eight hun- 
 dred armed men, and six or seven hundred unarmed, 
 who had assembled, from all the country around, from 
 motives of curiosity, to see the once proud city of Nau- 
 voo humbled, and delivered up to its enemies, and to 
 the domination of a self-constituted and irresponsible 
 power. They proceeded into the city slowly and care- 
 fully, examining the way from fear of the explosion of 
 a mine, many of which had been made by the Mormons, 
 by burying kegs of powder in the ground with a man 
 stationed at a distance to pull a string communicating 
 with the trigger of a percussion lock affixed to the keg. 
 This kind of conirivance was called by the Mormons a 
 ' hell's half-acre.' When the posse arrived in the city, 
 ■the leaders of it erected themselves into a tribunal to 
 decide who should be forced away and who re- 
 main. Parties were dispatched to hunt for Mormon 
 arms .-and for Mormons, and to bring them to the judg- 
 flaent, where they received their doom from the mouth 
 of BuQo'kman, who then sat a grim and unawed tyrant 
 for the time. As a general rule, the Mormons were 
 ordered to leave within an hour or two hours ; and by 
 rare grace some of them were allowed until next day, 
 and in a few cases longer. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 153 
 
 " The treaty specified that the Mormons only should 
 be driven into exile. Nothing was said in it concern- 
 ing the new citizens, who had, with the Mormons, 
 defended the city. But the posse no sooner 'obtained 
 possession, than they commenced expelling the new 
 citizens. Some of them were ducked in the river, 
 being in one or two instances actually baptized in the 
 name of the leaders of the mob ; others were forcibly 
 driven into the ferry boats, to be taken over the river, 
 before the bayonets of armed ruffians ; and it is asserted 
 that the houses of most of them were broken open and 
 their property stolen during their absence, i 
 
 "Although the mob leaders, in the exercise of un- 
 bridled power, were guilty of many enormities to the 
 persons of individuals, and though much personal 
 property was stolen, yet they abstained from materially 
 injuring hooses and buildings. The most that was 
 done in this way was the stealing of the doors and sash 
 of thei windows from a few houses by somebody ; each 
 party equally alleging that it was done by the other. 
 
 " The Mormons had been forced away from their 
 homes unprepared for a journey. They and their 
 women and children had been thrown houseless upon 
 the Iowa shore, without provisions- or the means of gei> 
 ting them, or to get away to places where provisions 
 might be obtained. It was now the height of the sickly 
 season. Many of them were taken from sick beds, 
 hurried into the boats, and driven- away by the armed 
 ruffians now exercising the power of government. The 
 best they could do was to erect their tents on the banks 
 of the river, and there remain to take their chances of 
 
154 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH ; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 perishing by hunger, or by prevailing sickness. In this 
 condition the sick, without shelter, food, nourishment 
 or medicines, died by scores. The mother watched her 
 sick babe, without hope, until it died, and when she sunk 
 under accumulated miseries, it was only to be quickly 
 followed by her other children, now left without the 
 least attention ; for the men had scattered out over the 
 country seeking employment and the means of living. 
 Their distressed condition was no sooner known, than 
 all parties contributed to their relief; the anti-Mormons 
 as much as others." 
 
 BRIGHAM XOtTNG PEEACHING IS THE WILDERNESS. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 155 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FROM THE NAXJVOO EXODUS TO THE MORMON WAR IN 
 
 UTAH. 
 * 
 The Via Dolorosa of Mormon History — Through Iowa— Great suffering — 
 " Stakes of Zion " — Settlement in Nebraska — "Mormon Battalion" — 
 Journey to Utah — Founding of Bait Lake City — Early accounts — Out- 
 rages upon California emigrants — Travelers murdered — Apostates 
 "missing ' ' — Dangers of rivalry in love with a Mormon Bishop — Usurpa- 
 tions of Mormon Courts and ofllcers — Federal Judges driven out — 
 Murders of Babbitt and Williams — Flight of Judges Stiles and Drum- 
 mond — The Army set in motion for Utah — New ofiBcers appointed— Sus- 
 picious delay of the army — The " Mormon War " begun. 
 
 The last of the Mormons was exiled from the State 
 which had gladly received them seven years before, 
 and we turn to their march through Iowa — the Via 
 Dolorosa of Mormon history. A band of pioneers 
 through Iowa left Nauvoo the 20th day of January, 
 1846, and the same day the High Council issued a cir- 
 cular announcing the general intention to leave. Early 
 in February several thousand Mormons crossed the 
 Mississippi, many of them on the ice, and started 
 directly west, along a line near the northern boundary 
 of Missouri. They were divided into companies of ten 
 wagons each, under control of captains, and this semi- 
 military order was maintained throughout. As the 
 spring advanced, many of the able-bodied men scattered 
 to various places in Missouri and Iowa, seeking em- 
 ployment of every kind, and the remaining men, with 
 
156 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 a great band of women and children, pursued their way. 
 In that climate and at that season, their suflferings were 
 necessarily great. The high waters, wet prairie, damp 
 winds and muddy roads of spring troubled them worse 
 than the frosts of winter, and sickness and death in- 
 creased. "All night," says a woman who made the 
 journey, "the wagons came trundling into camp with 
 half-frozen children screaming with cold, or crying for 
 bread, and the same the next day, and the next, the 
 whole line of march. 
 
 " The open sky and bare ground for women and 
 children in February is a thing only to be endured 
 when human nature is put to the rack of necessity, 
 and many a mother hastily buried her dead child by 
 the wayside, only regretting she could not lie down 
 with it herself and be at peace." 
 
 On their way they established " Stakes," and when 
 the weather had sufficiently advanced, enclosed large 
 fields and planted them with grain for those who were 
 to follow after. The most noted of these "stakes" 
 were Garden Grove and Mt. Pisgah. They bridged 
 the Nishnabatona, Nodaway and Grand Rivers, besides 
 many smaller streams, and later, when the grass- was 
 grown, turned northward. 
 
 But the advance of the season seemed to increase the 
 amount of disease ; hundreds who had been frost-bitten 
 and chilled during the winter died along the way, and 
 the route was lined with graves. Still the zeal of the 
 survivors sustained them, and the cruel ambition of 
 their leader forced them on; and though many de- 
 serted and turned away to various Gentile settlements, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 
 
 157 
 
 MOEMON CAMP AT COITNCrL BLUFFS, IOWA. 
 
 a majority remained. As successive parties left Nau- 
 voo, the trains were spread over a line of a hundred 
 miles ; but during the latter part of the season they 
 concentrated in the Pottawattomie country, extending 
 up and down the Missouri from Council Bluflfs. Here 
 they built ferry boats, and a part crossed the river. 
 Preparations for the winter were made on both sides ; 
 cabins were built, rude tents erected, and "dugouts," 
 dwellings half underground, constructed. Many young 
 men went back to the States, and hired out to 
 work for provisions, which were forwarded to the 
 camp. According to other witnesses, a band of horse 
 arid cattle thieves was organized under the control of 
 Orson Hyde, and a gang of counterfeiters sent into 
 Missouri. In the July previous they had been visited 
 by Captain James G. Allen, of the United States 
 Drfl,o-nnns. with whom Brieham Youna: entered into 
 
158 LIFE IN UTAH J OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 negotiations to furnish a battalion for the Mexican 
 War. The Mormons were the more ready to enter 
 this service, as they expected to be discharged in Cali- 
 fornia, where the Church then intended to settle. 
 Five hundred men were enrolled in a few days, and 
 proceeded to Leavenworth, where they were mustered 
 into the service of the United Stiates. An agent of 
 Brigham Young accompanied them thus far and re- 
 ceived twenty thousand dollars of their advanced 
 bounty, which was understood to be for the support of 
 their families during their absence. Several of them, 
 since apostatized, testify that none of it was ever so 
 appropriated. The battalion was placed under the 
 command of Colonel Philip Saint George Cooke, and 
 started forthwith on the noted overland march of 
 General Kearny. 
 
 They marched two thousand and fifty miles to San 
 Diego, California, passing through the mountains of 
 southern Colorado and New Mexico, and across the 
 " desert of death." One company of them re-enUsted 
 for a short time in California, many apostatized and the 
 rest made their way to Salt Lake City. The main 
 body of the Saints meanwhile concentrated at what is 
 now Florence, six miles north of Omaha, which they 
 called Winter Quarters. There they built five hundred 
 log houses, one grist-mill, and several " horse mills ; " 
 there the Church was completely reorganized; the " Quo- 
 rum of Three " re-established, and it was unanimously 
 resolved that " the mantle of the Prophet Joseph had 
 fallen on the Seer and Revelator, Brigham Young ; " who 
 was accordingly chosen to all the ofl&ces and titles of 
 the dead Prophet. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 159 
 
 On the eastern side of the Missouri, were still some 
 two thousand wagons scattered in various camps, each 
 bearing the name of its leader. Many of these names 
 remain in the local nomenclature of that country, as Cut- 
 lers, Perkins, Millers, etc. At this time they were visited 
 by Colonel (since General) Thos. L. Kane, of Philadel- 
 phia, who continued with them some time, crossed a 
 portion of the plains with them, and figured extensively 
 in an important period of Mormon history. Elder 
 John Hyde, the noted apostate, says that Kane there 
 embraced Mormonism, but this seems quite improbable. 
 During the winter, Orson Pratt, Parley P. Pratt and 
 John Taylor went on a mission to England, giving gen- 
 eral notice to the Saints abroad, that the next " gath- 
 ering place would be in Upper California." At a con- 
 ference held before they left Nauvoo, to determine their 
 destination, Lyman Wight had strongly urged Texas, 
 John Taylor proposed Vancouver's Island, many were 
 in favor of Oregon and Brigham Young insisted upon 
 California. They finally fixed indefinitely upon "some 
 valley in the Kocky Mountains." 
 
 In accordance with this conclusion, the " Pioneer 
 Band," a hundred and forty-three men, driving seventy 
 wagons, under the command of Brigham Young, left 
 Winter Quarters, April 14th, 1847, and followed Fre- 
 mont's Trail westward up the Platte River. West of 
 the Black Hills, they diverged and followed a " trapper's 
 trail " for four hundred miles, and from Bear River west- 
 ward, laid out a new route through Emigration Canon 
 to Jordan Valley. 
 
 The company entered the valley July 24th, now 
 
160 
 
 LIFE m UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 MOEMONS EMIGRATING TO UTAH IIT 1847. 
 
 celebrated as "Anniversary Day." They found willows 
 and other scant vegetation about a rod wide along City 
 Creek, and this stream they dammed, and dug an irri- 
 gating ditch. They planted a few potatoes, from which 
 they raised enough that year to serve for seed for a 
 large plat, though no bigger than chestnuts. They pro- 
 ceeded also to lay out a city, and in October Brigham 
 Young and a few others went back to Winter Quarters. 
 The people had suffered greatly with cholera, fever 
 and inflammatory diseases, and the "Old Mormon 
 Graveyard" at Florence contains seven hundred graves 
 of that winter, of which two hundred are of children. 
 Vast numbers had "fallen into apostasy," or turned 
 away and joined themselves to recusant sects j and all 
 their fair-weather friends had forsaken them. But the 
 little remnant were at least consolidated in sentiment, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 161 
 
 strengthened and confirmed together by mutual suffer 
 ing, firm and self-reliant; and something over four thou- 
 sand made the journey to Salt Lake the following season. 
 But the small party left in the valley had raised but 
 a scant crop, and though the new comers had trans- 
 ported all the provisions they could, there was great 
 scarcity. Every head of a family issued rations to 
 those dependent upon him, and many children received, 
 for months, "each one buiscuit a day and all the sego 
 roots they could dig." Wolves, raw hides, rabbits, 
 thistle roots, segos, and everything that would support 
 life was resorted to. In 1849, a plentiful crop was 
 raised, furnishing enough for food and a small surplus. 
 February 20th, 1848, emigration from Great Britain 
 was re-commenced 'after a suspension, of two years. On 
 the 10th of November of that year the inhabitants of 
 Nauvoo were awakened at an early hour by a fire in 
 the Mormon Temple, which was soon beyond their 
 control and in a short time everything was destroyed 
 but the bare walls. The city was largely occupied by 
 a colony of Icarians, French ' Communists, under the 
 lead of M. Cabet, and they had begun to refurnish the 
 building for a social hall and schoolroom. The Hancock 
 Patriot of that date gives a full account of the mis- 
 fortune, showing conclusively that the building had 
 been fired by an incendiary. "But it is," says the 
 JFhtriot, " impossible to assign a probable motive. The 
 destroyer certainly had less worthy feelings than the 
 man who fired the 'Ephesian Dome.' Admit that it 
 was a monument of folly and evil, it was at least a 
 splendid, and harmless one." 
 ii 
 
162 LIFE IN UTAH- OB, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 Many have since supposed that it was fired by an 
 emissary from a rival city. The walls still stood in such 
 perfect preservation, that neady two years after the 
 citizens determined to roof and finish it for an Academy ; 
 but on May 27th 1850, a violent hurricane swept over 
 Iowa and Illinois and prostrated the structure, leaving 
 only a portion of the western wall, and now naught but 
 a shapeless pile of stones marks the spot. Mormon 
 annals give many interesting incidents of their first three 
 years in Utah, but this record can deal particularly 
 only with that portion of their history where they came 
 in immediate contact with the Gentiles. For two years 
 they seem to have had it all their own way ; if there 
 were Gentiles resident in Salt Lake City before 1849, 
 they were " braves before Agamemnon," history makes 
 no mention of them. Of course there were trappers 
 and mountaineers who occasionally visited the city, and 
 a few parties of emigrants passed that way even before 
 the great rush of '49. Lieutenant Ruxton's "Life m 
 the Far West " gives an account of a visit to the new 
 city, which is both amusing and romantic, and M. Violet, 
 the French chief among the Shoshonees, visited the 
 Mormon settlements soon after their establishment. 
 For three years the Mormons devoted all their ener- 
 gies to developing the country and getting ready to live ; 
 their extreme poverty prevented their being either very 
 enterprising in reaching out towards their neighbors, or 
 particularly anxious to encroach on any one. Quite a 
 number of Gentiles had met with them in various places 
 on the plains and accompanied them some distance; 
 but Colonel Thomas L. Kane, who made most of the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM, 163 
 
 journey with them, and witnessed their early eflforts, 
 has left the only account approaching to exactness of 
 these early years. The great rush of gold hunters in 
 1849, was coeval with a season of plenty, and the asso- 
 ciation seems to have been mutually beneficial to Mor^ 
 mons and pioneers, but none of the latter appear to 
 have halted in " Zion." They were in too eager haste 
 to gain the ne»v Eldorado. As early as 1846 a few 
 emigrants passed this way to the Pacific coast, and the 
 latter part of that year one Hastings led a party by a 
 new route south of the Lake, since known as " Hastings 
 Cutoff." 
 
 It is estimated by those living at various military 
 posts on the overland route, that from five to ten thou- 
 sand emigrants from the United States had crossed to 
 the Pacific coast before the discovery of gold. Fort 
 Bridger had been occupied several years by Colonel 
 James Bridger, the oldest mountaineer in that region, 
 who had been engaged in the Indian trade there, and 
 upon the head waters of the Missouri and Columbia since 
 1819. Early in 1849 General Wilson, newly appointed 
 Indian Agent for California, passed through Salt Lake 
 City, making a short stay, and late the same year Cap- 
 tain Howard Stansbury, of the United States Topo- 
 graphical Engineers, reached the city and remained till 
 the next May. This officer with his assistant. Lieuten- 
 ant Gunnison, set out from Leavenworth, Kansas, on 
 the 31st of May, 1849 ; traveling up the Blue River to 
 its head, he crossed over to the Platte and followed the 
 main emigrant route as far as Fort Bridger. 
 
 Thence he endeavored to find a more direct route to 
 
164 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 the head of the lake than the one usually followed by 
 Fort Hall, in Idaho, which required a " northing " of 
 nearly two degrees. In pursuance of this intention he 
 followed the "Mormon Road" west to Bear River, 
 thence followed down that stream northward, six 
 miles to Medicine Butte, from which he sought a 
 route due west, but was obliged to turn again to the 
 south and struck upon the head of Pumbars Creek, a 
 tributary of the Weber. 
 
 From this hollow he passed over another ridge to 
 Ogden 'Hole, long the rendezvous of the Northwest Fur 
 Company, on account of its fine range for stock in 
 winter. From this place he passed out into the main 
 valley, and from the " benph " northwest of Ogden, on 
 the 27th of August, caught his first view of Great 
 Salt Lake. Thinking, as he stated, that his success 
 depended somewhat upon the good-will of the Mor- 
 mons, he visited Salt Lake City at once, and seems to 
 have formed a very favorable opinion. He acknowl- 
 edges the courtesy and assistance of the Mormons, " as 
 soon as the true object of the expedition was under- 
 stood." His party were probably the first Gentiles 
 whQ ever spent more than a month or two in Salt 
 Lake City. Late in 1849, or early in 1850, Messrs. 
 Livingston and Kinkead, pioneer merchants, opened a 
 store in Salt Lake City, and from the extent of their 
 trade, the Saints seemed to have realized handsomely 
 on their sales to the California emigrants. 
 
 Captain Stansbury completed his survery of the 
 Great Salt Lake, and set out on his return to the 
 States in August, 1850; and soon after an immense 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 
 
 165 
 
 VIE-W OF SALT LAKE CITY IN 1850— FROM THE NOETHWBST 
 
 emigration appeared on their way to California. The 
 association of the preceding year seems to have crea- 
 ted great confidence and nearly all these emigrants 
 made a lengthy stay in the Mormon settlements. For 
 three years the Mormons had been almost unheard of 
 in the States, most of the prejudice against them had 
 died out and "had the policy of the first year been pur- 
 sued, mutual good-will would have been established 
 on a firm basis and the settlement in Utah considered 
 a real blessing. 
 
166 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 But renewed prosperity, plenty and increasing 
 numbers had produced their usual eflfects, arrogance, 
 spiritual pride, and a desire to dominate over "the 
 unbelievers," and numerous difficulties arose. Late in 
 the season a large number of emigrants were persuaded 
 that it was unsafe to continue the westward route at 
 that season, and concluded to remain all winter among 
 the Mormons. They represent that all was pleasant 
 until autumn was too far advanced for them to leave 
 even by the southern route, after which a series of mer- 
 ciless exactions began, and never ceased as long as the 
 Mormon civil authorities could find pretences for bogus 
 legal actions, or the emigrants had anything of which 
 they could be stripped. Those who had hired out to 
 work for Mormons were refused their pay, and denied 
 redress in the courts ; if difficulties arose, fines of from 
 one to five hundred dollars were imposed for the 
 slightest misdemeanors ; in all ■ suits between Mormon 
 and Gentile, the latter invariably paid the costs ; they 
 were openly reviled in court by the Mormon Judges, 
 and in one peculiarly aggravating instance Justice 
 Willard Snow boasted to Gentiles in his court that " the 
 time was near at hand, when he would judge Gentiles 
 for life and death, and then he would snatch their heads 
 off like chickens in the door yard." 
 
 In one case an emigrant died near the Hot Springs, 
 and his three companions buried him and proceeded on 
 their way without notifying the city authorities. Com- 
 plaint was made that some city ordinance had been 
 violated; they were pursued, taken back to the city, 
 and every dollar they had, as well as their wagon and 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMOlsaSM. 167 
 
 all their stock, were taken to pay their fine and costs. 
 Another Gentile was struck over the head with a board 
 by Bill Hickman, and returned the blow, for which he 
 was arrested a,nd fined eighty dollars ; the costs made 
 up the amount to more than two hundred dollars, but 
 as he had but little over half the sum, they kindly con- 
 tented themselves with taking all he had, and let him 
 depart. Many* who had come in with a complete 
 "outfit," finished their journey on foot. When these 
 emigrants reached the general rendezvous on the Sacra- 
 mento, they began to compare notes. And as each new 
 comer added to the evidence, it was thought best to 
 compile their statements to send to their eastern friends. 
 Accordingly the aflRdavits of five hundred of them were 
 selected, reduced to form, and, with their names ap- 
 pended, published and circulated generally in the East. 
 
 This book, of which a copy may be found in the 
 State library at Sacramento, contains statements of facts 
 which seem almost incredible, even with our present, 
 knowledge of Mormon law and its administration ; but 
 they rest on the sworn testimony of reliable men, who 
 now reside in Tuolumne, Amador, Placer, Nevada, Si- 
 erra, and other mining counties of California. 
 
 This publication roused all the old bitterness of feel- 
 ing against the Mornions, which was not a little 
 heightened soon after by the shameless avowal on their 
 part of polygamy and incest as features of their religion.- 
 Meanwhile, by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in 
 1848, all that section had passed from the dominion of 
 Mexico to that of the United States, and early in 1849, 
 the Mormon authorities called a convention " of all the 
 
168 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 citizens of that portion of upper California lying east 
 of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, to take' into considerar 
 tion the propriety of organizing a Territorial or State 
 Grovernment." This convention met at Salt Lake 
 City on the 5th of March, 1849, and in a short session 
 "ordained and established a free and independent 
 Government, by the name of the State of Deseeet," 
 fixed the boundaries of the new State, and provided 
 for the election of a Governor and all State officers. 
 On the 2d of July following, the Legislature of the 
 new State met, elected a delegate to Congress, adopted 
 a memorial also to that body, in which they set forth 
 their loyalty, patriotism and material progress, popula- 
 tion and other qualifications and asked for admission. 
 
 Congress, however, failed to see it precisely in that 
 light, and on the 9th of September, 1850, passed an 
 act to organize the Territory of Utah, of which Presi- 
 dent Fillmore appointed Brigham Young Governor. 
 In return for this courtesy, Brigham soon after preached 
 one of his "live sermons," in which he said; "Why, 
 when that time comes (the earthly reign of the Saints) 
 the Gentiles will come begging to us to be our ser- 
 vants. I know several men, high in ofiice in the Na- 
 tion, who would make good servants. I expect the 
 President of the United States to hlaclc my hoots." 
 This was, to say the leafet, unkind of Brigham. At 
 the same time, Lemuel C. Brancjenburg was appointed 
 Chief Justice ; Perry E. Brochus, and Zerubbabel Snow, 
 (Mormon) Associate Justices; Seth M. Blair, (Mor- 
 mon) Attorney General, and B. D. Harris, Secretary. 
 Thus the President had divided the offices pretty 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 169 
 
 equally between Saint and Gentile. The officers did 
 not reach. Utah till July, 1851, at which time there 
 were a few Gentiles resident in Salt Lake City, mostly 
 carpenters and other artisans whose labor was just 
 then in special demand, emigrants who had failed at 
 that point on their way to the Pacific, and perhaps 
 half a dozen California traders or cattle dealers. The 
 new Gentile oflftcers soon found themselves involved in 
 difficulty; Judge 3i"ochus rashly attempted to preach 
 against polygamy, and having his life threatened soon 
 after left the Territory, followed in 1852, by Secretary 
 Harris, leaving the government once more in the hands 
 of the Mormons. Brigham Young appointed his second 
 counsellor, Willard Richards, to fill the vacant Secre- 
 taryship, the sole remaining Judge, Z. Snow, and the 
 District Attorney being " good Mormons." 
 
 A few Spaniards who had come into Utah from the 
 South were tried before Snow, and convicted " of buy- 
 ing Indian children for slaves," whether justly or not, 
 cannot now be determined. The * Indians were taken 
 from the Gentiles, and turned over to the " brethren," 
 to make them, according to prophecy, "a fair and 
 delightsome people." An Indian war soon after broke 
 out, and occasional difficulties continued through 1852, 
 '53, and '54. In place of the judges who had resigned. 
 President Pierce appointed Judges Leonidas Shaver 
 and Lazarus H. Reed; the former arrived in the fall 
 of '52, the latter in June, '53. Judge Shaver was a 
 " hail fellow, well met," and lived on the best of terms 
 with the Mormons for some time, but at length a 
 sudden quarrel occurred between him and Brigham 
 
170 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Young. He occupied a room in a house belonging to 
 Elder Howard Coray, but rented by a Mr. Dotson. 
 One night he retired in his usual health, and the next 
 morning was found dead in his bed. The Church 
 authorities ordered a thorough investigation, and the 
 Coroner's jury of Mormons decided that he died of 
 " some disease of the head." One physician gave it as 
 his opinion, that the Judge had been greatly addicted 
 to the use of opium, and died in_ consequence of being 
 suddenly deprived of it ; and this is the popular belief 
 among the Mormons. Only one witness on this matter 
 was ever examined in the States, and she gave it as 
 her opinion that he had been poisoned, adding that she 
 had heard Brigham Young say: "Judge Shaver knew 
 too much, and he dare not allow him to leave the 
 Territory." Being an apostate Mormon, her evidence 
 may be true or untrue. The Mormons treated Judge 
 Reed with marked courtesy, and after a stay of one 
 year he left with an exalted opinion of them. He 
 went to his home in New York, intending to return, 
 but died very suddenly while there. 
 
 About this time, a young man named Wallace A. 
 C. Bowman, a native of New York, arrived at Salt 
 Lake from New Mexico, with a company of Spanish 
 traders. He met Brigham Young and his "body 
 guard " at Utah Lake, and, according to hie com- 
 panion's account, had some difficulty with the latter. 
 On his arrival in the city, he was arrested by Eobert 
 T. Burton on several charges. He was kept in 
 confinement several weeks, but no evidence appearing 
 against him was released. He started east at once. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 171 
 
 but was shot and instantly killed in a canon but a few 
 miles from the city, " by Indians," according to the 
 Mormon account; by Norton and Ferguson, "Danites," 
 according to the same witness above mentioned. As 
 in that case, it is now impossible to tell which story is 
 true. John F. Kinney, of Iowa, was appointed Chief 
 Justice to succeed Eeed, and George P. Stiles Associate 
 Justice; Josepli, Holman, of Iowa, Attorney General, 
 and Almon W. Babbitt Secretary. In the spring of 
 1855, W. W. Drummond, of Illinois, was also appointed 
 Associate Justice. 
 
 In the fall of 1854, Colonel Steptoe, with about.three 
 hundred men of the United States Army, reached Salt 
 Lake and spent the winter. At the same time quite a 
 number of Gentiles, on their way to or returning from 
 California wintered in the city. It is now known that 
 Colonel Steptoe had been secretly commissioned Gov- 
 ernor of Utah by President Pierce, but, being of an un- 
 cautious disposition, he attempted to practice polygamy 
 on a free and easy plan not approved by the Saints, 
 the result of which was that he was ingeniously trapped 
 by two of Brigham's " decoy women," and to avoid ex- 
 posure resigned his commission and recommended 
 Young's continuance in that office. Utah now began 
 to be regarded as the " Botany Bay of worn-out pohti- 
 cians ;" if a man was fit for nothing else, and yet had 
 to be rewarded for political services, he was' sent to 
 Utah. 
 
 During all the period from 1852 to 1856 numerous 
 " Gladdenites " and other apostate and recusant Mor- 
 mons were frequently slipping away and crossing to 
 
172 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH ; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 California and Ore- 
 gon; and many of 
 these parties, as well 
 as trains of Gentile 
 emigrants, were har- 
 assed in various 
 ways which could 
 hardly be accounted 
 for by Indian hos- 
 tility. Almon W. 
 Babbitt, having quar- 
 relled with Brigham, 
 started across the 
 plains in 1855 and 
 was murdered "by 
 Indians who spoke 
 good English;" and 
 of this case Brigham 
 said, "He lived a 
 
 
 CALIFORNIA EMIGEANTS ATTACKED -AT THE HUMBOLDT 
 CANON, UTAH. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 175 
 
 fool and died like a fool. When ofl&cers undertake to 
 interfere with affairs that do not concern them, I will 
 not be far off. He undertook to quarrel with me and 
 soon after was hilled hy the Indians." 
 
 In 1852 Lieutenant Gunnison, M. Creuzfeldt, the 
 botanist, and eight of their party were massacred 
 near Sevier Lake, by Indians, as then reported; but" 
 soon after escaped apostates stated that it was done by 
 "painted Mormons." In 1851 a Mr. Tobin came to 
 Salt Lake with a party and while there was quite inti- 
 mate with Brigham's family. It is reported also that 
 he was engaged to Brigham's daughter Alice Young. 
 He returned in 1856, but had some difficulty and left. 
 His party was attacked at night on the Santa Clara, 
 three hundred and seventy miles south, many of them 
 wounded and six of their horses killed ; but they es- 
 caped by abandoning their baggage. 
 
 Not an arrow was shot at them, their clothing was 
 pierced by bullets, the wounds were evidently from the 
 best make of rifles and they all testify that the attack- 
 ing party spoke English. Other parties of recusant 
 Mormons were missed in Nevada ; several emigrants 
 from Missouri were last heard of near Salt Lake, and 
 others had their stock run off where it was reasonably 
 certain there were no hostile Indians. 
 
 A recusant testifies that "one of the Missourians had 
 boasted of helping to drive the Saints from Jackson 
 County, and that he was kidnapped and murdered 
 under the old mint by John Kay and other 'Danites.'" 
 A young man in Cache Valley had a difficulty with 
 the bishop in regard to a girl whom the bishop wanted 
 
174 LITE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 for a " plural wife." The young man was seized in a 
 canon by two men with blackened faces and by them 
 mutilated in an unspeakable manner. He afterwards 
 went to San Bernardino, California, and died insane. A 
 similar difficulty arose in a settlement on the Weber; 
 and the young man was found dead, having received 
 two shots in the back. One general difficulty exists in 
 all these cases. The witnesses were all apostate Mor- 
 mons. While the writer wduld not stigmatize a whole 
 class, among whom he has many pleasant acquaintances, 
 and which contains some thoroughly honest and reli- 
 able men, yet it must be confessed that, of those who 
 have lived Mormons for a term of years the outside 
 world must always remain in doubt. 
 
 There were very few Gentiles in Salt Lake, their in- 
 terest required that they should know nothing outside 
 their business, and they generally took care to make no 
 inquiry. Hence little definite and positive proof of the 
 affairs of that period was laid before the Government ; 
 but these reports spread through the, West and con- 
 stantly increased the bitterness against the Mormons. 
 Had the latter shown any willingness to throw hght 
 upon disputed points, their case would have a much 
 better appearance. But their preaching constantly ex- 
 cited the people to greater hostility against the Gov- 
 ernment, and their courts and officers regularly thwart- 
 ed every attempt of the Federal officials to inquire 
 into reported crimes or bring offenders to justice. In 
 the fall of 1856, it became no longer possible for the 
 Federal Judges to maintain the independence of their 
 courts. The Mormons claimed that ihe Territorial 
 
AND CBIMES OF MORMONISM. 175 
 
 Marshal should select the jurors for Federal courts 
 when doing Territorial business, instead of the United 
 States Marshal. 
 
 Pending the decision of this question, James Fergu- 
 son, Hosea Stout, and other Mormon lawyers and 
 officials, entered the court-room with an armed mob, 
 and compelled Judge Stiles to adjourn his court." 
 Thomas Williains, a Mormon lawyer, who had an 
 office with Jud^ Stiles, protested against this action, 
 for which his life was threatened. He soon after tried 
 to escape to California, but was murdered on the way. 
 
 The records of the District Courts were soon after 
 stolen from Judge Stiles's office and, as he supposed at 
 the time, destroyed. Both the Gentile Judges soon after 
 left the Territory, reaching the States in the spring 
 of 1857. The Mormons were now in open rebellion. 
 Congress was not in • session, but President Buchanan 
 and War Secretary Floyd determined to send an armed 
 force with new officials. Accordingly, a force of nearly 
 three thousand men was sent forward from Leaven- 
 worth, under the command of Gen. W. S. Harney, 
 who was, while on the plains, superseded by Col. 
 Albert Sidney Johnston. At the same time new men 
 were appointed to all the civil offices, as follows : 
 Governor, Alexander Cumming; Chief Justice,, D. R. 
 Eckles; Associate Justices, John Cradlebaugh and 
 Charles E. Sinclair, and Secretary, John Hartnet. 
 
 The march of the column was delayed for various 
 reasons, and it was late in September before the army, 
 accompanied by the officials, crossed Green River and 
 entered the Territory. Meanwhile Captain Van Vliet, 
 
176 LIFE IK UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 an active and discreet officer, had been sent forward 
 to purchase provisions for the army and assure the 
 people of Salt Lake of the peaceful intentions of the 
 Government. On his arrival there, he was amazed to 
 find them preparing for war. 
 
 MORMON TABERNACLE CAMP ON THEIR ARRIVAIi IN tTTAH. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 177 
 
 CHAPTER VI.' 
 
 THE BLOODY PERIOD. 
 
 Sounds of war in Utah — Popular excitement— Fears of the disaffected- 
 Attempted flight— Mxirder of the Potter and Parrish familes— Massacre 
 of the Aiken party— Assassination of Yates— Killing of Forbes— Brig- 
 ,ham "Turns loose the Indians "—Mountain Meadow Massacre— 
 Horrible barbarity of Ipdians and Mormons— Evidence in the case- 
 Attempt of Judge Cradlebaugh— Progress of the "Mormon War"— 
 Delay of the army— Treachery or inefficiency ?— Mormon Legion— Lieu- 
 tenant-General Wells— Brigham "Commands" the National troops to 
 withdraw— Army trains destroyed— Lot Smith, the Mormon Guerilla— 
 The "Army of Utah" in Winter Quarters— Colonel Kane again— Ne- 
 gotiations with Brigham — Governor Gumming "passed" through the 
 Mormon lines — "Peace Commissioners " — Mormon exodus — Wealmess 
 of Gumming — End of the War— Murders of Pike, the Jones's, Bernard, 
 Drown, Arnold, McNeil and others — A change at last. 
 
 We enter now upon the black chapter in the annals 
 of Utah — a period replete with crime and stained with 
 innocent blood. Occasional rumors of the march of the 
 army had reached Salt Lake early in the season, and 
 on the 24 th of July, when the entire population were 
 collected in Cottonwood Park to celebrate " Anniversary 
 Day," "Port" Rockwell and John Kimball appeared 
 among them just from the plains, and announced that 
 the column was certainly destined for Utah. Brigham 
 turned to those nearest him and with a savage scowl 
 remarked, " I said when we reached here that if the 
 devils would only give us ten years I'd be ready for 
 them. They've taken me at my word, and now they 
 
 12 
 
178 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 will see that I am ready." The news spread rapidly 
 throughout the settlements, producing everywhere fierce 
 anger or a mixture of hope and dread, according as the 
 hearer was firm in the Mormon faith or secretly dissat^ 
 isfied. The Tabernacle and "Ward Assembly Booms 
 resounded with harangues in fierce denunciation of the 
 Government, and Brigham Young and Heber C. Kim- 
 ball vied with each other in vile language and inflam- 
 matory appeals. 
 
 Brigham repeatedly stated that "if any proved traitor, 
 or attempted to shield his own when the day came to 
 burn and lay waste, he should be sheared down ; for 
 judgment should be laid to the line and righteousness 
 to the plummet." The effect of such teaching upon a 
 fanatical people may well be imagined. A perfect 
 reign of terror ensued. Of those devoted to Brigham, 
 every one was a spy upon his neighbors, while the dis- 
 affected trembled at the storm, and made efforts to 
 escape. Two men by the name of Parrish at Spring- 
 ville, just south of Utah Lake, had declared their 
 intention to start for California. The night before, 
 their intended departure their stock was run off", and 
 going to search for it they were murdered, but a few 
 hundred yards from their dwelling, and after death 
 their bodies mutilated in a shocking manner. Two of 
 their neighbors, by the name of Potter, were killed at 
 the same time. One Yates, a mountaineer, passing 
 westward was assassinated in Echo Canon, g,nd a party 
 of six from California, under the command of a Mr. 
 Aikin, were attacked west of Salt Lake, and four of 
 them instantly killed. The other two were promised 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 179 
 
 they "should be sent out of the Territory by the 
 southern route," and, in pursuance of that promise, 
 started south under guard. They were never again 
 heard ofj and by the testimony of an apostate woman, 
 AKce Lamb, they were killed and their bodies thrown 
 into a large spring near the road. She adds that one 
 was only stunned by the first shot,. when Porter Rock- 
 well stepped up^ placed a pistol to his ear, and, adding, 
 " This never misses," literally blew out his brains. The 
 Mormons aver that, this was a party of gamblers, that 
 they carried with them "powders to drug Mormon wo- 
 men," and that they deserved death anyhow ;" and in 
 all such cases they have established the principle of 
 assassination. In this time of excitement, suspicion 
 was proof. About the same time Brigham Young, 
 preaching in the Tabernacle, stated that hitherto as 
 Governor and Indian Agent he "had protected emi- 
 grants passing through the territory, but now he would 
 turn the Indians loose upon them." This hint was as 
 good as a letter of marque to the land pirates of south- 
 ern Utah, and was not long ua being acted upon. Early 
 in August, and before the excitement had reached its 
 greatest height, a large train on its way to California 
 reached Salt Lake City. Doctor Brewer, of the United 
 States Army, who saw this train last at O'Fallon's 
 Bluff on the Platte, the 11th of June preceding, de- 
 scribes it as "probably the finest train that had ever 
 crossed the plains. There seemed to be forty heads 
 of families, many women, some unmarried, and many 
 children. They had three carriages; one very fine, 
 in which ladies rode and to .which he made several 
 
180 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 visits as he journeyed with them. There was some- 
 thing peculiar in the construction of the carriage, its 
 ornaments, the blazoned stag's head upon the panels, 
 et&. " This carriage was many years afterwards in the 
 possession of the Mormons. 
 
 In Salt Lake City several disaffected Mormons joined 
 the train, and all proceeded by the southern route. The 
 train was last seen entire by Jacob Hamlin, Indian sub- 
 agent for the Pah-Utes, who lived at the upper end of 
 the Mountain Meadow. He met them at Corn Creek, 
 eight miles south of Fillmore, while on his way to Salt 
 Lake City. Thenceforward no more was heard of the 
 train ; it was " lost," and a whole year had passed be- 
 fore any news of its fate reached the officials. 
 
 Nor was it till many years afterwards, that all the 
 damning facts in regard to its destruction were brought 
 to light. But when revealed, it stands forth pre-emi- 
 nent in shocking barbarity above all that has occurred 
 in American history, scarcely equalled by aught in the 
 old world, and certainly not by anything in the history 
 of our English race. The massacre of Glencoe pales 
 jn comparison. 
 
 Without going into detail of the witnesses examined, 
 or the evidence of each, suffice it to give events as they 
 occurred, and as they were fully proved in various ex- 
 aminations since made. Mountain Meadow is three 
 hundred miles from Salt Lake, on the road to Los An- 
 gelos, California. The meadows are about five miles in 
 length and one in width, on the " divide " between the 
 waters of the Great Basin and the Colorado. A very 
 large spring rises near the south end, by which the em- 
 
AND CEIMES OP MORMONISM. 181 
 
 igrants camped for a few days, having been told by 
 Hamlin that this was the best place to rest and recruit 
 their stock before entering upon the Great Desert. 
 Thirty-four miles below the Meadow is a Mormon setr 
 tlement on the Santa Clara ; thirty miles north is Cedar 
 City, and eighteen miles east of that is the town of 
 Harmony. From the " divide " down to the Colorado, 
 are a few PahjUte Indians, and north to Fillmore, a 
 small tribe of Pah- Vents. The day after the emigrants 
 passed Cedar City, a grand council was called there by 
 Bishop Pligbee and President J. C. Haight of that town, 
 and Bishop John D. Lee of Harmony. They stated 
 that they had received a command from Salt Lake City 
 " to follow and attack those accursed Gentiles and let 
 the arrows of the Almighty drink their blood." 
 
 A force of sixty men was soon raised, and joined 
 with a much larger force of Indians, encircled the 
 emigrants' cam'p before daylight. The white men had 
 meanwhile painted and disguised themselves as Indians. 
 A portion crept down a ravine near the camp, and fired 
 upon the emigrants while at breakfast, killing ten or 
 twelve. 
 
 The latter were completely taken by surprise, but 
 seized their arms, shoved the wagons together, sunk 
 the wheels in the earth, and got in condition for 
 defence. The idea that enough of the Utes of that 
 district could be got together to attack a train with 
 ■ fifty armed men, is too absurd to be entertained for a 
 momentj and the emigrants had rested in the ease of 
 fancied security. 
 
 But their resistance was far greater than the Mor- 
 
182 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 mons had expected; and there for an entire week, 
 with their women and children lying in the trenches 
 they had dug, they maintained the siege and kept the 
 savages, as they supposed, at bay. And all of this 
 time, as testified by Mrs. Hamlin, wife of the Agent, 
 the shots were constantly heard at Hamlin's ranche, 
 and parties of Mormons, bishops, elders and laymen, 
 were coming and going to and from the ranche, eating 
 and drinking there, and ^^ pitching quoits and amusing 
 themselves in various ways." They had the emigrants 
 effectually secured, and could afford to divide time and 
 slaughter the Gentiles at their leisure. But at the end 
 of a week they grew tired and resolved upon strategy. 
 The firing ceased, and while the weary and heart^sick 
 emigrants looked for relief, and hoped that their savage 
 foes had given up the attack, they saw, at the iipper 
 end of the little hollow in which they were, a wagon 
 full of men. The latter raised a white flag, and it was 
 perceived they were white men. A glad shout of joy 
 rang through the corral at the sight of men of their 
 own color, their protectors, as they had every, reason to 
 believe. They held up a little girl dressed in white to 
 answer the signal, and the party entered. The wagon 
 contained J. C. Haight, John D. Lee and other dignita- 
 ries. They accused the emigrants of having poisoned 
 a spring on the road used by the Indians, which was 
 denied. It afterwards appeared in evidence that the 
 spring ran so strong that " a barrel of arsenic would 
 not have poisoned it." The Mormons said they were 
 on good terms with the Indians, but the latter were 
 very angry, and would not let the emigrants escape. 
 

 
 
 
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 . r ' J 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 
 it 
 
 4» 
 
 m 
 
 |4 
 
 Eh 
 13 
 
 illiii; Km mi ^ 
 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 183 
 
 The Mormons would, however, intercede for the latter, 
 if desired. This oflfer was gladly accepted, and after a 
 few hours' absence the Mormons returned and stated 
 that the Indians gave as an ultimatum, that the 
 emigrants should give up all their property, particu- 
 larly their gum, and go back the way they came. 
 The Mormons promised in this case to guard them 
 back to the settlements. These hard terms were 
 acceded to, and the emigrants left their wagons and 
 started northward on foot. 
 
 The women and children were in front, the men be- 
 hind them, and a Mormon guard of forty men in the 
 rear. A mile or so from the spring, the road runs 
 through a thicket of scrub oaks, where are also many 
 large rocks, and here a force of Indians lay in ambush. 
 At an agreed signal, a sudden fire was poured into the 
 body of emigrants, and then Mormons and Indians 
 together rushed upon them, shooting, cutting their 
 throats, beating them to death with stones and clubs ; 
 and in a very few minutes a hundred and twenty men, 
 women and children, Americans, Christians, Gentiles^ 
 lay dead upon the ground, the miserable, hapless vic- 
 tims of Mormonism. The Mormons and Indians fell 
 upon the women, bit and tore the rings from their fin- 
 gers and ears, and trampled in the faces of the dying. 
 One young girl was dragged aside by President Haight, 
 and kneeling implored him for life. He violated her 
 with shameful barbarity, then beat out her brains with 
 a club. Another young woman was taken out of the 
 throng by John D. Lee. He afterwards stated he in- 
 tended to save her life and take her to his harem ; but 
 
184 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 that she struck at him with a large kniffe, when he im- 
 mediately shot her through the head. Three men es- 
 caped. One starved to death upon the desert, another 
 was murdered by the Indians ninety miles south, and 
 the third was killed upon the Colorado, by whom is not 
 known. Seventeen children were saved alive, who 
 were supposed to be too young to remember anything 
 about the circumstance. But two of them did, and af- 
 terwards gave important evidence. 
 
 The children were first taken to Mrs. Hamlin's, and 
 afterwards distributed among Mormon families in the 
 neighborhood ; one was shot through the arm and lost 
 the use of it. They were all recovered two years after 
 and returned to their friends in the States. The prop- 
 erty was divided, the Indians getting most of the flour 
 and ammunition; but they claim that the Mormons 
 kept more than their share. Much of it w'as sold in 
 Cedar City at public auction ; it was there facetiously 
 .styled, " Property taken at the siege of Sebastopol ; " 
 and there is legal proof that the clothing stripped from 
 the corpses, spotted with blood and flesh and shredded 
 by bullets, was placed in the cellar of the tithing ofi&ce 
 and privately sold. As late as 1862, jewelry taken at 
 Mountain Meadow, was worn in Salt Lake City, and 
 the source it came from not denied. 
 
 Such was the Mountain Meadow Massacre ; and to 
 the eternal disgrace of American justice, not one of thp 
 perpetrators has ever been punished according to law. 
 But the vengeance of heaven has not spared them. 
 Some of the young men in the Mormon party have 
 since removed to California, and others apostatized. 
 They earnestly insist that they were never informed 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 185 
 
 that any killing was intended ; that they were told the 
 only object was to turn back the emigrants and pre- 
 vent their carrying information to California ; that no 
 more than a dozen white men, besides the bishops and 
 President, were in the secret, and that these with the 
 Indians did all the killing. This is the present belief 
 of most of the Mormons, and they add that Haight 
 and Lee forged .the order from Brigham Young, which 
 was produced in extenuation of the crime. Two of the 
 principal perpetrators are now insane. John D. Lee 
 still resides in Harmony, no longer a bishop, and one 
 can scarcely restrain a feeling of satisfaction at know- 
 ing that his life is one of misery. He is shunned and 
 hated even by his Mormon neighbors, he seldom ven- 
 tures beyond the square upon which he lives, his mind 
 is distracted by an unceasing dread of vengeance, and 
 his intellect disordered. 
 
 Though a too lenient government has failed of it^ duty, 
 yet, in the sufferings of a fearful mind, he anticipates 
 the hell his crimes deserve. Some months passed 
 away before.it was even whispered in the northern 
 district that white men were concerned in this affair ; 
 and to the credit of the Mormon people be it said, a 
 great horror spread among them- at the report. A 
 lady, then resident at Springville, told me that the 
 people of that place first learned of the massacre the 
 next spring, and the complicity of white men was put 
 beyond doubt, in her mind, by the confession of her 
 cousin, who was in the party but claimed he did not 
 assist at thfe killing. " For weeks," she added : " I 
 and the other women could not sleep for hearing the 
 screams and groans of the poor creatures in our ears. 
 
186 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 We thought we saw signs in the sky. We trembled 
 in dread. We wanted to run away from the land, for 
 we thought it was cursed — that the vengeance of God 
 would destroy everybody in the southern district." 
 The lady escaped to Fort Bridger, and afterwards 
 married a Gentile. The superstitious fears, of which 
 she speaks, still rest in many minds ; nor is it difficult 
 to believe that, in the mysterious decrees of the moral 
 order, the fearful stain must be washed out in blood. 
 The guilty have escaped earthly justice; but to the 
 eye of faith an avenging Nemesis is poised upon the 
 mountains of southern Utah, and pointing to the plains 
 below demands " blood for blood." 
 
 One question remains : Did Brigham Young know 
 aught of, or give command for this massacre? The 
 strong probability of course, is, that he did not. The 
 majority of the Mormons, while they admit that church 
 officials were concerned, yet claim that they acted with- 
 out Brigham's knowledge, and his own family add, that 
 when news of the affair was brought him, he burst into 
 tears and said, " If anything could break up and destroy 
 this people, that one act would do it." Against these 
 opinions there are many strong proofs : the evidence of 
 the Mormons and Indians engaged in the affair; the 
 failure of Brigham to give any account of it, whatever, 
 in his next report as Indian Superintendent ; the com- 
 plete silence of his organ, the Church paper, on the 
 subject ; his sermon " turning loose the Indians on emi- 
 grants ; " the fact that John D. Lee is his son hy Mormon 
 " adoption" and has never been punished ; the testimony 
 of tBe young Mormons who escaped from Harmony to 
 California, and more than all else, the ■ overwhelming 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 187 
 
 certainty that no fact of great importance is ever en- 
 tered upon without the advice and consent of Brigham 
 Young. An attempt was made by Judge Cradlebaugh, 
 in the autumn of 1859, to bring the murderers to justice, 
 which failed from causes to be hereafter fully explained — 
 Mormon courts and juries. 
 
 I resume the regular history. On the 15th of •Sep- 
 tember, 1857, Brigham issued a proclamation putting 
 the Territory under martial law ; all the militia and 
 . able-bodied men were ordered " to hold themselves in 
 readiness to march at a moment's notice to repel inva- 
 sion," and Lieutenant-General Daniel H. Wells was 
 ordered with two thousand men to " occupy the passes 
 of the Wasatch mountains, to defend their hearths and 
 homes against the violence of the army." Echo Canon 
 was fortified, and orders issued to harass the Federal 
 Army in every way, by driving off stock, burning 
 wagons and blocking up the roads, but to take no lives 
 till further ordered. Beside'fe several other papers, 
 Brigham sent to the commander of the United States 
 forces the following remarkable document : 
 
 "GrOTEEKOE'S OFFICE, UTAH TeeBITOEY, 1 
 
 Geeat Salt Lake City, September 29, 1857. J 
 " Sm : By reference to the Act of Congress, passed 
 September 9, 1850, organizing the Territory of Utah, 
 published in a copy of the Laws of Utah, herewith, p. 
 146, Chap. 7, you will find the following : 
 
 " ' Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the ex- 
 ecutive power in and over said Territory of Utah shall 
 be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office for 
 four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and 
 
188 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 qualified, unless sooner removed by the President of the 
 United States. The Governor shall reside within said 
 Territory, shall be Commander-in-Chief of the militia 
 thereof,' etc., etc. 
 
 "I am still the Governor and Superintendent of 
 Indian Affairs for this Territory, no successor having 
 been appointed and qualified, as provided by law, nor 
 have I been removed by the President of the United 
 States. 
 
 "By virtue of the authority thus vested in me, I 
 have issued and forwarded you a copy of my proclama- 
 tion, forbidding the entrance of armed forces into this 
 Territory. This you have disregarded. I now further 
 direct that you retire forthwith from the Territory by 
 the same route you entered. Should you deem this 
 impracticable, and prefer to remain until spring in the 
 vicinity of your present encampment. Black's Fork, or 
 Green River, you can do so in peace, and unmolested, 
 on condition that you d'eposit your arms and ammuni- 
 tion with Lewis Robinson, Quartermaster-General, of 
 the Territory, and leave in the spring, as soon as the 
 condition of the roads will permit you to' march. And 
 should you fall short of provisions, they can be fur- 
 nished you by making the proper applications therefor. 
 
 " General D, H. Wells will forward this, and receive 
 any communications you may have to make. 
 "Very respectfully, 
 
 " Brigham Young, 
 
 " Governor and Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Utah 
 Territory. 
 
 " To the Officer commanding the Forces now in- 
 vading Utah Territory." 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 189 
 
 It is difficult to believe that the Federal forces were 
 handled with any skill whatever, the official report in- 
 dicating that troops and supplies were scattered without 
 order all the way from. Green River to the head of Echo 
 Canon ; and the following extract from the official re- 
 port wiU show that the Mormon forces were " obeying 
 orders :" 
 
 " Forts Bridger and Supply were vacated and burned 
 down. Orders were issued by Daniel H. Wells (Lieut.- 
 General Nauvoo Legion) to stampede the animals of the 
 United States troops on their march, to set fire to their 
 trains, to bum the grass and the whole country before 
 them and on their flanks, to keep them from sleeping by 
 night surprises, and to block the roads by felling trees 
 and destroying the fords of rivers. 
 
 " On the 4th of October, 1857, the Mormons, under 
 Captaia Lot Smith, captured and burned on Green 
 River, three of our supply trains, consisting of seventy- 
 five wagons loaded with provisions and tents for the 
 army, and carried away several hundred animals." 
 
 Late in the fall the army halted at Fort Bridger, and 
 wintered at a place which was called Camp Scott. No- 
 vember 21st, the newly-appointed Governor, Cumming, 
 issued a proclamation, which might be summed up in a 
 little advice to the Mormons " to go home and obey the 
 laws, and they would not be molested." 
 
 While matters were in statu quo, in January, 1858, 
 Colonel Kane, the old friend of the Mormons, proceeded 
 to California by sea, thence into Utah by the southern 
 route, and reaching Salt Lake City, opened negotiations 
 with Brigham Young. Soon after he was escorted by 
 
190 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Porter Eockwell and Daniel Kimball through the 
 Mormon army, and thence found his way to Fort 
 Bridger, and had a lengthy interview with the Federal 
 officials. The result was that Governor Gumming ac- 
 companied him on his return, and was permitted to pass 
 through the Mormon forces to Salt Lake Gity. He was 
 much flattered with his reception, particularly by an 
 illumination in his honor, of Echo Ganon, which they 
 passed in the night. They were escorted by Kimball 
 and Rockwell, and reached the city early in the spring ; 
 the Mormons hastened to assure him that " the rebel- 
 lion in Utah was a pure invention," and the records 
 which were supposed to have been destroyed, were pro- 
 duced entire ! They had only been concealed. 
 
 Such flattery and attention were bestowed upon the 
 Governor that he was completely captivated, and such 
 earnest representations made that he was soon con- 
 vinced the Mormons were an innocent and much 
 abused people, and was anxious to spare them all 
 humiliation possible. But he could not control the 
 army which had orders from the Secretary of War. 
 He reported a "respectful reception" to Washington, 
 and on the 12th of April, Mr. Buchanan appointed 
 L. W. Powell, of Kentucky, and Ben McGuUoch, of 
 Texas, as " Peace Gommissioners," and by them sent a 
 proclamation of pardon ! But Brigham Young had 
 given orders for a move, and early in April, 20,000 
 people from the city and north of it started south, they 
 knew not where, but many supposed it w;as to Mexico. 
 Governor Gumming in vain implored them to remain. 
 Old Mormons have often described to me how he stood 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 191 
 
 upon the street as the long trains rolled southward, 
 with the tears streaming from his eyes, and protested, 
 " if he followed his feelings he would rather go with 
 them than remain with the apostates." Late that 
 month he issued a proclamation offering "protection 
 to all illegally restrained of their liberty in Utah," but 
 few availed themselves of it. The latter part of May, 
 the Peace Commissioners arrived, and had an interview 
 with the leading Mormons. The latter stipulated that 
 the army should not be stationed within forty miles of 
 the city ; that they should protect private property ; 
 should march through the city without halting, and 
 must not encamp till they passed the Jordan. They 
 promised on their part everything that was asked and 
 "accepted the President's pardon." 
 
 June 26th the Federal army marched through the 
 deserted city, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke, who, 
 according to Mormon account, "rode with his head 
 uncovered." Their permanent camp was at a point 
 west of Utah Lake, and forty miles south of the city, 
 which was named Camp Floyd. Late in the season 
 the absent Mormons returned to their homes in great 
 poverty and destitution, and the "Mormon war" was 
 ended. The Federal officials entered again upon their 
 duties; courts were reopened and attempts made to 
 administer justice; but no grand jury would indict 
 and no petty jury convict, and criminals went "scot 
 free." The following cases appear upon the record : 
 
 " During the sitting of Judge Sinclair's Court, the 
 Mormon Grand Jury promptly found a bill of indict- 
 ment against one Ralph Pike, a Sergeant in Company 
 
192 LIFE IN" UTAH; OR, THE MYSTEKIES 
 
 I, of the 10th Infantry, United States Army, for an 
 assault with intent to kill, committed upon one How- 
 ard Spencer, the son of a Mormon bishop, at the mili- 
 tary reserve in Rush Valley. Upon capias issued. Pike 
 was arrested and brought to Great Salt Lake City. 
 The day following, August 11, 1858, about 12 o'clock, 
 M., as Pike was entering the Salt Lake House, on Main 
 street, Spencer stepped up to him from behind, saying, 
 ' Are you the man that struck me in Rush Valley ? ' at 
 the same time drawing his pistol, and shot him through 
 the side, inflicting a mortal wound. Spencer ran across 
 the street, mounted his horse and rode off accompanied 
 by several noted ' Danites.' Pike lingered in dreadful 
 agony two days before he died. The ' Deseret Ne"ws,' 
 in its next issue, lauded young Spencer for his courage 
 and bravery. 
 
 " A man by the name of Drown brought suit upon a 
 promissory note for $480, against the ' Danite' captain, 
 Bill Hickman. The case being submitted to the court, 
 Drown obtained a judgment. A few days afterwards 
 Drown and a companion named Arnold were stopping 
 at the house of a friend in Salt Lake City, when Hick- 
 man with some seven or eight of his band rode up to 
 the house and called for Drown to come out. Drown 
 suspecting foul play refused to do so and locked the 
 doors. The Danites thereupon dismounted from their 
 horses, broke down the doors and shot down both Drown 
 and Arnold. Drown died of his wounds next morning, 
 and Arnold a few days afterwards. Hickman and his 
 band rode off unmolested. 
 
 " Thus, during a single term of the court held in a 
 Mormon community, the warm life-blood of three human 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 193 
 
 victims is shed upon the very threshhold of the court ; 
 and although the Grand Jury is in session no prosecu- 
 tion is attempted, and not one of the offenders brought 
 to justice." 
 
 Soon after, a deaf and dumb boy named Andrew 
 Bernard was killed in Weber Canon, as was pretty 
 clearly proved by " Ephe " Hanks, a noted " Danite ; " 
 and an apostate named Forbes was found dead. The 
 same year one Henry Jones and his mother living near 
 Pondtown, south of Utah Lake, were accused of horse- 
 stealing by their neighbors. They were attacked at 
 night and the woman instantly killed ; the young man 
 escaped and ran some two miles pursued by .the " Dan- 
 ites." He was finally captured and a pistol placed to 
 his ear and discharged, blowing his head to pieces. 
 Both the bodies were placed in their dwelling, a " dug- 
 out " half under the ground ; the roof was then thrown 
 down upon them and covered with dirt, making that 
 their only grave. The next winter a Mormon bishop 
 of that locality killed one of his wives for alleged in- 
 fidelity, and one Franklin McNeil, who had sued Brig- 
 ham Young for false imprisonment, was shot dead in 
 his own door. 
 
 Another abomination of that bloody period was not 
 brought to light till long after. 
 
 Early in 1858, while the army was yet at Fort 
 Bridger, eighty discharged teamsters started through 
 the city to California. An officer of the Nauvoo Le- 
 gion was informed that he would find a "trusty force," 
 at a certain place, with which to guard them through, 
 and received the following order : 
 
 ,13 
 
194 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 « Salt Lake City, April 9th, 1858. 
 " 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 pre- 
 vent them from returning to Bridger to join our ene- 
 mies. Every precaution should be taken, and see that 
 not one escapes. Secrecy is required. 
 " By order of General Daniel H. Wells. 
 "James Ferguson, 
 
 " Assistant Adjutant General." 
 
 The officer refused to execute the order, for which 
 his life was threatened. He took refuge at the Federal 
 camp and was sent out of the Territory. The signa- 
 ture of Ferguson is authenticated by two Mormons, 
 formerly merchants in Salt Lake City. Several years 
 after, the widow of Ferguson called upon a Federal 
 Judge who had the writing in his possession. She 
 stated that she had heard the rumor that there was 
 such a paper and desired to see it. 
 
 It was not given to her but spread upon the desk 
 for her inspection. She read it through, turned deadly 
 pale, and rushed out of the room without saying a 
 word. Through 1858 and '59 various difficulties oc- 
 curred; Governor Gumming did not sustain the judi- 
 ciary in their efforts, and finally an order was received 
 from Washington that the troops were not to be used 
 as a posse to aid the United States Marshal in making 
 arrests. This, of course, completely put an end even 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 195 
 
 to the attempt to administer justice. But the en- 
 trance of the army had done good in a variety of ways ; 
 stage and mail lines had been established ; means of 
 intelligence had been multiplied, and a considerable 
 Gentile influence established, and we gladly turn away 
 from the dark period of crime and degradation, and 
 enter upon the era in which outside influence began to 
 produce good efl(gcts even in Utah. 
 
196 LIFE IN UTAH J OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 GENTILES IN UTAH. 
 
 A Ne"W Element — Livingston and Kinkead — " Jack-Mormonism at Wash- 
 ington" — Judge Drummond — M. Jules Eemy — Gilbert and Sons — 
 Heavy Trade — Later Gentile MCTchants — Walker Brothers — Sales at 
 Camp Floyd— " Crushing the Mormons" — EansohoflF & Co. —Mormon 
 Outrages again — Murders of Brassfield and Dr. Robinson — Whipping of 
 Weston— Evidence in case of Robinson — Outrages on Lieut. Brown and 
 Dr. Williamson — Gentiles Driven from the Public Land — Territorial 
 Surveyor — Success of General Connor's Administration — The Govern- 
 ment Returns to the Old Policy — Murders of Potter and Wilson — Horri- 
 ble Death of "Negro Tom"— The Last Witness "put out of the Way" 
 — "Danites" again — Murder each Other — Death of Hatch— Flight of 
 Hickman — Forty -three Murders — Another Change of Officials — Doty — 
 Durkee— Shameful Neglect by the Government — Flight of the Gentiles 
 — Comparative Quiet Again — A better Day — The Author Arrives in 
 Utah. 
 
 A NEW element now enters into Utah affairs, and de- 
 mands attention. There had previously been Gentiles 
 resident in Salt Lake, but before 1858, they seem 
 to have created no special interest. The history of 
 Gentile merchants from the earliest times to the present 
 exhibits a singular record of " pluck " and enterprise, 
 contending against the ever- varying complications of 
 political and religious fanaticism. The first Gentile 
 merchants to make a permanent establishment in Salt 
 Lake, were Messrs. Livingston and Kinkead, who 
 began business there in 1850, and taking the- tide 
 of Mormon prosperity at its height, when the young 
 colony had just realized on the California trade, their 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 197 
 
 profits were immense. At the date they reached the 
 city there were no Eastern goods in the Valley, and 
 the first day their store was open they took in $10, 
 000 in gold ! Other merchants passed through doing- 
 some trade, but none had done so well. The custom 
 of these early merchants was to start from the Missouri 
 with large stocks, which they opened at Salt Lake, 
 remaining only one autumn and winter, trading for 
 cattle, grain and ^our, which they took on to California 
 the next season. 
 
 From 1850 till 1862, "jack-Mormonism" ruled at 
 Washington to a considerable extent, and the Gentiles 
 of Utah had but little help, either by protection or 
 moral influence, from Federal appointees. Judge Kin- 
 ney, who was appointed Chief Justice in 1854, came 
 that year to the valley with his family and a large 
 stock of goods. He kept a hotel, sold goods, speculated 
 in various ways, and spared no pains to keep on good 
 terms with his Mormon customers; afterwards he 
 joined the Mormons, was baptized jn the holy Jordan 
 — it is reported that he paid the officiating priest $10 
 to have the job done in the night — and represented the 
 Territory one term in Congress. 
 
 For a short time he was the colleague of Judge Drum- 
 mond, the Government thus, by immorality on one side 
 and "jack-Mormonism" on the other, playing into the 
 hands of the Saints most effectually. Kinney had a 
 difficulty with Brigham Young early in 1855, as re- 
 ported by M. Jules Remy, who visited Salt Lake that 
 summer, and Brigham fleclined the invitation of the 
 Frenchman to dine with him at Kinney's hotel, on that 
 
198 LIFE IN UTAH J OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 account. It is a subject of curious conjecture what sort 
 of an impression this state of affairs made on the courtly 
 Frenchman, accustomed to see the representative of the 
 supreme power treated with the utmost deference. 
 Kinney left the next year, retaining, however, the office 
 and its emoluments till 1857, and in 1860 was reap- 
 pointed. 
 
 The entrance of Johnston's army, with the government 
 contracts thereby rendered necessary, and the more 
 complete establishment of the Overland Stages, mark 
 the beginning of a new era in Gentile history ; here is 
 a point of departure, so to speak, between the old and 
 the new, separating ancient and modern history. Nearly 
 all the late merchants came in with that army, or fol- 
 lowing soon after. 
 
 During the interval from 1853 to 1858, the Mormons 
 had fallen behind, and great destitutution often pre- 
 vailed, particularly in the southern settlements. One 
 year the crops were short from drouth, and another they 
 were entirely destroyed by grasshoppers; during two 
 seasons there was no surplus except a little wheat which 
 could only be sold in barter for fifty cents per bushel; 
 one winter thousands of the people subsisted largely 
 upon sego roots, and another, of unusual severity, a third 
 of the cattle throughout Utah died from exposure. In 
 the period known in Mormon chronicles as "The. Re- 
 formation," the Ward Teachers visited every family in 
 their jurisdiction, and made a thorough examination of 
 their flour barrels and meat chests, taking away the 
 surplus, where there was any, to divide it among those 
 who had none. In the summer of 1855, M. Jules Remy, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 199 
 
 French traveler and savan, and Mr. A. M. Brenchley, 
 his English .companion and botanist, journeyed from 
 Sacramento to Salt Lake City, by the Central Nevada 
 route and south of the lake, and spent several weeks 
 studying Mormon institutions. Their publication, a 
 copy of which may be found in the State Library at 
 Sacramento, describes a condition of extreme poverty in 
 Utah ; provisions of all sorts were at premium prices, 
 and their tour of two months, with the poorest accom- 
 modations, cost them more in gold than a first-class tour 
 of Europe would have done. Wheat and a few other 
 bare necessaries alone were tolerably cheap. The season 
 of 1856-57 might be justly denominated the "Winter 
 of Mormon discontent." And it is remarkable that 
 during those two years were committed most of those 
 crimes which form so black a chapter in the annals of 
 Utah. 
 
 The entrance of Johnston's army proved a real god- 
 send to many, and being followed by a season of 
 unusual fruitfulness, the Mormons were again rendered 
 prosperous. The firm of Gilbert k Sons was established 
 in Salt Lake City about that time, though one of the 
 firm had done business there before. This firm made 
 large profits during the five succeeding years, their 
 sales on one particular day amounting to $17,000 in 
 gold. Coin was the only currency, all large payments 
 being made in the Mormon ^ve-dollar piece, a coin 
 struck by the Church, which, however, contained but 
 |4.30 in gold. Another prominent firm of that period 
 was Ransohofif & Co., long the leading Jewish firm, 
 who built the best stone store-house in the city. Thev 
 
200 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 had extensive dealings with Brigham Young, who was 
 for a while on the best of terms with Gentile merchants, 
 and when Johnston's army left and the camp property 
 was sold, Brigham borrowed |30,000 of RansohofF to 
 invest in army pork. Following the entrance of the 
 army came a heavy trade with Nevada, and not long 
 afterwards considerable with Colorado ; and at this 
 period was the rise of the firm of Walker Brothers, 
 now far excellence, the Gentile merchant princes of 
 Utah. The "Walkers, four young and middle aged 
 gentlemen, were of Mormon parentage and reared 
 among the Saints; having, by great industry and 
 enterprise, secured a small stock in trade before the 
 entrance of the army. The stores at Camp Floyd were 
 sold early in 1861, with immense profits to the Saints; 
 iron which had retailed at a dollar per pound, became 
 as plentiful as in the East, and Brigham Young, 
 Walker Brothers and other firms bought immense 
 quantities of pork at. one cent per pound, which they 
 afterwards retailed at sixty. Thus did Buchanan 
 "crush the Mormons." The Overland Mail service 
 grew into greatness, furnishing another source of profit, 
 and the Gentile merchants shared largely in the gen- 
 eral prosperity. During 1859 and '60, though lihere 
 was hostility between Camp Floyd and the Mormon 
 hierarchy, money was plenty; suflBcient supplies had 
 been forwarded to last the army ten years, and great 
 quantities of leather, gearing, cavalry equipments, 
 clothing, blankets and small stores were sold for one 
 tenth their value ; Brigham was on the best of terms 
 with the Gentile merchants; gifts and donations on 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 201 
 
 both sides were common ; there was for a time httle or 
 no social distinction- between Mormon and Gentile, and 
 an era of general good feeling prevailed. 
 
 The General Government soon returned to the old 
 policy, and with the return of Kinney, Jud^s Flenni- 
 ken and Crosby were appointed to succeed Sinclair and 
 Cradlebaugh, removed. In 1861 Governor Gumming 
 left Utah, and was succeeded by John W. Dawson, of 
 Indiana, who was soon entrapped into " a base attempt 
 on the virtue of a Mormon woman," and in consequence 
 of many threats precipitately fled the Territory. He 
 was waylaid, however, in Weber Canyon, and received 
 a terrible beating, which he richly deserved for his 
 cowardice, and, if the charge above be true, for his 
 detestably bad taste. Notwithstanding these difier- 
 ences with the officials the Mormons continuec^ on good 
 terms with the merchants, trade was free, and the 
 people rather prosperous. The opening of the war 
 signaled a sudden change ; the disloyalty of the Mor- 
 mons was only equalled by the disgust of the Gentiles, 
 and the whole gist of Mormon sermons for a year or 
 two might have been compressed into that aggravating 
 after-prophecy, " Didn't we tell you so ?" With them 
 it was only the realization of what Joe Smith had 
 prophesied in 1832, and Sunday after Sunday the 
 Tabernacle resounded with the harangues of Brighara 
 Young and Heber Kimball, in fiendish exultation over 
 the prospect that " the war would go on till nearly all 
 the men. North and South, would be killed, the rest 
 would become servants to the Saints, the women of the 
 United States would come begging for the Mormon 
 
202 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 elders to marry them, and a general cry would go up, 
 ' come and help us preserve the race of man in this 
 land.' " 
 
 Such was the stuff then preached by men who are 
 now pratii% loudly of their loyalty. It was hard for 
 an American to listen to it quietly, and but little else- 
 was heard in Salt Lake for the first two years of the 
 war. Early in 1862 Judges Flenniken and Crosby left 
 Salt Lake City. If they did anything while there to 
 forward the cause of truth, to add to the dignity of the 
 Government, to increase the moral force of the Gentiles 
 or protect the victims of Brighamism, it appears not on 
 the record. President Lincoln was advised by tele- 
 graph of their departure, and on the 3d of February, 
 18^2, appointed Thomas J. Drake, of Michigan, and 
 Chas. V. iWaite, of Illinois, to succeed them. On the 
 31st of March following, Stephen S. Harding, an " origi- 
 nal abolitionist," of southern Indiana, was appointed 
 Governor, and the new officials reached Salt Lake in 
 July of the same year. In October following Colonel 
 (now General) P. Edward Connor arrived with fifteen 
 hundred men and established Camp Douglas. This 
 administration may well be styled the " golden age " of 
 Gentiles in Utah. For nearly four years General Con- 
 nor maintained the rights of American citizens, and 
 protected and assisted many hundred dissenting Mor- 
 mons in their escape from Utah. Their prompt action 
 in protecting American citizens and recusant Mormons 
 from injury, together with the anti-polygamy features 
 of Governor Harding's first message, and the action of 
 the Judges in asking Congress for an amendment to 
 
CEEEMONY Or CONFIRMATION. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 203 
 
 the Organic Act of the Territory, excited the Brighara- 
 ites to great anger for a time ; the hostility increased, 
 and when an unusually large number of miners came 
 to winter in Salt Lake, Brigham assumed entire control 
 of Mormon trade and flour was put up at once from $3 
 to $6 .per hundred in gold, then equal to twice that 
 amount in currency. Great was the indignation at 
 this move, but the miners could not help themselves at 
 that season and submitted, though their curses were 
 both loud and deep. The opening of spring relieved 
 this embargo, and the Mormons soon discovered that 
 though Camp Douglas was something of an eye-sore, 
 yet the presence of two regiments added materially to 
 their trade. The triumph of the Union arms through 
 1864, the prompt payment of claims against the Gov- 
 ernment, and the appointment of rather more accept- 
 able officials, convinced the Mormons that " loyalty 
 would pay " for awhile, and another era of free trade 
 and tolerably good feeling followed. The years 1864-65 
 were seasons of prosperity to the Gentiles ; Ransohoff 
 & Co. cleared large sums dealing in general supplies, 
 and Walker Brothers, who had meanwhile apostatized 
 from Mormonism, took rank as millionaires. 
 
 The era of free trade and good feeling was short and 
 the change sudden. In 1865 and 1866 all the California 
 and Nevada volunteers and most of the other troops 
 were withdrawn, and the hostility of the Church was 
 manifested with tenfold more fierceness. All the Gen- 
 tiles, who had pre-empted land west of the city, were 
 whipped, ducked in the Jordan, or tarred and feathered, 
 and their improvements destroyed ; many were threa,t- 
 
204 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 ened and orfiered out of the country ; Weston, of the 
 Union Vedette, was seized at night, taken to Temple 
 Block and cruelly beaten; Brassfield was shot; Dr.- 
 Eobiason assassinated, and general consternation seized 
 upon the Gentile residents. Some of these events de- 
 mand a more particular account. 
 
 Squire Newton Brassfield, formerly a citizen of Cali- 
 fornia, and more lately of Nevada, while sojourning 
 temporarily in Salt Lake City, formed the acquaintance 
 of a woman who had been the polygamous wife of a 
 Mormon, named Hill, but had left him, repudiated this 
 so-called marriage and claimed that she was entitled 
 at common law to»the possession of her children by this 
 Hill, as the offspring of an illegal marriage, or rather 
 of no marriage at all. She and Brassfield were married 
 in legal form by the U. S. Judge, H. P. McCurdy, on 
 the 28th of March, 1866 ; a writ of habeas corpus 
 was issued from the United States Court for the pos- 
 session of her children, and the trial set for the night 
 of April the 3d, but adjourned till the 6th. Meanwhile 
 Brassfield had taken a trunk containing her clothing 
 from her former residence, and was arrested by the 
 Mormon authorities on a charge of grand larceny ! 
 The ground assumed for this action was that the cloth- 
 ing taken was the property of her husband. It was also 
 charged that he had resisted the officer attempting to 
 make the arrest — an ofience universally considered 
 worthy of death by the Mormons. In this case also an 
 appeal was had to the United States Court. On the 
 evening of April 6 th, about 8 o'clock, while Brassfield 
 was passing along Second South street, in the custody 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 205 
 
 of, or in company with United States Marshal, J. K. 
 Hosmer, he was shot in the hac^ by a concealed assassin; 
 as near as could be determined, from an alley on the 
 opposite side of the street. The" assassin escaped, and 
 no especial effort was made to arrest him. The Gen- 
 tiles offered a reward of $4,500 for his apprehension ; 
 the Mormon press and speakers were either non-com- 
 mittal on the subject, or mildly sustained the assassin, 
 and dared the Gentiles to publish their names to the 
 offered reward. The possession of her two children 
 was afterwards confirmed to Mrs. Brassfield by the 
 United States Court, and she left the Territory with 
 them. The following telegram was -at once forwarded 
 to General Connor, still in command of the district, but 
 temporarily absent in New York : 
 
 Geeat Salt Lake Citt, April 8, 1866. 
 Bi-igadier- General P. E. Gonnor, Metropolitan Hotel, 
 New Yorh : — I married S. N. Brassfield to a Mormon 
 woman, on the 28th ultimo. Brassfield was assassinated 
 on the night of the 6th instant. I have been denounced 
 and threatened publicly. Government officials here have 
 telegraphed to the Secretary of War to retain troops 
 here until others are sent to relieve them. Call on 
 Secretary of War, learn his conclusions and answer ; 
 £ feel unsafe in person and property without protection. 
 
 H. P. MCCURDY, 
 
 Associate Justice Supreme Court, U. T. 
 
 A similar dispatch was forwarded by Colonel C. A. 
 Potter, who was ordered to retain troops until the 
 regulars arrived. 
 
206 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Dr. Robinson was assassinated on the night of the 
 "22d of October. The following biography is taken 
 from the Union Vedette of October 25th, 1866. 
 
 " The late Dr. J. K. Rohinson, whose assassination 
 last Monday has sent a thrill of horror to the heart of 
 every law abiding citizens of this Territory, was a 
 native of Calais, Maine, and was in his thirty-first 
 year. He came to Utah from California in the spring 
 of 1864, as an Assistant Surgeon of the United States 
 volunteers, and reporting to General Connor, was sent 
 to Camp Connor at Soda Springs, Idaho ; but during 
 the following winter was ordered to Salt Lake, and 
 took charge of the hospital at Camp Douglas, and re- 
 mained on duty there and in this city until last winter, 
 when he was mustered oUt of the service, leaving a 
 record in the army which stands without a blemish. 
 After leaving the service of his country. Dr. Robinson 
 settled down in this city and engaged in the practice 
 of his profession, in which he had taken the lead 
 among the practicing physicians of Salt Lake, and has 
 occupied an equally prominent position in the advance- 
 ment of all religious and educational schemes of the 
 city. He was one of the most intimate friends and 
 the room-mate of the Rev. Norman McLeod, and co- 
 operated with him in all his measures for the advance- 
 ment of the social condition of the people of Utah. 
 In this capacity he had, up to the time of his death, 
 filled with great credit the position of superintendent 
 in the Gentile Sunday School. On the afternoon of 
 Mr. McLeod's departure for the East, in March last, 
 he united Dr. Robinson in the bonds of matrimony 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 207 
 
 with Miss Nellie Kay, the accomplished daughter of 
 the late Dr. Kay. No citizen of Salt Lake stood 
 higher, morally or socially, than Dr. Robinson; we 
 have never heard of his having a personal enemy, or 
 that he ever infringed upon the legal or moral rights 
 of apy man living, and the only conceivable cause for 
 his assassination is the fact that he saw fit to contest 
 the title of a pjpce'of land with the city in the Supreme 
 Court. No other cause can be assigned, for had the 
 object of the assassins been plunder, they could have 
 obtained it, as the Doctor had upon his person a large 
 sum of money and a valuable gold watch, which had 
 been untouched when the body was found." 
 
 In common with many others. Dr. Robinson had held 
 that the Territorial Legislature had no right to make 
 grants of public land, and the city no right to pre-empt. 
 He, accordingly, filed a claim upon the land surrounding 
 the Warm Springs near the city, and erected some im- 
 provements which were torn down at mid-day by an 
 armed force of police. He appealed his case to tfie U. 
 S. Court, bringing an action of ejectment; in the course 
 of the trial, his counsel raised the question that the 
 city, because of the non-performance of certain acts, 
 had no legal existence ; which was argued before Chief 
 Justice Titus, and by him decided in favor of the city. 
 Dr. Robinson then gave notice of his intention to appeal. 
 On the 11th of October, a bowling alley belonging to 
 the Doctor Was destroyed by a party of some twenty 
 men with blackened faces. For this a number of per- 
 sons were arrested. Chief of Police Burt and two sub- 
 ordinates identified and bound over by the Chief Jus- 
 
208 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 tice. SoRn after, Dr. Eobinson called on Mayor "Wells, 
 in regard to the matter, was denied any answer and or- 
 dered to leave the house. This aflfair was thus chron- 
 icled the next morning by the Telegraph, then edited by 
 the late renegade Mormon, T. B. H. Stenhouse : 
 
 " As Well Trained — The admiration for Zebra, Na- 
 poleon and Leopard, on Friday night, was snuffed out 
 by the greater admiration for Dr. Ball-alley as he cleared 
 from the Mayor's house yesterday afternoon. His honor 
 had only to open the door, direct his finger and the man 
 of pills and bluster vamosed with a grace that fairly 
 eclipsed little Leopard under the admirable direction of 
 Bartholomew." 
 
 For several Sundays Brigham and other leaders had 
 preached the most inflammatory harangues in the 
 Tabernacle, advising the people " if any man attempted 
 to pre-empt their land to ' send him to hell across 
 lots ' " and the like. In more than one instance assas- 
 sination was openly counseled and threatened, and the 
 people were ripe for any desperate outrage. The 
 second night after the abpve publication, between the 
 hours of eleven and twelve, a man called at the house 
 of Dr. Robinson, stated that " his brother, John Jones, 
 had had his leg broken and required the Doctor's assis- 
 tance ;" the Doctor started with the man, they were 
 joined by others, and a few steps away, at the corner 
 of Main and Third South Street, he was struck two 
 blows on the head, and immediately shot through the 
 brain. One witness saw one of the assassins running 
 down the street westward ; two others saw three of 
 
ANB CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 209 
 
 them running eastward, and three were seen running 
 southward, mahmg seven joersons engaged in the mur- 
 der. On the investigation Mayor Wells swore that he 
 was not informed of the murder "till ten o'clock the 
 day after;" the policemen swore there were but eight 
 of them on duty that night, of whom three were at the 
 circus and " all the rest at the City Hall ;" the Mor- 
 mons examined swore there had been no threats made, 
 and Stenhouse and one or two others refused to answer 
 most of the questions asked. The investigation utterly 
 failed to show that Dr. Robinson had a personal enemy 
 in the world and showed that he had had difficulty 
 with none but the city authorities. Evidence subse- 
 quently developed has fixed the guilt of this murder 
 unmistakably upon the Mormon authorities. 
 
 The case of those Gentiles who were driven from, 
 the public land presents a flagrant violation of law.. 
 The Legislature of Utah has passed an Act appointing, 
 a Territorial Surveyor ; under its provisions any man, 
 can get the Surveyor to run a line around a piece of 
 the public land, then stick up stakes at the four cor- 
 ners and he has a claim upon the land. It has been 
 the custom to pay no regard whatever to the National 
 laws in regard to the public land. But should a 
 Gentile attempt under these laws to take up a piece of 
 land thus surveyed, he would be driven off. A number' 
 of the discharged volunteers, among them a Surgeon, 
 Williamson and Lieutenant Brown, entered upon some' 
 unoccupied land west of the Jordan, without a sign of 
 an improvement upon it. While erecting their cabins 
 some Mormons came out and claimed the land. They 
 14 
 
210 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 informed the Mormons that they did not wish to intrude 
 on any other man's land, and if the latter would show 
 they had taken up this land or made any improvements 
 upon it, they would . leave it. To this reasonable re- 
 quest no reply was made, but that night some twenty 
 men with blackened faces came to their shanties and 
 captured both Brown and Williamson. They rolled 
 them both up in an old tent and carried them towards 
 the Jordan. Lieutenant Brown, a cool and brave man, 
 simply said : " Well, gentlemen, all I have to say is, if 
 you intend to take my life, kill me like a man, and don't 
 drown me like a dog." Upon this one of the crowd 
 stepped up and remarked : " You shan't put that man 
 in there. I know his voice ; it's Lieutenant Brown, and 
 once when he commanded the provost guard I had 
 trouble with the soldiers, and he took my part and got 
 me off. I didn't know this was the man till he spoke." 
 
 After consultation the mob tore down their shanties 
 and released the men on their promise to leave the 
 country. The other settlers were ducked in the Jor- 
 dan, and one of them shot through the leg while swim- 
 ming the river. 
 
 The administration of General Connor had been 
 almost a perfect success, and the American name w^s 
 then respected and Gentile safety secured in the most 
 remote valleys of Utah ; outside influences of all kinds 
 had rapidly augmented, and a flourishing Gentile 
 church, school and paper had been established. But 
 Brigham and his tools had never ceased to work and 
 intrigue at Washington for a change, and Johnsbn's 
 administration proved disastrous to Utah. In a few 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 211 
 
 months after General Connor was removed and the 
 troops withdrawn, there were three atrocious murders 
 and numerous outrages upon Gentiles. 
 
 Soon after, three apostates named Potter, Wilson and 
 "Walker, were arrested at Coalville in Weber Valley, on 
 a trumped up charge of stealing a cow. This Potter was 
 a brother of those murdered at Springville in 1857, 
 and had been pursued with unrelenting hatred. Several 
 times he had been arrested on various charges and as 
 often acquitted. His death was now determined upon, 
 and one " Art " Hinckley, a " Danite " and Salt Lake 
 policeman was sent for. Evidence afterwards obtained, 
 shows that he was accompanied by another policeman, 
 and joined by parties at diflfei-ent points on his way.' 
 They proceeded to the school-house where the three men 
 were confined, and took them out. Walker suspecting 
 foul play, saw two of his guards level their guns at 
 him, when he dodged down and the shots only slightly 
 wounded him in the neck. At the same instant the 
 contents of a heavily loaded shot-gun were fired into 
 Potter's body. Walker being an agile man escaped by 
 jumping a near fence, receiving another slight wound 
 in so doing, and made his way through canons and 
 ravines to Camp Douglas. Wilson also ran a little 
 way, but was shot dead. On the evidence of Walker the 
 assassins were arrested, but by the connivance of Mor- 
 mon officers escaped from the Territorial Marshal, who 
 had them in charge. The Mormon papers labored to 
 explain the afiair, stating that the prisoners were shot 
 in attempting • to escape from custody; but it is the 
 testimony of all who saw the corpse of Potter, that the 
 
212 LIFE IN TJTAH; OE, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 gun must have been almost touching his body when 
 fired, and that his throat was cut after death. This 
 was no doubt in fulfilment of the penalty in the En- 
 dowment oath. "Walker remained about Camp Doug- 
 las for some time, then suddenly disappeared, and has 
 since never been heard of. Shortly after, a colored man 
 generally known as "Negro Tom," who had been 
 brought to the Territory by the Mormons as a slave, 
 and lived many years in the family of Brigham Young 
 and other dignitaries, called upon some Federal officials 
 and stated that he could give important evidence in 
 regard to some of these murders. A few days after, his 
 body was found upon the " bench " two miles east of 
 the city, horribly mangled, his throat cut from ear to 
 ear, and on his breast a large placard marked : 
 
 "Let "White Women Alone." 
 In all such cases of assassination the Mormons can 
 command abundant evidence that the victim has " in- 
 sulted- a Mormon woman." Thus the last witness of 
 these crimes was removed, and the proof put beyond 
 the reach of earthly courts. 
 
 In the long list of murders and outrages, I have thus 
 far particularly noted only those upon Gentiles, or in 
 which Gentiles were specially interested. But it must 
 be said of the Mormons, that they have always treated 
 their own people worse than outsiders ; and while they 
 only Inolested those Gentiles who were particularly ob- 
 noxious, or -had property to reward their assassins, they 
 have visited apostates and dissenters with extreme 
 vengeance. It were a wearisome and disgusting task 
 to recount all the memoirs of those who fled or attempted 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 213 
 
 to flee from the Territory, and the bloody fate which 
 has overtaken many, even of the tools of the Church, 
 when suspected. One incident, however, is so notorious 
 in the early annals of Utah, that, as an instance of the 
 course often pursued, it deserves to be noted. Chief 
 among the cut-throats of the earlier period, were three 
 who merit an immortality of infamy, viz.: "Port" 
 Rockwell, «Ephe" Hanks, and "Bill" Hickman. 
 Closely associated with the last for many years was one 
 " Ike " Hatch ; but at length he grew weary of his mode 
 of life, and, confiding in Hickman, announced his inten- 
 tion to escape from the Territory. Soon after Hickman 
 and Hatch started from Salt Lake City on horseback 
 for Provo. While crossing a small stream on the road, 
 lined with a thick growth of willows. Hatch, who was 
 in advance, was shot from behind, and fell from his 
 horse. Hickman at once galloped back to the city and 
 reported that they had been attacked by Indians, and 
 Hatch killed. The latter, however, had strength to 
 climb upon his horse and reach the city before he died, 
 and informed his father that he had been shot by Hick- 
 man. The latter had the hardihood to attend the 
 funeral of Hatch, and actually assisted in shoveling the 
 dirt into the grave. While in this work, the father of 
 Hatch, overcome by sudden anger, aimed a blow at the 
 murderer with a spade, which would certainly have 
 ended his career had not the blow been warded off by a 
 friend of Hickman, who was on the watch. This 
 murder, as well as several others by Hickman, is not 
 even questioned among the Mormons ; and yet this man 
 was for years on friendly and even intimate terms with 
 
214 LIFE IN UTAH ; OE, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 Brigham Young ! Hickman also fell under suspicion' 
 soon after the "Morrisite war," of which an account 
 will hereafter be given, and fled to Nevada. While 
 there, he was taken violently ill, and sent for a 
 " Josephite " Mormon preacher to administer absolution. 
 It is reported that he then confessed participation in no 
 less than forty-three deliberate murders ! He recovered, 
 and is still seen occasionally in Utah. 
 
 The vigilant administration of General Connor, and 
 the firm position assumed by the Governor did not meet 
 the approval of the authorities at Washington. In 
 1863 Harding was removed and appointed Chief Justice 
 of Colorado, being succeeded as Governor by Hon. 
 James Duane Doty, who had for some time been Indian 
 Superintendent for Utah. About the same time Judge 
 Kinney went to represent the Territory in CongSess 
 and was succeeded as Chief Justice by Hon. John Titus, 
 of Philadelphia. He was an able and impartial Judge ; 
 but seemed too often bound by precedents, and unwill- 
 ing to disturb the order of administration which had 
 existed from the first in the Territorial Courts, even 
 when it was clearly proved to be contrary to a just 
 rendering of the Organic Act. Dr. Frank Fuller, who 
 had been Secretary of the Territory, from '61 to '63, 
 was succeeded in the autumn of the latter year by Mr. 
 Amos Reed. Judge Waite, after several ineffectual at- 
 tempts to administer the la^w, resigned in disgust in 
 1864, and was succeeded by Judge McCurdy, who gave 
 place in 1867 for a Mormon lawyer, named Hoge, ap- 
 pointed by President Johnson. Goversor Doty filled 
 the ofiice with all the dignity and efficiency possible to 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 215 
 
 a man in such circumstances, almost without command 
 and entirely without the moral support of the Govern- 
 ment. He died in 1865 and was succeeded by Hon. 
 Charles Durkee, also of Wisconsin, who retained the 
 office till late in 1869, and a few weeks after his re- 
 moval died at Omaha, Nebraska. He was quite old, 
 very feeble, without the power or energy to command, 
 and was expressly instructed from Washington to pur- 
 sue a conciliatory policy; as he once informed the 
 writer, he " was sent out to do nothing," and it need 
 only be added that he succeeded admirably in doing it. 
 
 The Secretary, Reed, was succeeded in the autumn 
 of 1866 by Edward P. Higgins, of Michigan, who filled 
 that office with marked ability till the spring of 1869. 
 The first half of that year he acted as Governor, in the 
 absence of Durkee, and won golden opinions for the 
 able manner in which he performed the duties of that 
 office. His message to the Territorial Legislature is 
 noted as among the most able ever presented in Utah. 
 
 Soon after being relieved of his command, General 
 Connor took up his residence in Stockton, Rush Valley, 
 forty miles west of the city, where he has since been 
 extensively engaged in mining. 
 
 A general stampede of Gentiles from Utah seemed 
 likely to follow the withdrawal of all protection by the 
 Government; and soon after Robinson's death, the 
 Gentile merchants, with two or three exceptions, joined 
 in a written proposal to Brigham, that they would all 
 leave the Territory, if he or the Church would pay a 
 nominal price for their property. To this Brigham 
 complacently made reply that he " had not asked them 
 
216 LIFE IN UTAH; OH, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 to come, and did not ask them to go ; they could stay 
 as long as they' pleased." This excitement subsided 
 like the rest, and a whole year passed a^ay without 
 any serious outrages, or unusual threats. _ The influ- 
 ence of the approaching railroad began to be felt, 
 resulting in another era of good feeling. 
 
 The amount of travel increased, and with it the 
 amount of money ; trade was free, with no distinction 
 between Mormon and Gentiles ; contracts on the rail- 
 road were taken by both, and little distinction made 
 in giving employment, and in July, 1868, at a great 
 railroad meeting, Mormon, Jew and Christian frater- 
 nized in the Tabernacle, and seemed to feel they had a 
 common interest in the country's prosperity. 
 
 And thus stood affairs in the early autumn of 1868, 
 when the author first entered the Territory. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 217 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 FIRST VIEWS IN UTAH. 
 
 The real " American Desert "—No MytTi— Bitter Creek— Green River- 
 Lone Rock— Plains of Bridger— Quaking Asp Ridge — Bear River— A 
 Mormon Autobiography— " Pulling hair"— "Aristocracy" on the Plains 
 -"Mule-skinners" and " BuUwhackers "— The " BuUwhackers Epic" 
 — Cache Cave— Echo Canon — Mormon "fortifications"— Braggadocio — 
 Storm in Weber Canon— Up the Weber — Parley's Park — A Wife-steal- 
 ing Apostle — Down the Canon — Majestic Scenery — First view of the 
 valley— The " City of the Saints." 
 
 On the morning of August 28th, 1868, from the 
 heights east of Green River, then the eastern boundary 
 of the Territory, I took my first view of Utah. I had 
 not reached, as I did not leave it, without tribulation. 
 In company with a Mormon "outfit" of sixteen men, 
 ten wagons, and sixty mules, I had made the weari- 
 some journey from North Platte across three hundred 
 miles of the American Desert at the dryest season of 
 the year. The point of our departure from the rail- 
 road was too far south for us to reach the much sought 
 Sweetwater route, and, after leaving Bridger's Pass, we 
 struck directly for the head of Bitter Creek, down 
 which we travelled for three days, days fixed in 
 memory, but not dear. 
 
 A region of sand and alkali, where the white dust 
 lay six inches deep in the road, and the whole surface 
 of the valley looked like a mixture of dried soap and 
 soda, this part of the American Desert is certainly no 
 
218 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 myth. On the 26th of August we left that stream at 
 Point of Rocks, and traveled northward towards the 
 upper crossing of Green River. Thirty miles on our 
 former course would have brought us to the confluence 
 of Bitter Creek and Green River, but it was impossible 
 to travel longer on the former stream, the water of 
 which resembles weak soapsuds, and has the effect 
 upon the system of a mild infusion of aloes. The road, 
 always bad at that season, was rendered much worse 
 by the graders everywhere present, and at work upon 
 the line of the railroad. The teamsters we met, 
 whether Saxon, Mexican, or Negro, all looked of one 
 color, a moving "pillar of cloud," and, as they shook 
 the dust from their ears, seemed living examples of the 
 judgment, " Dust thou art," etc. 
 
 Special notice is due the " Twenty-mile Desert," 
 where for ten hours the train struggled wearily through 
 a loose bed of sand and soda, enveloped by a blinding 
 white cloud through which the driver could not see his 
 lead mules, and naught was heard but the cracking of 
 whips, the yells and curses of the teamsters and the 
 "cry" of the wheels in the soda, as they seemed to be 
 groaning out the unspeakable woes of the dumb animals. 
 During this experience we often turned our eyes long-' 
 ingly toward the mountain ranges which lay so cool 
 and invitingly before us. But a change came over the 
 spirit of our dream, when by our new route we had 
 reached that elevated region. 
 
 On the mornings of the 27th and 28th, we found ice 
 a quarter of an inch thick on the water in our buckets, 
 and the winds were so cold and piercing, that a heavy 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 219 
 
 coat and two woollen wrappers seemed inadequate pro- 
 tection. Our route was in an irregular semi-circle, 
 north, northwest and west ; passing Lone Rock, a vast 
 block of white and yellow stone, standing in the centre 
 of a high, level plain, as if thrown by some convulsion 
 of nature. from a flat summit two miles distant. As we 
 approached it up. the valley from the east, at some miles 
 distance, it bears an exact resemblance to a large steam- 
 boat coming on under full head of steam ; seen from 
 the side, it resembles a vast Gothic cathedral, with 
 spires at the four corners, and numerous turrets, doors 
 and windows, while the mind imagines the interior, 
 with its ringing halls and resounding corridors. De- 
 scending to the valley by a dangerous " dugway," we 
 forded Green Eiver, a clear, pure stream, here fifty 
 yards wide and three feet deep, cold as ice-water, flow- 
 ing rapidly southward to its junction with Grand River, 
 where both form the Great- Colorado. 
 
 From Green River, another day's travel, nearly all 
 the way up hill, brought us upon another cold ridge, 
 where the water froze again. The next day was Sun- 
 day, but there is no Sabbath on the plains unless a man 
 dies, a mule gets sick, or unusually good grass and water 
 invite to a day of rest, in which case, Sunday comes 
 any day of the week. So we thawed the ice out of our 
 pots and buckets, took a little hot coffee, " damper " and 
 pork, limbered up our joints and traveled on, this day 
 crossing Ross' Fork. 
 
 Something in the air of these plains seems to furnish 
 an exemption from the usual penalties of cold and ex- 
 posure. I have often waded deep creeks or risen in the 
 
220 LIFE m UTAH; or, the mysteries 
 
 morning wet and cold, but never experienced any ill 
 effects from it. The pure air of the region proves a 
 perfect immunity against its exposures and hardships. 
 From Ross' Pork we passed on to the high plains of 
 Bridger, 7000 feet above sea level and cold and barren 
 in proportion. Here Johnston's army passed the winter 
 of 1857-8, after they had lost their cattle and supphes 
 in Echo Canon, and here Colonel Kane, a self-consti- 
 tuted embassador from the Mormons, found " the three 
 heads of departments," Governor Gumming, Colonel 
 Johnston and Judge Eckles, when he sought the army 
 on his mission of peace. For the last three days we 
 have traveled in sight of the Uintah Range ; far to the 
 south of us its snowy peaks glistened in the morning 
 sun-light with a cloud like silvery whiteness, while 
 lower down the dark blue-green marked the timber 
 line, which lower still faded to a dull gray, all pre- 
 senting as the day advanced a varying panorama of 
 light and shade, showing in the distance like the 
 shadowy picture scenes of fairy land. 
 
 Our last cold night, August 31st, we spent on Quak- 
 ing Asp Ridge where Boreas sent down a bitter blast, 
 determined to punish us for intrusion into his high 
 domains. With a double thickness of gunny-bags be- 
 low our blankets and wagon-cover above we slept 
 soundly and warmly, and while the wind whistled 
 over my head I dreamed of the sunny valley of the 
 Ohio, its corn ripening in the warm August night 
 while the yellow-brown blades rustle in the soft breeze 
 and sigh a lamerit for the departing summer. 
 
 From this summit we traveled all day, constantly 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOHMONISM. 221 
 
 descending along a narrow " dugway," between ridges 
 lined with quaking asp, or through narrow canons 
 where over-hanging rocks nearly shut out the sun- 
 light, emerging finally into a beautiful valley with a 
 genial climate and luxuriant grass. 
 
 The next day we crossed Bear River, finding a rich, 
 valley with some fine farms. All this valley appears 
 capable of cultivation, while the lower hills and slopes 
 abound in fine pasturage, and the region is evidently able 
 to sustain a considerable population. From Bear River 
 we moved on to Yellow Creek where we camped one 
 night, the next day reaching Cache Cave at the head 
 of Echo Canon where we made a mid-day camp of four 
 hours. Cache Cave is simply a hole in the rock, some 
 fifty feet up the hillside and running back forty feet 
 into the cliff", the inside covered with names cut, 
 scratched and painted. Here we found the grass and 
 water fine but no wood, not even the sage brush which 
 had thus far served our needs ; so we took to the plains 
 and gathered the fuel known to plainsmen as " buU 
 chips," which made a very hot fire when used in suffi- 
 cient quantities and, " barrin the idee," served to cook a 
 first-rate dinner. 
 
 As I am writing of a mode of travel now rendered 
 entirely obsolete by the completed line of railroad, and 
 of characters and methods of life no longer met with by 
 the ordinary traveler, some special account of daily 
 fare of those whose occupation has now fallen into dis- 
 use may be interesting to the general reader. In a few 
 years more, our aggressive commercial enterprise and 
 comprehensive civilization will have obliterated those 
 
222 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 routes along which the mule and ox trains bore the 
 trade and immigrants to our great territories. The 
 kinds as well as routes of trade will be rapidly modified, 
 with new agencies and a vaster scope. With the pres- 
 ent generation will almost entirely disappear whole 
 classes of men who were met with everywhere in the 
 Territories. Their occupation will be gone, and there 
 will be neither demand nor school for the training of 
 others. A hardy, brave and rough race generally, tjiey 
 were essential to their time, pioneers of a better day, 
 yielding their places slowly to new routes of com- 
 merce for the world, their wagons disappearing before 
 railroads, which are vaster than plains or mountains. 
 With representatives of these men I was associated for 
 the time. Thus far we had lived rather poorly on 
 bacon, bread, coflfee without milk or sugar, and such 
 molasses as is used in the States as a medium for fly- 
 poison. But west of Green River we entered a region 
 abounding in jack-rabbits and sage hens, with which our 
 passengers kept us pretty well supplied. I had thought 
 from its appearance that the sage hen could not be 
 eaten, but found it rather palatable, tasting like the 
 flesh of our domestic hen strongly flavored with sage. 
 Tlie jack-rabbit is about four times as large as the com- 
 mon "cotton-tail," and two of them made an ample 
 meal for our crowd of sixteen. For biscuits the self- 
 rising flour is used on the plains ; but our cooks were 
 not even respectable amateurs and half the time our 
 bread was " Missouri-bake," i. e., burnt on top and at 
 the bottom, and raw in the niiddle. 
 The water supply was so irregular, too, that most of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 223 
 
 the way we made but one "route", per day, which 
 implies no dinner. To aggravate the case further, we 
 often had not enough at breakfast, and supper was our 
 only full meal. At night all were at leisure; the 
 mules were fed, turned out and given in charge of the 
 night herder ; the boys gathered around the fire, while 
 the cooks took their time and prepared a bushel or 
 more of biscuits, and we ate as long as we pleased. 
 But in the morning all was hurry; the mules were 
 done eating before the men began ; the " wagon-boss " 
 hurried the cooks, so they did not prepare enough ; at 
 the shout of "grub-pile," every man ^'went for" his 
 share in haste, and the fastest eater got the most. 
 When we got far enough to meet Salt Lake teams 
 with freshly dried peaches of this year's crop, we in- 
 vested largely therein, and our cooks made a number 
 of peach pies. 
 
 The materials were flour, bacon grease, peaches and 
 the molasses above mentioned, the pies being cooked 
 in a tin plate inside of a baking kettle. Half a dozen 
 of them as curiosities would be a prize to a Ladies' 
 Fair, or a rare addition to a Medical Museum. Our 
 favorite dinner, when we could get the meat, was of 
 fried ham and "sinkers," the latter peculiar to the 
 plains. Here is the recipe : Flour, ad libitum; water, 
 quant, svff.; soda, a spoonful, if you have it, if not a 
 pinch of ashes. Make in thin cakes, and fry rapidly 
 in hot grease, with long handled frying pans. " Death- 
 balls" and "Stone-blinders" are made in the same 
 way, with the addition to the first of the molasses, 
 and to the second plenty of saleratus. 
 
224 LIFE IN T7TAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Lady readers will give due credit for the above 
 recipes, as I believe they are not found in " Leslie." 
 My fellow passengers are worthy of notice. I had 
 originally intended on leaving the States to proceed 
 directly by railroad and stage to Salt Lake City ; but 
 charges on the Union Pacific being then at the rate of 
 ten cents per mile, on reaching the then terminus at 
 North Platte, I found myself laboring temporarily 
 under a serious attack of what Tom Hood calls " im- 
 pecuniosity," and under ii\e necessity of finding some 
 cheaper, if less expeditious mode of conveyance. 
 Freight had accumulated, and teamsters were in de- 
 mand. So I took to the plains with the train of 
 Naisbit and Hindley, Mormon merchants of Salt Lake 
 City, in the capacity of a " mule-skinner" for the trip, 
 seated on the back of my " near wheeler," and wielding 
 a whip nearly half as large as myself over the backs of 
 three spans of mules, viz. : " Brigham" and " Sally 
 Ann," "Ponce" and «Jule," "Kit" and "Mexico." 
 Whether the name of my "ofF-leader" had any refer- 
 ence to one of the real Brigham's numerous wives, 1 
 cannot say; but such a reckless system of asinine 
 nomenclature would hardly indicate a delicate respect 
 for the Prophet on the part of these young " Saints." 
 Of our little party of sixteen, two drivers, the night 
 herder and three passengers were Gentiles; the rest 
 Mormons, or at least "hickory Mormons/' sons of 
 Mormon parents; most of them tall, awkward and 
 lank lads of eighteen or twenty, with premonitory 
 symptoms of manhood breaking out on their chins, 
 giving them, as they never shaved, a very verdant and 
 backwoods appearance. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MQRMONISM. 225 
 
 For the night we joined blankets by two's, sleeping 
 on gunny bags, under the wagons. My partner was a tall, 
 lank Mormon, a native of Mississippi, — "a tough cuss 
 from Provo," his companions called him, — who, after a 
 few days' travel grew quite confidential and told me his 
 whole history. He joined the Confederate army at the 
 first call, fought till he was tired, and allowed himself 
 to be captured in Hood's retreat from Nashville ; took 
 the amnesty oath for which his " girl, in Massassipp, 
 wouldn't have nothin' more UPsaj to him," when he took 
 a huge disgust at the States, and came out and joined the 
 Mormons in 1865, He has " a house an' lot an' two 
 good lookin' wives in the Twentieth Ward, and con- 
 siders himself settled." I should think he would. As an 
 outsider, I had kept quiet on the subject of polygamy; 
 but one evening when reading an account of some 
 Chicago social abomination, a young Mormon remarked, 
 "That is the benefit of polygamy; they have nothing 
 of that sort." "Polygamy would be all right, Bill," 
 said another, "if they only wouldn't pull hair. But 
 the women will pull hair anyway you fix it." As the 
 first home testimony I had received on the " peculiar 
 institution" of Utah, this could hardly be considered 
 favorable. In our party were two grandsons of the late 
 Heber C. Kimball, not much of a distinction when it 
 is remembered that worthy left some fifty children to 
 keep his »ame in remembrance. I have generally 
 found all the younger generation of Mormons to be 
 infidels, and suspect it must be so with the youth of 
 any religion which has in it so little of the element of 
 spirituality ; certainly with the more intelligent of 
 
 15 • 
 
226 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 them. From a gross, sensuous religion, the thinking 
 mind glides naturally into a cold and cheerless skep- 
 ticism. 
 
 Our group of sixteen stood as follows : seven infidels, 
 mostly of Mormon parents; five "good Mormons;" 
 two Lutherans ; one Catholic, and one Methodist. Re- 
 ligiously, all are pretty much alike on the plains, but 
 socially there is even there an " aristocracy," and con- 
 siderable "class and caste" jealousy. The "mule- 
 skinner" considers the "t)ull-whacker " quite beneath 
 him, and will hardly associate with him upon equal 
 terms, while the latter doubtless looks upon the former 
 as " stuck up " and proud. The " bull-whackers " have 
 to drive very late, for which reason they never seem so 
 social and lively as the drivers in mule trains. All our 
 work was done by dark, and gathered around the camp- 
 fire we would spend the evening hours in lively songs 
 and merriment, varied by some with an occasional dose 
 of " Red Jacket," which is used on the plains as an al- 
 terative, sanative, sedative and preventive. On the 
 wild mountain side or in the deep glen, by a sage brush 
 fire, one may imagine the roaring chorus from a dozen 
 pairs of strong lungs, over such a choice bit of poetry 
 ^as this : 
 
 " Oh, how happy is the man who has heard instruction's voice, 
 And turned a inule-skinner for his first and early choice," etc. 
 
 Or such a bit of history as this : 
 
 "Obadier, he dreampt a dream, 
 Breampt he was drivin' a ten mule team, 
 But when he woke he heaved a sigh, 
 The lead mule kicked e-o-wt the swing mule's eye." 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 227 
 
 Compared with these bold and joyous utterances, there 
 is quite a touch of the pathetic in 
 
 "THE BULL-WHACKER'S EPIC." 
 
 " Oh ! I'm a jolly drirer on the Salt Lake City line, 
 And I can lick the rascal that yokes au ox of mine ; 
 He'd better turn him out, or you bet your life I'll try 
 To sprawl him with an ox-bow — ' Root hog, or die.' 
 
 "Oh I I'll tell you how it is when you first get on the road : 
 You've got an awkward team and a very heavy load ; 
 You've got to whip and hollo'w^ (if you swear it's on the sly,)— 
 Punch your teams along boys — 'Root hog, or die.' 
 
 "Oh 1 it's every day at noon there is something to do. 
 If there's nothing else, there will be an ox to shoe ; 
 First with ropes you throw him, and there you make him lie 
 While you tack on the shoes, boys—' Root hog, or die.' 
 
 *' Perhaps you'd like to know what it is we have to eat, 
 A little bit of bread, and a dirty piece of meat ; 
 A little old molasses, and sugar on the sly. 
 Potatoes if you've got 'em—' Boot hog, or die.' 
 
 " Oh I there's many strange sights to be seen along the road, 
 The antelopes and deer and the great big sandy toad. 
 The buffalo and elk, the rabbits jump so high. 
 And with all the bloody Injuns—' Root hog, or die.' 
 
 " The prairie dogs in Dog-town, and the prickly pears, 
 And the buffalo bones that are scattered everywherea ; 
 Now and then dead oxen from vile Alkali, 
 Are very thick in places, where it's ' Boot hog, or die.' 
 
 " Oh 1 you've got to take things on the plains as you can, 
 They'll never try to please you, ' or any other man ;' 
 You go it late and early, and also wet or dry. 
 And eat when you can get it—' Root hog, or die.' 
 
 " Oh, times on Bitter Creek, they never can be beat, 
 ' Root hog, or die' is on every wagon sheet ; 
 The sand within your throat, the dust within your eye, 
 Bend your back and stand it, to ' Root hog, or die.' 
 
228 LIFE m UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 " When we arrived in Salt Lake, the 25th of June, 
 The people were surprised to see us come so soon ; 
 But we are bold bull-whackers on whom you can rely, 
 We're tough, and we can stand it, to ' Root hog, or die.' " 
 
 It will be seen that the " sacred nine " flourish even 
 on the American Desert. 
 
 We were two days in passing the thirty miles down 
 Echo Canon, our progress being slow because the roads 
 were so badly cut up by the workmen on the railroad 
 track. Hundreds of English, Welsh, Swedes and Danes, 
 were there at work on Brigham Young's contract, which 
 extended sixty miles through Echo and Weber Canons. 
 Among them were many who had just come over and 
 were working out their passage money, which the Church 
 had advanced from the Perpetual Emigration Fund. In 
 the wildest part of the canon we halted for four hours 
 of a beautiful autumn day, every moment of which was 
 full of delight, in gazing upon the wall-like cliffs, the 
 straw colored rocks, the deep rifts and caverns in the 
 mountain sides, and all the sublime scenery which has 
 made this place so noted. 
 
 The road here lay directly under a perpendicular 
 cliff" of nearly a thousand feet in height, where great 
 rocks, of many tons weight, hung over the way ; others 
 which had fallen ages ago and rolled to the lower plain, 
 stood like vast table rocks in the valley's bed. Where 
 I stood, I could view the southern slope of the hills for 
 twenty miles, and beyond them the white peaks of the 
 Wintah Range, bathed in clouds of clear and dazzling 
 whiteness, through which the sun was just breaking in 
 glorious majesty. It was the hour of morning service, 
 and nature here seemed yielding silent worship : 
 
SCEXE IN ECHO CAKON. 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 229 
 
 " But the sound of the church-going hell 
 These valleys and rocks never heard ; 
 Ne'er sighed at the sound of a knell, 
 Or smiled when a Sahbath appeared." 
 
 A soft, sighing wind swept down the canon, and 
 mournful murmurs issued from the rocky side-crevices, 
 which doubtless spoke often to the Indian as the spirits 
 of his fathers, calling from the happy hunting grounds. 
 The Greek poet .would have heard in them the moan- 
 ings of imprisoned souls seeking release from their 
 rocky dungeons ; but to the Christian the whole scene 
 brings to solemn remembrance the time when "He 
 stood and measured the earth ; the everlasting moun- 
 tains were scattered ; the perpetual hills did bow." 
 
 Below this point we passed the remains of the fortifi- 
 cations, or rather stone-piles, which the Mormons 
 erected in 1857 to stay the march of Johnston's army, 
 and a little farther down the young Mormons pointed 
 put a rock, rising apparently seven or eight hundred 
 feet above the road, on the top of which a Mormon boy 
 was shot dead by his companion below, "just on a 
 dare, and to see if his gun would carry up that high." 
 This was the only life lost by the Mormon forces during 
 that memorable " war." The sight of these relics, which 
 would have aided in checking a well-handled force 
 about as much as the canvass forts at Pekin, caused a. 
 warm discussion to spring up among us. The 
 " wretched awkwardness " of the Federal cavalry was 
 contrasted very unfavorably with the " fiery valor " of 
 the Mormon youth, who " ofiered to lassoo the guns, 
 rode full tilt down a point where a blue-coat wouldn't 
 venture, took a man prisoner, drank with him and let 
 
230 LIFE m UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 him go," etc., etc. " If the army had been volunteers," 
 was the general expression, "they would have been 
 wiped out ; but we only felt pity for the low Dutch and 
 Irish, sent out here just to keep them moving." 
 
 Something might have been deducted from this on 
 the score of prejudice, but from other and less interested 
 testimony, I am compelled to conclude that the Army 
 of Utah must have been "poor sticks," unless, as is 
 probable, there was a secret understanding that they 
 were not to force their way into the valley the first year. 
 Of all the evils with which the " masterly inactivity " 
 of Buchanan's Administration afi&icted us, the Utah ex- 
 pedition of 1857 and its results were certainly not the 
 least. To-day three-fourths of the Mormons firmly be- 
 lieve that Johnston's Army was compelled to retreat by 
 the Mormon guerilla chief, Lot Smith, and that they 
 were only allowed to come into the valley after a treaty 
 had been made with Brigham. When asked why the 
 people vacated their homes and went South when the 
 army came in the next year, if they had gained the 
 victory, the prompt answer is : " It was the will of the 
 Lord." This is the explanation of all difficult poiat& 
 in Utah, and a very convenient one it is. 
 
 On the 5th of September, we emerged from Echo into 
 "Weber Canon, finding a pretty little settlement, in a 
 s'pot of great natural beauty, where we halted for rest 
 and feed. Scarcely had we formed corral and loosed 
 our mules, when a sudden change came over the western 
 sky, the afternoon sun was obscured by a murky haze, 
 the Wasatch peaks were lost in sudden accumulations 
 of dense cloud, and in a very few minutes the whole 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 231 
 
 scene was shut out from our view by the rapidly gath- 
 ering storm. For a few minutes longer, the air where 
 we stood was in a dead calm, then a strong wind swept 
 up the green valley of the Weber, sharp, jagged light- 
 ning ran along the mountain peaks and seemed to re- 
 bound from cliff to cliff evenly with the echoing thun- 
 der, and we had barely time to secure the fastenings of 
 our wagon covers and take shelter within, when the 
 storm was upon us in all its fury. Blinding clouds of 
 dust, driven by fierce gusts of wind, were succeeded in 
 an instant by torrents of rain, alternating again with 
 heavy winds which threatened to hurl our wagons into 
 the Weber. I learned with surprise that this usually 
 dry, mild climate, was subject during the summer and 
 autumn to sudden and violent wind and thunder-storms. 
 The rain continued for an hour, sending great sluices 
 down the mountain gulches and lashing the placid 
 waters of Echo Creek into a foaming, muddy torrent ; 
 then ceased as suddenly as it had risen ; and issuing 
 from our retreats, we saw the dark clouds rolling away 
 to the southeast over the Uintahs, and in another hour 
 the sun was again shining brilliantly. By evening the 
 roads were pleasantly dry, and the stormy afternoon was 
 followed by a glorious sunset and a night of unusual 
 clearness. We now changed our course to the south- 
 ward, following up Weber Canon, or rather valley, for 
 in this part of its course it is too wide to merit the for- 
 mer name. The track of the Union Pacific Kailroad, 
 which has run continuously with the old stage-road 
 from the head of Bitter Creek and followed down Echo 
 Canon for twenty miles, at the mouth of Echo turns in 
 
232 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 a direct W. N. W. course down Weber' Cafion, and by 
 that pass enters Salt Lake Valley thirty-five miles north 
 of the city. The stage road turns south from Echo, 
 follows up Weber to Spring Creek, up that W. S. W. to 
 Parley's Park,, across the Park and down Parle/s Canon 
 W. N. W. into the city. 
 
 In Weber Valley we find ourselves, for the first time 
 in many hundred miles, in a cultivated and settled 
 country, and the contrast is most pleasing to the eye 
 wearied by miles of desert and mountain, with scant 
 growth of sage-brush, grease-wood, and desert cactus. 
 Another Sunday's drive, the 6th of September, took us 
 through Coalville, point of coal supply for Salt Lake 
 City, through forty miles distant with a high range of 
 mountains between ; a rather neat but homely looking 
 town, with a few houses nicely built of beautiful white 
 stone, shingled or slated, but for the most part dwell- 
 ings of rough hewn logs, and pole roofs covered with 
 dirt, and often grass and flowers growing on the top. 
 None but Mormons live in this valley, and I soon 
 learned that the few houses, the finish of which I ad- 
 mired, were the residences of the Bishops and promi- 
 nent Elders. The settlements extend along the little 
 valley of two or three miles in width with high pas- 
 tures beyond the cultivated lands/ rolling back to the 
 mountains. Vegetation showed that growth was slow, 
 and the season late, as this valley is among the highest 
 in the Utah. Fields of oats near the road had just 
 been harvested, and hay-making was stiU in progress. 
 We next passed through Wanship, county-seat of 
 Summit County, and soon after left the valley, turning 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 233 
 
 to the right and following up Spring Creek Canon, 
 towards the summit. Nearly all day we traveled up 
 hill, passing towards evening over a sort of summit 
 level and then down a gentle slope into Parley's Park, 
 a valley or mountain plateau of some ten thousand 
 acres, 7000 feet above searlevel and entirely surrounded 
 by rugged mountain ranges, except narrow outlets to 
 the north and^west. This tract produces fine grass 
 both for pasturage and hay, but no grain. It was first 
 owned by Heber C. Kimball, who had wheat sown there 
 for seven years in succession. It grew well and headed 
 out, but was invariably "cut off in the flower" by the 
 frosts of early September, whereupon Kimball stated 
 that " it was not the will of the Lord grain should grow ' 
 there," and gave up the experiment. The Park received 
 its name in honor of Parley P. Pratt, noted among the 
 early apostles of Mormonism, and brother of Orson 
 Pratt, scholar, historian, and astronomer, the Usman 
 of the new faith. Parley seems to have been a radical 
 believer in polygamy, as he was certainly thorough in 
 its practice, having six wives some time before his death. 
 But, not satisfied with these, he converted a Mrs. Elinor 
 McLean, wife of Hector McLean, of Arkansas, and took 
 her to Salt Lake City, and marrfed her. The enraged 
 husband sought Pratt, when on a mission in Kansas, in 
 1856, and literally cut him to pieces with a bowie knife. 
 In Mormonism as in El Islam, the wives of the infidels 
 are lawful prey to any believer who can win them ; 
 while, at the same time, it is one of the deadliest sins 
 in their code for any other man to entice away one of 
 their "women," an unpardonable crime for which they 
 
234 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 FOUR "WIVES. 
 
 openly threaten and claim the right to injSict death. 
 To convert a Gentile's wife to Mormonism is the highest 
 achievement; the reverse worthy of death. There is 
 a great deal in the way one states things ; it makes all 
 the difference between "Danite" and Damnite. Pratt 
 was canonized among the "glorious martyrs" of the 
 Latter-day faith, and his murder takes high i^ank in the 
 long list of "persecutions" they have laid up against 
 the Gentiles. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 235 
 
 There is a small Mormon settlement on the south 
 side of the Park, near where an old fort stood, but all 
 the central portion is the property of Mr. Wm. Kim- 
 ball, eldest son of Heber, formerly an ardent Mormon, 
 but now weak in the faith, and sincerely trusting for 
 inspiration in a more ardent spirit, or at least a more 
 exhilarating one, if the testimony of his friends and 
 nose be accepted. He has, however, " kept the faith " 
 by taking three wives ; the youngest and handsomest 
 lives with him in a large stone hotel near the center of 
 the Park, on the stage road; the second wife, appa- 
 rently quite old, lives in a low log house two hundred 
 yards from the hotel, and his legal wife lives in the 
 city, and, it is said, takes in spinning and weaving for ' 
 a living. The first and second wives had each a son 
 in our "outfit," Burton and "Willie Kimball, rather 
 brightj intelligent boys, and for the night we encamped 
 near their father's "ranche," procuring a plentiful 
 supply of milk, butter and eggs. I afterwards found 
 it to be quite common for hotel-keepers on the various 
 roads to have two or three wives; sometimes an 
 English wife as housekeeper, a Danish wife as gardener, 
 and if there was a third, she did the spinning and 
 weaving for the family. 
 
 Thus all the requirements of a first-class establish- 
 ment are kept up, and servants dispensed with; the 
 " woman question," " servant-gal-ism " and " division of 
 labor" settled by one master stroke, and profits deduced 
 from polygamy with more certainty than polygamy 
 from the Prophets. 
 
 From the Park we follow the stage road over a low 
 
236 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 "divide" to the head of Parley's Canon, but made such 
 slow progress that we were compelled to encamp for a 
 night in the wildest part of the gorge, with barely 
 room, and in but one place to range the wagons in 
 corral between the road and bed of the stream. 
 
 The view was one of indescribable beauty. On either 
 hand rose the dark green sides of the canon, apparently 
 almost perpendicular, yet covered with masses of tim- 
 ber to the very summit ; while down the rocky flume, 
 in the lowest part of the canon, dashed the clear waters 
 of the creek, formed by melting snows but a few mUes 
 above. From where we stand the gray crest of the 
 summit seems within pistol shot, and I am surprised to 
 learn that it is at least one mile in a direct line from 
 my eye, and those apparent steeps near the top are 
 really gentle slopes covered with grass and bushes. 
 The masses of timber which stand out so boldly to- 
 wards the lower part of the canon appear to follow up 
 the side gulches in rapidly lessening lines, sinking to 
 rows of little saplings, and terminating in a mere fringe 
 at the top like ornamental shrubbery. Yet those 
 trifling looking poles are many of them from one to two 
 feet thick. To one whose early life has been passed in 
 a leveler prairie country, these mountain scenes are an 
 ever-varying source of surprise and delight, and he 
 only wonders why those whose home has been in the 
 mountains should ever leave them. Nor do they often. 
 There is a charm in the wild freedom of these heights 
 which all must acknowledge, nor is it much less so on 
 the plains, and though the mountaineer and plainsman 
 may return to eastern friends and the abodes of civil- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMOOTSM. 237 
 
 ization, they as often feel tlie irresistible longing to be 
 back amid the untrained wildness of nature. 
 
 From this camp we made another day's travel down 
 hill, all day by the side of the rushing stream, under 
 numerous hanging rocks which seem to threaten -de- 
 struction to all who venture beneath ; now through 
 frightful " dugways " far up the hillside, where a vari- 
 ance of three fe§t would send team and driver to frag- 
 mentary destruction, and now far down in the deeps, 
 where the enclosing walls above almost shut out the 
 sunshine. 
 
 Soon after noon we passed the last stage station in a 
 sort of open valley where a side carton connects Emigra- 
 tion and Parley's, but after a few more turns we enter 
 a deeper pass, of more wild and startling beauty. 
 Finally we reached the Canon Gates, a narrow pass, just 
 wide enough to afford road room, with perpendicular 
 walls several hundred feet in height, where we emerged 
 from the inountains and came out into a hoUow with 
 sloping sides and a freer outlook. About 4 p. M. I 
 caught sight for the first time of the open valley and 
 blue hills far beyond, but for an hour more we con- 
 tinued to wind along a "dugway," and at length 
 emerged upon an open " bench," where I could see the 
 distant glimmer of Jordan and the "marshes," and the 
 mountains west of Great Salt Lake, a faint, blue, cloudy 
 line, that in the silvery light of the declining sun ap- 
 peared fading away in infinite perspective. 
 
 Slowly descending from the " bench" to the valley, I 
 caught sight of the hill north of the city and the canon 
 from which issues City Creek; then of Camp Douglass, 
 
238 LIFE IN" tttah; oe, the mysteries 
 
 far to the right and three miles east of the city ; then of 
 the Arsenal, Tabernacle, Brigham's house, and the 
 Theatre, and at last the city appeared in full \dew, 
 scattered for miles over the slope, and looking in the 
 distance and haze of evening, like a collection of vil- 
 lages with groves and orchards scattered among them. 
 Night overtook us four miles out, where we formed 
 corral in an open space by the " uphill canal,"so called, 
 from which place on the next morning, September 10th, 
 we entered the city. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 239 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TWO WEEKS IN SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 Views of the City— Temple Block— Brigham's Block— Theatre— Immi- 
 grants— Mormon inrguments — Reasons for Polygamy — "Book of Mor- 
 mon"— First Mormon Sermon—" Old" Joe Young— His Beauty (?)— 
 His Serrnon — Mormon Style of Preaching— Order of Services — First 
 impressions rather favorable — Much to learn yet. 
 
 On first impressions Utah seems to me to have the 
 perfection of climates, and Salt Lake City the finest nar 
 tural site in the West. .Nor is this feeling much les- 
 sened by longer stay. From a point on the hill just 
 North of the city and near the Arsenal one can take in 
 at a view the lake, the city, the mountains and the 
 valley for thirty miles south and southeast. From this 
 point Jordan valley appears nearly in the shape of a 
 horse shoe, with the city just under the point of the 
 northern termination of the east side, and the lake 
 lying across the open end. But the southern point of 
 the valley which seems to the spectator here to close, 
 only narrows at the canon of the Jordan, and opens be- 
 yond that to contain the Utah Lake district. Beginning 
 northeast of the city, and extending south in the order 
 named, are City Creek, Red Butte, Emigration, Parley's, 
 Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood canons, all break- 
 ing through the Wasatch from the east. From this 
 point, too, every house in the city can be seen; the plat 
 resembles the even squares of a checker-board, the rows 
 
240 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 of trees lining all the streets, and tlie crystal streams of 
 water whicli seem in the distance like threads of silver, 
 combining to give a strange and fanciful beauty to the 
 scene. 
 
 Salt Lake City is situated in latitude 40° 46' North, 
 and longitude 111° 53' west of Greenwich, nearly 
 4,300 feet above sea level, and was laid out in 1847. 
 The streets are at exact right angles, running with the 
 cardinal points and numbered every way from Temple 
 Block, which is in Utah the starting point of all 
 measurements, calculations and principles, whether of 
 ecclesiastical, civil, political or engineering. Its exact 
 place is ascertained to be as above given for the city. 
 
 The street bounding it on the east is called East 
 Temple street, the next one First East Temple, or 
 merely First East, the next Second East and thus en ; 
 the same nomenclature is maintained in all the 
 streets, North, South and West. Each street is forty- 
 four yards in width, with sixteen feet pavements, 
 leaving one hundred feet clear, and each block exactly 
 a furlong square, containing ten acres, divided into 
 eight lots of an acre and a quarter each. Nine squares 
 are included in each ward, and there are twenty-one 
 wards, beginning with the First on the southeast cor- 
 ner and reckoned westward to the Fifth, then back- 
 ward and forward, houstrophedon, terminating with the 
 Twentieth on the northeast. The outer wards, how- 
 ever, contain large additional tracts extending the 
 jurisdiction of the city over wide limits. The greatest 
 length of the city proper is thus, from southeast to 
 northwest about four miles, and its greatest width, from' 
 
AKD CRIMES OF MORMONISMi 241 
 
 northeast to southwest a little over two miles But a 
 small portion, however, of this large area is thickly 
 settled ; in two-thirds of the city the scattered dwellings 
 are mingled with orchards, gardens, small pastures or 
 grass-plats, and even small wheat and cornfields, like a 
 thickly settled farming country or nursery ground, 
 rather than a city ; and to this fact the place is indebted 
 for no small sh^e of its beauty. Nine-tenths of the 
 buildings are of adobes, or sun dried brick, throughout 
 the West spelled and pronounced dobies, which material 
 corresponds nearly with brick in the East, and where 
 plastered and^ stuccoed makes an elegant and durable 
 building. 
 
 The western part of the city extends to the Jordan, 
 and the ground in that vicinity is rather low and in 
 winter and spring marshy ; hence the finest residences 
 are north and east,, and all the public buildings above- 
 Third South Street. Let us note a few of them, be- 
 ginning, by invariable custom, at Temple Block, which 
 includes the usual ten acres, containing the old and 
 new Tabernacles, the Endowment (locally known as^ 
 Ondooment) House, and the foundation for the great. 
 Temple which is to be. The old Tabernacle is a sort 
 of nondescript building, oblong in shape, with a third 
 of the room underground, in the southwest corner of 
 the block, capable of holding some 2,500 persons. The 
 new Tabernacle is, in its way, a curiosity; there is- 
 certainly no idolatry in the reverence paid to it, for it 
 is like nothing else in the heavens above, or the eartb 
 beneath, or probably the waters under the earth. At 
 firat sight the prevailing feeling is one of astonishment^, 
 
 16 
 
242 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 which soon yields to curiosity as to who could have 
 designed it. It is built in the form of a complete oval, 
 the major axis of which is 250 feet in length and the 
 minor axis 150 feet. The lower part, or foundation 
 for the dome, consists of a succession of forty-six pillars 
 of red cut sand-stone, each about six feet square and 
 ten feet high, all around the. building ; along the sides 
 there are double doors between the pillars, and at the 
 ends a heavy partition ; on this structure the dome or 
 roof rests like the half of an egg-shell. The latter is a 
 vast frame-work, plastered within and shingled without, 
 raised along the centre sixty-five feet above the floor. 
 There is not a trace of the beautiful or impressive 
 about it ; it is simply a vast pile awkwardly put to- 
 gether, and with twice the outlay of stone and mortar . 
 that would have sufficed to provide the same room and 
 accommodations in some other shape. As the grand 
 worshipping hall of the Saints it is a curiosity ; as a 
 work of art a monstrosity. The Endowment House, 
 where the secret rites of Mormonism are performed, 
 is an unpretentious adobe building in the northwest 
 -corner of the lot. I cannot describe its interior, for 
 the profane Gentile may not enter therein. But if the 
 testimony of numerous witnesses may be believed, it is 
 fitted up with various rooms, curtains, stages and 
 .scenery, for the performance of a grand drama, repre- 
 senting the creation, fall of man, coming of a redeemer, 
 great apostasy and final restoration of the true priest- 
 hood through Joseph Smith. 
 
 The eastern half of Temple Block, fenced off from 
 ithe western, contains only the foundation for the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 243 
 
 Temple, which is to be finished in great splendor just 
 before the Saints return to Jackson County, Missouri. 
 Ground was first broken for the work in February, 
 1853, with imposing ceremonies; in the seventeen 
 years that have since elapsed, the edifice has reached a 
 level with the ground, from which those familiar with 
 the " Rule of Three " may calculate how long it will 
 require for it to cqjnplete the proposed height of ninety- 
 nine feet. The foundation is unsurpassed in strength 
 and finish ; of the finest mountain granite of a bright 
 gray or white, slightly flecked with blue; a building 
 of such material would indeed outlast the anticipated 
 thousand years of Millennial reign. But work on it is 
 slow, or rather it is suspended ; the stone is very hard, 
 and must be brought some twenty miles from the 
 mountains, and only at rare intervals a workman or 
 two is seen picking away at one of the huge masses 
 which are scattered around by the ton. The entire 
 square is surrounded by a wall, the base of stone and 
 the upper part of adobes, and plastered, twelve feet 
 high, with square turrets about every ten feet, and a 
 massive gateway under stone arches at the center of 
 each of the four sides. Crossing East Temple Street 
 we reach the " Prophet's Block," two squares of ten 
 acres each, the western containing the Deseret Store, 
 the office of the Deseret News, official organ of the 
 Church, the Tithing House and yard, the Lion House, 
 Bee Hive JBouse, offices and other buildings pertaining 
 to the Prophet, Priest, Seer, Revelator, in all the world. 
 Grand Archee, First President and Trustee-in-trust 
 of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all 
 
244 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 of which titles center in and are borne by Brrgham 
 Young. 
 
 The Lion House is an oblong building of three stories, 
 plain in style, but quite substantially built and well 
 finished. Its cost is reported everywhere from thirty 
 to seventy thousand dollars. In the States it could 
 have been built for less' than, the former sum. Over the 
 pillared portico in front is a stone lion, a sad misappli- 
 cation of the emblem, by the way, as that royal brute is 
 ever content with one mate. The bull would have been 
 more appropriate, but that is a matter of taste. The 
 Bee Hive House, a large square building just east of the 
 former, is surmounted by a stone carving in imitation 
 of a bee-hive. The entire area is surrounded by a wall 
 eleven feet high of boulders and cobble stones laid in 
 mortar, with semi-circular buttresses at equal distances. 
 The eastern half of the enclosure contains various build- 
 ings of no special interest. Between the two lots is the 
 main entrance to City Creek Canon, which was 
 " granted " to Brigham Young by the first Territorial 
 Legislature ; the entrance is by a massive stone gate- 
 way under an arch, upon which is perched an immense 
 eagle, carved by a Mormon artist out of native wood — 
 another perversion of a sacred emblem, the royal bird 
 being, hke his brute compeer, a strict monogamist. 
 
 Just north of Brigham's grounds, on the first " bench," 
 is the block owned by the late Heber C. Kimball, con- 
 taining one superior mansion and a number of smaller 
 dwellings, in which eleven of the Widows Kimball still 
 reside. The other seven live in various parts of the 
 city,Vith the families to which they belong. Some 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 245 
 
 fourteen or sixteen of Brigham's wives reside in the 
 Lion House and Bee Hive House ; the others live in dif- 
 ferent parts of the city, or on his farms in the country. 
 
 From the caiion back of Brigham's grounds issues 
 City Creek, which is there, by dams, diverted from its 
 channel and carried along the upper part of the city in 
 a main canal, from which side ditches convey the streams 
 down both sides»of every street, furnishing irrigation to 
 the gardens, and pure water, in the upper part of the 
 city, for all other purposes. Lower down, the loose black 
 soil and the wash of the streets render the water rather 
 impure, though it is used, and during the season when 
 irrigation is not in progress, is still tolerably clear. 
 Next to Temple Block and Brigham's, the Theatre is 
 the institution of Salt Lake City. It stands one square 
 south of Brigham's grounds, at the corner of First South 
 and First East streets ; is built of brick and rough stone, 
 covered with stucco in front, and its cost is variously 
 estimated from seventy to two hundred thousand dollars. 
 It was built while railroads were yet a thousand miles 
 distant, probably doubling its cost. It will comfortably 
 seat two thousand persons, and can be packed with a 
 few hundred more ; the proscenium is sixty feet deep, 
 and the building the largest of the kind west of Chicago. 
 
 Formerly the playing was done entirely by amateurs,' 
 under the training of old London professionals turned 
 Mormons ; then they played only on alternate nights, 
 rehearsing one night and playing the next, pursuing 
 their ordinary calling by day. But at present there are 
 professional players among the Mormons, receiving a 
 regular salary and assisted by "stars" from abroad. 
 
246 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Just before I reached Salt Lake, one of the " leading 
 ladies " of the home troupe, Miss Sarah Alexander, took 
 a sudden departure for California, where she is now en- 
 gaged in her profession ; and quite lately another home 
 " star," Miss Asenath Adams, born and reared among 
 the Saints, has left to become the wife of a Gentile. 
 Her father, a bigoted Mormon, has fully realized the 
 text, "Train up a child, and away she goes." 
 
 The Parquet is usually occupied only by Mormons 
 and their families ; for a Gentile to be seen there is apt 
 to create a suspicion of "jack-Mormon" tendencies. 
 The resident Gentiles and visitors occupy the first or 
 Dress Circle, while the second and third circles are given 
 up to miners, transients and boys, and even Indians 
 often find a standing " at the top of the house." 
 
 Next in interest to the theatre among public build- 
 ings, are Social Hall, the Seventies' Hall and the Court 
 House. The last named is built entirely of adobes, but 
 stuccoed with exquisite finish and in perfect imitation 
 of variegated granite, making a building of fine and im- 
 posing appearance. On Main — East Temple— .-Street, 
 the business houses are all included within two blocks ; 
 among them, the stone storehouse of Ransohofi" & Co., 
 the drug store of Godbe & Co., the large building of 
 Walker Brothers, and Masonic Hall building would 
 take respectable rank in eastern cities of the same size. 
 The finest business house in the city is that of Wm. 
 Jennings & Co., now devoted to the uses of " Zion's Co- 
 operative Association." There are two well built hotels, 
 the Revere House and Townsend, and a number of pri- 
 vate residences of considerable taste and beauty. But 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 247 
 
 it is easy to see after all, that the beauty of Salt Lake 
 is largely by comparison. For twenty years it was the 
 only town between the Missouri and Sacramento; to 
 reach it, men had to plod eleven hundred weary miles, 
 with mules or oxen, across alkali deserts, rugged moun- 
 tains, and barren flats ; to them it was the half-way 
 place for rest and recruiting, and no wonder its broad, 
 well watered stjjeets, its green, cool gardens and or- 
 chards, and its neat white adobes, seemed a very terres- 
 trial Eden. No wonder the Mormon emigrants who 
 had made the weary passage from Europe, broke forth 
 into songs and shouts of glad surprise, at sight of their 
 " Zion." But now that one can run out in three days 
 from the well built cities of the East, the contrast is 
 lacking, the illusion is destroyed, and early visitors are 
 flatly accused of having " blown the Salt Lake trumpet 
 altogether too loud." 
 
 Twenty-three years ago, this region was a desert of 
 sage-brush, grease-wood and cactus, when on the 24th of 
 July, 1847, the "pioneers" first entered the valley. 
 Their material progress since shows that no human in- 
 stitution can be an unmixed evil. 
 
 From a ramble through the city, I went to the noted 
 Warm Springs, just outside the city to the northwest ; 
 and without the faith of the Mormons, I can safely agree 
 with them that this pool is "for the healing of the na- 
 tions." This is the season for ""the emigration " to ar- 
 rive, and returning to the city I found the people* ex- 
 cited over the arrival of a train of fifty teams, bringing 
 a large number of new and some old converts from Eng- 
 land, Denmark and Switzerland. The train had unloaded 
 
248 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 in the ehurch corral, or tithing yard, a large walled en- 
 closure in the Prophet's Block; I entered under an 
 arched stone g9,teway and viewed the new arrivals. Old, 
 withered-looking women, fat, clumpy-looking girls and 
 middle-aged " vrows " composed the female portion, and 
 all evidently of the poorest class. 
 
 Their friends, and the sisters, generally, had met them 
 with hearty hospitality, carrying in buckets of milk and 
 baskets of fruit and provisions, to make a welcoming 
 feast, and the corral was a scelie of feasting and merri- 
 ment. But there were a few sad exceptions to the uni- 
 versal joy. Many who started with this outfit had died 
 by the way, and a few of the old people were so worn 
 out by the long journey that it seemed they could not 
 recover. I was particularly struck with the appearance 
 of one group. An old English woman, whose features bore 
 the impress of exhausting travel, while her hands indi- 
 cated a lifetime of unremitting toil, was lying on a pile 
 of bedding, evidently sinking with the weakness of fever. 
 The young women had gathered around her with every 
 delicacy to tempt the appetite, while a fair young Mor- 
 mon girl supported the sinking head on her bosom, and 
 presented a spoonful of ripe peach to the fevered lips. 
 The dame smiled, while tears of weakness and joy ran 
 from her eyes, and tried again and again to eat the prof- 
 fered delicacy, but in vain. Nature was exhausted ■ by 
 the long voyage. The eyes that had so long and eagerly 
 lool^ed for " Zion," were soon to be dimmed, and the 
 weary feet were hastening to an eternal rest. 
 
 In the universal hilarity that prevailed, the Mormon 
 girls were selecting companions from the arrivals, and 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 249 
 
 taking them to their homes for a few days' rest, the 
 travel-worn and dusty, foreign-made garments contrast- 
 ing strangely with the dress of the young Saints. Fe- 
 male beauty is scarce in Utah. One occasionally meets 
 a fine looking woman, but there is four-fold the beauty 
 in many a Gentile town of 1,000 inhabitants that . 
 I can see in all this city. Fine forms are not uncom- 
 mon, and some of^the younger women are quite graceful 
 in carriage, but beauty of expression is rare, and the 
 reason is obvious. Facial beauty is aesthetic, the result 
 of taste, sensibility and cultivation, and at least a 
 tolerable elevation of the moral faculties. It will not 
 result from a rude and coarse existence. Beauty of 
 the form is more purely physical, and will naturally 
 spring up anywhere, where woman is not abused or 
 overworked. Given a certain amount of fresh air, 
 moderate exercise and healthy food, and the correct 
 womanly form is the result. But beauty of the features 
 has more of the ideal ; it is the product of a higher tone 
 of the mental and moral nature, and other things being 
 equal, the greatest number of fine faces will be found 
 in a virtuous and intelligent community. 
 
 The men were of the same brawny and red-faced 
 foreign type, white haired boys, and simple looking old 
 men, which every western man has so often seen; a 
 low-browed, stiff-haired, ignorant and stolid race. In 
 their faces could be seen much of the earnest, sincere 
 and quiet ; but not of the intellectual, bright or quick 
 of comprehension. Every traveler through the rural 
 districts of Utah, must have observed that, though 
 individual Saints differ somewhat, as other people do. 
 
250 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 yet there are certain peculiar traits common to all. 
 One of these is their almost total lack of the humorous 
 faculty or principle; phrenologically speaking, they 
 have no organ of wit and humor, or if they have it is 
 so uncultivated that it is practically dormant. 
 
 They will laugh heartily enough at a broad joke or 
 coarse jest, but seem quite unable to appreciate keen 
 satire, irony or delicate wit, or to perceive the ludicrous 
 in odd associations of ideas. The Mormon is often 
 terribly in earnest, but he is seldom funny. This de- 
 fect is partly one of race, partly in lack of cultivation, 
 but still more in the fact that few people who caii 
 understand and appreciate an absurdity would ever 
 become Mormons. Hence we rarely see among them 
 the genial, humorous Irishman, the keen-witted Israel- 
 ite, the intellectual Swiss, or the lively and versatile 
 Frenchman ; but in their stead stolid Saxons and plod- 
 ding Scandinavians. Men are, to a great extent, born 
 "to certain forms of religious belief; Boodhism is essen- 
 tially Mongolian, Spiritism is of the Indian, Moham- 
 medanism has its peculiar subjects, and though universal 
 in its final application, the present spirit and structure 
 of Christianity is Gothic and European. And the most 
 gloomy forms of error, which have sprung from a 
 corrupt Christianity, find their devotees among the 
 most solemnly impressive and stolid of the European 
 races. Old residents tell me that Artemus Ward's 
 lecture in Salt Lake was, professionally speaking, a 
 perfect failure, simply because it was " cut too fine " 
 for the latitude. A few laughed at his broadest jokes, 
 then for a solid hour, while he was doing his funniest, 
 
AND CEIMES OF MORMONISM. 251 
 
 the audience sat " like a bump on a log," not giving a 
 smile. It's a wonder it did not kill the sensitive 
 author. Mormonism might originate with keen witted 
 Yankees, but it could not long continue without a 
 broad basis of the North-European races. 
 
 These new-comers look homely enough, but it is 
 gratifying to observe the vast improvement even in the 
 first generation of the native-born. Whether it is the 
 climate, or better food, or exemption from the severe 
 toil of the poor in Europe, most of the young girls now 
 " coming on " in Utah exhibit a vast personal improve- 
 ment over their parents, and among the very youngest, 
 whose families have been here for twenty years, the 
 little misses exhibit promise of the trim, graceful form, 
 the arched instep and the light l^pipping step of the 
 American girl. There are many drawbacks in the 
 social and domestic habits of "this people," still nature 
 is asserting her rights to some extent. She demands 
 beauty in the female form, and even Mormonism can- 
 not altogether prevent it. Of course, the younger 
 generation is more quick-witted and liberal, hence the 
 majority of young Mormons are free thinkers and anti- 
 polygamists. It is the old story of the hen hatching 
 swans, the vulture doves, or the caterpillar giving life 
 to the brilliant butterfly. And this rapid improvement 
 is notable in view of the perils of young life in Utah, 
 of which, more anon. 
 
 In my first rambles about the city I found the Mormons 
 rather communicative, and quite ready to enlighten me 
 as to the peculiar features of their faith ; indeed, rather 
 anxious to prove the superiority of their institutions 
 
252 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 over those of the Gentile world. Of course, like all 
 new comers, I looked upon polygamy as the one great 
 evil, if not the only evil of Utah, and our discussions 
 most often turned upon that point. The first intelligent 
 Mormon, who gave me his views at length, was Mr. 
 Victor Cram, educated as a physician, in Boston, but 
 now a builder in Salt Lake City. As an "inside view," 
 his ideas are worthy of presentation on the venerable 
 principle, ^udi alteram partem. " We have," said he, 
 "a population of 200,000, three times the population 
 for a new State, and have had for years ; but they 
 won't admit us. The fact is, we are a little rebellious. 
 This law of 1862 against polygamy, we don't abide by 
 and the people won't do so ! '•' 
 
 "And what do you think will be the result?" I 
 asked. 
 
 "The result? Why, it will be good when people get 
 enlightened on this point. Then polygamy will become 
 popular throughout the world." 
 
 "But how do you justify it, or explain this ?" 
 
 " I take the ground, sir, that polygamy was absolutely 
 j-liecessary to purify and regenerate mankind; that such 
 ' was the tendency that in no long time the world would 
 have been depopulated, the human race become extinct, 
 without the gracious assistance of polygamy, which in- 
 evitable destiny God foresaw, and revealed to Joseph 
 Smith the mode of prevention." 
 
 He then proceeded in a lengthy detail of the causes 
 which were operating to weaken the reproductive force 
 of nature, and destroy the young before they reached a 
 marriageable age. His views were unique and interest- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 253 
 
 ing, but suffice it to say that he proved, to his own 
 satisfaction at least, that the human race was slowly 
 and surely tending to inevitable decay and complete 
 extinction, through the violatiSli of a certain inter-sexual 
 law — which violation was causing a decline among 
 women and their offspring; that God revealed to Jo-" 
 seph Smith the means of cure, which necessitated the 
 employment of polygamy, which would in time regen- 
 erate the human race, and restore it to primal strength 
 and beauty. 
 
 " But how comes it," I asked, " that the Caucasian 
 races have gone on and increased for three thousand 
 years in single marriage ? " 
 
 " Because they never run to that excess, and then 
 this new way of killing infants before they saw the 
 light was not known. But the present mode of living 
 /leads to excess, and America, the youngest nation, is 
 going to lead all the rest in that excess ; and when the 
 old nations of Europe learn these new tricks and get 
 started on this road, they will go like a flock of sheep, 
 and melt from the face of the earth ; and without a 
 radical corrective the race would soon be extinct. 
 - " Mind, I say," he continued, " these are not the rea- 
 sons why we practice polygamy. We do it solely be- 
 cause God commanded it, ' The mouth of the Lord hath 
 spoken it,' is our sole and only warrant, which we dare 
 not disobey (!!) ; but these are merely a few of the rea- 
 sons why God commanded it, as we think. Or to throw 
 aside God's ordinance, a,nd take nature for it, these rea- 
 sons are sufficient to show why polygamy is according 
 to the law and light of nature ; why it is the natural 
 
254 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 order of things, and why God's chosen people were the 
 offspring of polygamous mothers. Now, I took my 
 second wife only last year ; my circumstances did not 
 enable me to do so before, and the good effects of the 
 arrangement are already observable in my house, par- 
 ticularly in the son of my second wife, which is a 
 brighter, healthier and stronger child than, either of my 
 other eight children. An d I ch allenge you to go to any 
 of our schools, and pick out at random a dozen children 
 of polygamous mothers, and then say on your honor if 
 they are not superior to. the siiverage children of single 
 marriages." 
 
 This seemed like a bold offer, but one finds in time 
 that the Saints are very much given to the "bluff" 
 game ; nor will it be thought strange that they are not 
 the only people who excuse their own sins by pointing 
 out those of others. 
 
 Without attempting to controvert his views, I ac- 
 cepted the loan of copies of the " Book of Mormon," 
 " Millennial Star," and " Doctrine and Covenants," 
 which I promised to read at my earliest leisure. 
 
 My first Sabbath in Salt Lake was bright and clear, 
 and I determined on a visit to the Tabernacle. The 
 early morning I devoted to the "Book of Mormon;" but 
 two hours more than satisfied me. Of all the dull, 
 wearisome and inconsequential books I ever dosed over, 
 I am qualified to say that work takes the lead. It is 
 verbose, diffuse and full of repetitions; about the size of 
 the Old Testament, every material fact in it could be 
 compressed within the limits of a Tribune Almanac. 
 The Saints aver that it was composed by the angel Mo- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 255 
 
 roni and delivered to Joseph Smith. If so, 1 am sorry 
 for Moroni, sorry that there were no grammarsor "aids 
 to composition" in his "sphere," that he might have 
 given us a work somewhat worthy of criticism. The 
 anti-Mormons, and a certain widow Davidson, now resi- 
 dent in New York, aver that it was written by her first 
 husband, Solomon Spaulding, an invalid clergyman, 
 merely for his owp amusement. If so, he was easily 
 amused. I sincerely hope, for the honor of her husband, 
 that the good woman is mistaken, for if any scholar as- 
 sisted in the production of that work, he must have been 
 very invalid, in mind as well as body. I can understand 
 how some people admire M. F. Tupper; I can even, in 
 a dim, far-off way, appreciate those who appreciate John 
 Tyler Junior; but that men of even average intelligence 
 should discover literary excellence, divine philosophy or 
 spiritual comfort in the "Book of Mormon," is beyond 
 my powers. 
 
 That a quarter of a million of the human race should 
 be led to stake their hopes for eternity on the divine au- 
 thenticity of such a work, is one of the most melancholy 
 evidences of the inherent weakness of the human intel- 
 lect. 
 
 Service was held in the New Tabernacle which will 
 seat eight or ten thousand people, but is quite a failure 
 as far as hearing is concerned. The interior being a 
 perfect oval, those in that portion nearest the stand and 
 in the end farthest from it can hear quite well, while all 
 is confused and indistinct in the central area, which in- 
 cludes nearly half the room. A canopy, or flat, some 
 twenty feet square had been erected over the speaker's 
 
256 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 stand to serve as a sounding board, but helped the matter 
 very little. 
 
 Brigham does not preach oftener than once or twice 
 a month, and did not favor us with his presence this 
 morning; his brother, Joseph Young, preached the 
 opening sermon, and I have no hesitation in pronounc- 
 ing him the most inferior-looking man I ever saw in the 
 pulpit, and I have seen some hard specimens. He is 
 very old, very thin, very weak-eyed, and rather sallow ; 
 his general appearance suggested that he had just slept 
 a month, been awakened by a thunder-storm and come 
 away without changing his clothes, washed in a mud- 
 puddle, and combed his hair by crawling through the 
 sage brush. An d je.i^ he has four wives. Let the 
 homely take courage. The distinctive feature in Mor- 
 mon sermons is their exceedingly rambling and discur- 
 sive nature; touching here, there and everyivhere, on 
 everything which concerns man's moral, spiritual and 
 material interests. The peculiar baldness of their style 
 is made ten-fold more apparent by the homely words 
 and phrases in which it is couched. Hints on stock 
 raising, digging ditches, building fences and making 
 " dobies," slip into the midst of moral disquisitions on 
 " the whole duty of man." 
 
 I could not discover what was the special subject of 
 Joseph Young's remarks; he took no text, as they 
 usually do not, and fired away at all the sins of the con- 
 gregation very much on the " Donnybrook Fair " prin- 
 ciple. Before beginning his sermon proper, he called 
 for general news from any of the settlements, gave a 
 list of foreign letters which had arrived, and called for 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMOKISM 257 
 
 all returned missianaries to come into the stand and 
 "give in their experience." No one responding, he 
 commenced by stating that " man was a moral being ;" 
 enlarged on the troubles of the Saints ; confessed his 
 ignorance of the reason why these things were so, and 
 began to " score " the young men for laziness and bad 
 habits generally. From this he branched off to the neces- 
 sity of giving libei^Uy to aid the poor Saints in Europe 
 to reach Utah : " They ought to come, the Saints ought 
 all to be here, for the devil is watching where they are 
 to take the spirit out of their minds, and they ought to 
 come here, and be treated with brotherly love. But 
 there is too much stubbornness here ; the brethren are 
 all stubborn. The sisters are not quite so stubborn." 
 
 This last was news to me ; but he went on to prove 
 it by a philosophical disquisition on the peculiar differ- 
 ence between the masculine and feminine minds, which 
 seemed about an equal mixture of the ideas of Plato, 
 Tennyson and Professor Fowler, and to have about as 
 much relation to the subject in hand, as it had to the 
 next Presidential election. He went on : 
 
 " Now some of you old men that come here early, feel 
 very much broke down. You're all stiflF and crippled 
 up, and here's a lot of ' young sprouts,' as I call 'em, 
 who'll hardly work at all, I tell you young fellows, it 
 won't do. You've got to stir around and labor more. 
 And these young fellows are so strong. Why, they are 
 as elastic as the rabbits on yon mountain ! While lots 
 of these old men can't stoop down to pick up a hoe. I 
 tell you, as I told my folks this morning, just after 
 family prayer, you want knowledge of how to live in 
 
 17 
 
258 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 this world. Take care of your bodies! Don't eat so 
 much of this green stuff ! ! Keep your stomachs clean ! ! ! 
 And some of you men are so very inconsistent — ^in fact, 
 I'm inconsistent myself sometimes. To ask God for 
 health, and not take care of it. "Why do you ask God 
 for such a thing? Why, that's your own business. 
 God says, ' go ahead, and take care of your stomachs 
 and body, and I'll guarantee the rest.' One thing I've 
 noticed here so much ; nearly everybody dies so sudden, 
 and the old people who have died lately, almost seem 
 as if they had just dropped dead. "We have no linger- 
 ing diseases among us. Come to meeting in the right 
 spirit, and act in brotherly love and sisterly kindness. 
 And finally, may God bless you all, brethren and sis- 
 ters, is my prayer, for Jesus' sake. Amen." 
 
 He was followed by Elder Wilford "Woodruff, who 
 gave a rather able and connected address on the dan- 
 gers of internal dissensions in states, nations, churches 
 and families ; after which the choir sang, " Come let us 
 anew our journey pursue," with great force and beauty, 
 and the meeting adjourned. 
 
 In their mode of conducting prayer, singing and 
 other services, the Saints follow the Methodist order ; 
 they however, stand at prayer, but forbid written 
 sermons ; they have " experience meetings " and take 
 the sacrament every Sunday, excluding, of course, all 
 but their own people ; and finally, they immerse, re- 
 peating it after every "backsliding," interpret the 
 Scriptures literally, preach long and loud of "one 
 Lord, one faith, one baptism," stigmatize all others as 
 " sectarians," and in their initial principles follow the 
 
AND CEIMES OF MOEMONISM. 
 
 259 
 
 Campbellites. My second Sunday in Salt Lake, I 
 heard Orson Pratt deliver a rather learned discourse on 
 the various temples erected by "the Lord's peculiar 
 people," embodying the idea that the last and most 
 glorious one was to be that of the Latter-day Saints, to 
 be set up in Jackson County, Missouri, " when the 
 fulness of time had come." 
 
 At the end of two weeks in Salt Lake Gity my impres- 
 sions are, on the whole, rather favorable. I find the 
 city quiet, apparently in good order, neat and pleasant 
 to dwell in ; though the people are mostly ignorant and 
 bigoted, they did not appear contentious ; I had been 
 treated with considerable courtesy, and began to con- 
 clude the Mormons had been maligned, and often held 
 long arguments in favor of those whom I suspected to 
 be a much misrepresented and persecuted people. I 
 had yet much to learn. 
 
 HOT SPBINQS KEAB SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
260 LITE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 TRIP TO BEAR RIVER AND RETURN. 
 
 Northward afoot — Hot Springs — " Sessions Settlement " — Polygamy 
 again — "Ephe Roberts' young -wife" — Farmington—KaysYille— Three 
 wives, and stone walls between — "Let us have Peace" — Red Sand 
 Ridge — Ogden — Brigham City — Into the Poor District — Scandinavian 
 Porridge — English cookery — Rural life in Utah— Bear River, North — 
 Cache Valley and the Canon — "Professor" Barker, the "Mad Philoso- 
 pher" — A New Cosmogony — Mormon Science — "Celestial Masonry" 
 — "Adam" redimvua — A Modern "Eve-" — Folly and Fanaticism — 
 Mineral Springs — The country «s. the city Mormon. 
 
 Fine weather was running to waste, and I had seen 
 nothing of Utah outside the city ; so on the afternoon of 
 September the 25th, I threw a few pounds of crackers, 
 dried beef, sugar and tea into my valise, to serve in case 
 I should get beyond the settlements, and took my way 
 northward on foot, determined to see Mormondom in its 
 rural aspects. The nearest point on the Great Salt 
 Lake is about twelve miles from the city, and this road 
 nowhere approaches it nearer than two miles, but runs 
 due north; with the Wasatch mountains to the east and 
 the lake to the west, leaving a vall,ey with an average 
 width of five miles. My route led me by the Warm 
 Springs, already.mentioned ; three miles farther there is 
 another known as the Hot Springs, from being twenty- 
 six degrees higher in temperature than the former. A 
 stream of scalding water as large as a man's body boils 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 261 
 
 out of a rock at the foot of the mountain, forms a hot 
 pool two or three rods in circuit, whence the branch 
 runs across the road, and "westward into Hot Spring 
 Lake. These springs will be more fully described in 
 another place. 
 
 The sun was near the horizon when I reached the 
 highest point on the road, the sky which had been hazy 
 all day became glear, and glancing back towards the 
 city I saw her light colored dwellings and green gardens 
 glistening in the evening sunlight, reminding one 
 strangely of pictures of Oriental Scenes, while the gray 
 peaks to the east, the blue mountains to the southwest 
 and the Lake Island hills combined to form a grand 
 circle of beauty surrounding the modern " Zion." Seated 
 on a projecting rock above the road, as the sun sank 
 slowly behind the islands, I tried again and again to 
 convey some description of the scene to paper, and as 
 often dropped book and pencil with a mixture of delight 
 and despair. 
 
 Ten miles out brought me to Sessions Settlement, 
 sometimes called Bountiful, where I spent the night at 
 the house of Mr. Perry Green Sessions, a Mormon elder 
 and returned missionary, who entertained me with some 
 account of his experience in England and the Eastern 
 States " while laboring to build up Zion among those 
 that are in darkness." 
 
 From there, I continued my journey along the stage 
 road, now along the base of the mountains where cold 
 springs break in jets out of the rocks, and again far out 
 in the valley among com and cane fields, or amid dwel- 
 lings surrounded by peach orchards, where the trees 
 
262 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 were breaking under the load of ripening fruit, a sight 
 I had not seen for many years. A larger and finer or- 
 chard than ordinary attracted my attention, and, as the 
 gate stood invitingly dpen, I walked forward to where 
 two women sat beneath a tree preparing fruit for drying, 
 and proposed to purchase a dozen or two of peaches. 
 Fruit in plenty was offered and all pay refused, and 
 while I took a proffered seat, the younger lady, a bright, 
 lively, voluble woman, entered at once into converseir 
 tion by asking what State I had come from. 
 
 " How do you know I am not a Utah man ? " I asked. 
 "Oh, I knowed you was a Gentile the minute you 
 stepped in at the gate, and you bet everybody knows it 
 the minute they see you," was the reply. 
 
 Further conversation showed that the lady had quite 
 a history. She told me her father came to Salt Lake 
 City twenty-one years ago, and she was the third white 
 child born in the place. 
 
 " But I could n't see it in my way to marry a Saint, 
 not much ; though I was raised to believe in it, and do 
 believe in the religion all but that." 
 
 " Is your father a Mormon ? " I ventured to ask. 
 
 " Oh, yes, and got four women ; only one wife, mind 
 you, that 's my mother ; but four women who caU them- 
 selves his wives. I never was raised to know anything 
 else, but when I was nineteen father married me to a 
 Gentile, 'cause he could n't help himself, I reckon. My 
 husband was raised next door to me, and went to Cali- 
 fornia and stayed five years, and soon as he come back 
 we was married. I 'd a stayed an old. maid a thousand 
 years before I'd take a pluralist. Plurality's all well 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 263 
 
 enough for the men, but common sense shows that it 
 don't suit women." 
 
 " Why, then, do some of them hold up for it ? " 
 
 " Well, they think they must to get salvation ; it 's a 
 part of their religion, and sometimes they get along 
 pretty well. We never had any trouble in father's 
 family. The child;?en all growed up just like brothers 
 and sisters, and treated each other so. Father always 
 taught me to respect his other women, and I always 
 did so. 
 
 "But, law, I've seen such sights in other families. 
 Why, I've seen our neighbor's women just pull the hair 
 right out of each other's heads. There's so many men 
 when they get a young wife, will let her abuse the old 
 one, and encourage her to do it. 
 
 "I've seen the man stand by, and say, 'Go in, 
 kill her, if you can.' Now, there is Ephe. Roberts, 
 right over there," — pointing to a stone house near the 
 mountain, — "he brought a real young delicate wife from 
 New York, now goin' on sixteen years ago, and she 
 worked awful hard, I tell you ; why, I've known her 
 to do all her own work when Ephe. had three hands 
 and the threshin' machine at his house, and sometimes 
 she worked out in the field, bound wheat and raked 
 hay, which, you know, is awful hard on a delicate New 
 York woman — 'taint as if she been raised to it, like we 
 folks, and after all, just last year, Ephe. went and mar- 
 ried another woman, a real young one, not over twenty, 
 and, don't you think, this spring she knocked Maria — 
 that's his first wife — down with the churn-dasher, and 
 scalded her. Ephe. stood by, and just said, go in Luce ; 
 
264 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 kill her, if you can !' It all started about a churn, too. 
 Both wanted to use it at once. Maria had it, and her 
 butter was a Jittle slow a comin', and they got maid, 
 and Luce struck her, and then snatched the kettle right 
 off the stove, and then poured hot water on her feet, 
 so she fell down when she tried to run out. And what 
 was the result, finally? Well, Maria left him; of 
 course, she had to, or be killed. It's very nice, though, 
 for the men. I had a dozen chances to marry old 
 Mormons, but law ! I wouldn't give that for all of 'em. 
 Why, just turn things round, and let a woman have 
 two or three men, and see how they'd like that! There 
 wouldn't be no murderin' done in these parts, oh, no ! 
 And, I reckon, a woman has as fine feelin's as a man. 
 I tell you, if my husband ever joins 'em, or tries to get 
 another wife, that day I'll hunt another Gentile ; you 
 bet! " The testimony of "this witness," professionally 
 speaking, was certainly plain ; nor did she trouble me 
 to cross-examine, but gave her views freely. I note 
 one singular fact in all similar cases : During a long 
 residence in Utah I have never in a single instance 
 talked ten minutes with a young lady of polygamous 
 family, that did not manage in some way to tell me, 
 she loas the daughter of the first, or legal vAfe, if such 
 was the case. If silent on that point, it may safely 
 be presumed they are of polygamous mothers. And 
 in more than one instance, I have known them to 
 falsely claim legitimate birth. 
 
 From this "apostate's" I journeyed on to "Farming- 
 ton, eighteen miles north of the city, a beautiful town 
 and settlement of some two thousand inhabitants ; the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 265 
 
 residence of the Mormon hero, Lot Smith, who com- 
 manded their guerilla force at the time it confronted 
 Johnston's army in Echo Canon, burned his wagons 
 and drove off his cattle. 
 
 I spent the night with a well-to-do Mormon who oc- 
 cupied a long, one-story, stone house, divided into three 
 large rooms, with a kitchen in the rear of each ; each 
 room was occupied by one of his three wives and her 
 children. He seemed to be living at the time with the 
 middle one, where we took supper. The partition walls 
 must have been two feet thick, without any communi- 
 cation, each wife with her progeny keeping strictly to 
 her own department. He was doubtless a " Grant 
 man ;" his motto seemed to be " Let us have peace." 
 A " constitutional " the next morning brought me to 
 the next settlement, Kaysville by name, where I took 
 breakfast with a Gentile who had a Mormon wife. He 
 was a- Missourian some fifty years old, and belonged to 
 the Church, he told me, ten or fifteen years ago, but 
 was " dis-fellowshiped for not payin' tithes." 
 
 He talked quite earnestly when he found I was from 
 the States, and gave his views on the entire subject 
 without troubling me to ask a question. "I never 
 heard in my life," said he, " that Christ and his Apos- 
 tles rode around the country in a fine carriage with two 
 span o' gray bosses, and .made the people turn out pro- 
 vision enough to keep him up, as we've had to do for 
 the bishop here. Brigham Young pretends to be His 
 successor, and at the same time makes his brags that 
 he never touches anything he don't make money outen. 
 Now, just look at that Deseret Telegraph line. He had> 
 
266 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 '/■■ 
 
 1, '^'yl^- 
 
 i >, 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 "let tjs have peace." 
 
 all the people pay tithes and make donations for it, 
 sajdn' it would be such a nice thing for the people, and 
 every settlement had to furnish a certain number o' 
 poles; and now they'll charge you five dollars for sendin' 
 :ten words, be you Saint or Gentile. And here after 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 267 
 
 all, he's round makin' every Saint, the poorest ov 'em, 
 give so much to help pay these operators that" come 
 down to teach the girls along through the Territory, 
 how to work the wires. Now, what comes o' that 
 money ? it goes into Brigham's pockets. But, pshaw, 
 these people won't listen to you. Can't make my wife 
 believe a word o' that." 
 
 The good wonian retorted with a wordy defence of 
 the Church and the Prophet, averring her firm belief in 
 everything Mormon, to which the husband listened 
 with a dry quizzical smile, and finally remarked : 
 " Well, p'raps I had better go back. Guess I will, and 
 git me another wife. Like dernation well to have a 
 nice, trim, young creatur about twenty-five." 
 
 The wife, whose waist was after the pattern of a rum 
 barrel, and her feet models for a patent, brick machine, 
 reddened a little and was silent. I think he will con- 
 vert her yet. 
 
 The Deseret Telegraph line to which he referred, 
 follows this road to the northern boundary of the 
 Territory, and south of the city extends nearly to 
 Arizona, with side branches connecting all the detached 
 settlements; the wires center in Brigham Young's 
 office, and thus at a moment's notice he can send a 
 warning of danger to five-sixths of his people, and in 
 twenty-four hours' time the most isolated settlers could 
 be ready to move. Whether for good or bad purposes, 
 it is a remarkable monument of Mormon enterprise. I 
 had intended to keep the Sabbath at this point, but 
 fal lin g in with a farmer returning to Cache Valley 
 from the city, I rode some twelve miles with him, 
 
268 LIFE IK UTAH; OR, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 « 
 
 passing over the Red Sand Desert. This is a ridged 
 piece* of land jutting out from near the mouth of 
 Weber Caiaon, towards the lake, about ten miles long 
 and eight wide, and too high for ordinary irrigation. 
 Most of the land north of the city has one general 
 character, a mixture of gravel and loam, or of fine red 
 sand and " dobie earth," a peculiar whitish clay ; in its 
 natural state it is as barren as any part of the plains. 
 
 A piece of land is worthless unless water can be 
 brought upon it; but with irrigation it produces equally 
 with any soil in the world. Leaving the ridge we 
 descend into Weber Valley, and in five miles reach the 
 city of Ogden, the most important in northern Utah ; 
 containing with its vicinity a population of three or 
 four thousand, and now the point of junction of the 
 Union Pacific, Central Pacific and Utah Central (Brig- 
 ham's) Railroads. Thence two day's sauntering, twenty- 
 two miles, brings me through Willard settlement to 
 Brigham City, some sixty miles north of Salt Lake 
 City." This is the county seat of Box Elder Co., which 
 contains at present a Gentile population of at least a 
 thousand. 
 
 It has a beautiful location at the foot of the Wasatch, 
 at the mouth of a canon, which sends out a large 
 stream of pure, clear water, and a little northeast of 
 the head of Bear River Bay, the northeastern projec- 
 tion of Great Salt Lake. From Brigham City, north- 
 ward, the valley of Salt Lake shows much less sign of 
 cultivation and settlementf than below that point. 
 Peach orchards entirely disappear, apple-trees and 
 grape vines are quite rare, stone-houses and stucco- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 269 
 
 finished " dobies " are seen no more, and their place is 
 filled by rude log-cabins, with a very uninviting ex- 
 terior and interior not over clean, inhabited mostly by 
 Welsh, Danes and Swedes. 
 
 The English inhabitants of the valley live quite well, 
 nearly as well as the corresponding class in our Western 
 States, though I have visited no part of America where 
 I found them so entirely English in dialect and manner 
 as here. Taking my meals wherever the hour over- 
 took me, I have found rich brown cofiee, golden butter 
 and light white bread in company with the broad Eng- 
 lish accent, and have learned to associate the " hex- 
 asperated haitch," with 'igh 'opes for a 'ungry man. 
 
 But if I stepped into a cabin and heard the Welsh 
 or Danish guttural, I asked some trivial favor and passed 
 on to the Britons, whom I consider the best part of the 
 Mormon people. A traveler should not be an epicure, 
 but I acknowledge a weakness in that respect, and 
 while I had that glorious appetite, I hated to waste it 
 on the suspicious looking porridge, which is a standing 
 dish among the Scandinavian Saints. 
 
 A few of the American Mormons come up to the 
 English standard, but in the country the majority fall 
 below it ; they constitute, however, so small a part of 
 these people, that I do not stop with them one time in 
 five. They are nearly all from New York and Penn- 
 sylvania, and belong to the original sect, all the late 
 converts being foreigners. I see no Western people 
 among them to speak of. I met one middle aged lady 
 from Greene County, Indiana, and when she learned I 
 was from Parke County, adjoining, she was quite over- 
 
270 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 come, got me up the best breakfast the cabin afforded, 
 and talked and cried alternately while I was eating it. 
 Her parents joined the Mormons while she was a young 
 woman, and she has heard from her old home but three 
 or four times since. 
 
 That region was attracting considerable interest, as 
 the probable site of the " great central city of the fu- 
 ture," the town on the railroad which was to.be, the 
 most convenient spot for staging and freighting to Mon- 
 tana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, which would 
 doubtless be a city of great and permanent importance. 
 But the railroad was yet four hundred miles distant, 
 and the location of the future city in great doubt. 
 Many, thought it would be at the last crossing on Weber 
 River, while others were equally sanguine it would be 
 in Curlew Valley, a hundred miles west of Bear River. 
 Meanwhile, work, was pushed forward rapidly ; the 
 Union Pacific Company had just let contracts for a 
 hundred miles of grading north of the lake, teams were 
 passing that way in considerable numbers, and graders' 
 camps were thick along the route. 
 
 At the north crossing of Bear River I found a " home 
 station" of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s stages, where their 
 branch line to Boise City and into Oregon takes its 
 start ; also a fine hotel, bridge, store, and quite a little 
 village. A few miles above, Bear River, which has run 
 around a long U of three hundred miles from its source 
 in eastern Utah, " canyons " downward a thousand feet 
 in three miles, out of Cache into Bear River Valley. 
 
 Seventy miles up the river, in Idaho, are the noted 
 Soda Springs; near them Camp Connor and a small 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 271 
 
 settlement of " Morrisites," a sect of recusant Mormons, 
 a little more crazy than the rest, but not quite so mean, 
 who sought the shelter of the military in their escape 
 from Brighamism. 
 
 My return trip from Bear River was varied by two 
 incidents worthy of special mention — a visit to the 
 Mineral Springs and an interview with the " mad 
 philosopher " of JJtah. This eccentric genius merits 
 more than a passing notice. His name is J. W. Barker, 
 generally called " Professor," an Englishman by birth, 
 who came to this country fourteen years ago with a 
 Mornlon party. He claimed to have discovered the 
 primitive laws, which govern the whole material uni- 
 verse, and that, in time, he would refute all the theories 
 of such philosophers as Newton, La Place, and Descartes, 
 from whom he dissented in toto. True to .his convic- 
 tions, as soon as he had his family comfortably settled, 
 he fell to work investigating, collecting facts, analyzing 
 and arranging specimens, and writing the principia of 
 his great work, the "Magna Charta of Universal 
 Science," which was to annihilate all our present ideas 
 of gravity, light, and momentum, and usher in the 
 scientific millennium, at the same time with the moral 
 regeneration of mankind. 
 
 For ten long, weary years, he has devoted every hour, 
 beyond those requisite for obtaining the bare necessaries 
 of life, to this research. He has traveled hundreds of 
 miles among the mines and canons, digging into drift, 
 wash dirt, gravel, quartz, and gold gulch and bar, till 
 he is known to the miners from Montana to Salt Lake. 
 Night after night he has watched the moon and stars, 
 
272 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTERtES 
 
 aiid calculated the slightest changes of the atmosphere 
 and mist, and every observation has been faithfully re- 
 corded, and assigned, to its proper cause, in his new 
 classification of principles. Being an unlettered man, 
 whose only knowledge of geology was gained as an 
 English miner, he has worked his way against diffi- 
 culties which would have daunted any but a half-mad 
 enthusiast; has surrounded himself with dictionaries and 
 lexicons of science, and hammered his way into the 
 first principles of more than one language, by the most 
 exhaustive labor. I found the " Professor " in a moun- 
 tain nook which might well excuse a man for going 
 mad over the works of nature. 
 
 Directly fronting his house, three majestic gray peaks 
 of the Wasatch range rise a mile above the level plain, 
 while a short distance in the rear of his farm spread thfe 
 azure waters of the Salt Lake, beyond which is the blue 
 hne of the mountains on the promontory. 
 
 His painfully thin and gaunt appearance showed that 
 he had hung over his books and burned the midnight 
 oil till the vital frame had shrunk ; but his manner was 
 earnest and his voice firm, while the corded muscles 
 stood out on a body without an ounce of fat, and seemed 
 to run over the bones like the wire pulleys of a metal 
 clock. He conversed pleasantly and quite intelligently 
 on various topics, till glancing at the mountain peaks I 
 remarked that they must have been thrown up by some 
 great convulsion of nature; then his eyes lighted with a 
 strange fire as he hastily replied : " They certainly were 
 Twt thrown up ; they were thrown down." Then hold- 
 ing forth an hour on the origin of mountains, he invited 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 273 
 
 me to his study. A low room half underground in the 
 rear of his house, built of logs, had been rudely fitted up 
 with board, chest and table, block candle-holders attached 
 to the wall by wires, so as to bend out and in, and a few 
 chairs. The walls were completely covered with rude 
 maps and charts, and with long lists of words, which he 
 stated he had to use often and did not know how to 
 spell, all copied fr«m the dictionary in large capitals. 
 
 Producing a seat for me and a large bowl of water for 
 himself, he entered on a three hours' exposition of his 
 views. He holds that all the fluid elements of nature 
 are resolvable into four gases ; that all the grosser ele- 
 ments are in like manner reducible to four simple solids; 
 and from varying proportions of these few primitives are 
 derived all possible materials throughout the universe. 
 He contends also that the entire Newtonian theory of 
 gravity is erroneous and false to true science ; that there 
 is, in strictness of language, no such principle as gravity 
 anywhere operating in creation ; that the terms refrac- 
 tion and reflection are based on a total misconception of 
 the nature of light; that all space outside of the atmos- 
 phere contains a material medium, and that the atmos- 
 phere is shown by actual demonstration to be eight thou- 
 sand miles thick instead of forty-five. 
 
 He thinks that all nature is operated upon by four' 
 simple, constant and regular laws, and that all we ob- 
 serve are but combinations and inter-relations of these 
 four, which depend for their action simply on the will 
 and moving power of God. They operate in one course 
 through countless cycles of time, tending always to a 
 common center, and, having run that course, are directed! 
 
 18 
 
274 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 in a returning course for other terms. The mental, 
 moral and spiritual world is but a microcosmical copy 
 of the material, consisting, too, of four subtle elements 
 mingled with four grosser elements, and moved upon by 
 infinite combinations of four simple laws, directly refer- 
 rable to the will of God. 
 
 The mountains are remains of precipitated satellites, 
 of which the earth has had many, the moon only re- 
 maining ; but like all the others it is a hollow globe, 
 destined to fall upon and give final shape to the surface 
 of the earth. The planets inside of our orbit have now 
 no satellites, but are hurrying on to their destiny on the 
 face of the sun ; while those outside of us have many, and 
 are coming in more slowly. We on the earth are ap- 
 proaching the latter part of our career, and have barely 
 time to complete the moral regeneration of the race. 
 
 It is consoling to know that the grand smash-up will 
 not take place till after the millennium. The old gen- 
 tleman has just finished his great work, and required 
 all the information I could give him as to the cost and 
 facilities of getting it printed in the East. It consisted 
 of forty-six chapters, bound up in as many separate 
 manuscript volumes. Take him all in all he is a curi- 
 ous case of scientific insanity, well worthy the attention 
 of Mr. Beck, the learned writer on the subject. The 
 " Professor " lectures in Salt Lake City occasionally, and 
 Orson Pratt — professor and elder, and the learned man 
 of the city — has thought it worth while to reply to him 
 through the press. Wild and strange as this man's 
 ideas may appear, he is but a type of hundreds in Utah. 
 ;In science as in theology, Mormonism is at war with 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 275 
 
 all existing systems; one-third of the whole people 
 seem a little crazy on some subject or other, and the 
 wildest, most baseless theory, the one farthest removed 
 from natural causes, is ever the one most likely to 
 prevail. 
 
 Having cut loose from all recognized standards in 
 spiritual matters, they seem equally determined on the 
 supernatural, and extra human in medicine, science, 
 astronomy and natural history. I was once called 
 upon by a Mormon, a little more crazy than ordinary, 
 with an immense chart of what he called " Celestial 
 Masonry." For the medical museum of a mad-house, 
 it would have been a priceless treasure. A canvass 
 three feet square was covered by the pictured folds of 
 an enormous serpent, along which were -drawings of the 
 various scenes, sjnnbols and implements. of the new Mar 
 sonry, divided for the various degrees, of which there 
 twenty-seven ! All the work had been done with 
 colored crayons; by "inspirational writing," as the 
 Mormon averred, the spirits guiding his hand without 
 his volition ; and as a work of art it showed remarkable 
 style and finish. 
 
 Some three years ago a "Josephite," or recusant 
 Mormon, who had adopted the new Mormon doctrine 
 of "transmission of spirits," conceived that he was 
 Adam sent back to the flesh ; his wife, a little worse 
 crazed, was Eve ; but during the six thousand years of 
 their separation she had fallen away and become a 
 prostitute. To "purify her" he cut off all her hair, 
 pulled out her teeth, and for the better convenience of 
 locomotion dressed her in man's clothes, when both 
 
276 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 started on foot for the States. A year afterwards they 
 made their appearance at a ranche in Colorado, nearly 
 dead with hunger and fatigue ; nor did it ever appear 
 how they had reached there. From there they came 
 with a returning train to the Missouri, where the au- 
 thorities properly consigned them to the lunatic asylum. 
 
 There is no refuge for the insane in Utah; fortu- 
 nately, perhaps, for it might require a small war to 
 settle who should occupy it. Few are violent, but 
 many are deranged; and the whole Territory would 
 present a fine field for the student in the jurisprudence 
 of insanity. 
 
 The Mineral Springs are ten miles south of Bear 
 River Bridge, and seventy north of the city; but I 
 defer a full description, which will be found under the 
 proper heading. 
 
 In my trip to Bear River, and return, I journeyed 
 nearly two hundred miles among the rural Saints, and 
 observed their ways with all earnestness and curiosity. 
 The country Mormon is more religious than his city 
 brother, but less intelligent. He is a greater stickler 
 for the small matters of his faith, but much less able to 
 give a reason why. He is more hospitable, generous 
 and social, but much more offensive in' thrusting the un- 
 pleasant features of his faith upon you. But the 
 greatest difierence is among the women. The polyga- 
 mous wife in the city is in paradise compared with her 
 sister in the country, where farm labors and cares must 
 be shared in common. There the conditipn of woman 
 is already fast tending to what it is in 6ther polyga- 
 Kftous countries, and there the degeneracy is. soonest 
 
AND CRDIES OF MOKMONISM. 277 
 
 manifest. While the men are enthusiastically devoted 
 to their faith, I ,did not see a single womian in the 
 country who defended polygamy, though strongly 
 Mormon in everything else. 
 
 At least one-third the entire population of the valley 
 is from Great Britain, one-third or more from Sweden, 
 Norway and Denmark, while possibly one-sixth is 
 American. As far as I know all the posts of honor, 
 indeed all the easy and lucrative positions, are filled by 
 Americans, simply- because the others are generally in- 
 capable. The missionaries are largely of foreign birth, 
 each being sent back to his native country, after a few 
 years residence in Utah. 
 
 Little more than a year afterwards, in visiting the 
 same section, I met with an experience in Brigham 
 City, which, though equally novel, was nothing like so 
 pleasant. The Saints, who had seemed indifferent on 
 my first visit, were altogether too pointed in their atten- 
 tions the last time. 
 
 But I anticipate. I reached Salt Lake City the 
 morning of October the sixth, in time for the "fall Con- 
 ference" of 1868. 
 
278 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE CONFERENCE AND ITS RESULTS. 
 
 A Mormon mass-meeting — Paces and features — Great enthusiasm — A 
 living "martyr" — A Mormon hymn — The Poetess — A "president" 
 chosen — He recites the Church history — First view of Brigham — He 
 curses the Gentiles — A "nasty sermon"— Coarseness and profanity — 
 Bitterness of other speakers — Swearing in the pulpit — Exciting the 
 people — Their frenzy and fanatacism— Hatred against the United States — 
 Foolish bravado — The author gains new light on Mormonism — A sub- 
 ject to be studied — English and European Sects of like character — 
 Division of the subject. 
 
 The semi-annual conference of the Church of Jesus 
 Christ of Latter-day Saints convened on Tuesday 
 morning, October 6 th, in the new Tabernacle, and was 
 to me an occasion of great interest. Long before the 
 hour of meeting, indeed, from early dawn, all the roads 
 leading into the city were thronged by crowds from dis- 
 tant settlements, going up to their half-yearly worship 
 in " Zion." As I returned from Bear River on the 
 Sunday 'and Monday preceding, I was passed every 
 hour by long trains of Saints from the northern and 
 northeastern parts of the Territory, and, on reaching 
 the city, found still larger delegations from Utah Lake 
 District, Provo, Fillmore, San Pete, and St. George. 
 
 This occasion among the Saints is every way equal to 
 the yearly passover among the Jews, and every one who 
 can possibly leave home makes a visit to " Zion," and 
 esteems it an honor and privilege to do so. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 279 
 
 I reached the building too late on Tuesday morning, 
 and, with many thousand others, was turned away for 
 want of room. The Saints seemed to consider it suflfi- 
 cient happiness to stand around and gaze at the buil- 
 ding, and think of what was going on inside; but I was 
 sustained by no such enthusiasm, and consoled myself 
 by getting an early dinner preparatory to securing a 
 seat as soon as the doors were opened in the afternoon. 
 The sight was well worth the trouble. From my seat 
 near the pulpit, and just at one side, I could overlook 
 the whole vast sea of faces. The curtain in the rear 
 had been removed and the entire oval, as well as the 
 space beside the organ, was completely filled by at least 
 ten thousand eager auditors. The rows of high seats 
 on either side of the pulpit were occupied by bishops 
 and elders from distant settlements, some three hundred 
 in all, while the four long seats constituting the pulpit, 
 were occupied by the First Presidency, consisting of 
 Brigham Young, Daniel H. Wells, and a vacant space 
 for the late Heber C. Kimball ; also by the Twelve 
 Apostles, the Heads of the Quorum of Seventies, the 
 Church Secretary, Historian and City Elders. It was 
 the largest collection of the Saints I had yet seen, and 
 I studied it with much interest. 
 
 Occasionally I would see a fine cast of American 
 features, but nearly all the faces had that indescribable 
 foreign look, which all can recognize and none portray. 
 In companies of fifties and hundreds they had left their 
 distant homes at the call of the missionary, had given 
 up friends, property, country and religion, as they 
 thought, to follow Christ ; had tossed upon the waves 
 
280 LIFE IN UTAHJOE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 in noisome emigrant ships, had turned their backs upon 
 the great and fertile States, and traversed eleven hun- 
 dred miles of prairie, mountain and burning sand, " to 
 build up the kingdom of God in Deseret." And to 
 these people, all before them to-day was a glorious real- 
 ity. FeeUng as I did, that all this was but part of a 
 great delusion, I could not but reverence the intense 
 faith of these devotees. 
 
 The meeting was called to order, after which the 
 Twentieth Ward choir sang, 
 
 " My soul is full of peace and love, 
 I soon shall see Christ from above," etc. 
 
 Prayer was offered by Elder Erastus Snow, followed 
 by a quartette by the Brigham City choir, 
 
 " Pray for the peace of Deseret," 
 
 after which Elder John Taylor addressed the meeting. 
 Taylor is one of the early converts to Mormonism, and 
 enjoys a high reputation among them, having been with 
 Joseph Smith in many trying scenes. "With another 
 brother, he was with Joseph and Hyrum at the time 
 they were killed in Carthage jail, Hancock Co., Illinois. 
 According to the popular M|*rmon account, as the 
 mob commenced firing, Joseph said to Taylor, "I shall 
 pass away, but you shall live to tell the tale to children's 
 children." At that moment Hyrum fell dead. Joseph 
 cried, "Oh, my dear brother Hyrum!" and sprang into 
 the window. A second volley was fired, when Joseph 
 exclaimed, "Oh, Lord, my God!" and fell into the 
 street. Of the same volley, four shots wounded Taylor 
 in as many places, and a fifth — an ounce ball from a 
 
AND 'crimes of MOEl^ONISM. 281 
 
 yager musket — -struck him squarely in the breast, and 
 buried in an English lever watch which had run with- 
 out interruption for ten years, stopping the hands exactly 
 at 5 o'clock, 16 minutes, and 22 seconds, P. M., which 
 is marked among the Saints as the solemn hour of the 
 Prophet's death. On the fall of Joseph, the mob rushed 
 around the building, and the fourth brpther, who was 
 unhurt, carried IJjiylor down stairs and to a place of 
 safety. A Mormon tradition adds, that at the same 
 time a gigantic Missourian, with his face blackened, ran 
 forward to cut off Joseph's head, for which a reward 
 had been offered ; but as he knelt, knife in hand, on 
 the body of the Prophet, a flash of lightning darted 
 from the clear sky between him and his victim, and 
 shook the knife from his grasp. This incident, which 
 is the subject of a sensational engraving often seen in 
 the Mormon dwellings, rests upon the statement of one 
 Daniels, the only witness of the assassination not con- 
 nected either with the Mormons or the mob. He joined 
 the Mormons soon after, and, at the request of the 
 Apostles, published his account. He was afterward 
 " cut off" from the church, but they still cling to his 
 testimony. The watch which marked the hour so pre- 
 cisely, is kept as a sacred relic in the city. Taylor, 
 though shot nearly all to pieces, recovered entirely and 
 is a healthy, venerable -looking old man of sixty years. 
 He gave a rather able address, reciting some of the early 
 trials, and urging the Saints to be industrious and self- 
 sustaining. 
 
 The choir then sang the following hymn, composed 
 by Miss Eliza R. Snow, the Mormon poetess : — 
 
282 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 "OUR PROPHET, BRIGHAM YOUNG." 
 
 " O God of life and glory I 
 
 Hear Thou a people's prayer, 
 Bless, bless our Prophet Brigham ; 
 Let him thy fullness share. 
 He is Thy chosen servant — 
 To lead Thine Israel forth, 
 Till Zion, crowned with joy, shall be 
 A praise in all the earth. 
 
 " He draws from Christ, the fountain 
 
 Of everlasting truth, 
 The wise and prudent counsels 
 Which he gives to age and youth. 
 Thyself in him reflected 
 
 Through mortal agency. 
 He is Thy representative 
 To set Thy people free. 
 
 "Thou richly hast endowed him 
 With wisdom's bounteous store. 
 And Thou hast made him mighty 
 By Thy own Almighty power. 
 Oh, let his life be precious — 
 
 Bless Tliou his brethren, too. 
 Who firmly join him side by side, 
 Who're true as he is true. 
 
 " Help him to found Thy kindom 
 
 In majesty and power, 
 With peace in every palace 
 And with strength in every tower ; 
 And when thy chosen Israel 
 
 Their noblest strains have sung, 
 
 The swelling chorus there shall be 
 
 Our Prophet, Brigham Young." 
 
 This authoress is one of the " spiritual wives " of 
 Brigham, which class of ladies usually retain their 
 
.AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 283 
 
 maidenly appellation, sometimes merely adding that of 
 the spiritual husband. She is a very fine, intellectual- 
 looking woman of forty or fifty years, and from her 
 appearance seems made to be loved. 
 
 On Wednesday morning Elder George A. Smith, 
 cousin of Joseph, was chosen as First Counselor to Brig- 
 ham Young, in place of Heber C. Kimball, deceased. 
 Daniel H. Wells i* Second Counselor, and these three 
 constitute the First Presidency, at the head of all affairs 
 of the Church. 
 
 President Smith then gave a lengthy account of the 
 early history of the Church from the time Joseph was 
 called to take the golden plates out of the Hill of Cu- 
 morah, in western New York, to the expulsion from 
 Nauvoo. He enlarged on their troubles in Kirtland and 
 journey to Missouri. " There two priests organized a 
 mob, and the Lieutenani>Governor called out the militia. 
 The Saints were driven from Jackson County to Clay, 
 and from Clay to Caldwell, which they found occupied 
 by seven persons, all hunters. Far West was built as if 
 by magic. By August 1, 1838, they owned all of Cald- 
 well and parts of neighboring counties, when the mobs 
 came upon them again. The Governor called out fifteen 
 thousand men, but there was no law but mob law, 
 whipping men and ravishing women. Women and 
 children wandered for fifteen days on the burnt prairie, 
 and could be tracked by the blood from their feet. Then 
 the Saints went to Illinois and built the beautiful city 
 of Nauvoo, and while there Joseph Smith went to see 
 the President, Martin Van Buren, who heard his peti- 
 tion through, and then said : ' Your cause is just, but I 
 
284 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 can do nothing for you.' Soon after this Joseph and 
 Hyrum were arrested and murdered. Then a combina- 
 tion was formed in nine counties to expel us. 
 
 " We appealed to the Governors of. the States and 
 were told the law was on our side, but public opinion 
 was against us and we would have to leave. We finished 
 our temple with the trowel in one hand and rifle in the 
 other. Then our city was bombarded for three days 
 and we retreated again. We commenced to cross the 
 Mississippi in the month of February on the ice. While 
 Ijang on the bank of the river the Lord sent quails into 
 the camp that they could take them with the hand, 
 which kept the people from dying of hunger. In that 
 condition they remained till those who had gone west 
 could return with wagons and take them away ; but be- 
 fore this was done many perished." 
 
 This history was continued at various times by all 
 the speakers, and in the naost exaggerated and inflam- 
 matory style. On Thursday morning I heard Brigham 
 Young for the first time. He is above medium height, 
 well proportioned, fine and portly-looking; with gray or 
 light blue eyes, light brown or golden hair, now sprinkled 
 with gray, clear, rosy skin and sanguine temperament. 
 His voice is quite clear and his enunciation distinct, with 
 considerable of what is termed "presence," and electric 
 effect upon his congregation. But his style was coarse, 
 in this instance even vulgar beyond the bounds of des- 
 cription. He was evidently either in an ill humor or 
 determined to make the people so, indulging in remin- 
 iscences both personal and pubhc, which led him into 
 violent denunciation of all outsiders. When he first 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 285 
 
 arose I was somewhat impressed, and tliought I saw one 
 reason for his supremacy, that he was indebted for his 
 power over an ignorant people almost as much to his 
 physical as to his mental superiority. But when he had 
 closed I was utterly amazed, and it seemed incredible 
 that one hundred people could be found, much less a 
 thousand times that number, who should regard him as 
 a " prophet of the iiord." Afterwards, however, I had 
 the pleasure of hearing him when he was in a calmer 
 mood, when he appearedj to some extent at least, the 
 prophet, priest and king. 
 
 For the rest of the Conference, which was mainly 
 devoted to the discussion of a general movement to 
 prevent trade with the Gentile merchants, the speakers 
 seemed to vie with each other in bitterness, intemper- 
 ance of language, and hostility to Gentiles ; and all the 
 good opinions of the Mormons I had hitherto formed 
 were utterly dissipated. For the first time in my life I 
 heard the Government and people of the United States 
 denounced, ridiculed and cursed, and the very name of 
 American made a hissing and a byword ; for the first 
 time I heard professed preachers swearing in the pulpit, 
 and such expressions as "d — d apostate" flung reck- 
 lessly about by so-called apostles and priests. The 
 Conference closed, and its bad effect was soon apparent. 
 When I first arrived, there had been an era of good 
 feeling; old bitterness appeared to be passing away, 
 and I was quite convinced that much I had heard of the 
 feud between Gentiles and Mormons was exaggerated. 
 
 In this temper of the public miiid the Conference 
 met, passed a decree of non-intercourse with the re- 
 
286 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 sident Gentiles, and spared no pains to inflame the 
 public mind. The entire history of the Church was 
 rehearsed, and in the most intemperate style ; every 
 act of "persecution," every slight and neglect was dwelt 
 upon to the most minute particulars, and matters of 
 comparative indifference exaggerated clear out of truth- 
 ful proportion. There was not the slightest hint 
 that the Mormons were anjrw^here in the wrong, that 
 there was the least palliation for their enemies; not 
 even the charitable assumption that some few of the 
 latter believed themselves in the right. On the con- 
 trary, every scrap of history began and continued with 
 the broad assumption, "We are the chosen people of 
 God, to whom He has spoken by the mouth of His 
 Prophet in these latter days, and, being such, of course, 
 the world hated us. There is and must be eternal 
 enmity between God and the devil, so there was and 
 must be>between Zion and the children of the devil, to 
 wit, the Missourians and the lUinoisans." And these 
 simple folks, who had come up to the Tabernacle with 
 quiet minds, at peace with each other and all the world, 
 left it with a burning bitterness against all Gentiles ; 
 and, as successive speakers recounted their troubles in 
 Missouri and Illinois, they seemed wrought up to a per- 
 fect frenzy. In Brigham's "sermon" he threatened dire 
 mischiefs upon the "d — d apostates," and expressed 
 himself as "only sorry for one thing, that God didn't 
 tell us to fight the d — d mobocrats," to which the 
 Tabernacle resounded with shouts of "Amen, Amen!" 
 Another speaker, George Q. Cannon, went much 
 farther, and seemed to exhaust all the resources of 
 
-AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 287 
 
 lingual ingenuity to provoke the people to mob violence, 
 without directly advising it. The great objects of his 
 animosity were the Reporter — Gentile paper — and the 
 grammar school of St. Mark's Associate Mission, the 
 Gentile school of the City. Cannon stigmatized the 
 school as one of the institutions of the devil set up in 
 Zion, and then asked: '^ Shall such an institution be 
 allowed to go o» and innoculate the minds of our 
 children with its damnable and pernicious doctrines ?" 
 Which was answered with a universal shout of " No !" 
 " No." He hardly dared to directly advise the people 
 to attack or destroy the Reporter office, but related a 
 bit of history, with comments, which, if not intended to 
 indicate violence, had no force that I can perceive. He 
 said when he was a boy in Nauvoo, there was a paper 
 published there by some " apostates " called the " Ex- 
 positor." It vilified the Saints, and scandalized their 
 wives and daughters till the City Council declared it a 
 nuisance. About that time the speaker was in the 
 office of the Mormon paper there, and heard Joseph 
 and Hyrum Smith talking about it. Hyrum said, 
 " Kather than allow it to go on, he would lay his body 
 in the walls of the building where it was issued." The 
 speaker then gave a glowing account of the martyrdom 
 of Joseph and Hyrum, and the many Saints who 
 suffered on account of the " Expositor " till the people 
 were wrought into a perfect frenzy. He then stated 
 that " right here in the midst of Zion a paper was 
 issued, so much like that, he could hardly tell them 
 apart, and the times were so similar he almost imagined 
 himself a boy again." Then reading some extracts 
 
288 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 from the Reporter, and commenting in an inflammatory 
 style, he said: "In any other community such a paper 
 as this would be gutted inside of five days, and its 
 Editor strung up to a telegraph pole. To which the 
 excited congregation responded, " Hear, hear," " Here 
 we are," etc. 
 
 I now began to understand what had at first seemed 
 a mystery to me; that in every State where the Mor- 
 mons had lived, the people who had at first welcomed 
 them gladly, ended by hating and opposing them. 
 Granting that all the charges against them of petty 
 thieving, counterfeiting and trespass were untrue, such 
 mad fanaticism could not but destroy good neighbor- 
 hood, and arouse all other violent elements in opposi- 
 tion to their own. Mormonism, which had hitherto 
 been to me a. mere amusement or matter of passing 
 interest, now appeared a subject worthy of serious and 
 earnest investigation. 
 
 That a vast multitude of people should embrace a 
 wild scheme of religion is no new thing, perhaps no 
 great wonder; the foremost nations of Europe have 
 witnessed greater displays of fanaticism ; England had 
 her Irvingites, Muggletonians and devotees of Joanna 
 Southcott ; Germany was compelled to slaughter fifty 
 thousand of the fierce Anabaptists of Munster, followers 
 of St. John of Leyden ; while the convulsionists of 
 France, and the self-mutilating sects of Russia, have 
 shown more unnatural bigotry than the Mormons. But 
 th3,t a theocratic despotism should spring np in a free 
 republic; that the cool and practical Yankee should 
 turn Prophet, and that after two thousand yease of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 289 
 
 Christain progress, men and women should voluntarily 
 turn back to polygamy, semi-paganism and the " dead 
 works " of a ceremonial law — this is cause for inquiry. 
 Let us then take a brief view of the most characteristic 
 features of Mormonism, arranging them for conveni- 
 ence in the following order : 
 
 I. Mormon society and general views. 
 II. Analysis q£ Mormon theology. 
 
 III. Theoretical polygamy — ^its history. 
 
 IV. Practical polygamy. 
 
 V. The Mormon theocracy. 
 
 19 
 
290 LITE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XII. . 
 
 ANALYSIS OF MORMON SOCIETY. 
 
 Difficulty at the outset — Extremes among -witnesses — Prejudice on both 
 sides— First impressions favorable—" Whited Sepulchres "—Classes of 
 Mormons — Brigham Young ; impostor or fanatic ? — The dishonest class 
 — The "earnest Mormons" — Disloyalty — Church and State — Killing 
 men to save their souls — Slavery of woman — Brigham the government 
 —Prophecy against the United States—" War "— " Seven women to 
 take hold of one man " — Another war expected— Blood and thunder in 
 store for the Gentiles -" The great tribulation " about due— Popular er- 
 rors- Witchcraft— " Faith-doctoring "—Zion in Jackson County, Mis- 
 souri — Comfortable prospect. 
 
 Before entering upon a subject so complex as Mor- 
 mon society and theology, it is necessary to warn the 
 reader that on many of its features it is difficult to 
 write without some warmth of feeling ; and as to polyg- 
 aniy, quite impossible to treat thereon without coarse- 
 ness. In this part of my work too, a special preface is 
 appropriate, as our American-Saxon is particularly defi- 
 cient in those delicate euphemisms which enable an au- 
 thor to describe that which is vile, in language which 
 is comparatively chaste, or at any rate, not shocking or 
 offensive. In treating of the gross materialism and 
 perverted sexualism of the Mormons, it has been 
 thought best to speak plainly, that the full effects of this 
 new Mohammedanism may be seen and read of all men. 
 
 A serious difficulty meets us at the very outset of an 
 examination into the affairs of Utah. The fair-minded 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 291 
 
 ft 
 
 Gentile, who really desires to know the truth, must in 
 eflfect, resolve himself into a perambulating jury of one, 
 to try every fact presented by the strictest rules of legal 
 acumen. He will find three 'different accounts of, three 
 separate reasons for, and three opposite deductions from 
 every possible occurrence, viz. : the Mormon account 
 wholly presumed and one-sided; the bitter anti-Mor- 
 mon account whiah would condemn all of an opposite 
 creed without distinction, and the account of the moder- 
 ate Gentiles, who are in the best position to give a fair 
 judgment, but being necessarily distrusted by both the 
 other parties, are in a poor way to get at facts. 
 
 Two classes of writers have dealt with the Mormon 
 question ; the one has described in glowing terms the 
 simple earnestness of the people, their devotion to an 
 idea, their faithfulness to their leaders, their industry, 
 frugality, temperance, and love of home; the other 
 has painted, in dark colors, their horrible crimes, their 
 lustful and debasing doctrines, their depravity, treach- 
 ery, disloyalty, petty tyranny and social meanness. 
 Paradoxical as it may appear, there is a measure of 
 truth on both sides ; thousands of the Mormon laity, 
 ignorant, zealous and sincere, have many of the virtues 
 claimed for them, while the gang of licentious villains 
 who mould this pliable mass, are guilty of tenfold more 
 crimes than the world will ever know. In all descrip- 
 tions of life and manners in Utah, this disti-nction is to 
 be carefully kept in mind. It is a noteworthy fact, too, 
 that visitors who reach Salt Lake City with no decided 
 feelings either way, nearly always form a more favor- 
 able opinion at first, than they have after a few months' 
 
292 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 residence. I was slow in arriving at the reasons for 
 this, but there are good ones. 
 
 Men of quiet tastes arrive there from some border 
 towns, where the oflFscourisigs of Christendom are gath- 
 ered, and the apparent change strikes them with great 
 force. They are charmed with the quiet and order and 
 beauty thaT^eem to prevairoiTevery hand, and in all 
 conversations it is carefully impressed upon their minds, 
 that all this is the result of Brighamism and the insti- 
 tutions set iip under it. Much more is claimed than is 
 true, and the visitor finding things better than he ex- 
 pected, is led to believe them better than they really 
 are. But as he progresses in knowledge, his views of 
 this vaunted " quiet, and order, and beauty," begin to 
 change. He finds that t his quiet is jthe _q]iiet of des- 
 potism — this "order is of the kind that " reigned in 
 Warsaw " on a certain historic occasion, when the heel 
 of the tyrant was on fifty thousand necks, and to mur- 
 .mur was to be crushed. 
 
 He finds that the beauty is mostly of nature's mak- 
 ing, and as to the boasted virtue and honesty, it is 
 about like that of other similar communities — good, 
 bad and indifferent. There ought to be virtue in a 
 community where no man is introduced to a woman, 
 until he has been thoroughly tested, and where the 
 " dagger to the heart" is the openly avowed penalty for 
 the slightest infraction; and yet such are the defects of 
 their social system that, despite these dread penalties, 
 virtue is not secured. Public prostitution is, of course, 
 comparatively unknown, but that private immorality, 
 and that of the most loathsome character, prevails ex- 
 
AND CRIMES OF LfORMONISM. 293 
 
 tensively, is well known to all who care to iaq.iii.re; and 
 is often flatly acknowledged by their own speakers, one 
 of whom said, in a public sermon, that he could not 
 preserve his own honor, "couldn't trust his women out 
 of his sight, and was bound to have 'em all in one house, 
 under his own eye." The resident finally learns these 
 fafcts, and learns, too, that things he consider a-jcross 
 crimes are practiced undeFtEename of religion. 
 
 Th«ini reaction begins in his mind, and anger is 
 excited more fiercely against crimes concealed in the 
 name of religion, . than—tkosa. which „appear in true 
 colors. And this is_the_ crime jjf^righamism, that a 
 class of swindling fanatics can so put on the appearance 
 of virtue as to deceive both those within and without, 
 their followers and their visitors. At first, I thought 
 I was alone in thus changing my views ; but I find it 
 to be the case, nine times out of ten, with the fair- 
 minded Gentile. Look at the long list of visitors who 
 have spoken or written, and it will generally be found, 
 the shorter their stay,-tlua.jmLore favorable their testi- 
 mony. There is one point on which I long refused 
 belief, the existence of "Danites" or "Destroying 
 Angels." *I lookfed upon them as rather a bug-a-boo of 
 the Gentile mind. But the testimony is now unim- 
 peachable. I find their existence avowed in Brigham's 
 old sermons. I have met more than one man who had 
 narrowly escaped from them with life. I have it from 
 the statements of apostates, and more than all else, my 
 personal friends among the Mormons themselves, have 
 avowed and defended the order. To a young Mormon 
 woman, who was laboring for my conversion, I said, in 
 
294 LIFE IN UTAH'; OH, THE MTSTEBIES 
 
 jest: "Pc^you believe in these Danites ? Do you sus- 
 tain such a man as Bill Hickman in his murders?" 
 and, to my surprise, the reply was: "That is his office, 
 to cut off those who violate a sacred obligation, for 
 which there is no forgiveness. That is the law of God." 
 When a man' finds growing within him a sentiment 
 of hostility to a sect claiming to be religious, he does 
 well to consider carefully the grounds of such feeling, 
 lest early prejudice or sectarian bias be misleading him. 
 Charges against religious bodies are to be received with 
 caution, and examined with more than legal distrust. 
 We do well to remember that the crimes of religious 
 communities have been exaggerated in every age of the 
 world, and hence extra caution is due to -them in ex- 
 amining their history. In this spirit I can truly say I 
 approached Mormonism ; and when compelled to radi- 
 cally change my views of them, while I felt a natural 
 chagrin at having been at first deceived, it was more 
 in sorrow than in anger that I found myself disen- 
 chanted. And this has been the experience of the 
 great majority who have made a lengthy residence in 
 Utah. For a few weeks all seems right ; but if any 
 man flatters himself that at the end of sixf weeks he 
 has seen more than the superficies of Mormon society, 
 he is wofuUy deceived. When the first flush of curi- 
 osity had subsided I ceased hunting for information of 
 those so falsely called " representative men ;" I began 
 to look among the people. I talked with the young, 
 and extended my acquaintance among that class — most 
 generally women — who have been wrecked in mind, 
 body and estate by the maelstrom of lust and fanatical 
 
AND CHIMES OF MORMONISM. 295 
 
 fury, which is ever raging in the Mormon capital. It 
 is not easy to get at these facts. The witnesses will not 
 speak while there is the slightest doubt. They know not 
 whom to trust, and one must take a decided stand, and 
 become himself an object of hatred and distrust to the 
 hierarchy, before he can safely be considered a friend to 
 its victims. But when a man has fairly cut loose from 
 the misrepresentations of the few, and begun to get the 
 facts from the mass, every day the odious features of 
 Mormonism rise into clearer view, till he stands aghast 
 to think he ever had a good opinion of the system. 
 The Mormon Church, or rather community, may be 
 divided into four classes. 
 
 I. First are the leaders of all ranks, from the First 
 Presidency down through all the grades of apostles, 
 seventies, bishops, elders, priests, evangehsts, mission- 
 aries and teachers. 
 
 They are all bound to the Church by the strongest 
 ties of self-interest, as by it they live — many of them 
 in splendor and affluence. In such a state of facts, we 
 may well question their sincerity, especially as some of 
 them are men of keen analytical talents, and far-reach- 
 ing sagacity. But whether they think it true or false, 
 they must stand or fall with the system. Some of them 
 evidently believe in it with all earnestness ; others, as 
 evidently do not. Their history and unguarded ex- 
 pressions show that. Still a third class seem doubtful, 
 and to this it must be confessed Brigham Young belongs. 
 Outsiders are strangely divided in opinion regarding 
 him. His worst enemies, while they charge him with 
 every crime in the code, yet often admit that he is sin- 
 
296 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 cere in his religious belief; " but," say they, " his relig- 
 ion admits of the most atrocious crimes, if done to fur- 
 ther good interests ! " Others look ugon hm as a heart- 
 less impostor, a sensual, deceitful tyrant, and this I find 
 to be the common view among apostates, or recusant 
 Mormons, who have suffered from his acts. I am in- 
 clined to regard him as that strange compound of im- 
 postor and fanatic, which history has shown to be pos- 
 sible, as in the cases of the Florentine, Savonarola and 
 the Jesuit,, Loyola. Incredible as it may appear to a 
 mind and conscience yet undebauched, men may and 
 actually do persuade themselves that they are doing 
 God's service while committing tlig,most heinous crimes, 
 
 and 
 
 "Christians have burnt each other, quite persuaded 
 That all the Apostles would have done as they did." 
 
 II. The second class comprises those who have em- 
 braced Mormonism from unworthy motives, and consists 
 generally of men with no fixed sentiments on any sub- 
 ject except their own self-interest. They are men who 
 have been unfortunate or criminal in other communities, 
 and fled to Mormonism for a refuge. Broken down 
 merchants, professional men, without character, and the 
 " bilks " and " dead beats " of other communities 
 generally, who have been deceived by the representa- 
 tions of progress there, and expected to better them- 
 ?elves by casting in their fortunes with a rising sect. 
 And from this class have originated many of the Mor- 
 mon troubles, in times past. They often become 
 dissatisfied and turbulent, and often apostatize, but 
 have too little fixedness of sentiment, and too much 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 297 
 
 dullness of moral perception to be of any value to 
 either side. Some of them seek easy positions under 
 the hierarchy ; others, more desperate, sink lower, and 
 become the mere tools of the leaders to do all their 
 dirty and infamous work. Mutual guilt then makes 
 them mutual spies, and conscious that their lives are in 
 the power of their masters, they live as guilty and 
 miserable slaves,, with the assured knowledge that, at 
 the slightest disloyal move, their lives will pay the for- 
 feit. More than one of this class has met with a bloody 
 death, from the simple fact that he knew too much, as 
 I now know from undoubted testimony. 
 
 III. The 'third class consists of those who became 
 Mormons sincerely, but from slight or insufficient mo- 
 tives. They united with the sect, with as much 
 sincerity as they were capable of, but with no clear 
 understanding of what was before them. Before em- 
 bracing Mormonism, they were generally afloat on 
 religious subjects, or dissatisfied with what they saw in 
 their own churches, and had fallen into the dangerous 
 habit of suspecting all men of hypocrisy who showed 
 much zeal for morality. I have met dozens of this 
 class who had been " lobby members " of the Methodist, 
 Baptist, Presbyterian, and Campbellite Churches; that 
 weak, feeble class of Christians who expect the church 
 to pick them up and carry them to heaven, carefully 
 lifting them over the rough places in the road, and re- 
 moving every annoying doubt which will rise in an 
 idle or rapid brain. I have heard them speak of their 
 churches as " stationary," or " sleepy," never dreaming 
 that the fault was in themselves. They were the weak, 
 
298 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 discontented disciples, without the fierce vigor and 
 aggressive spirit of the true Church ; not having learned 
 the first principle of Christianity to be zealous, unselfish 
 laborers. In this state of mind their attention is caught 
 and fancy captivated by the claim of a new revelationj 
 of holding direct communion with heaven, of walking 
 every day in new light received from without ; and also 
 at thought of a distinctively American religion, with 
 saints, apostles, prophets and martyrs, all of our own 
 race and time. This class are very enthusiastic on 
 first reaching the new " Zion," but often grow dis- 
 contented, and fall again into their doubting and 
 querulous habits. But as they did not think their way 
 into Mormonism, they cannot think themselves out, 
 and so they simply float. Sometimes they apostatize, 
 but are no loss to the Church and no gain to the Gen- 
 tiles, from pure lack of intellectual vigor. 
 
 IV. The fourth class consists of those who really be- 
 lieve in Mormonism with all its absurdities and con- 
 tradictions. They never doubt for a moment, that 
 Joseph Smith was sent direct from God, and that Brig- 
 ham Young is his successor. This class comprises about 
 half of the whole community, and they are the really 
 dangerous element. No miraculous story is too great for 
 their belief, if it have the stamp of " authority," and no op- 
 pression or priestly tyranny seems to shake their faith for 
 a moment ; and, paradoxical as it may seem, in this class 
 are found all the virtues of the Mormon community. 
 They are industrious, frugal (often from necessity), and 
 reasonably temperate. Their honesty, I think, has 
 been overrated, and Brigham and other leaders often say 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 299 
 
 the same. Yet, one may travel among them for weeks, 
 as I have done, and meet with nothing but kindness 
 and hospitality. 
 
 But in their very virtues lies the greatest danger. 
 Their constancy to their leaders is wonderful, and their 
 gullibility and capacity to swallow the marvelous, be- 
 yond belief; so they constitute a mass of dangerous 
 power in the haiids of corrupt and treasonable men. 
 These are the men we ought to reach and try to save,/ 
 and yet they are the very ones who are hardest to| 
 influence. They will not read our books or papers, 
 (very many of them cannot), nor listen for a moment 
 to our arguments. They denounce everything which 
 is not approved by the bishop, and pronounce the 
 plainest facts of history false, if they clash with the 
 statements of " authority." Conversing once with one 
 such, a merchant of the city, I read the following pas- 
 sage from the " Book of Mormon :" " We found upon 
 the land of promise (Central America), that there were 
 beasts in the forest of every kind, both the cow and the 
 ox, and the ass and the horse, and all manner of wild 
 animals, which were for the use of men." 
 
 " Now," said I, " your Prophet says the Nephites 
 landed in America six hundred years before Christ, and 
 the last of them perished about A. D. 500, and all this 
 time they had used the horse and the ass. Now, any 
 history of America will show that the horse was com- 
 pletely unknown to the Indians till brought here by the 
 Spaniards." 
 
 " 0, pshaw !" was the reply, " I don't believe a word 
 of it ; it's a d — d lie, got up by some enemy of the 
 truth." 
 
300 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 " But," I urged, " go further back than Mormonism. 
 Take the letters of George "Washington, and you will 
 find that he was the first man who ever imported the 
 ass to America ! Could the Nephites have had these 
 animals, and no trace of them be found ?" 
 
 " I don't believe George "Washington, or any other 
 man, knows anything about it," said he? "you examine 
 and you will find many of the so-called facts of history 
 are not facts. You may read every history written, and 
 pick out every fact against that book, (Mormon) and 
 when you look into it you will find them all false." 
 
 This was the mode of reasoning adopted by a man. 
 of extra intelligence for a Mormon. I have talked 
 with dozens of this sort, and no matter'how clear on 
 everything else^ they s eem to go wild in their logic 
 when Mormonism was touched upon. "Do you ac- 
 tually believe," I asked an old lady, " that the earthly 
 paradise will be in Jackson County, Missouri ?" " Oh, 
 yes," she said, " for the Lord pointed out the exact 
 place to Joseph, and said that Zion should never be 
 moved, and all the people of America who do not re- 
 pent will be destroyed now in a few years, so there will 
 be but one man for seven women. Those are the very 
 words, and everything Joseph and Isaiah (!) said has 
 turned out just exactly as they said it would." 
 
 Such are the ideas impressed upon the minds of 
 these people. Numbers of them testify in the most 
 positive manner to miraculous cures performed upon 
 themselves or their friends, simply by the " laying on 
 of hands " by an elder or bishop. They devoutly be- 
 lieve that Stephen A. Douglas failed politically, because 
 
AND CEIMES OF MOEMONISM, 301 
 
 he urged vigorous measures against the Mormons, and 
 that Frank P. Blair is sinking for the same reason. 
 The late war never would have occurred, they think, 
 if Johnston's army had not been sent ; and as to thrash- 
 . ing the United States, they consider it will be a mere 
 "breakfast-spell," when things get in the right fix, and 
 Brigham gives the word. At his command they would 
 fight the world i^ arms, or quietly "grve^p their all. 
 and migrate to any part of the world he might desig- 
 nate. The most of this class will stick to Mormonism 
 as long as it has an existence, but the other classes 
 will fall away whenever it is to their interest to do so. 
 But with mere moral distinctions the Government 
 and people of the United States have little to do. The 
 patriot and statesman will ask a more important ques- 
 tion : What is the state of public feeling among the 
 Mormons; how do they stand affected towards the 
 General Government ? In a full answer many in- 
 fluences are to be considered. It must be .remembered 
 in starting, that at least seven-eigliths of all these people 
 are forelgiiers, imdTliatTifdiiEiCLwest and niost ignorant 
 class ; that they came direct from Europe to Utah, and 
 know absolutely nothing of the States and their people ; 
 that they merely have Mormonism grafted on to 
 Europeanism, and cannot be expected to become 
 nationalized like their countrymen who settle in the 
 East. Whatever distinctively American feeling they 
 have must, then, be looked for in the influences there 
 and the teachings of the Church. Those infl uencgs 
 and teac.hings_iixa__all anti-American. Mormonism 
 teaches three doctrines directly opposed to the spirit of 
 the Constitution and our institutions. 
 
302 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 1. The union of Church and State; or rather the 
 complete absorption uf the state in the church ; that the 
 former is a mere appendage of the latter for convenience 
 sake, and may be dropped whenever convenience no 
 longer calls for a stote organization. 
 
 2. The shedding of a man's blood, for the remission 
 of his sins, even his sins against the Church. This is 
 sometimes denied and sometimes advocated, but that it 
 is a doctrine of the Mormon Church is now beyond doubt. 
 Brigham openly says that the only reason why it is not 
 more generally advocated is, that it is " too strong a 
 doctrine for the weak in faith ; the people are not fully 
 prepared for it," etc. Unwilling to leave this matter 
 doubtful in any mind, I clip the following extracts 
 from published sermons, the first from those of Jedediah 
 M. Grant, delivered in the Tabernacle : 
 
 " Brethren and sisters, we want you to repent and' 
 forsake your sins. And you that have committed sins 
 that cannot be forgiven through baptism. Jet your llood 
 he shed, and let the smoke ascend, that the incense thereof 
 may come up before God, as atonement for your sins, 
 and that the sinners in Zion may be afraid." {Deseret 
 News, October 1, 1856.) 
 
 " We have been trying long enough with these people, 
 and I go in for letting the sword of the Almighty be 
 unsheathed, not only in word, but in deed." (Ibid.) 
 
 " I say that there are men and women here, that I 
 would advise to go to the President immediately, and 
 ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case, 
 and then let a place be selected, and let that committee 
 shed their blood." (Deseret News, September, 1856.) 
 
AND CEIMES OF MOEMONISM. 303 
 
 Which was endorsed by Brigham, as follows : 
 " There_are sins men commit, for w%ieh they cannot 
 receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is 
 to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their 
 condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their 
 blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof 
 might asceiuL-to-heawen as aa offering for their sins ; 
 whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them 
 and remain upon them in the spirit world. I know 
 when you hear my brethren talk about cutting people 
 off from the earth, you consider it strong doctrine. It 
 is to saye- them, not-to.deatroy. them. It is true that 
 the blood of the Son of God was shed for our sins, but 
 men can commit sins which it can never remit. 
 
 " As it was in ancient days, so is it in our day ; the 
 law is precisely the same. There are sins that the 
 blood of a lamb or a calf cannot remit, but they must 
 be atoned for by tho blood of man. That is the reason 
 why men talk to you as they do from this stand. They 
 understand the doctrine and throw out a few words 
 about it." {Deseret News, October 1, 1856.) 
 
 This is " sound Mormon doctrine," and that many 
 have been sacrificed under it, is well known in Utah. 
 This is one of the features of Mormonism I was slow to 
 believe, nor did I credit it without overwhelming proof; 
 but to put the matter beyond doubt, more than one 
 prominent Mormon has avowed the doctrine to me, and 
 . defended it as an ordinance of God. 
 
 Under this law Potter, and the Parish family of 
 Springville, were murdered when attempting to leave 
 the Territory, and Potter and Wilson of Weber Valley, 
 
304 LIFE IN UTA.H; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 were assassinated in jail ; under the same law the Mor- 
 mons claim the right to slay all who commit adultery, 
 " or violate a sanctified oath," and for this cause Elder 
 John Hyde was compelled to flee from the Territory, 
 while his friends Margetts and Cowdy, were followed 
 several hundred miles and barbarously murdered. 
 
 3. The third anti- American feature of Mormonism is 
 the comj)lete subserviency and mentaLsla very of w oman, 
 not^s to polygamy alone, Jthottgh-that^is^ an outgrowth, 
 but in everything. 
 
 Their theology teaches that, " as Eve led Adam out 
 of Paradise, he must lead her back," and though they 
 hesitatingly admit that she may secure "a salvation" 
 without man's help, she cannot secure "an exaltation." 
 She must have a husband "to lead her into the presence 
 of God, and introduce her to that husband's glory." 
 "She will not necessarily go to hell, because she is 
 single, but she never can rise to the first glory." Such 
 an atrocious and un-Christian idea can have but one 
 tendency, to make woman merely a creature for man's 
 convenience and_pleasure. Hence, all our American 
 ideas of dower, partition, equal descent, and woman 
 holding land in fee apart from her husband, are un- 
 known to the laws of Utah. Everything a woman 
 possesses at marriage becomes absolutely the property 
 of her husband. The feminine interest is nowhere pro- 
 vided for, and, in looking over their laws, if they have 
 any Common Law at all, it seems to be a transcript of 
 that which prevailed in the time of James I. The 
 further we pursue the investigation the more this ten- 
 dency appears, till it is plain to be seen there is none 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 305 
 
 of what we call Americanism there. The spirit exists 
 neither in their birth, training nor religion. To them 
 Brigham is the Government, and "Utah is America. 
 They know no other, and consider it the height of 
 presumption for the United States authorities to claim 
 the right to rule over them. True, they claim to be 
 true Americans, just a^ the Abyssinians claim to be true 
 Christians, while ^it is evident neither understand their 
 own words. 
 
 But there is another curious fact bearing on their 
 views. On the 25th of December, 1832, Joseph Smith 
 delivered a remarkable prophecy, detailing what was to 
 happen to America for her " persecution of the Saints." 
 It was published in The Seer, a MOrmon periodical in 
 Washington City, of April, 1854, from which I copy : 
 
 "War! 
 
 "Verily thus saith the Lord concerning the wars 
 that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebel- 
 Uon of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate 
 in the death and misery of many souls. The days will 
 come that wars will be poured out upon all nations, 
 beginning at that place ; for, behold, the Southern States 
 shall be divided against the Northern States; and the 
 Southern States will call upon other nations, even the 
 nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall 
 also call upon other nations, in order to defend them- 
 selves against other nations ; and thus war shall be 
 poured out upon all nations. And it shall come to 
 pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their 
 masters, who shall be marshaled and disciplined for 
 
 20 
 
306 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 war. And it will come to pass, also, that the remnant 
 which are left of the land* shall marshal themselves 
 and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the 
 Gentiles with a sore vexation. And thus, with the 
 sword and by bloodshed, the inhabitants of the earth 
 shall mourn, and with famine and plague and earth- 
 quakes, and the thunder of hea,ven, and the fierce and 
 vivid lightning, also, shall the inhabitants of t^e earth 
 be made to feel the wrath and indignation and chasten- 
 ing hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption 
 decreed hath made an end of all nations ; that the cry 
 of the Saints and of the blot)d of the Saints shall cease 
 to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, from 
 the earth, to be avenged of their enemies. Wherefore 
 «tand ye in holy places, and be not moved until the 
 day of the Lord come ; for, behold, it cometh quickly, 
 saith the Lord ! Amen." 
 
 It will be perceived that of the thousand predictions 
 in relation to our civil war, Joseph's was among the 
 most shrewd, and certainly hit on two or three very 
 curious things. But he met with the difficulty common 
 to all prophets in these days, when he ran into particu- 
 lars he missed it seriously. With the benevolent de- 
 sign of saving the country, Joseph offered himself for 
 President, but as he was rejected, of course the evil is 
 bound to come. With the Mormons this is the grand 
 prophecy. War is to- go on, they say, till nearly all 
 the men in the Union are killed, and then the Saints 
 are to return and set up " Zion " in Jackson County, 
 Missouri; and the faithful who have meanwhile gath- 
 
 * The Indians. 
 
Am) CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 307 
 
 ered, are to possess the whole land, and be husbands to 
 all the widows and fathers to all the orphans. Then is 
 to come the time mentioned by Isaiah, when "seven wo- 
 men shall take hold of one man," and agree to earn their 
 own support, if they only may " be called by his name 
 to take away their reproach," which reproach, of course, 
 is childlessness ; or, commercially speaking, women will 
 be at a heavy discount, and men at 600 per cent, pre- 
 mium. 
 
 As near as I can determine there have been about 
 ten thousand commentaries written and preached on 
 this prophecy ; for the varying circumstances of every 
 year, and almost every week, require new elucidations 
 of the way it is all to come about. The war, of course, 
 settled it all for awhile ; but that stopped so suddenly, 
 they maintain it must soon break out again, and several 
 of their commentators concluded the last Presidential 
 election would signal its re-opening. What folly for 
 any people to pretend- fealty to an institution which they 
 claim is going to eternal smash in ten years at the most. 
 
 It is a law of mind that what we prophecy often we 
 soon come to wish for ; and if there were no other cause, 
 the tendency of all their preaching and prophesying is 
 to make them look eagerly for the downfall of our 
 Government. It is a prime principle in their creed that 
 all mankind but themselves are on the swift road to 
 ruin, and they are nevej so well pleased as in listeniiig 
 to statements in regard to " the great increase of crime 
 and immorality in the States." I could not make one 
 of them angry quicker than by persistently arguing that 
 the highest degree of prosperity prevails in the East to- 
 
308 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 day, and my best friends were ready to knock me down 
 at the statement that there were still more men than 
 women in the United States. 
 
 I showed them from the census that the men were 
 in a majority of 730,000 in 1860 ; that by immigration 
 we gained several hundred thousand more men than 
 women, and did not lose, at the outside, more than 
 700,000 in the war. They maintained that by au- 
 thentic (?) Southern histories, we lost in battle one 
 million rebels and two million Yankees ! How easy to 
 make men believe what they wish. All the " persecu- 
 tions " these people talk so much of, were caused by 
 Southerners and Democrats, and yet they are all rebel 
 sympathizers and pro-slavery politicians. They talk 
 loud and long of their loyalty, when there is anything 
 to be gained by it; but send there a Federal judge or 
 officer, who refuses to be Brigham's tool, and you soon 
 hear their real feelings toward the Union. Just now 
 they are only waiting, watching a few weeks or months 
 till all shall go to destruction in the States, when they 
 will return and occupy their terrestrial heaven — Jackson 
 County, Missouri. Thus this vast mass of ignorance 
 has been wrought upon and moulded by a few leaders, 
 till the people are ready for any desperate enterprise 
 those men may direct. The common people, two-thirds 
 of them at least, are naturally peaceable, too ; but they 
 are so terribly priest-ridden, that their best qualities are 
 as dangerous as other men's worst. 
 
 Like the poor of all lands, they are constant in their 
 attachments ; but with the favorites they have chosen, 
 their constancy is a vice rather than a virtue. No 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 309 
 
 doubt a very large number would apostatize rather than 
 suffer ; but half of them are so rooted and grounded in 
 their faith, they will blindly follow their leaders, what- 
 ever course they take. 
 
 There are no free schools in Utah, and no organized 
 systems of instruction ; nevertheless the social and in- 
 tellectual condition of the people is far superior to what 
 it was ten or eveit five years ago. There is a general 
 prejudice against the learned professions, particularly 
 medicine; and a general feeling that the Saints are 
 above the necessity of such knowledge — ^which idea is 
 summed up by Brigham Young in these words : " Study 
 twenty years in the world's knowledge, and God Al- 
 mighty will give the poorest Saint more knowledge in 
 five minutes than you get in all that time." In this 
 social view, it were an endless task to mention all the 
 thousand forms of popular error, the belief in witch- 
 craft, dreams, evestra, ghostly fancies and "faith-doc- 
 toring " which prevail among them ; but it is worthy of 
 remark that there is certainly no other place in America 
 where retrograde ideas, as they might be called, pre- 
 vail so extensively as in Utah. Nine-tenths of the 
 Saints seem to have taken up one common wail about 
 everything outside of Utah. Whether it is to persuade 
 themselves that they are really better than other men, 
 or to console themselves at the thought of others' mis- 
 ery, it seems to be their meat and drink to denigrate 
 the character of the rest of mankind. They take up 
 the wailing jeremiad that there is so much more crime 
 in the country than formerly ; that people generally are 
 so much more dishonest ; that there are so few virtuous 
 
310 LIFE IN UTAH ; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 women ; that the country is rapidly going to "decay ; 
 that religion has lost its power ; that all political action 
 is wrong, slavery ought never to have been abolished, 
 and nothing should have been done as it has been for 
 the last twenty-five years. To quote history or statis- 
 tics to the contrary would be no proof at all to them j 
 they regard all such as " Gentile lies." And thus, in 
 the supreme belief that they alone are " in the ark of 
 safety," they confidently wait for the " great tribulation" 
 which is now about due ; while thousands of them fully 
 expect to live to see the time when the American na- 
 tion shall be a thing of the past, and Maqaulay's New 
 Zealander shall " sit on London Bridge and muse on 
 the decline and fall of the British Empire." 
 
AND CHIMES OF MORMONISM. 311 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ANALYSIS OF MORMON THEOLOGY. 
 
 Its origin — A theologic conglomerate — Mythology, ^^ganism, Moham- 
 medanism, corrupt Christianity and Philosophy run mad— "First prin- 
 ciples of the Gospel" — The five points of variance — Materialism — No 
 spirit— A god with "body, parts and passions" — Matter eternal — No 
 "creation" — Intelligent atoms— Pre-existent souls — High Times in the 
 Spirit "Worlds— Birth of Spirits— They hunt for " Earthly Tabernacles " 
 —The "Second Estate "—Apotheosis— The " Third Estate "— " Fourth 
 Estate" — Men become gods — "Divine generation" — Earthly Families 
 and Heavenly Kingdoms— Did Man come from the Sun ? — " Building 
 up the Kingdom " — One day as a thousand years — The time of the Gen- 
 tiles about out — Great events at hand — "Gog and Magog," et. al. — 
 Gentiles, prepare to make tracks— Return to "Zion," in Missouri — 
 Christ's earthly empire— Great destiny for Missouri — Tenets from Chris- 
 tianity — Baptism a " Saving Ordinance "^ — Baptized twelve times — Office 
 of the Holy Ghost — Strange fanaticism — Eclectic Theology— A personal 
 god — The homoousian and the homoiouaian — The Logos and the Aeon — 
 Grossness and Vulgarity. 
 
 In their origin, the Mormons may be said to liave 
 been an ofFshoot from the Campbellites ; Sidney Rigdon, 
 the author of their early doctrines, having originally 
 teft the Baptists to join the former sect, from which he 
 again seceded and founded a sect in Ohio, locally known 
 as " Disciples." Of this band a portion went crazy as 
 Millenarians, another part became Perfectionists, and 
 the remainder followed Rigdon when he jt)ined his 
 fortunes with those of. Joe Smith, and assisted in found- 
 ing Kirtland, Ohio. Under the early teachings of Brig- 
 ham Young they adopted the Methodist order of services. 
 
312 * LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 Their missionaries when abroad-, at present, fifst preach 
 principles very similar to those of the Campbellites ; 
 and what the Mormons call " the first principles of the 
 gospel " are mainly those of that sect. But it is the 
 smallest part of Mormon theology which has its origin 
 in any recognized Christian system ; and by the succes- 
 sive additions of Rigdon, Joe Smith, and Brigham 
 Young, the laborious philosophical speculations of 
 Orson Pratt, and the wild poetical dreams of his 
 brother Parley P. Pratt, it may well be said there is 
 scarcely a known system of religion, ancient or modem, 
 but has contributed some shred of doctrine toMormonism. 
 It is now beyond the power of man to invent a new 
 religion. At this late day combination is all that is 
 left for the innovator, and 'the doctrinal points of Mor- 
 monism are culled from three different sources, viz. : 
 
 I. Christianity, by a literal interpretation of the 
 Bible, particularly the prophecies. 
 
 II. Ancient mythology and various modern forms of 
 pagan philosophy. 
 
 III. The philosophical speculations of various schools ; 
 the whole modified and practicalized by revelation ap- 
 plied to events of daily occurrence. 
 
 Thus has grown up a^ vast and cumbrous system 
 which is the standard Mormon theology, but of which 
 each individual Mormon believes so much or so little 
 as he can comprehend. It -were an endless task to 
 pursue thfese doctrines through all the variations, neces- 
 sary to force some sort of agreement, and the lifeless 
 application of perverted texts of Scripture. But the 
 distinctive points in which they differ from all Christian 
 sects may be grouped under five heads : 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 313 
 
 I. Pure materialism ; but slightly diflferent from the 
 atomic materialism of the Greek school. 
 
 II. The eternity of matter. 
 
 III. Pre-existence -of the soul, and transmission of 
 spirits. ' 
 
 IV. A plurality of gods. 
 
 V. A plurality of wives, or " celestial marriage." 
 All these are blended in various ways, and depend 
 
 upon each other in a score of combinations and con- 
 fused inter-relations; but as far as possible they are 
 treated of separately. 
 
 I. The Mormons hold that there is no such thing as 
 spirit distinct from matter ; that spirit is only matter 
 refined, and that spirits themselves are composed of 
 purely material atoms, only finer than the tangible 
 things of earth, as air is finer and more subtle than 
 water, while both are equally material. " The purest, 
 most refined and subtle of all is that substance called 
 the Holy Spirit. This substance, like all others, is one 
 of the elements of material or physical existence, and 
 therefore, subject to the necessary laws which govern 
 all other matter. Like the other elements its whole 
 is composed of individual particles. Each particle 
 occupies space, possesses the .power of motion, requires 
 time to move from one part of space to another, and 
 can in nowise occupy two places at once, in this re- 
 spect differing nothing from all other matter. It is 
 widely diffused among all the elements of space; under 
 the control of the Great Eloheim it is the moving 
 cause of all the intelligences, by which they act. It is 
 omnipresent by reason of the infinitude of its particles, 
 
314 LIFE m UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 is the controling element of all others and comprehends 
 all things. By the mandate of the Almighty it per- 
 forms all the wonders ever manifested in the name of 
 the Lord. Its inherent properties embrace all the at- 
 tributes of intelligence and affection. In short it is the 
 attributes of the eternal power and Godhead."* 
 
 Gods, angels, spirits and men, the four orders of 
 intelligent beings, are all of one species, composed of 
 similar materials, differing not in kind but in degree. 
 God is a perfected man ; man is an embryotic or unde- 
 veloped god. Orson Pratt has pursued this doctrine to 
 its wildest ultimate, and proves to his own satisfaction 
 that every original atom was endowed with a self-act- 
 ing, independent intelligence, and they merely "got 
 together" of their own volition. Thus in the attempt 
 to avoid the supposed mystery of an instantaneous crea- 
 tion by the one God, he has raised an infinity of un- 
 solved problems by making every atom a god. 
 
 II. The eternity of matter is a logical outgrowth of 
 materialism. In this view every atom now in being 
 has existed from all eternity past and will exist for all 
 eternity to come. There never could have been a 
 "creation," except to appropriate "matter unformed and 
 void," and change its form, impressing new conditions 
 upon it. 
 
 New worlds are constantly being formed of the un- 
 appropriated material of the universe, and stocked with 
 spirits, after which faithful Saints rule over them and 
 become gods. 
 
 * The quotations in this chapter are from Parley P. Pratt's " Key 
 to Theology," a standard work among the Mormons, and by them 
 considered as inspired. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 315 
 
 III. Closely allied with the last principle is that of 
 the pre-existence of souls ; and here we first meet with 
 the sexual principle which underlies all the remaining 
 portion of Mormonism. All the sexual passions exist 
 in full force in the different worlds, and animate the 
 immortal gods as fully as their human offspring. Count- 
 less millions of spirits are thus born in the eternal worlds, 
 and are awaiting fey myriads the physical processes by 
 which they may enter earthly tabernacles and begin 
 their second, or probationary state. "Wisdom inspires 
 the gods to multiply their species," and as these spiritual 
 bodies increase, fresh worlds are necessary upon which 
 to transplant them. These spiritual bodies have all the 
 organs of thought, speech and hearing, in exact simili- 
 tude to earthly senses. But in this state they could 
 not advance ; it was necessary for them to be subject 
 to the moral law of earth that regeneration might go on. 
 Hence they "seek earnestly for earthly tabernacles, 
 haunting even the abodes of the vilest of mankind to 
 obtain them." To bestow these tabernacles is the high- 
 est glory of woman, and her exaltatioi\ in eternity will 
 be in exact proportion to the number she has furnished. 
 Man may preach the gospel, may reach the highest 
 glories of the priesthood, may in time even be a creator; 
 but woman's only road to glory is by the physical pro- 
 cess of introducing spirits^ to earth. Hence the larger 
 her family the greater her glory ; any means to prevent 
 natural increase are in the highest degree sinful, and 
 violent means an unpardonable sin. 
 
 Of these spirits it is intimated some " did not keep 
 their first estate," and are to be thrust down and never 
 
316 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 permitted to have earthly tabernacles or propagate their 
 epecies. Those who reach this earth are in their 
 " second estate," and if faithful Saints will pass to their 
 " third estate," celestialized men, after which they be- 
 come gods. 
 
 IV. There is a vast multitude of gods, dispersed 
 throughout all the worlds as kingdoms, families and 
 nations. There is, however, but one god regnant on 
 each world, who is to the inhabitants of that world the 
 " only true and living God." But each god having a first 
 born son, there is "One God and One Christ" to each 
 world. Thus " there are lords many and gods many," but 
 to us there is but one God, the Creator of the world and 
 the Father of our spirits, literally begotten. He was once 
 a man of some world and attained His high position by 
 successive degrees. " He is the Father of Jesus Christ 
 in the only way known in nature, just as John Smith, 
 Senior, is the father of John Smith, Junior." 
 
 All the gods have many wives and become the 
 fathers of the souls of men by divine generation. The 
 gods are in the exact form of men, of material substance, 
 but highly refined and spiritualized. A grand council 
 of the gods, with a president directing, constitute the 
 designing and creating power ; but man, if faithful, will 
 advance by degrees till endowed with the same creative 
 power, or strictly, formative will. All faithful Saints 
 will become gods and finally have worlds given them 
 to people and govern. All their earthly wives and 
 children will belong to and constitute the beginning of 
 their heavenly kingdom, and they will rule over their 
 increasing posterity forever. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 317 
 
 " "When the earth was prepared, there came from an 
 upper world a Son of God, with His beloved spouse, 
 and thus a colony from Heaven, it may be from the 
 sun, was transplanted on our soil." Joseph Smith is 
 one of the gods of this generation and now occupies a 
 high position next to Christ, who in turn stands next 
 to Adam. Above Adam is Jehovah and above Jehovah 
 is Eloheim, who ^s the greatest god of whom we have 
 any knowledge. His residence is in the planet Kolob, 
 near the center of our system, which revolves upon its 
 axis once in a thousand years, which are "with the 
 Lord as one day." There were six of our days in the 
 first "creation" of this world, and six of the Lord's days in 
 the great preparation or course of the world, each day 
 lasting a thousand years. There were two of these 
 days to each dispensation. The Patriarchal had two 
 of these days ; the Mosaic in like manner a day of rise 
 and a day of decline ; the Christian dispensation also 
 had its two days of trial, but, after St. John's death, a great 
 apostasy began, and for eighteen hundred years the so- 
 called Christain world has been in darkness and there 
 has been no true priesthood upon the earth. There 
 have been no visions, revelations or miraculous gifts 
 from the Lord enjoyed among men. The various sects 
 knew something of the truth but not its fullness ; they 
 had the form of godliness but denied the power- 
 But this time of darkness is nearly completed; the 
 dawn of the Lord's day is here, and the great Sabbath 
 will soon be ushered in. But a few more years are 
 given to the Gentiles, then the great contest of Gog and 
 Magog will set in, and nearly all the Gentile world be 
 
318 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 destroyed. Those who remain will become servants to 
 the Saints, who will return and possess the whole land ; 
 the widows will come begging the Mormon elders to 
 marry them, and seven women will lay hold of one 
 man. At the same time the remnant left of the In- 
 dians, who are descendants of the ancient Jews, will 
 be converted, have the curse removed and become "a 
 fair and delightsome people." The way will be opened 
 to the remainder of the " ten lost tribes," who are shut 
 up somewhere near the North Pole ; old Jerusalem will 
 be rebuilt by all the Jews gathering to the Holy Land, 
 and about the year 1890, the new Jerusalem will be let 
 down from God out of Heaven and located in Jackson 
 County, Missouri, with the corner-stone of the Great 
 Temple "three hundred yards west of the old court- 
 house in Independence," where is to be the capital of 
 Christ's earthly kingdom. The Saints will own all the 
 property of the country, and marry all the women they 
 desire; the streets of their city will be paved with the 
 gold dug by Gentiles from the Rocky Mountains ; noxious 
 insects will be banished, contagious diseases cease, the 
 land produce abundantly of grain, flower and fruit, and 
 everything will be lovely in the new Jerusalem ! 
 
 Leaving the reader to smile or regret, as personal 
 temperament may incline, I hasten to a consideration 
 of the Mormon tenets nominally derived from the 
 Christian Bible. The Mohammedan portion of their 
 faith and practice is reserved for the two succeeding 
 chapters. 
 
 The Mormons steadily claim the Bible as the first 
 foundation of their belief; that they " believe all that 
 
MORMON BAPTISM. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 319 
 
 any Christians do, and a great deal more." Their tenets 
 most nearly resembling those of Christian sects, and 
 which they call the " First principles of the Gospel," 
 are four in number, ranked in order of time, as follows : 
 1. Faith, 2. Repentance, 3. Baptism by immersion, 
 and 4. Laying on of hands for the remission of sins, and 
 the gift of the Holy Ghost. They are explained at 
 great length in tjjje " Doctrines and Covenants," the 
 New Testameiit of Mormonism. This book is made up 
 of revelations, "selected (!) from those of Joseph Smith," 
 and the doctrinal lectures of various elders, particularly 
 Sidney Rigdon, with an addition containing the rules 
 and discipline of the Church. The " Lectures on faith 
 and repentance " contain nothing more than is familiar 
 to every attendant on the worship of Arminian sects. 
 Baptism the Mormons regard as " a saving ordinance," 
 of actual and material value ; and to such an extent do 
 they carry this doctrine, that they baptize again and 
 again, after- every backsliding, and sometimes when 
 there has been a period of " general coldness " in the 
 Church. At the time known in Mormon annals as the 
 " Reformation," when it was supposed the Lord had sent 
 drouth and grasshoppers to punish their backshding, 
 every adult member of the Church was re-baptized. 
 Nearly all the old members have been baptized two or 
 three times each, and Brigham Young, in one of his 
 sermons, mentions an old reprobate who had been bap- 
 tized no less than twelve times, and " cut off thirteen 
 times for lying," Brigham hunself, who was then 
 much addicted to liquor, seems to have fallen under the 
 power of his enemy soon after uniting with the Church, 
 
320 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 thus rendering re-baptism necessary ; and a quiet joke 
 is current among the less reverent Saints, to the effect 
 that a noted Jew, named Seixas, then connected with 
 the Mormons, jocosely proposed to " leave him in over 
 night." 
 
 But the fourth tenet opens to view the whole of their 
 divergence from Christian sects. The prime principle 
 in their faith which marks this departure is, that the 
 office of the Holy Ghost had been unknown on earth 
 from the death of the- last Apostle to the calling of 
 Joseph Smith ; that the " mystic power " mentioned by 
 St. John, had warred with the Saints and overcome 
 them ; that the true priesthood was then taken from 
 the earth, and men, blindly seeking the truth, divided 
 into six hundred and sixty-six sects, " the number of 
 the beast," each having a little truth, but none holding 
 it in purity. 
 
 Joseph Smith, earnestly calling upon the Lord to 
 know which of the sects was in the right, was told that 
 all were alike gone astray, and was himself ordained by 
 heavenly messengers, first to the Aaronic and after- 
 wards to the Melchisedec priesthood. Thenceforth the 
 Holy Ghost was to be given to all true believers ; the 
 " witness of the spirit" was to be an absolute certainty, 
 and all who had truly embraced the new gospel were 
 "to know for themselves, and without a shadow of 
 doubt" that it was true. How strange and yet how 
 natural, this constant seeking by man for certainty as 
 to the affairs of the unseen world ! Hundreds of times 
 I have listened to the testimony of individual Mormons : 
 "You believe you are right — I know this religion is 
 true. We have a witness no other people can have — 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 321 
 
 the ^ft of the Holy Ghost. In the old churches we 
 always had our doubts ; now we know the correctness 
 of this doctrine." Thus for a season. But man was 
 not made for such absolutism ; it is folly to seek a per- 
 fect certainty in that which is from its very nature in- 
 tangible and uncertain, and it will often be found that 
 the wildest and most unreasoning faith has the most 
 obstinate devotees. It is sufl&cient comment upon the 
 above " testimony," to state the facts that no church ever 
 organized has developed so many factions in so short a • 
 time as Mormonism ; that the original organization has, 
 from time to time, given rise to twenty-five sects, of 
 which half-a-dozen are still in existence ; that of all who 
 have ever embraced Mormonism, over seventy per cent, 
 have apostatized, and that at the present writing, two 
 powerful schisms are raging in the very bosom of the 
 Church. 
 
 At the same time with the Holy Ghost, all the " gifts " 
 of the first Church were to be restored ; prophecy, heal- 
 ing, miracles, speaking in tongues and the interpretation 
 of tongues were to accompany the new gospel and be 
 its powerful witnesses among men. Hence, all the' 
 miracles which have followed the Latter-day work.. 
 The Mormons are fond of quoting that text where aU. 
 power is given to the Church, and the enumeration of 
 gifts with the statement, "These signs shall follow 
 them that believe." . They then triumphantly exclaim, 
 "Where is the professed Christian Church which has,, 
 or even claims these gifts ? We have them in their 
 fullness, and this is our testimony that we are truly of 
 the Lord." As far as human testimony can prove any- 
 21 
 
322 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 thing on such a subject, they prove numerous " miracles " 
 in the way of healing various ailments; but I have 
 heard of none that cannot be readily accounted for from 
 the effects of a " fervent and fooling faith." The most 
 common " niiracle " is the cure of rheumatism and neu- 
 ralgia by "laying on of hands," and anointing with 
 holy oil. The general rule of the Church is to send 
 for the nearest elders and bishops as soon as a Saint is 
 taken sick ; they " lay on hands," and anoint the pa- 
 tient with " consecrated oil,"- rubbing it briskly on the 
 parts most affected. If the patient grows worse, other 
 dignitaries are sent for, more vigorous prayers are offered 
 up, and strenuous efforts made to arouse the " healing 
 virtue ; " but generally a physician is the last resort, a 
 religious prejudice prevailing to some extent against 
 the profession. A resident physician of Salt Lake City 
 informed me that he was once called to see a woman in 
 labor, who had been suffering for twenty-four hours, 
 and was literally " greased from head to foot with the 
 consecrated oil." It proved to be a very simple and by 
 no means unusual case, which he relieved in a few 
 minutes, at the very time the attendant women were 
 emptying a large horn of " consecrated oil" upon the 
 patient's head ; the relief was followed by loud praises 
 ■of the efficacy of the " holy oil," and the woman is now 
 ;a firm witness of the " miracle." 
 
 " Speaking in tongues" is not, as. one would naturally 
 suppose, the gift of speech in the vernacular of various 
 nations, such as attended the pentecostal season. That 
 would be altogether too linguistic and practical for these 
 iatter days. It consists merely of uttering a rapid suc: 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 323 
 
 cession of articulate and connected sounds, not under- 
 stood by the speaker himself, but which are explained 
 by some one having the " interpretation of tongues." 
 The mode is for the person who thinks himself en- 
 dowed with this gift to " stand up, call upon the Lord 
 in silent prayer for a few moments, then open the mouth 
 and utter whatever words come to hand and the Lord 
 will make them arlanguage." An interpreter will then 
 be provided and the hidden meaning made plain; but 
 no person ever has both gifts. 
 
 This gift prevailed to a surprising extent among cer- 
 tain fanatical sects in England, and was there charitably 
 attributed to an abnormal condition of the organs of 
 language ; but here is more naturally accounted for 
 either by imposture or the effects of a wild fanaticism. 
 I heard it but once, and -then merely repeated by a de- 
 voted Mormon as he had heard the "gifted" deliver it, 
 and, in a philological inquiry, I should pronounce it a 
 cognate branch of that "dog-latin" which belongs to 
 the erudition of school-boy days. This exercise is a 
 little too ridiculous, even for the Mormons at present, 
 and is rarely heard of; but in the early years of their 
 Church it was a frequent occurrence, whole days of 
 "speaking meetings" being devoted to it. An old 
 apostate, who was in the Church at Nauvoo, tells me 
 of having been present at one of those meetings where 
 the first doubts began to arise in his mind in regard to 
 his new faith. Having formerly been a trader among 
 the Choctaws, he suddenly arose and delivered a 
 lengthy speech on hunting in the language of that 
 tribe, which the interpreter rendered into a glowing and 
 
B24 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 florid account of the glories to result from the comple-' 
 tion of the Great Temple, then in progress. Lieutenant 
 Gunnison, in his admirable work, gives an account of 
 one lad who had become so noted in the " interpretation 
 of tongues" that he was generally called upon by the 
 elders in the most difficult cases, and seems to have 
 felt under obligation to give some sort of rendering and 
 meaning to any speech, however crude or whimsical. 
 On one occasion, a woman, with the "gifts of tongues," 
 suddenly rose in the meeting, and shouted, " mela, 
 meli, melee!" The boy was at once pressed for an in- 
 terpretation, and promptly gave the rendition, " my 
 leg, my thigh, my knee!" He was cited before the 
 Council for his profanity, but stoutly maintained that 
 his interpretation was "according to the spirit," and 
 was released with an admonition. 
 
 Miss Eliza Snow, the Mormon poetess, was particu- 
 larly "gifted" in tongues; and, according to the account 
 of young Mormons, now apostatized, she was accus- 
 tomed often during their early joumeyings, to rush 
 into the dwelling of some other woman, exclaiming : 
 " Sister, I want to bless you !" lay her hands upon the 
 other's head, and pour forth a strain of confused jargon, 
 which was supposed to be a blessing in the "unknown 
 tongue." Such are the various "gifts," and to a people 
 less blinded by fanaticism, their practical effects among 
 the Mormons would be suflBcient to disprove the claim 
 for their divine origin. To mention but one : it is evi- 
 dent to any intelligent observer that numerous deaths 
 occur annually in Salt Lake City simply from a disre- 
 gard of hygienic laws and a lack of proper medical 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 325 
 
 treatment, with a blind reliance upon treatment by 
 "faith;" and, notwithstanding their splendid climate, 
 the death-rate of the Mormons is unusually large 
 from those vei-y classes of disease for which any intel- 
 ligent physician can afford immediate relief. It is a 
 remarkable fact that more women die in child-birth in 
 Salt Lake City than in any other of the same size in 
 America, and thmt for many years the death-rate of 
 infants was only exceeded by one Southern State, 
 Louisiana. 
 
 So much for their theology as it relates to earth ; I 
 have not been able to discover the exact source of their 
 ideas of heaven. They hold that there are three hea- 
 vens : the celestial, terrestrial and telestial, typified by 
 the sun, moon and stars. The last two are for those 
 who have neither obeyed nor disobeyed the gospel; 
 some because they did not hear it, others from " invin- 
 cible ignorance," and still others because they were 
 morally hindered in various ways. To one or the other 
 of these heavens all sincere people of whatever race or 
 creed, who have never heard the Gospel, but followed 
 the light they had, will be admitted, and there enjoy 
 as much happiness as they are capable of But if they 
 have once heard the true Gospel and refused to obey it, 
 have persecuted the Saints or apostatized and lost the 
 spirit of God, " this testimony will go with them through 
 all eternity, and they can never enter a rest." Their 
 final destiny, however, is not revealed to mortals. Wo- 
 man, in and of herself, could never progress to the 
 highest place, "As Eve led Adam out of the garden he 
 must lead her back." If she wilfully remain single and 
 
326 LIFE m UTAH ; or, the mysteries 
 
 slights the great duty imposed upon her, she is'useless in 
 the economy of creation, and therefore is condemned. 
 But many special provisions are made for the really 
 worthy of both sexes, by which the living may vica- 
 riously atone for the dead who never heard the Gospel. 
 Baptism for the dead, and marriage for the dead, are 
 chief among these means. The former they found 
 upon St. Paul's writings, and under its provisions the 
 Saint is often baptized for some relative who died many 
 years before in Europe, or for some eminent personage. 
 George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas 
 Jefferson are thus vicariously Members of the Mormon 
 Church. 
 
 The celestial heaven is theirs only who have both 
 heard and obeyed the Gospel. In that happy state they 
 enjoy all that made this life desirable ; they eat, drink 
 and are merry ; they are solaced by the embraces of 
 their earthly wives, and many more will be given them ; 
 all material enjoyments will be free from the defects 
 of earth, and pleasures will never pall. In time the 
 most faithful will become gods. 
 
 " They will ever look upon the elements as their 
 home; hence the elements will ever keep pace with 
 them in all the degrees of progressive refinement, 
 while room is found in infinite space : 
 
 " While there are particles of unorganized element in 
 nature's store-house : 
 
 "While the trees of paradise yield their fruits, or the 
 fountain of life its river : 
 
 " While the bosoms of the gods glow with affection. 
 While eternal charity endures, or eternity itself rolls 
 
AND CHIMES OP MORMONISM. 327 
 
 its successive ages, the heavens will multiply, and new 
 worlds and more people be added to the kingdom of the 
 Fathers." 
 
 But there is still another class of persons who do not 
 quite live up to their privileges, and yet deserve a 
 salvation. Unmarried men and women, and those 
 guilty of various derelictions make up this class. 
 They will never progress, but be. angels merely ; mes- 
 sengers and servants to those worthy of greater glory ; 
 and " bachelor angels" only, with no families, and com- 
 pelled to go through eternity without a mate. 
 
 Amusement and disgust possess us by turns as we 
 pursue these blasphemous speculations in regard to the 
 employment of the gods, or the vain attempt to supply 
 those points of knoweldge which Infinite Wisdom has 
 left unrevealed. In this attempt the Mormons might 
 well be styled eclectic theologians. They are Chris- 
 tians in their belief in the New Testament, and the 
 mission of Christ; Jews in their temporal theocracy, 
 tithing and belief in prophecy ; Mohammedans in re- 
 gard to the relations of the sexes, and Voudoos or 
 Fetichists, in their witchcraft, good and evil spirits, 
 faith doctoring and superstition. From the Boodhists 
 they have stolen their doctrines of apotheosis and 
 development of gods ; from the Greek mythology their 
 loves of the immortals and spirits ; they have blended 
 the ideas of many nations of polytheists, and made the 
 whole consistent by outdoing the materialists. In the 
 labor of harmonizing all this with Christianity, there is 
 scarcely a schism that has ever rent the Christian 
 world, but has furnished some scraps of doctrine. 
 
328 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE HYSTEEIES 
 
 They are Arians in making Christ a secondary being in 
 the Godhead — " the greatest of created things and yet 
 a creature ;" they are Manicheans in their division of 
 the universe between good and evil spirits, and Gnostics 
 in their gross ascriptibn of all human indulgences and 
 enjoyments, even polygamy, to the Saviour. Of the 
 modern sects, they have the order of service, "ex- 
 perience meetings " and " witness of the spirit " of the 
 Methodists ; the " first principles " of the Campbellites, 
 and the " universal suffrage " of the Presbyterians ; 
 while their views on baptism, the "perseverance of 
 the Saints," backsliding and restoration, read like a 
 desperate attempt to combine the doctrines of the 
 Campbellites, Methodists, and Cumberland Presby- 
 terians. Finally, they are Millenarians in their speedy 
 expectation of Christ's earthly reign; almost Uni- 
 versalists in the belief that a very small portion of 
 mankind will finally fail of any heaven ; Spiritualists 
 in their faith that the unseen powers produce special 
 and actual visible effects on earth, though by natural 
 laws, and Communists in their system of public works. 
 But it is in regard to the personality and life of Christ 
 that their ideas seem most strange and blasphemous. 
 They hold that He was the literally begotten, that he 
 had five wives while upon earth, two of whom were 
 Martha and Mary, and thus actually violated the law 
 under which He lived ; at the same time they vaguely 
 unite the views of the Greek and Latin Fathers, hold- 
 ing Him both the Logos and the Aeon, the Mediator 
 and the God-man. 
 
 The question which for five centuries agitated the 
 
AND CHIMES OF MORMONISM. 329 
 
 early Church as to the personality of Christ, the homo- 
 ousian and the Jumioiousian, the " same substance " or 
 the " similar substance," can have no place in their 
 theology ; they have boldly evaded it by obliterating 
 all distinction, either in form, substance or develop- 
 ment, between God and man; both are alike material 
 and differ only in degree. Met at the outset by the 
 difficulty of comparehending God, they simplified it by 
 making their Deity a "perfected man." This part of 
 their theology, then, as far as it is the result of earnest 
 and sincere thought on the part of its devotees, merely 
 presents itself to my mind as another one of the ten 
 thousand schemes of man to get away from that dogma 
 which must be received on faith, simply because it is 
 utterly beyond the grasp of finite reason. For nearly 
 two thousand years the Christian Church has presented 
 for the world's acceptance a Being, not all of earth, not 
 all of heaven, yet perfect earth and perfect heaven ; has 
 asked the world to believe in the God-Man, the Divine- 
 Human, the humanly inexplicable mystery of "God 
 made manifest in the flesh." But man is unable of his 
 own reason alone to receive this truth ; and there is an 
 intense desire in the' natural mind to know more of God 
 and hidden things personally, to see or hear them face 
 to face. Man would pry into the hidden mysteries of 
 Providence, which we are told " the angels desired to 
 look into and were not able ;" at the same time the 
 carnal mind is unwilling to use the appointed means 
 whereby only this knowledge may be obtained; to 
 study the Written Word, to do the works therein com- 
 manded, and rise to that degree of moral purity by 
 
330 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 whicTi alone his conception of unseen things can be 
 heightened and made harmonious. He would be gross, 
 sensual and earthy; and at the same time comprehend 
 the pure and heavenly. The two are incompatible. 
 Hence, dissatisfied with his own condition and without 
 the moral energy to amend it, discontented with the 
 truth offered yet unwilling to take the required course 
 to gain more truth, he seeks for some , shorter, easier 
 way, some method more consonant with a corrupt 
 nature, to satisfy his mind and perhaps quiet an 
 awakened conscience. This natural feeling of the 
 human mind is seized upon by impostors, sometimes 
 " the man with a pui'pose," and sometimes the dupe of 
 their own fancies; and hence from age to age the ten 
 thousand short lived sects, diverging now to the in- 
 tensely material and again to the ultra spiritual, but 
 still departing from the great central line of the Church. 
 In our own day. Spiritualism complains that the 
 Church is too material, too earthy and secular; that 
 man finds therein no supply for the wants of his spirit- 
 ual nature, and they seek therefor a corrective : the 
 Mormons, diverging to the opposite extreme, complain 
 that the Church is too speculative and mystical, too 
 much given up to the vague and intangible; that their 
 God "without body, parts or passions" is too far re- 
 moved from human sympathy, and for this they would 
 find a corrective in the most intense materialism. And 
 this reaction once begun, the only limit or law to filthy 
 imagination, is the range or power of human fancy. 
 The gross familiarity with which fanatics of all kinds 
 speak of the Supreme Being, the Mormon claim of the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 331 
 
 office of the Holy Ghost, their polygamy, incest and 
 blood atonement, are a necessary and logical result of 
 this degrading conception of spiritual things. Nowhere 
 through the long detail of their tenets is purity taught 
 or hinted at. It is all pure selfishness, mere grossness, 
 sexualism deified and the domain of the senses made 
 the empire of the universe. The Being, in whose sight 
 "the heavens are* not clean," who "put no trust in His 
 servants and charged His angels with folly," who is far 
 above all taint of earthliness, has no place in such a 
 system. They have degraded the human conception 
 of Deity, till He has become in their minds " altogether 
 such a one as themselves.'' The heathen philosophers 
 of two thousand years ago, with only the unaided light 
 of reason, were infinitely their superiors ; and Plato's 
 Deity is as much more worthy of our adoration than 
 Brigham's, as the loftiest conceptions of a refined and 
 virtuous philosopher are above the impure imaginations 
 of a sensualist. 
 
332 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THEORETICAL POLYGAMY — ITS HISTORY. 
 
 Poetry of religious concubinage — Fanaticism and Sensualism — Two ex- 
 tremes — Origin of Polygamy — The great revelation — Its contradictions 
 and absurdities— Mormon argument— Real origin— Beginning of Polyg- 
 amy — A prostitute for religion's sake — Failures and Scandals — War in 
 the Church — Stealing a Brother's wife — Furore in consequence — The 
 Ex-positor — Its destruction — Death of the Smiths — Polygamy practiced 
 secretly and denied openly — Brigham's marriages — Nine years of con- 
 cealment — Avowal at last — Argument in its favor — Demoralization in 
 the English Church — A climax of unnatural obscenity — The "Refor- 
 mation"— Temporary decline in Polygamy — Hostility of native Mor- 
 mon girls— Outside influence — Difference of opinion — It dies hard — 
 Spiritual wives— Mystery and abomination. 
 
 The occasional references hitherto in regard to " Pre- 
 existence of the soul," " Sexual resurrection," " Progress 
 in eternity" and " Generation of the gods," have pre- 
 pared the reader somewhat for special consideration of 
 polygamy; but it is necessary also to look into its 
 earthly history, and the reasons urged for its origin and 
 continuance. And in these reasons we are surprised -to 
 find how captivating a veil of religious fancy may be 
 thrown over an institution naturally and inherently 
 vile. Gross forms of religious error seem almost in- 
 variably to lead to sensuality, to some singular perversion 
 of the marriage relation or the sexual instinct ; probably 
 because the same constitution of mind and temperament 
 which gives rise to the one, powerfully predisposes toward 
 the other. The fanatic is of logical necessity either an 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 333 
 
 ascetic or a sensualist; healthy moderation is foreign 
 alike to his speculative faith and social practice. He 
 either gives full rein to his baser propensities under 
 the specious name of " Christian liberty," or with a little 
 more conscientiousness, swings to the opposite extreme 
 and forbids those innocent gratifications prompted by 
 nature and permitted by God. Of the former class are 
 the Mormons, Noyseites of Oneida, the Antinomians, 
 and the followers of St. John of Ley den; of the latter 
 the Shakers, Harmonists, monks and nuns, and a score 
 of orders of celibate priests. 
 
 The Mormons are particular to declare that they 
 never would have practical polygamy, except in accord- 
 ance with an express revelation from God ; and though 
 they occasionally defend it on various physiological and 
 scriptural grounds, they always fall back upon the ex- 
 press command. This revelation is said to have been' 
 given at Nauvoo, Illinois, July 12, 1843. It Avas first 
 published in the Deseret News Extra, of September 14, 
 1852, and next in the April number, 1853, of the Mil- 
 lennial Star, Liverpool, England ; and is contained at 
 full length in Burton's "City of the Saints," and many 
 other publications. It is too long and discursive to 
 quote entire, and I sectionize it for convenient reference. 
 
 1. The revelation opens with this remarkable state- 
 ment, the Lord represented as speaking : 
 
 " Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant 
 Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired at my hand 
 to know wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants 
 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ; as also Moses, David and 
 Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and 
 
334 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 doctrine of their having many wives and concubines ; 
 behold, and lo, I am the Lord and will answer thee as 
 touching this matter," etc. 
 
 It will not escape notice, that as here stated Joseph 
 had asked the Lord about the matter. We cannot but 
 wonder whether it would have been revealed at all, 
 without this preliminary questioning. Many good Mor- 
 mons think it would not, and Mormon ladies frequently 
 express a pious regret that the Prophet ever asked 
 about it ! The section concludes by denouncing dam- 
 nation upon all who reject the new gospel. 
 
 2. This section states that, " All covenants, contracts, 
 bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connec- 
 tions, associations or expectations that are not made 
 and entered into, and sealed by the Holy Spirit of 
 promise of him who is anointed," are void in eternity, 
 and only good for this world. 
 
 It sets forth also with great verbosity of language, 
 that " God's house, is a house of order." 
 
 3. The same principle is applied to the marriage 
 covenant, stating that all who are not married " and 
 sealed according to the new and everlasting covenant," 
 are married for this world only, and shall not be en- 
 titled to their respective partners in eternity, but shall 
 continue " angels only, and not gods, kept as ministers 
 to those who are worthy of a far more exceeding and 
 eternal weight of glory." 
 
 4. Description of the future glory of those who keep 
 the new covenant : '^ Then shall they be gods because- 
 they have no end ; there they shall be from everlasting 
 to everlasting, because they continue ; then shall they 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 335 
 
 be above all, because all things are subject unto them. 
 Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, 
 and the angels are subject unto them." 
 
 5. To such are forgiven all manner of crimes, ex- 
 cept murder, " wherein they shed innocent blood," and 
 blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Apostasy, be it no- 
 ted, is the worst form of the latter sin. 
 
 6. This section explains the cases of Abraham and 
 other ancient polygamists at great length, concluding by 
 citing David as an example of how men lose their " ex- 
 altation " by abusing their privileges ; " In none of 
 these things did he sin against me, save in the case of 
 Uriah and his wife, and, therefore, he hath fallen from 
 his exaltation and received his position ; and he shall 
 not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto 
 another, saith the Lord." 
 
 7. Great power is conferred upon Joseph Smith to 
 regulate all such celestiajl marriages, punish for adultery, 
 and take away the wives of the guilty and give them 
 to good men. 
 
 8. This section gives very full and explicit instruc- 
 tions to Emma Smith, wife of Joseph, how to conduct 
 herself under the new dispensation ; that she " receive 
 all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, 
 who are virtuous and pure before me," and threatening 
 her with destruction if she do not. 
 
 9. The revelation changes abruptly and gives Joseph 
 Smith full directions how to manage his property ; par- 
 ticulary " let not my servant Joseph put his property 
 out of his hands, lest an enemy come and destroy him," 
 and threatening severely all who injure him. 
 
336 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The reader familiar with the old Kevised Statutes of 
 Illinois, would be surprised to find the Lord talking so 
 much like a Justice of the Peace. 
 
 10. The revelation comes, at last, to the gist of the 
 matter and grants plurality of wives, in these words : 
 
 " And again, as pertaining to the law of the priest- 
 hood : If any man espouse a virgin and desires to es- 
 pouse another, and the first give her consept ; and if he 
 espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have 
 vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot 
 commit adultery for they are given unto him ; for he 
 cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto 
 him and to none else ; and if he have ten virgins given 
 unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery for 
 they belong to him and are given unto him ; therefore 
 is he justified. They are given unto him to multiply 
 and replenish the earth according to my commandment, 
 and to fulfil the promise which was given by my 
 Father before the foundation of the world; and for 
 their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may 
 bear the souls of men ; for herein is the work of my 
 Father continue(lthat he may bf! ginrifipd " 
 
 ii. Heavy'punishment is threatened to all women 
 who refuse, without good cause, to give their husbands 
 second wives ; concluding as follows : " And now, as 
 pertaining unto this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, 
 I will reveal more unto you hereafter ; therefore,, let 
 this sufiice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and 
 Omega. Amen." 
 
 Such is the revelation. Space fails me to note all its 
 contradictions and absurdities. One, however, is worthy 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. I 337 
 
 of special remark. In the eighth section Emma Smith 
 is commanded to receive lovingly " all those that have 
 been given unto my servant Joseph." The past tense 
 is used. Thus the first revelation authorizing polygamy 
 implies that Joseph had already practiced it. Stranger 
 still, polygamy is expressly forbidden by the " Book of 
 Mormon." , 
 
 In the third book and second chapter of that work, 
 the angel messenger is represented as sajdng to the 
 Nephites : " But the word of God burdens me because 
 of your grosser crimes. For this people begin to wax in 
 iniquity ; they understand not the scriptures, for they 
 seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, 
 because of the things that were written concerning 
 David and Solomon, his son. They, truly, had many 
 wives and concubines which thing was abominable be- 
 fore me, saith the Lord, wherefore, hearken unto the 
 word of the Lord, for there shall not any man among 
 you have save it be one wife, and concubines he shall 
 have none, for I, the Lord God, delighteth in the 
 chastity of women." 
 
 It has exhausted all the ingenuity of Mormon writers 
 to reconcile this passage with the new revelation, but 
 they succeed in doing so sufficiently to satisfy their con- 
 sciences. The Mormon history relates that when the 
 full force of the new covenant was perceived the 
 Prophet was filled with astonishment and dread. All 
 the traditions of his early education were overthrown, 
 and yet he felt that it was the work of the Lord. In 
 vain he sought to be released from the burden of com- 
 municating the new doctrine to the world, and at length 
 
 22 
 
338 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 obtained, permission to keep, it secret, as yet, from all 
 but the Twelve Apostles, and a few other leading men. 
 As the hour approached when he was to meet them in 
 council, horror and fear of what might be the result over- 
 came him, and he hastily mounted his horse and fled 
 from the city. But a mighty angel met him on the road, 
 stood in the way with a drawn sword, and with awful 
 voice and offended mien bade him return. 
 
 These pretended forebodings were fully justified by 
 the event, for, in spite of the secresy maintained, the 
 matter was soon bruited abroad, and there was fearful 
 commotion in "Zion." Old Mormons have told me that 
 when they first heard it they were horror-stricken at 
 the thought, and for years after could not believe the 
 report. 
 
 When the matter was first broached in secret council, 
 William Law, First Counselor to Joseph Smith, stood 
 up and denounced it as from the devil, and added : " If 
 any man preaches that doctrine in my family, I will 
 take his life." This Law had a young and beautiful 
 wife, for whom Joseph was already intriguing, and his 
 final success with her and attempt to get her divorced 
 from her husband, caused the latter to apostatize, and 
 had no small share in bringing on the difficulties which 
 resulted in Joseph's death. 
 
 As might be expected, the men were the first converts 
 Joseph and a few others began soon to act upon their 
 new privileges. Joseph seems to have been pretty suc- 
 cessful, and soon had half-a-dozen spiritual wives, though 
 all was still kept secret. While soliciting ladies to 
 become "sealed" bi him, he made several unsuccessful 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 339 
 
 attempts, which caused great scandal. In particular, 
 his doings were published by Miss Martha H. Brother- 
 ton, who immediately withdrew from the Church ; also 
 by Miss Eliza Rigdon, daughter of Sidney Rigdon, Mrs. 
 Foster, and Mrs. Sarah Pratt, first wife of Orson Pratt. 
 
 Great was the fury among the Saints at these revela- 
 tions, and every epithet a vile fancy could suggest was 
 heaped upon theie ladies, for what were styled " their 
 perjured lies to injure the Prophet." One of them was 
 forced to sign a written retraction ; another, discarded 
 and denounced by her Mormon parents, died of a broken 
 heart. Miss Brotherton escaped and returned to Boston, 
 while Foster, Higbee, and a few others, whose families 
 had been insulted, apostatized. For awhile the disso- 
 lution of the Church seemed imminent, but the mingled 
 boldness and hpyocrisy of the Prophet restored some- 
 thing like order, and polygamy was indignantly de- 
 nounced and repudiated. 
 
 At this place in our narrative, having given the 
 Mormon account, it may be well to give the real origin 
 of polygamy. In the Mormon archives are a set of 
 phrenological charts, of the various Mormon leaders at 
 Nauvoo, taken by a prominent professor. In the chart 
 of Joseph Smith's head, in a scale running from one to 
 twelve, " amativeness," or sexual passion, is recorded at 
 eleven; while that of Bennett, his "right hand man," 
 is set down at "ten — very full!" In the propensity 
 which these are held to indicate, was the real origin of 
 polygamy. A prominent Mormon says that Joseph 
 Smith informed him that, as early as 1832, he had pre- 
 liminary revelations upon the subject ; and it is a note- 
 
340 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 rious fact, that almost from the first, the Prophet had 
 used his powers of fascination to triumph over the 
 virtue of his female devotees, and had anticipated polyg- 
 amy in accordance with revelation, by unauthorized 
 promiscuous intercourse. His intrigues with various 
 women had involved the rising sect in constant trouble 
 at Kirtland and in Missouri ; and by the sworn testimony 
 of the best men who seceded from the Mormons in Mis- 
 souri, the Prophet had already established a sort of 
 polygamy. 
 
 Shortly after the settlement of Nauvoo also, Sidney 
 Bigdon had advanced his " spiritual wife " doctrine, 
 which regular Mormons now denounce as the great 
 mystery of abominations, " sent by the devil to bring 
 dishonor upon the true order of celestial marriage." 
 Rigdon's theory of " Spiritual wifery," as reported by 
 old Mormons, Avas as follows : 
 
 In the pre-existent state souls are mated, male and 
 female, as it is divinely intended they shall fill the mar- 
 riage relation in this life ; or, in more poetic phrase, 
 " marriages are made in heaven." But in the general 
 jumble of contradictions and cross-purposes attending 
 man in this state, many mistakes have been made in 
 this matter; A. has got the woman first intended for 
 - B., the latter has got C's true mate, and thus on, utterly 
 defeating the counsel of the gods in the pre-marriage 
 of the spirits. But the time had come for all this to 
 be set right, and though they might not put aside their 
 present wives, which would throw society somewhat 
 out of gear, yet Smith might in addition, exercise the 
 privileges of husband toward Brown's wife and vice versa. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 341 
 
 This seems to have been merely the Mormon version 
 of modem " free-loveismj" and from recent evidence it 
 is quite probaBle it also was practiced to some extent 
 in Nauvoo, thus making polygamy equally free to men 
 and women ; but it is quite different, in theory at least, 
 from the present " spiritual wifeism " of the Mormons, 
 as will presently appear. 
 
 But Rigdon's "doctrines were both varying and dan- 
 gerous, and he lacked the faculty of concealment ; so he 
 was soon condemned, and his doctrines with him. 
 
 As the first open hints of the new doctrine, in the 
 autumn of 1843, excited so much contention, and as 
 the indignation of the people of Illinois was justly 
 feared, orders were given to all the traveling elders to 
 persistently deny the doctrine. On the first of Febru- 
 ary, 1844, the Times and Seasons, church paper at Nau- 
 voo, contained the following: 
 
 " Notice ! 
 
 " As we have lately been credibly informed, that an 
 'Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day 
 Saints, by the name of Hyrum Brown, has been preach- 
 ing Polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in 
 the County of Lapeer, and State of Michigan : 
 
 " This is to notify him and the Church in general, 
 
 that he has been cut off from the Church for his 
 
 iniquity; and he is further notified to appear at the 
 
 Special Conference, on the 6th of April next, to make 
 
 answer to these charges. 
 
 Joseph Smith, 
 
 Hykitm Smith, 
 
 'Presidents of the Church." 
 
342 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The Gentiles appear not to have been well enough 
 posted on the subject to pay much heed to the "Notice," 
 but it excited no little commotion among the Mormons, 
 who had heard or received reports from others of the 
 doctrine ; and on the day appointed a large number of 
 the disaffected, and a few resident Gentiles, were present. 
 Hyrum Smith arose and stated that "great reports had 
 been bruited about of schism in Zion, and, no doubt, 
 many were present, hoping to witness dissension ; but 
 all such hopes were vain, the Lord had healed all back- 
 slidings, there would be no charges made, and the day 
 would be spent in prayer and other exercises ;" and 
 spent it was accordingly. . Six weeks afterwards, Hyrum 
 found it necessary to write as follows : 
 
 "Natjvoo, March 15, 1844. 
 "To the Brethren of the Ohurch of Jesus Christ of 
 Latter-Day Saints, living on China Creek, in 
 Hancock County, Greeting : 
 
 "Whereas, Brother Eichard Hewett has called on 
 me to-day, to know my views concerning some doc- 
 trines that are preached in your place, and states to me 
 that some of your Elders say, that a man, having a cer- 
 tain priesthood, may have as many wives as he pleases, 
 and that doctrine is taught here : I say unto you that 
 that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such 
 doctrine taught here, neither is there any such thing 
 practiced here; and any man that is found teaching 
 privately or publicly any such doctrine, is culpable, and 
 will stand a chance to be brought before the High 
 Council, and lose his license and membership also; 
 therefore he had better beware what he is about." 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 343 
 
 This letter will also be found in the 5th volume of 
 the Times and Seasons, page 474. But affairs had gone 
 too far ; a powerful schism broke out in the bosom of 
 the Church, and William Law, Dr. foster, Chauncey 
 L. Higbee, Francis M. Higbee, and a number of other 
 apostates commenced preaching openly against the 
 Prophet, and established at Nauvoo a paper called the 
 Expositor, devoted to making war upon the new system. 
 But they only issued one number, which contained six- 
 teen affidavits, mostly from ladies, setting forth the 
 licentious actions of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. 
 Joseph was at that time not only Prophet, Priest, and 
 Revelator, but also Mayor of the City and Major-Gen- 
 eral of the Nauvoo Legion. Such a daring publication 
 in the stronghold of his power was not to be tolerated. 
 So he hastily convened the City Council, who, at his 
 suggestion, declared the Expositor a "public nuisance," 
 and ordered that it be "at once abated." The City 
 Marshal and his ^osse forthwith attacked the office and 
 abated it in the literal meaning of that word, and in 
 the Mormon fashion, by breaking the press and scatter- 
 ing the type. The publishers fled for their lives, and, 
 proceeding to Carthage, tlie county-seat of Hancock 
 County, procured warrants against several Mormons, 
 under the State law of Illinois, determined |;o test the 
 legality of such extensive jurisdiction by the Council. 
 Both the Smiths were finally arrested and murdered in 
 jail, as more fully related elsewhere. 
 
 After their death the policy of concealment was con- 
 tinued. In July, 1845, Parley P. Pratt, in the Millen- 
 nial Star, Mormon publication at Liverpool, England, 
 
344 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 denounced " spiritual wifery" as a " doctrine of devils 
 and seducing spirits ; but another name for whoredom, 
 wicked and unlawful connection, and every kind of cor- 
 ruption, confusion and abomination ;" and in the follow- 
 ing year the General Conference of Europe denounced 
 both the doctrine and practice in the strongest terms. 
 In May, 1848, the Millennial Star called for the ven- 
 geance of heaven on all the liars who charged " such 
 odious practices as spiritual wifeism and polygism" 
 upon the Church ; ending with the following : 
 
 " In all ages of the Church truth has been turned 
 into a lie, and the grace of God converted into lascivi- 
 ousness, by men who have sought to make ' a gain of 
 godliness,' and feed their lusts on the credulity of the 
 righteous and unsuspicious. * * * Next to the long- 
 hackneyed and bug-a-boo whisperings of polygism is 
 another abomination that sometimes shows its serpen- 
 tine crests, which we shall call sexual resurrectionism. 
 * * * * The doctrines of corrupt spirits are always in 
 close affinity with each other, whether they consist in 
 spiritual wifeism, sexual resurrection, gross lascivious- 
 ness, or the unavoidable separation of husbands and 
 wives, or the communism of property." 
 
 • In July, 1850, Elder John Taylor held a discussion 
 at Boulogne, France, with three English clergjonen. 
 They quoted from the anti-Mormon works then just 
 published by J. C. Bennett and J. B. Bowes, which 
 charged polygamy as a practice of the Church; to 
 which Taylor made the following reply: "We are 
 accused here of polygamy, and actions the most indeli- 
 cate, obscene and disgusting, such that none but a cor- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 345 
 
 rupt heart could have contrived. These things are too 
 outrageous to admit of belief. Therefore, leaving the 
 sisters of the 'white veil' and the 'black veil,' and 
 all the other veils with those gentlemen to dispose of, 
 together with their authors, as they think best, I shall 
 content myself by reading our views of chastity and 
 marriage from a work published by us, containing some 
 of the articles of our faith." He then read from the 
 ^^ Doctrines and Covenants" which was adopted in full 
 conference the year after Smith's death, the following : 
 
 "4. * * * Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has 
 been reproached with the ci-ime of fornication and 
 polygamy ; we declare that we believe that one man 
 should have one wife ; and one woman but one hus- 
 band, except in case of death, when either is at liberty 
 to marry again." 
 
 The italics are my own. As a specimen of Mormon 
 reasoning, it may here be added, they now insist that 
 in the above clause " one wife " really meant of course 
 " one or more ;" that the adversative " but " was added 
 in case of the woman to cut off any such free rendering 
 in her case, and that the clause was so worded " to 
 specially deceive the Gentiles and yet tell the exact 
 truth." They further add that, " under certain circum- 
 stances the Lord allows His priesthood to lie in order to 
 save His people ; it would not do to give strong meat to 
 little children ; they must first be fed with milk, and 
 when they get stronger they can have meat : so with 
 the truthj they must be taught it little at a time." 
 
 The foreign Mormons were thus kept in perfect 
 ignorance of the matter, and were highly indignant 
 
346 LIFE IN" UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 when the charge was made ; still, as it was practiced, 
 reports of it were constantly made and generally be- 
 lieved throughout the United States. 
 
 Brigham Young soon became head of the Church, 
 and took for his second wife Lucy Decker Seely, who 
 had previously been divorced from Doctor Seely. Not 
 long after, at their winter quarters near Council Bluffs, 
 Iowa, he married Harriet Cook, whose son, Oscar 
 Young, is the first child in polygamy. He is now a 
 young man of twenty-two or three, bright, active and 
 intelligent, and a great favorite with his Gentile friends, 
 though a little to be dreaded sometimes on account of 
 his savage temper when angry. 
 
 This marriage was followed by those of Clara Decker, 
 Clara Chase, Lucy Bigelow, Harriet Bowker and Har- 
 riet Barney. Mary Ann Angell Young, the original 
 wife of Brigham, still lives in a house of her own, just 
 back of the Lion house. She had five children — Brig- 
 ham, Joseph, John, Alice and Luna; all are married 
 and living in Salt Lake City. Brigham was at first a 
 widower and the two daughters of his first wife, now 
 middle-aged ladies, are both married and living in Utah. 
 A few years after leaving Nauvoo, Brigham married 
 Emmeline Free, who was for many years his favorite 
 wife, and often styled among Gentiles, " the Light of 
 the Harem." She was finally discarded, some six 
 years ago, for Amelia Folsom, his youngest wife and 
 present favorite. It is, of course, impossible to tell 
 with exactness the number of his wives, but those best 
 informed place them at twenty-three actual wives, and 
 fifty-one spiritual. Miss Eliza Roxy Snow, the Mor- 
 
A'ND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 347 
 
 mon poetess, is one of his spiritual wives, or " proxy " 
 women, and is married to him by proxy for Joseph 
 Smith, of whom she claims to have been the first 
 spiritual wife. 
 
 Meanwhile the Saints had become firmly fixed in 
 Utah, where it seems that " Gentiles, their laws and 
 mobs would annoy no more ;" and the necessity for 
 concealment no Wnger existed. So the doctrine was 
 more and more openly discussed, and finally, on the 
 29th of August, 1852, it was publicly announced by 
 Brigham Young in a meeting at Salt Lake City, where 
 the revelation was for the first time publicly read and 
 pronounced valid. The sermons in its favor, by Orson 
 Pratt and Brigham Young, were first published, to-- 
 gether with the revelation, in the Deseret News, Extra, 
 of September 14th, 1852. From Young's address I ex- 
 tract the following : 
 
 " You heard Brother Pratt state, this morning, that 
 a Revelation would be read this afternoon, which was 
 given previous to Joseph's death. It contains a doc- 
 trine a small portion of the world is opposed to; but I 
 can deliver a prophecy upon it. Though that doctrine 
 has not been preached by the Elders, this people have 
 believed in it for years. 
 
 " The original copy of this Eevelation was burnt up. 
 William Clayton was the man who wrote it from the 
 mouth of the Prophet. In the meantime it was in 
 Bishop Whitney's possession. He wished the privilege 
 to copy it, which brother Joseph granted. Sister 
 Emma (wife of Joseph Smith) burnt the original. The 
 reason I mention this is, because that the people who 
 
348 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE M.YS1ERIES 
 
 did know of the Revelation, supposed it was not now 
 in existence. 
 
 " The Revelation will be read to you. The principle 
 spoken upon by Brother Pratt this morning, we be- 
 lieve in. Many others are of the same mind. They 
 are not ignorant of what we are doing in our social 
 capacity. They have cried out proclaim it ; but it would 
 not do a few years ago ; everything must come in its 
 time, as there is a time for all things, I am now reajdy 
 to proclaim it. 
 
 " This Revelation has been in my possession for 
 many years ; and who has known it ? None but those 
 who should know it. I keep a patent lock on my 
 desk, and there does not anything leak out that should 
 ;not." 
 
 The people of Utah were prepared for the announce- 
 ment, but polygamy was too " strong doctrine " for Eu- 
 rope, and when first published there, in April, 1853, it 
 seemed that even then it would destroy the foreign 
 Church. In England, especially, the demoralization 
 was fearful ; hundreds after hundreds apostatized, whole 
 churches and conferences dissolved ; talented knaves in 
 many instances, finding in this the excuse for going off 
 without surrendering the money-bags which they held. 
 The missions entirely disappeared in many parts of 
 Europe, and even in America, thousands of new con- 
 verts who had not gone to " Zion," turned away and 
 joined the Josephites, Gladdenites, Strangites, and other 
 sects of recusant Mormons. 
 
 The Millennial Star remained silenl on the subject 
 for w^eeks after publishing the revelation, coming out at 
 
AND CEIMES OF MOKMONISM. 349 
 
 length with a feeble defence of the system, from the 
 pen of J. Jaques, a leading Mormon polemic. The 
 fact was the- people did not understand the new idea, 
 they did not see the spiritual necessities for it ; they 
 had so far believed that Mormonism was simply an ad- 
 vance in Christianity, and could not feel that " in this 
 the fullness of time, the ancient covenant was restored 
 with all its privileges." But in Utah a great rush was 
 made for new wives : old ..loea. traded for young girls, 
 and the new order was hailed as the great crowning joy 
 and privilege of believers. Polygamy continued ex- 
 tending until that period known as the " Keformation " 
 in 1855-56, when the whole Church was re-baptized, 
 and a new point of departure taken. Then the new 
 practice seemed for awhile to reach a furious climax 
 of unnatural and degrading obscenity. The duty and 
 importance of polygamy were presented every Sunday; 
 hundreds of girls of only twelve or thirteen years were 
 forced or persuade^"m?o'i1sr practice ; and in numerous 
 instances even younger girls were " sealed " to old rep- 
 robates, with an agreement on the part of the latter to 
 wait until the girls were more mature and suited to act 
 the part of wives. Hundreds of instances occurred 
 which would be utterly incredible at present were they 
 not fully proved by many authentic witnesses. Old 
 men met openly in the streets and traded daughters, 
 and whole families of girls were married to the same 
 man. This was the period when polygamy reached its 
 worst manifestation, and bad as it is now, gross as many 
 of its features still are, it was ten-fold worse then. "Wo- 
 men of my acquaintance at Salt Lake City, who were 
 
350 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 children at the time, have told me of occurrences during 
 that period which would indicate an almost incredible 
 reign of lust and fanaticism. Divorce also became so 
 common that these marriages scarcely amounted to more 
 than promiscuQus-iotercourse. I met one woman who 
 had been divorced and re-married six times, and an old 
 Mormon once pointed out to me a woman who had 
 once been his wife," and "h'adTieeinr divorced and re-mar- 
 ried nine times. In iaumerouT instances a young^rl 
 would be married to some prominent elder, with whom 
 she would reside a few months, after which she would 
 be divorced and married to another and again to another, 
 " going the rounds," as the phrase was, of half a dozen 
 priests." 
 
 A general demoralization seemed to seize upon the 
 pommunity; vulgarity of language, both in public 
 address and private speech, became so common that 
 thousands of Mormons were themselves disgusted, and 
 a reaction set in against such excesses. It would seem 
 that Brigham also became alarmed at the tendency, 
 and, as he had been greatly annoyed by applications 
 for divorce, commenced exacting a heavy fee for the 
 service. The period of comparative starvation which 
 followed, during the winters of 1856-7, may have had 
 something to do with checking the prevailing tendency, 
 but certain it is, there has been no such general license 
 since. 
 
 The entrance of Johnston's army, too, indirectly pro- 
 duced a great effect ; stage and mail lines were fully 
 established; Utah was brought into much closer re- 
 lations with the rest of the world, a considerable Gentile 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 351 
 
 influence began to manifest itself, sources of information 
 were multiplied and polygamy began to be unpopular 
 with the young women of Utah. In this regard, then, 
 Mormon history may be divided into three periods : 
 
 I. The monogamic period:, from its origin till 1843, 
 during which time all their publications and sermons 
 were opposed to polygamy in their tone. 
 
 II.. The transition period: from 1843 till 1852, when 
 polygamy was secretly taught and extended, but openly 
 denied and condemned. 
 
 III. The polygamic period : from 1852 to the present, 
 in all which time polygamy has been avowed and de- 
 fended as an essential part of Mormon religion. The 
 third period might properly again be divided into an 
 era of rise and one of decline ; for it is evident that 
 polygamy culminated in all.j±s jsarst features as early 
 as 1856, since which, time jt has been_slowly on the 
 decline, and even without Government interference 
 would hardly have endured much more than another 
 generation. In these last statements I am aware that 
 I differ from some whose evidence carries the weight of 
 authority, particularly Judges Drake and Titus, and 
 other United States officials who have lately testified 
 before the Congressional Committee on Territories. 
 Nevertheless, such is my conclusion from a mass of evi- 
 dence given by persons both in and out of the Mormon 
 Church, and from a careful examination of the records. 
 That polygamy has declined in the last five years is 
 quite certain, from causes both within and without the 
 Church ; it is now almost impossible to induce a young 
 girl brought up in Salt Lake City, or the northern set- 
 
352 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 tlements, to enter that condition, and the instances of 
 plural marriage are confined almost entirely to young 
 women just brought from Europe. 
 
 Of their theology as it relates to polygamy, but little 
 need be added. It is so thoroughly grafted into and in- 
 terwoven with their whole system, that at no point can 
 one be touched without attacking the other. Polygamy 
 is not, as recusant Mormons assert, a mere additioh by 
 Brigham Young to the original faith ; it is a necessary 
 and logical outgrowth of the system. If Mormonism 
 be true, then polygamy is right ; for " pre-existence of 
 the soul," " progression of the gods," and all other pe- 
 culiarities of the system, depend by a thousand combi- 
 nations and inter-relations upon the plurality system. 
 A man's or woman's glory in eternity, is to depend upon 
 the size of the family ; for a woman to remain childless 
 is a sin and calamity, and she cannot secure "exal- 
 tation," as the wife of a Gentile or an apostate ; her 
 husband's rank in eternity must greatly depend upon 
 the number of his wives, and she will share in that 
 glory whatever it is. All this points unerringly to 
 polygamy. Hence, also, the last feature of this com- 
 plex and unnatural relationship, known as " spiritual 
 wives," which is to be understood as follows : Any 
 woman, having an earthly husband of whose final ex- 
 altation she is in doubt, may be "sealed for eternity'* 
 to some prominent Mormon, who will raise her and 
 make her part pf his final kingdom. In theory this 
 gives the Spiritual husband no marital rights, but, as 
 stated by Elder John Hyde, the noted apostate, "it 
 may well be doubted whether the woman who can pre- 
 
AND CHIMES OF MOKMONISM. 353 
 
 fer another man for her pseudo-eternal liusband, has 
 not fallen low enough to sin in deed, as. well as thought, 
 against her earthly husband." 
 
 By " marriage for the dead," living women are sealed 
 to dead men, and vice 'versa, some one "standing proxy" 
 for the deceased. Thus, a widow and widower may each 
 prefer their first partners " for eternity," but like each 
 other well enough "for time;" in which case they are 
 first sealed to each other "for time," then each, by 
 proxy for the departed " for eternity," thus requiring 
 three separate ceremonies to settle the temporal and 
 eternal relations of all parties, who may in turn be 
 divorced from either by Brighara Young and the Pro- 
 bate Courts. So a man may have a wife " for time," 
 who belongs to some man already dead " for eternity," 
 in which case all the children will belong to the latter 
 in eternity, the living man merely " raising up seed 
 unto his dead brother." To such lengths of vain 
 imaginings may a credulous people be led by artful 
 impostors. 
 
 23 
 
354 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 PRACTICAL POLYGAMT. 
 
 Opea evils and hidden sufferings— Miss S. E. Carmichael's testimony — 
 Mormon sophistry — The sexual principle — Its objects — Theory and facts 
 — Monogamist vs. Polygamist— Turk, Persian and African vs. the Chris- 
 tian White — The same effects in Utah — Jealousy and misery — Children 
 of different wives — Cultivated indifference — Hatred among children — 
 Brigham's idea of parental duty — Are the Mormon women happy ? — 
 Submission and silence — Degradation of women — Mormon idea of polite- 
 ness — Heber C. Kinlball and his "cows"— "My women ^' — Slavery of 
 sex — Moses and Mohammed outdone — Incest— Marrying a whole family 
 — Kobert Sharkey — Remorse and suicide— Uncle and niece — Bishop 
 Smith and his nieces — Mixture of blood — Horrible crimes — Half-brother 
 and sister — The Prophet " sold " — The doctrine of incest — " Too strong 
 now, but the people will come to it" — Now openly avowed — Brothers 
 and sisters to marry for a "pure priesthood" — Testimony of Wm. 
 Hepworth Dixon — Father and daughter may marry — Effects upon the 
 young — Infant mortality — Large average-mortality- Fatal blindness — 
 The growing youth — Demoralization — Youthful depravity — No hope for 
 young men and women — Sophistry and madness — Ancient sensualism 
 to be revived. 
 
 The worst period of polygamy has passed, but its 
 evil effects continue in full force to the present. At the 
 outset I meet with a difficulty in describing its greatest 
 evils. As formerly stated, the virtues of Mormonism 
 are all easily seen, while its vices are, as much as possi- 
 ble, hidden, and this is peculiarly the case^ with 
 polygamy. 
 
 We can see its evils in a political point of view, in 
 their laws, to some extent in their society, in the mix- 
 ture of population and the blood of near kindred; but 
 
AND. CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 355 
 
 who can enter into the penetralia of the affections, 
 weigh and estimate woman's anguish, count the heaiH> 
 drops of sorrow, and say, here is so much misery, or 
 there is so much resignation. 
 
 This last is by far the greatest evil of polygamy, and 
 though it may be felt, and to some extent seen, it can 
 never be described. 
 
 Miss Sarah B. Carmichael, now Mrs. Williamson, 
 who was reared at Salt Lake, says : " If I were a man, 
 as I am a woman, I would stand in the halls of Con- 
 gress, and cry aloud for the miserable women of Utah, 
 till the world should hear and know the wrongs and 
 miseries of polygamy." The Mormons argue that the 
 laws of nature, physical nature, point out polygamy as 
 the natural condition. There may be some argument 
 in its favor in the physical organization, but when we 
 come to the soul and mindj the mentality of woman 
 points unerringly to monogamy as her only possible 
 state for domestic happiness; and any system which 
 attempts to establish unity in the household by dividing 
 one man's care and affection among two or three women, 
 is founded upon a total misconception of the sexual 
 principle. For, why was that principle so deeply im- 
 planted in the human nature ? The Mormons would tell 
 us " for the one purpose only, that men might increase." 
 But a sound philosophy, and the history of mankind, 
 show that this is but one of many reasons, though 
 necessary and important, yet not all either of man's 
 duty or happiness. 
 
 In the nobler view this principle has at least three 
 manifestations, and three objects to fulfil. 
 
356 LIFir IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 First and lowest is a mere amativeness — ^the feeling 
 which the male animal has for the female — common to 
 man with the brutes. Its object is reproduction, its 
 nobler uses, the perpetuation of our species. 
 
 But far above this is a second division of the grfeat 
 principle, companionship, society, love of a congenial 
 associate. With it is connected the admiration for 
 beauty, grace and refinement, mutual help and protec- 
 tion, and. the interchange of kind offices. Its public 
 benefits are in the founding of families and establish- 
 ment of communities, anrf by it alone can the State be 
 established, on aught approaching sure foundations. In 
 this view then, marriage is not, as certain theorists 
 would persuade us, a matter strictly between the indi- 
 viduals; the State has the highest interest in its 
 regulation, and justly determines from the experience 
 of the past what is best for the stability of our institu- 
 tions. But he who should stop at this -point in the 
 inquiry would have at last but a poor and mean view 
 of the sexual principle or the marriage relation. 
 
 As man is not all animal, but also a member of a 
 family and community, one helping and needing help, 
 a citizen and a debtor to the public weal ; so he is not 
 all man, not all citizen, communist or worker ; he is, in 
 part, divine, he has a nature in common with the angels. 
 And in this deparment of his nature, the great principle 
 manifests itself as a high and holy affection, a pure re- 
 gard for what is pure, a silent adoration for that which 
 is di^e in the human ; its exercise and reward alike 
 are in a complete intercommunion of soul and inter- 
 change of pure aflfection. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 357 
 
 And its very essence is duality; a divided affection 
 is utterly at war with "that sweet egotism of the heart 
 called love," that divine selfishness of choosing one 
 being apart from all the world, perhaps the only form 
 in which selfishness is approved of God. And the 
 object of this principle is a higher development of the 
 whole man, male and female ; this is the most noble 
 object of the marriage relation, and by this alone is it 
 sanctified. Can the wildest fanaticism or most earnest 
 sophistry claim that aught of this can be found in the 
 polygamic order? The Mormon is but on&-third mar- 
 ried ; he has in such unions provided for but one-third, 
 and that the lowest, basest part of his nature. But, it 
 may be said, this last is only a theory. Let us then, 
 briefly examine a few facts. That this indicatidn is to 
 be followed rather than the other, is abundantly shown 
 by a comparative view of polygamous and monogamous 
 nations. The Indian and native African know nothing 
 of the softer sentiments which make life amiable and 
 agreeable ; to them woman is merely a superior beast 
 of burden ; they can purchase as many wives as their 
 means command, and are, by nature, habit and religion, 
 thorough-going polygamists. Coming a Uttle higher to 
 the partially civilized races, we find a great improve- 
 ment, but nothin'g like Christian ideas. The Hindoo 
 considers this such a poor world for women, that it is 
 thought no particular harm to drown a female infant, 
 though a heinous offence to thus dispose of a boy. The 
 same is true, to some extent, of the Persians, Turks, 
 and Mohammedan races, generally. Home, as under- 
 stood by us, is an unknown institution; the harem 
 
358 LIFE IN tttah; or, the mtsteeies 
 
 takes its place, and polygamous customs have destroyed, 
 to a great extent, the valor and energy of the men 
 and the attractive graces of woman. 
 
 In the march of progress, these nations are fast 
 falling behind and sinking beneath the hardy vigor of 
 Western Christians. History scarcely records an in- 
 stance where, an organized nation of monogamists has 
 fallen before polygamists. 
 
 The monogamic Greeks, with a httle army of forty 
 thousand men, overran all the proud empires of South- 
 em Asia ; the effeminate Persians and Hindoos could 
 not stand before the hardy valor of that people, who 
 held, as a fixed principle, that the dignity of woman is 
 the strength of the State. Monogamic Rome com- 
 pleted what Greece had begun, in destroying the power 
 of the Western Asiatics. For six hundred years the 
 honor and dignity of the Roman matron were the sub- 
 jects of unwearied praise, till Rome herself was corrup- 
 ted by the nations she had conquered. The reign of 
 the first Asiatic, who wore the Imperial purple, marks 
 the beginning of a great decline, and Rome, in turn, 
 fell before the hardy monogamists of Northern Eu- 
 rope. The Mohammedans easily overran Asia and 
 Northern Africa, but in Europe their course was soon 
 checked. The hosts of Abderahman melted like snow 
 before the stout amis of the German nations, who left 
 the plains of Poictiers covered with the corpses-of three 
 hundred thousand polygamists. 
 
 But it may be said these comparisons are unfair, as 
 setting civilized nations against semi-barbarians. But 
 this fact makes a better comparison impossible, that the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 359 
 
 lowest nation of monogamists is far above the highest 
 of polygamists. The white inhabitants of Utah are the 
 only branch of the Caucasian race that have adopted 
 polygamy within many hundred years. Of course we 
 would look for certain results there, and if not seen at 
 once, many woyld conclude that Utah was an exception 
 to the general rule. But it is to be remembered that 
 polygamy has ^een practiced among them but twenty- 
 seven years. Nevertheless it has shown a marked and 
 rapid tendency towards evil ; and in many of its features 
 probably worse than in any Mohammedan country. 
 
 The first result to be noted is a universal, and worse 
 than Moslem jealousy, both among men and women. 
 I have the testimony of dozens, brought up in the 
 midst of the system, and several of them children of 
 second wives, that such a thing as a harmonious family 
 of many wives is unknown in their acquaintance. 
 Others say there are such, but all admit they are rare. 
 I am speaking now of the women and young people's 
 testimony; the men will often claim .the contrary, 
 even when their own families disprove it. Among my 
 acquaintances in Salt Lake City is a young lady, who 
 is the daughter of a second wife, whose history illus- 
 trates this matter very forcibly. Her mother had lived 
 in polygamy for fifteen years, and finally became con- 
 vinced that it was as sinful as she had found it miserable. 
 
 The troubles of her mind brought on a mortal sick- 
 ness, when she called her daughter to her bedside, and 
 told her that she had lived in misery, and was dying 
 without hope ; that she was now convinced of her sin, 
 and only desired her daughter to escape from' it. 
 
360 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The daughter as required, took a solemn oath never 
 to enter polygamy. The mother told her to be firm, 
 and her mother's spirit would protect her. Soon after 
 she died, and the daughter left her father's house, at 
 the age of fourteen, to reside with a relative who had 
 apostatized, and though twice taken back, is now per- 
 mitted to live there unmolested. The father stands 
 high in the Mormon Church, and still has four wives. 
 During the first month of my stay in Salt Lake City, 
 the second wife of a well known Mormon left him, and 
 went to work in a hotel. After a short stay there, she 
 took her child and started to Montana, when the hus- 
 band took out a writ of habeas cot-pus for the child ; the 
 Sheriff overtook her thirty miles North, when, seeing 
 nim coming, she ran for the mountains, distant half a 
 mile. She was overtaken and the child torn away from 
 her, and brought to the city, which, of course, induced 
 the mother td return. She was going with some emi- 
 grants who dared not assist her, for fear of Mormon 
 vengeance. 
 
 Instances of like nature might be cited at will ; and 
 it is only too plain, that the system results in the utter 
 destruction of domestic love and harmony. The Mor- 
 mons themselves hesitatingly acknowledge, that the 
 " thing called love among the Gentiles" cannot exist 
 under their system ; but claim that they have instead, 
 a purer feeling of respect, support and friendship. 
 
 Hence, it is quite the custom among the Mormon 
 leaders, to speak of domestic affection and endear- 
 ments with a sort of sneer, or as something to be but 
 rarely indulged in, and rather unworthy of the manly 
 character. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 361 
 
 The Mormons claim that a man nmy love equally 
 half a dozen women, as well as a mother may the same 
 number of children, and that the women are satisfied 
 with this divided affection ; but that this is not, and 
 never can be the case, I need say to no one who 
 has the slightest knowledge of the female heart. For a 
 man to love six women, equally well, is manifestly im- 
 possible ; but it is possible for him to be equally indiffer- 
 ent to all. And to this does the teaching of the leaders 
 directly tend ; rather than create a jealousy, or show a 
 marked preference for one, they are to cultivate a mere 
 equal respect for all. Nor is it often possible for a man, 
 whose care and affection are divided between three or 
 four women of varying charms and tempers,- to rfegard 
 equally the children of all ; if he have common affec- 
 tion, the most affectionate child will become his favor- 
 ite, and engross his attention ; and thus jealousy, far 
 from being confined to adults, rages equally in the 
 bosoms of the young. This is seen and noticed in 
 almost every family, and the story of Jacob's partial- 
 ity, and his children's jealousy, is repeated every 
 day in the year. So greatly do these troubles mul- 
 tiply in the larger families, that in spite of their incli- 
 nation to secrecy, the parents are forced in bitterness 
 of soul to make known their grievances. 
 
 In one sermon, preached while I was at Salt Lake, 
 Brigham Young made this remark : " The women are 
 every day complaining of what they have to suffer in 
 plurality. If it's any harder on them than it is on the 
 men, God help them. Many of them seem to think a 
 man in plurality has nothing to do but listen to their 
 
362 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 troubles, and run at their beck and call. ' I believe I 
 have wives that would see me damned rather than not 
 get every little furbelow they want." 
 
 But the smaller families are happy in comparison, 
 and it is within the walls of the larger harems, accord- 
 ing to all reports, that the demon of jealousy reigns 
 supreme. Female nurses of Salt Lake say that it is no 
 uncommon thing, in the better class of polygamous 
 households, for a child to be bom to one wife and all 
 the others to remain sullenly in their rooms, unless 
 specially called, apparently without interest or concern 
 for the result. 
 
 At first view it seems incredible that any woman 
 should be indifferent under such circumstances ; and 
 yet we can readily understand that a woman would be 
 far from pleased at the birth of a child which was her 
 husband's, but not hers. Froni the torment of such 
 feelings there is no refuge but in a cultivated indifference, 
 and such seems to be the ideal of all thorough Mormons 
 ia regard to the affections. 
 
 Brigham Young himself is personally one of the 
 coldest of men. According to one who knows his 
 habits, he usually sleeps alone, in a small room behind 
 his office ; and a woman who lived many years in his 
 family, tells me she never saw him caress or pet but 
 one of his children. In speaking to one of my Mormon 
 acquaintances, Brigham gave the following as his idea 
 of fatherly duty : " I pay no attention to the children, 
 but leave that to their mothers, according to the' law of 
 nature. The bull paj/s no attention to his calves." 
 
 In this sentence is embodied the social perfection of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 363 
 
 polygamy, as it will be "when the Lord has healed the 
 Saints of all their old Gentilish traditions." The ques- 
 tion will, of course, be asked : Are the Mormon women 
 happy ? It must be remembered that only one-third or 
 one-fourth of all the women in Utah are in polygamy, 
 either as first or subsequent wives; and, as to the rest, 
 there is no particular cause for unhappiness from that 
 source, except th^ constant dread that their husbands 
 will take additional wives. These exceptions noted the 
 testimony, as far as it can be had, is universal, that Mor- 
 monism is a " hard faith for women." Again, it may be 
 asked : What do the women say about it ? Generally, 
 they say nothing. It is " sound Mormon doctrine," 
 that the "first duty of a woman is submission, and the 
 second silence ;" and, certainly, the majority of Utah 
 women would gain heaven on those conditions. The 
 most noticeable fact to a Gentile traveling through 
 Mormon settlements is the strangely quiet way in 
 which women discharge their household duties. 
 
 They stand behind the guest at the way-side hotel, 
 replenish the table and attend upon his wants, but 
 never enter into the conversation, venture not the 
 slightest observation or inquiry, and very rarely answer 
 his questions in anything more than monosyllables. 
 And those questions are few, for it is almost, if not 
 quite, ajcapital crime in the Mormon code to "intiriefe 
 with our womm,''- -Such principles and such practice 
 can tend only to the degradation of woman ; and this I 
 note as the second great evil of polygamy. To Eastern 
 minds it is quite impossible to convey a full comprehen- 
 sion of the many ways, the thousand little expressions, 
 
364 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 the tone of public and private manners, and the daily 
 incidents in which is manifested this general lack of 
 respect for women. This is so marked that it is a com- 
 mon subject of talk, even among themselves. Said a 
 young Mormon woman, who had just mafried a Gentile, 
 to me : "I don't know half a dozen men here who really 
 respect their wives. It is a constant wonder to us, the 
 way the Gentiles treat their women." 
 
 I have often been amused at the appearance of their 
 young women who were attending Gentile balls for the 
 first time. That a gentleman should bow so reverently 
 to his partner, that he should offer a lady his arm just 
 to cross the room, that he should esteem it a pleasure 
 rather than a favor, to bring a glass of water or the 
 like, seems to excite their amazement. Social lines 
 were closely drawn the winter of my stay in Salt 
 (Lake, and no young woman could venture to associate 
 with the Gentiles, without losing her standing among 
 Mormons entirely. Still, many found their way into 
 Gentile society, though if they persisted in it, they 
 were usually "cut off and dis-fellowshiped" by the 
 Church authorities. 
 
 The fanaticism of the Mormons is so great that 
 they consider a woman "lost" if she associates with Gen- 
 tile men ; it is concluded at once that she can have no 
 pure motive in so doing, and among their own people 
 they possess the power to ruin a woman's character 
 entirely. An old Mormouj at whose house I visited 
 occasionally, seldom failed to give me his views of the 
 absurdity of our common ideas of woman. His favorite 
 style was to give me a burlesque representation of our 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 365 
 
 mode of addressing ladies, and when he got warmed 
 up on the subject, it was highly amusing to see him 
 skip about the room, hat in hand, bowing, and grimacing 
 to the chairs, and imitating the dandified address 
 of an exquisite. Most of the polygamists habitually 
 speak of their wives as " my women," and in his 
 jocular moments, while preaching, the late Heber C. 
 Kimball often spoke of his facetiously as " my cows." 
 
 I must say, however, that all of this is not due to 
 polygamy, but much of it to the women themselves. 
 Nearly all of them are of foreign birth, English, Welsh, 
 Scotch and Scandinavian, and of that class, too, among 
 whom men have never been accustomed to respect wo- 
 men very highly. I am sure polygamy could not have 
 been established in a purely American community, and 
 the Mormons themselves say that all the trouble and 
 opposition comes from the American or Irish wives, 
 though there are but. few of the latter. 
 
 But the vileness of Mormon polygamy, which gives 
 it infamous pre-eminence over that of Jews, Turks and 
 Hindoos, is yet to be described, and consists in the 
 grosser forms of incest, the intermarriage of near rela- 
 tions. In their general revolt against the ethics of 
 Christendom, and attempt to found a society upon the 
 most primitive models, they have disregarded alike the 
 laws of Moses and Mohammed ; and if they have any 
 example in modern times, it must be in the Utes and 
 Shoshonees who surround them. To marry a mother 
 and one or more of her daughters is even thought 
 meritorious ; and the Mormon authorities often advise 
 a man to marry sisters, as they usually agree better 
 than others. 
 
366 LIFE IN" UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Robert Sharkey, a merchant of Salt Lake City, 
 married three sisters, one of whom was divorced from 
 her first husband to marry him. They all lived in one 
 house, and quite happily, it is said, for several years, 
 when in some strange manner they all became con- 
 vinced that polygamy was wrong. One of the sisters 
 started East, but soon returned and endeavored to make 
 some arrangement for him to put away the other two. 
 There were difficulties in the way, and Sharkey's 
 trouble was so great on the subject that his mind be- 
 came disordered, and in August, 1868, he committed 
 suicide by shooting himself through the head. The 
 widowed sisters still live together, and are determined 
 opponents of polygamy. Two of Brigham Young's 
 favored wives, Clara Decker and Lucy Decker Seely, 
 are sisters, the second having been the widow of Dr. 
 Isaac Seely, of Nauvoo, Illinois. One family within 
 my knowledge consists of two men and four women, 
 the men's first wives being sisters, and their second 
 wives each a sister of the other man, all living in one 
 house.- Or to state it mathematically : A and B, first 
 marry sisters, then A marries B's sister, and B A's 
 sister. Here is no marriage of blood relations, and yet 
 it looks like a terrible mixture somewhere. 
 
 The question arises for lawyers : Suppose each of the 
 women to have children, what akin are they respec- 
 tively ? And which of them could lawfully marry 
 according to Leviticus and Chancellor Kent ? If polyg- 
 amy continues, these mixtures are nothing to what 
 must take place in the next generation, for without a 
 chemical analysis no "heraldry. Harvey " could ever 
 
AND CBIMES OF MORMONISM. 367 
 
 succeed in finding the consanguineous circulation, to 
 say nothing of the collateral. As it now is, it seems 
 as if half the children in the city are related in some 
 way or other to the Kimballs, the Pratts or the 
 Youngs, and many to all three. If it stopped here, 
 some faint excuse might be made ; but the marriage of 
 uncle and niece has occurred often enough to establish 
 it as a Mormon 'custom. Bishop Smith, of Brigham 
 City, numbers two of his own brother's daughters among 
 the inmates of his harem, " sealed " to him by Brig- 
 ham Young, with a full knowledge of the relationship ; 
 and in the southern settlements several such cases exist. 
 As already stated, polygamy is- but a mild aflfair north 
 of Salt Lake City, compared with the southern settle- 
 ments ; and in the latter are found all the worst fea- 
 tures of Mormohism. There the bishop is absolute, 
 spiritual guide, temporal governor and social tyrant; 
 there are collected the most ignorant and degraded of 
 the foreign converts ; the doctrines of Mormonism coin- 
 cide fully witlt the people's natural habits of thought ; 
 respect for woman, who is practically a slave, is a thing 
 unknown, and the marriage of near relatives is so com- 
 mon that to remark on it would itself be considered re- 
 markable. The marriage of first cousins is common, 
 but I have heard of no case of aunt and nephew. The 
 following affair seems too horrible for belief among any 
 people in America ; but is as well proved as any fact 
 can be by human testimony, particularly that of the 
 woman herself who went out of the Territory with a 
 military expedition fitted out under General Connor. 
 Some sixteen years ago, a young Scotchman came to 
 
3fi8 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Salt Lake City in company with his half sister^ who 
 commenced keeping house for him. After a time he 
 went to Brigham and professed a desire to marry the 
 girl, citing the example of Abraham and his half sister 
 Sarai. Brigham owned there was something in it. 
 Abraham was an example in favor of polygamy, and 
 why not in this ? He finally sent for the girl, and find- 
 ing her handsome and lively, solved the problem by 
 marrjdng her himself; the half brother yielded to the 
 Prophet's superior claim, and all was well. But in a 
 few short weeks the lady's delicate condition showed 
 too plainly that the amorous half brother had anti- 
 cipated marital rights, £|,nd Brigham found himself in a 
 fair way to have an heir de jure that was not de san- 
 guine. Here was a problem. It would never do for 
 the Prophet to acknowledge himself "sold," so he 
 sent for the brother, told him he had reconsidered 
 the matter, divorced the woman from himself, and 
 delivei;ed her to the brother, who dutifully received 
 her from the arms of the Prophet. She lived with 
 her half brother a few years as his wife, and bore 
 him three children, but finally saw the degradation 
 of her position, and left for the States, This man 
 still resides in Salt Lake City, is a prominent 
 citizen, and' seems to have neither blame nor shame 
 attached to him. When I first heard of this and other 
 instances of like nature, and heard the horrible doctrine 
 of incest attributed to the Mormons, I could not but 
 think it an invention of some bitter enemy of the sect ; 
 but since then I have heard it fully avowed by the 
 same prominent Mormon, whose testimony is given in 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 369 
 
 chapter ninth. Referring to the cases above, he said : 
 " That is the law of God under the new dispensation. 
 Things are allowed under one dispensation which are 
 not under others. As it was with Abel and Abraham, 
 so it will be again. The day will soon come, when 
 brothers and sisters will marry. Shouldn't I prefer 
 my own blood to any other? Don't I love my own 
 blood best?" Still another Mormon avers, that "to 
 have a pure priesthood, we may in time have to follow 
 the example of the doves in their nest, as Christ meant 
 it to be understood." This doctrine was first advanced 
 by Brigham from the pulpit several years ago, but was 
 received with such undisguised manifestations of sur- 
 prise and disgust, that he ceased to pursue it further, 
 closing with the remark : " Well it's a little too strong-: 
 doctrine for you now ; but the time will be, when you 
 will take it in fully." Since then the subject has gen- 
 erally been avoided " at head-quarters," but cannot be' 
 altogether denied. Brigham has never favored but 
 one Gentile with his views on the subject, viz. : Wm:. 
 Hepworth Dixon, who gives the following statement in 
 his late work entitled " New America : " 
 
 " Perhaps it would not be too much to say that in- 
 the Mormon code there is no such crime as incest, and; 
 that a man is practically free to woo and wed any 
 woman who may take his eye. 
 
 "We have had a very strange conversation with Young, 
 
 ahout the Mormon doctrine of incest. I asked him 
 
 whether it was a common thing among the Saints to 
 
 marry mother and daughter; and, if so, on what au^- 
 
 24 
 
370 LIFE IN UTAH ; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 thority they acted, since that kind of union was not 
 sanctioned, either by the command to Moses or by the 
 'revelation' to Smith. When he hung back from ad- 
 mitting that such a thing occurred at all, I named a 
 case in one of the city wards, of which we had obtained 
 some private knowledge. 
 
 " Apostle Cannon said that in such case, the first mar- 
 riage would be only a form ; that the elder female 
 would be understood as being a mother to her husband 
 and his younger bride, on which I named my example, 
 ■ and in which an elder of the Church had married an 
 English woman, a widow, with a daughter then of 
 twelve ; in which the woman had borne four children 
 to this husband ; and in which this husband had mar- 
 ried her daughter when she came of age. 
 
 "Young said it was not a common thing at Salt Lake. 
 
 " ' But it does occur ?' 
 
 " ' Yes,' said Young, ' it occurs sometimes.' 
 
 " On what ground is such a practice justified by the 
 church?" After a short pause, he said, with a faint 
 and wheedling smile : ' This is a part of the question 
 of incest. We have no sure li^ht on it yet. I cannot 
 tell you what the church holds to be the actual truth; 
 I can tell you my own opinion ; but you must not pub- 
 lish it — ^you must not tell it — lest I should be misunder- 
 : stood and blamed.' 
 
 "He then made to us a communication on the nature 
 of incest, as he thinks of this offence and judges it; 
 but what he then said I am not at liberty to print. As 
 to the facts which came under my own eyes, I am free 
 ito speak. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 371 
 
 " Incest, in the sense in which we use the word — ^mar- 
 riage within the prohibited degrees — ^is not regarded as 
 a crime in the Mormon Church. 
 
 " It is known that in some of these saintly harems, the 
 female occupants stand to their lords in closer relation- 
 ship of blood than the American law permits. It is a 
 daily event in Salt lake City for a man to wed two sis- 
 ters, a brother's widow, and even a mother and daugh- 
 ter. In one household in Utah may be seen the spec- 
 tacle of three women, who stand toward each other in 
 the relation of child, mother and grand-dame, living in ■ 
 one man's harem as his wives ! I asked the President, 
 whether, with his new lights on the virtue of breeding 
 in and in, he saw any objection to the marriage of bro- 
 ther and sister. Speaking for himself, not for the 
 Church, he said he saw none at all. What follows, I 
 give in the actual words of the speakers : 
 
 "D. — ' Does that sort of marriage ever take place ? ' 
 "Young. — ' Never.' 
 
 " D.— ' Is it prohibited by the Church ? ' 
 " Young. — ' No ; it is prohibited by prejudice.' 
 " Kimball. — ' Public opinion won't allow it.' 
 " Young. — ' I would not do it myself, nor suffer any 
 one else, when I could help it.' 
 
 " D. — 'Then you don't prohibit, and you don'tpractise 
 it?' 
 
 " Young. — ' My prejudices prevent me.' 
 
 " This remnant of an old feeling brought from the 
 
 Gentile world, and this alone, would seem to prevent 
 
 the Saints from rushing into the higher forms of incest. 
 
 How long will these Gentile sentiments remain in force V 
 
372 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 " ' You will find here,' said Elder Stenhouse to me, 
 talking on another subject, ' polygamists of the third 
 generation; when the^e boys and girls grownup, and 
 marry, you will have in these valleys the true feeling 
 of patriarchal life. 
 
 " ' The old world is about us y^t ; and we are always 
 thinking of what people may say in the Scottish hills 
 and the Midland shires.' " 
 
 Morally the reader may be shocked, but logically he 
 should be prepared for all this ; for if we are to restore 
 a line of prophets and follow the example of the patri- 
 archs, then incest and polygamy are from the same high 
 source. The examples of Abraham and Sarai, half 
 brother and sister ; of Lot and Judah and earlier wor- 
 thies are to be repeated. As one Mormon said to me, 
 "the world could never have been peopled without 
 this practice, and the foremost nations of antiquity 
 maintained it ; " and it is darkly hinted at Salt Lake 
 that father and daughter may form an allowable union. 
 And why not? If "the souls in the spirit world 
 wait earnestly for tabernacles," to furnish them is a 
 mere mechanical act, and may be performed by one .per- 
 son as well as another. 
 
 Thus polygamy, incest and blood atonement grow as 
 naturally from Mormon theology as three branches from 
 the same stock. 
 
 The mind revolts from the pursuit of these disgusting 
 details, and to the credit of the Mormon people be it 
 said, they are far from being universal in approval of 
 these later doctrines. 
 
 Will it be credited after all this that the Mormons 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 373 
 
 claim to be the most virtuous people in the world ? Yet 
 such is the fact j and they never weary of pointing to 
 the prostitution of our great cities, claiming that it is 
 their appointed destiny, to remove all such evils, and 
 make woman universally pure. This, then, is the self- 
 proclaimed task of Mormonism : to save a few by re- 
 ducing all to a level ; to abolish prostitution by legaliz- 
 ing concubinage • to promote conjugal purity by multi- 
 plying the husband's temptation and opportunity, and 
 to improve the condition of woman by making her a 
 mere life-giving machine. 
 
 Perhaps the most saddening feature of Mormon polyg- 
 amy, is j Ee effect itjias had upon the young. The 
 medico-theologians of Utah claim that polygamy tends 
 to a more rapid increase of population, as well as to the 
 physical and moral improvement of the species. The 
 former claim may well be questioned, and that the latter 
 is a serious mistake, is plain to any unprejudiced 
 observer. 
 
 Salt Lake City already shows its bad effect on the 
 oflfspring. The site is forty-three hundred feet above 
 the level of the sea, in a dry and bracing climate, equally 
 free from extremes of heat and cold ; and consequently 
 it should be one of the healthiest cities in the world. 
 
 Exactly the reverse is the fact. The death rate, of 
 all ages, was for years a little more than twice that of 
 the State of Oregon, and greater than that of New 
 York, or any city north of the Gulf States. When we 
 come to children, the disparity is still more frightful. 
 
 By actual statistics it is shown that the mortahty 
 among children was,~1oFmany years, greater in Salt 
 
374 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Lake City than any other in America, and the death- 
 rate of Utah only exceeded by that of Louisiana. The 
 Mormons have greatly exaggerated the population of 
 the city, which really contains a little less than eighteen 
 thousand souls, and in this small number the sexton's 
 report for October, 1868, the healthiest month in the 
 year, and my first in the city, gives the interments at 
 sixty, of which forty-four were children. Last year was 
 unusually healthy, and yet the death rate exceeds that 
 of any other State or Territory west of the Mississippi. 
 The Mormons explain this by saying that their people 
 are generally poor and exposed to hardships, but much 
 of that poverty is directly traceable to their religion. 
 Another sad fact is the general neglect of medical care, 
 or rather a general tendency tp run to wild and absurd 
 schemes of doctoring. They claim that " laying on of 
 hands and the prayer of faith " will heal the sick, and, 
 yet, no people within my knowledge are so given to 
 " Thomsonianism," "steam doctoring," " yarb medicine," 
 and every other irregular mode of treating disease. 
 
 One day, during my residence there, three young 
 children died in the seventeenth ward of scarlet fever. 
 In neither case was a physician called; the Bishop 
 came and "laid on hands with the holy anointing," 
 and an old woman treated two of them with a mild 
 palliative, such as is used for a sore throat. If the 
 patients live after such treatment, it is a " miracle ;" if 
 they die " it is the will of the Lord." Two-thirds of the 
 polygamists do not and cannot attend properly to their 
 children. 
 
 The bishop of one ward, the fourteenth, has thirty 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 375 
 
 children living, and nearly twenty dead. Joseph Smith 
 had a dozen spiritual wives ; but three sons survived 
 him — all of his legal wife. 
 
 When Heber Kimball was alive there were five men 
 in the city who had together seventy wives ; they had, 
 all told, less than a hundred and fifty children. 
 
 A Mormon grave-yard is the most melancholy sight 
 on earth. One Ijishop of the city has seventeen children 
 buried in oile row, and the longest grave is not over four 
 feet. If these men have but the common feelings of 
 humanity, how fearfully are they punished for the 
 crime of polygamy ! Brigham's children are generally 
 healthy, except that the girls mostly have weak eyes, 
 and two of them are nearly blind ; but they are well 
 fed, housed and clothed. But such is the exception, 
 and I could mention a dozen men whose houses are full 
 of women, but their children are in the grave. 
 
 The Asiatic institution was never meant to flourish 
 on American soil, and has resulted here in a " slaughter 
 of the innocents," which is saddening to contemplate. 
 As only the most hardy survive, they generally grow 
 up robust and active ; but the efiects of their social bias 
 are seen in a strange dullness of moral perception, a 
 general ignorance and apparently inherited tendency to 
 vice. If the testimony of Oscar Young, of the oldest 
 son of the Elder Stenhouse mentioned above, and of 
 numerous other young Mormons, can be relied on, 
 youthful demoralization certainly begins at an earlier 
 age in Salt Lake than in other places. In many cases 
 of poor men in polygamy, the husband, two wives and 
 their children occupy the same room; in many in- 
 
376 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 stances the husband and two wives have but one bed, 
 and when we consider the scenes and conversation to 
 which these children are witnesses, it would seem that 
 no exalted ideas of purity could ever enter their minds. 
 Taken from school at an early age, or only permitted 
 to enter it at all during a few winter months, they are 
 often put in extreme youth to herding cattle on the 
 " bench," or beyond Jordan ; there they hear the slang 
 of older youths, and from hearing learn to repeat, observe 
 and imitate ; demoralization spreads and moral decay 
 seizes upon tke very bloom of youth. 
 
 From what they so often hear at home, they become 
 precociously prurient and premature observers of the 
 brute creation ; and from personal observation and the 
 testimony of many young Mormons, I am convinced 
 there is no part of America where youthful vice, of the 
 peculiarly destructive, and degrading kind, prevails so 
 extensively as in Salt La,ke City. And this is but a 
 natural result ; for polygamy is tenfold more unnatural 
 with such a climate and race than in Southern Asia or 
 Africa. 
 
 Strange and paradoxical it is that in a barren land 
 and temperate or harsh clime, they have succeeded in 
 setting up a practice which social philosophy had de- 
 cided to belong only in regions of abundance, in 
 voluptuous climes where soft airs incline to sensual 
 indulgence. 
 
 Stranger still, in the attempt to found a purely 
 religious community, they have begun by utterly re- 
 versing every idea which the experience of three thou- 
 sand years had proved to be valuable ; and in the very 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 377 
 
 inception of a young society, which was to be fresh, 
 vigorous and pure, have adopted the worst vices of an 
 old and worn out civilization. But to them, these 
 arguments are idle ; " the mouth of the Lord hath comi 
 manded it ;" and it is theirs not to study results but to 
 leave it with the Lord : so, beholding all around them 
 the furious revenges of nature on those who violate her 
 most important Jaw, they shut their eyes to these facts 
 and pronounce them false; and bearing in their own 
 bodies the effects of physiological sin, impiously claim a 
 divine sanction to violate the laws of nature. 
 
 When, leaving the mere youth we come to young men 
 and women, we observe two curious effects of polygamy. 
 Thei first is a growing tendency to single life ; polygamy 
 to some extent necessitates celibacy, for the number of 
 the sexes being about equal, even in Utah, if one man 
 marries two wives, some other man must do without his 
 one. Polygamy is in fact the worst kind of robbery, 
 and for the twelve young women whom Heber C. Kim- 
 ball married after reaching Utah, some of them not over 
 eighteen, twelve young men must remain single. 
 
 This tendency is now greatly on the increase, 
 particularly among the girls, and it is a common 
 remark with them that they will never marry till 
 they can leave the Territory. And this accounts in 
 part for the second, a general desire among the un- 
 married to get away and settle out of Utah. The 
 world would be surprised at the constant losses to 
 their population from this source; there has been 
 for years a constant leak from the territory in every 
 direction, and in one sermon I heard Brigham 
 
378 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Young enumerate a score of places in Califiirnia, Nevada, 
 "Washington and Oregon, settled entirely by recusant 
 Mormons. In spite of a steady immigration from 
 ' Europe of from one to four thousand per year, it is stUl 
 a debatable question whether the Mormons have gained 
 faster than by natural increase for the last five years. 
 
 Indeed, Utah offers but few inducements for a young 
 Mormon, if he possess more than average intelligence or 
 enterprise ; and such, it will generally be found, make 
 their way to some other locality. Much has been 
 claimed by the Mormons for the virtue of their young 
 women, and more said against it by some of their oppo- 
 nents. From the best evidence at my command I think 
 their virtue will average as well, or nearly so, as that 
 of any very poor and ignorant people ; but the fatal 
 error of the Mormons is in allowing for no virtue ex- 
 cept that by constraint and constant watching. No 
 dependence whatever is placed upon the innate moral 
 sense, and apparently no effort made to cultivate or 
 strengthen it ; it is not supposed that virtue is founded 
 in aught but dread, and every thorough going Mormon 
 acts as if he expected his daughters to go wrong the very 
 first opportunity. 
 
 The jealousy of the men is even greater than that of 
 the women. Nine-tenths of them take it for granted 
 that a Gentile can have nb good purpose in addressing 
 a Mormon girl ; and it is not uncommon to hear a Mor- 
 mon say, "I wiU shoot any Gentile I see walking with 
 my daughter." 
 
 It must be confessed, they have some foundation for 
 this harsh judgment, as in former years hundreds of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 379 
 
 Gentiles merely came there to winter, and often left 
 their wives in the spring ; and it is a sad fact that of 
 all the women who have left the Mormons, the majority 
 have turned out badly. When the California volunteers 
 left there, they took off a great many with them, of 
 whom the majority were not married. The Mormons, 
 of course, attribute this to the immoral character of the 
 Gentiles ; but i* is plainly attributable to their system 
 of forced virtue^ by means of constraint and constant . 
 watching. "The virtue that must be guarded is not 
 worth the sentinel ; " and these girls, who have been 
 brought up in such strictness and seclusion, with the 
 idea that none of their Mormon companions would 
 dare attempt their virtue, are but poorly prepared to 
 encounter the seductive arts we know to be common in 
 the Gentile world. If there is ■ such a thing as trust 
 between the sexes in Utah, I have witnessed no mani- 
 festations of it ; society has already assumed the same 
 air of jealous distrust so often remarked among the 
 Moslems, while austerity and reserve are considered 
 the noblest graces of woman. 
 
 It is gratifying to state, however, that the grossness 
 of sentiment and language which prevailed ten years 
 ago, is slowly yielding to something better, and plain 
 spoken as the Mormons now are, they would hardly 
 listen quietly to the indecent harangues once so com- 
 mon from Heber C. Kimball. Though they constantly 
 insist that they care nothing for the Gentile world, and^ 
 will not be moved by its opinions, yet the Mormons 
 are being slowly improved in spite of themselves ; they 
 have adopted Sunday schools, daily papers, and lyce- 
 
380 LIFE m UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 urns from the Gentiles settled among them, and a more 
 healthy sentiment is struggling weakly against the tide 
 of corruption. But with all present mitigating features, 
 polygamy still remains the "foulest blot upon America's 
 fame, and the Mormons still defy every law of God and 
 man in their doctrines, and, to some extent, in their 
 prficticef. Such, in brief, is Mormonism. While all the 
 world is striving to move on to a higher, more spiritual 
 plane of religious truth, they have turned back to the 
 gross forms and symbols of the time when religion was 
 in its infancy. It is as though the old mathematician 
 should throw aside his acquired learning, and go back 
 to the sticks and balls with which he learned to count. 
 While the Christian world is rejoicing, that Christ has 
 freed us "from the yoke which our fathers were not 
 able to bear," they go back two thousand years, and 
 seek all their examples from a barbarous age and a 
 stiff-necked and rebellious people. And their practice 
 is Uke their faith. Claiming a religion which will 
 elevate men to gods, they plead for examples the base 
 instincts of the brute creation ; with snow in sight the 
 year round, they pattern their domestic life after that 
 of inter-tropical barbarians, and vainly hope to produce 
 the vigor of hardy North-men from the worst practices 
 of effeminate Asiatics. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 381 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE MORMON THEOCRACY. 
 
 Absolutism— An ancient model — Three governments in Utah — Church 
 officials— First President— First Presidency—" The worst man in Utah " 
 —Quorum of Apostles—" The Twelve "—A dozen men with fifty-two 
 wives— President of Seventies— Patriarch— " A blessing for a dollar "— 
 Bishops— Division of the City and Territory — Their magisterial capacity 
 High Council — Judge and jury — Ward teachers — The confessional— The 
 priesthood — Aaronic and Melchisedec — Evangelists — Secret police or 
 " Danites " — Civil government only an appendage — Excessive power of 
 the Mormon Courts — Perversions of law and justice — Organic Act de- 
 fective — Federal Judges — Their weakness and disgrace — Verdict by 
 ecclesiastical "counsel" — Verdicts dictated from the pulpit — Probate 
 Judges really appointed by Brigham Young — ^Voting system — Marked 
 ballots — "Protecting the ballot" — The Hooper-McGroarty race — Plu- 
 rality of offices as well as wives — Tyranny of the Church — The Mormon 
 vs. the American idea — The evils of which Gentiles complain. 
 
 In government, as in doctrine and practice, the Mor- 
 mons have adopted the most ancient model. But it 
 was not quite possible even for them to entirely ignore 
 the popular element, hence they have pieced out their 
 theocracy with a shred of universal suffrage, proving 
 themselves eclectic in politics as well as theology. 
 Government in Utah is to be viewed in three relations, 
 or rather, there are as many distinct governments : — 
 
 I. The recognized and openly adsnowledged ecclesi- 
 astical government of the Mormon Church. 
 
 II. The secret and irresponsible government operated 
 by a few of the leading men. 
 
382 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 III. The Territorial government, which was for years 
 but the mere convenient machind of the Church, and 
 has but lately stood forth in anything like its intended 
 character. 
 
 For the success of such an institution as Mormonism, 
 it was absolutely necessary' there should be a recognized 
 priesthood^ through which channel alone, all commands 
 from heaven should come. If any man who " felt the 
 moving of the Spirit" was at liberty to prophesy, 
 prophets would soon cease to have any honor. It was 
 necessary, too, that this priesthood should bear com- 
 plete rule, and to this end an ignorant laity was neces- 
 sary. These conditions have all been filled, and the 
 Mormon Church stands forth complete as a theocratic 
 absolutism. I present in the order of their rank, the 
 various ofl&cers of the Church, and the duties connected 
 
 with them. 
 
 Fii©T President. 
 
 This officer stands at the head of all the affairs 
 of the Church, temporal and spiritual, financial and 
 priestly ; he alone has the power of " sealing," though 
 in some cases he may delegate it, and he only is ac- 
 knowledged revelator. This office, first filled by Joseph 
 Smith, is now held by Brigham Young, who is "Prophet, 
 Priest, Seer, Revelator in all the world. First President 
 and Trustee-in-trust of the Church of Jesus Christ of 
 Latter-Day Saints," and doubtless ex-officio the reposi- 
 tory of any other needed office or power. 
 
 To consider him in all these roles* would exceed my 
 
 * Those who are curious to learn more fully of Brigham Young, 
 and his wives and children, will find this with much other valuable 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 383 
 
 present space; his various powers will appear more 
 fully in the course of the work. Suffice it to say, that 
 as Prophet, h'e holds the " keys of the kingdom," and 
 without his permission none can enter the Church or he 
 saved,; as Revelator, he unfolds to the people the will 
 of God concerning them ; as Seer, he is warned to avoid 
 any danger which may be in the future for him or his 
 people, and, as Eriest, he " seals ", men and women for 
 eternity. In temporal matters he is equally absolute. 
 As President, he orders all the concerns of the Church, 
 appoints new bishops and elders, and determines the 
 political bearings of the community; as Trustee-in- 
 trust, all the title to the Church property is in his 
 name, he buys, sells,, and conveys it with no fixed sys- 
 tem of rendering accowfht, and as Treasurer of the Per- 
 petual Emigrating Fund, his draft alone can be honored 
 where the funds are on deposit. He claims and is 
 acknowledged by his followers, to be the Supreme 
 PontijBf of the world in all spiritual matters, and 
 entitled to the obedience of all Mormons. 
 
 True, there are various parties now rising up among 
 the Mormons, who claim that the President is entitled 
 to their obedience only within certain limits ; but they 
 are generally held as heretics, " governed by an apos- 
 tate spirit," and all " good Mormons " claim that they 
 are bound by the orders of the Prophet, even to matters 
 of life and death. The doctrine has lately been still 
 more authoritatively declared by -the First President 
 
 information, in the ably written and only authentic work on the sub- 
 ject : The Mormon Pbophet and His Harem, Written by Mrs. 
 C. V. Waite. Printed at the, Biverside Press, Cambridge, 1866. 
 
384 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 and hig Counselors, that " it is apostasy to differ with 
 the Priesthood — though ever, so honestly — a man may 
 honestly differ, and go to hell for it." If there is any 
 limit to his power, it is not apparent to the Gentile mind. 
 
 THE FIRST PRESIDENCY. 
 
 This consists of the First President and his First and 
 Second Counselors, George A» Smith and Daniel H. 
 Wells. The first place was formerly filled by Heber C. 
 Kimball, who died a short time before I entered the 
 Territory, and at the ensuing Conference, Smith was 
 chosen to the place. These last also have thp title of 
 President, they are the Lieutenants and Prime Ministers 
 of the President to do all his commands, and are autho- 
 rized to act in various capacities in his absence. In ad- 
 dition George A. Smith is Church Historian, and Dan- 
 iel H. Wells is Mayor, Justice of the Peace and Lieu- 
 tenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion. He seems to 
 bear about him less of the ecclesiastical character than 
 his colleague, and is generally denominated 'Squire 
 Wells ; but he is probably the worst man in the Hier- 
 archy, being both a half-crazy fanatic and a blood-thirsty 
 bigot. 
 
 QUORUM OF APOSTLES. 
 
 The body third in importance in the Church is the 
 College or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They 
 come much nearer to the people than the First Presi- 
 dency, as the whole Mormon territory is nominally di- 
 vided between them, and it is their duty to inspect 
 their various districts and see " that each stake is set 
 in order." Individual Apostles are often put in charge 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 
 
 385 
 
 of foreign missions, sent away to edit newspapers or 
 magazines, or to preside over some newly selected 
 "stake" of the extending settlements, in either of 
 which cases, another Apostle is chosen in place of the 
 absent. Thus there are sometimes as many as fifteen 
 acting Apostles, fcut only the Twelve are entitled to 
 seats in the Quorum at one time. 
 
 I present the Jist as it stood during my residence in 
 Utah, and as an Apostle's dignity, like that of most 
 other officers, depends largely upon the number of his 
 wives, I give their number also : 
 
 Okson Hyde, 
 
 First Apostle, 
 
 Five "Wives, 
 
 Orson Pratt, 
 
 Second " 
 
 Four 
 
 
 John Taylor, 
 
 Third " 
 
 Seven 
 
 
 WiLFORD Woodruff, 
 
 Fourth " 
 
 Three 
 
 
 Joseph F. Smith, 
 
 Fifth " 
 
 Three 
 
 
 Amasa Lyman, 
 
 Sixth " 
 
 Five 
 
 
 Ezra Benson, 
 
 Seventh " 
 
 Four 
 
 
 Charles Rich, 
 
 Eighth " . 
 
 Seven 
 
 
 Lorenzo Snow, 
 
 Ninth " 
 
 Four 
 
 
 Erastus Snow, ^ 
 
 Tenth " 
 
 Three 
 
 
 Franklin Richards, 
 
 Eleventh" 
 
 Four 
 
 
 George Q. Cannon, 
 
 Twelfth " 
 
 Three 
 
 
 Ezra Benson died last summer, and his place had not 
 been supplied when I left Utah. With the exception 
 of John Taylor the Apostles are reported to be poor 
 men ; Orson Pratt particularly is in very moderate cir- 
 cumstances, and Orson Hyde has the reputation of 
 being " an inveterate beggar," in an ecclesiastical way, 
 of course. 
 
 25 
 
386 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 PRESIDENT OF SEVENTIES. 
 
 This office appears to rank next to that of an Apos- 
 tle, and arises as follows : The great working body of 
 male Mormons is divided into seventy Quorums, each 
 having nominally seventy members, though, in reality, 
 they range everywhere from ten to seventy. Each has 
 a President and these, collectively known as the 
 Seventy, constitute a grand missionary board, which 
 has the general control of all matters connected with 
 propagating the faith. These seventy Presidents have 
 also a President, filling the office under consideration. 
 These offices have no special rank in the Church, as an 
 Apostle or leading elder may be but a lay member in 
 this order. 
 
 PATRIARCH. , 
 
 I place this office fifth in rank because, though of 
 great sanctity and honor, it is entirely spiritual, con- 
 ferring no power. His business is merely to grant "bles- 
 sings," written out and signed by him. The usual fee 
 therefor is one 'dollar, and the " blessings," as far as I 
 have read any of them, consist of vague and general 
 promises that the recipient will " be blessed if faithful." 
 The first Patriarch, in the Church was " Old Father 
 Smith," or Joseph, father of the Prophet, who was suc- 
 ceeded by the latt«r's brother Hyrum, he by "uncle" 
 John Smith, cousin of Joe, and he in turn by William 
 Smith, son of " Hyrum the martyr." To hold this 
 office the only qualifications which seem necessary, are 
 
AKt) CRIMES OF MORMONISM, 387 
 
 that one should be an " uncle " and a Stnith, neither of 
 which is liable to fail for some time 
 
 BISHOPS. 
 
 We now consider purely temporal officers, a set of 
 men who direct municipal regulations and are, as occa- 
 sion demands, either officers of the Church or Civil 
 Magistrates. O&'these the most important is the bishop. 
 Salt Lake City is divided into twenty-one wards, each 
 of which has a bishop, and the entire Territory is in 
 the same manner .conveniently divided into wards with . 
 a bishop over each. They " hear and determine " all 
 complaints, and as they are, under the peculiar statutes 
 of Utah, also Probate Judges in their respective counties, 
 they govern Gentiles in that character. Thus, as 
 spiritual guide in all matters of dispute among members 
 of his flock, and "civil magistrate, in all cases where 
 Gentiles are concerned, the bishop is equally "master 
 of the situation," and fully apprized of whatever is 
 going on. Hence, also, his character as informer. 
 From his decision as Judge the Gentile may appeal to 
 the Superior Court, at Salt Lake City ? from his epis- 
 copal adjudications the Mormon can appeal to the 
 
 HIGH COUNCIL. 
 
 This body is composed of fifteen men, chosen from 
 the High Priests. Twelve act as a jury, of whom a 
 majority decide the case, and the other three pass 
 sentence, or fix the damages and costs. From this 
 tribunal there is an appeal to the First Presidency. 
 The bishop is assisted in his labors by the 
 
388 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 "WARD TEACHERS. 
 
 Their duty is to visit all the people in their ward, 
 report all suspected persons, catechize every one as to 
 personal feeling, belief,, etc., to report all irregularities, 
 heresies, false doctrine and schism, and generally to 
 act as spies and informers. _ On these visitations every 
 person is obliged to formally subscribe to all the doc- 
 trines of the Church, and many misdemeanors and 
 even criminalties are hushed up in the ward where 
 they occur, without the slightest knowledge thereof 
 being made public. Hence much of the reputation for 
 good order, claimed by the Mormons. In one instance, 
 which came to my knowledge, an atrocious rape, com- 
 mitted upon a girl thirteen years old, was not known 
 outside of the ward where it occurred until one year 
 after, and it would probably not have been then made 
 known, had not the father of the girl apostatized. In 
 many cases boys of fifteen' years fill the place of 
 Teacher, and are required to report the doings of their 
 fellows. All Mormons are solemnly sworn to keep no 
 secrets from the Teachers, and on their monthly visits 
 to each family these have the right to see each person 
 alone, and hold a. strict and nasty " confessibnal." 
 This, with the " Danite " or secret police system, makes 
 of Mormon society a united and tyrannized whole. 
 
 THE PRIESTHOOB. 
 
 Thus far I have treated rather of the temporal 
 offices,* but all officiating Mormons are divided into 
 two bodies — The Aaronic and the Melchisedec Priest- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 389 
 
 Twod. The latter is the superior, and in many respectsf 
 includes the former ; it is both spiritual and temporal, 
 while the former is exclusively temporal A High 
 Priest of the Melchisedec order may always officiate in 
 place of an Aaronic Priest ; but without special ordaiu- 
 ment, the latter is always confined to temporal affairs. 
 All the higher officials belong to the Melchisedec order. 
 The High Priaet ranks next to the Apostle, and after 
 him some order of Elders,- below whom are simple 
 Priests and ordinary Elders. In these different ranks 
 all Mormons are Priests of some sort, and in religious 
 cant speak of themselves as " Kings and Priests of the 
 most High God." 
 
 EVANGELISTS. 
 
 These, as the name implies, are propagandists. The 
 name seems to indicate a kind of work rather than 
 specific rank or office. 
 
 Such is the recognized ecclesiastical polity of the 
 Church. But lest this should not prove effective in all 
 cases, or some should grow restive under such restraint, 
 the Church has often used an order of secret police, 
 popularly known as "Danites." This order was first 
 instituted during the troubles in Missouri ; it was re- 
 modeled in the third or fourth year of their residence at 
 Nauvoo, and has been continued since. By some of the 
 Mormons its existence is denied, by others defended on 
 the score of self-protection. That thousands of honest 
 Mormons are ignorant of and do not believe in its exist- 
 ence, I am well aware ; but that it " has been, and to 
 some extent is yet, an active working force, is as clearly 
 
'390 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 proved as any fact can be. From the nature of the case 
 but little can be known of its secret organization ; its 
 work plainly appears in the course of Mormon history. 
 
 With all their ecclesiastical organization, both public 
 and private, much would have remained beyond their 
 power to compass without a civil government ; and the 
 manner in which they have used it, merely to further 
 Church policy, is a singular comment on the forbearance 
 of a republican government. 
 
 The most common perversion of right^ and yet the most 
 is difficult to be comprehended by residents in the East, 
 the peculiar manner in which the laws and local courts of 
 the Territory are made an engine of tyranny in the hands 
 of the ruling oligarchy. Like every other territory, 
 Utah has Federal District Courts and local Probate 
 Courts ; but unlike any other State or territory in the 
 Union, the powers and jurisdiction of the latter are 
 made superior to those of the former. Section 29, page 
 31 of the Territorial Statutes, gives the Probate Courts 
 general jurisdiction in all matters, civil and criminal ; 
 while section 1 of an "Act in relation to Bills of Divorce 
 and Alimony," gives the Probate Courts exclusive juris- 
 diction over all such cases, thus making them superior 
 to the Federal District Courts in such matters, and 
 equal to them in every other respect. 
 
 All this in opposition to the fact that the Organic 
 Act of Utah gives the Legislature no power to build up 
 such local courts, and in other territories this matter 
 has been settled by appeal to the Supreme Court, and 
 by its decision the Probate Courts limited to probate 
 matters and a very limited civil jurisdiction. But the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 391 
 
 Organic Aot provides that the Probate or County Courts 
 shall have " such jurisdiction as shall be prescribed by 
 law," and from this loose wording the Legislature claims 
 the right td give them jurisdiction over all subjects what- 
 ever. This anomaly in the judicial system is not with- ' 
 out good cause. The District Judges are United States 
 officials, and are supposed to be supporting the national 
 authority; theJ*robate Judges are simply the bishops 
 or elders in the different counties, over whom Brigham's 
 power ,is absolute. In former days, Brigham divorced 
 whomsoever he saw fit, on his own motion, and on pay- 
 ment of a fee of ten dollars. He boasted once in a 
 sermon, that he made enough this way, " by their 
 d — d foolishness, to keep him in spending money." But 
 of late years it has been thought best to give some at- 
 tention to forms of law ; and now, though parties must 
 first be divorced by Brigham, or a special deputy within 
 the Church law, yet, after that, they must have a legal 
 divorce in the Probate Courts. Of course, it never hap- 
 pens that Brigham's wishes are disregarded in the 
 Probate. But this is their own affair ; it is with their 
 criminal jurisdiction that Gentiles have to do. A case 
 which occured in a southern settlement, while I was in 
 Utah, illustrates in so forcible a manner their style of 
 getting rid of obnoxious citizens, that I set it forth entire. 
 In 1860, a lad of that district, of more than ordinary 
 intelligence, left for California, where he remained for 
 eight years, when he returned home with a consider- 
 able amount of money, and of course, with no disposition 
 to submit to the exactions of Mormonism. His parents 
 being Mormons, and that his native place, he properly 
 
392 LIFE IN UTAH; OK,' THE MYSTERIES 
 
 belonged to the class known as " hickory Mormons " or 
 " Come-outers." "With plenty of money, and being 
 well dressed, he went' into all their dances and social 
 parties, became a great favorite with the Mormon 
 girls, did not hesitate to express his opinion about the 
 bishops and elders, and, in short, his example was, as 
 the bishop said, "d — d demoralizing." One evening 
 he accompanied a Mormon's daughter from the village, 
 to her home in the country. On their way was a nar- 
 row ravine, about half way between two houses which 
 were just a furlong apart. They remained some min- 
 utes in this hollow, and were afterwards seen chatting 
 for half atn hour at her father's gate. One week after- 
 wards he was arrested on a charge of rape ! He was 
 first taken before a magistrate, where he demanded a 
 jury of twelve men, and was by them unanimously ac- 
 quitted. Then the Bishop of the settlement, also a 
 Probate Judge, issued a bench warrant, pronounced all 
 the proceedings before the magistrate void, brought the 
 young man before himself, and by the aid of her father, 
 absolutely forced the girl to testify against him, and 
 upon evidence that would have been laughed out of 
 court in any State, pronounced him guilty, and sen- 
 tenced him to the penitentiary for ten years ! He was 
 started at once for the prison iti Salt Lake City, but 
 managed to inform Judge Strickland, a lawyer of the 
 city, who succeeded in having him brought before Chief 
 Justice Wilson, of the District Court, by writ of habeas 
 corpus, where the girl refused to testify to anything 
 criminating him, and he was released. This atrocious 
 perversion of legal principles, is practiced all over the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 393 
 
 country settlements by these bishops — -judges, who are 
 directed in their proceedings by " authority," and use 
 their offices to drive out, or scare a-vyay all " Corae- 
 outers" or recusant Mormons. If the accused is brought 
 to Salt Lake City, the United States officials are often 
 able to interfere ; but no matter how plain and direct 
 the evidence, as in the case above, nine-tenths of the 
 Mormons merely think it another case, in which a vile 
 criminal is let loose upon them by Gentile Judges. 
 
 As might be expected,, the Brighamites are very 
 tenacious of this great power 'in their hands, and 
 threaten and bluster whenever it is questioned. In a 
 case tried before Chief Justice Wilson, the power of the 
 Probate Courts was put in issue, and on the 20th of 
 November, 1868, when this case was argued, Z. Snow, 
 a Mormon lawyer, and Attorney-General for Utah, said : 
 "If his Honor decided against such jurisdiction, blood 
 would flow in the streets of this City." From the 
 known character of Judge Snow, it is highly probable 
 he never would have made such a statement but by 
 express direction from Brigham Young. The statement 
 was made in open court, in presence of the entire bar of 
 the city, and a few moments after consultation with his 
 associate counsel, also a Mormon. The plain meaning 
 of this was, that the Brighamites intended to obey the 
 law only when construed in their favor, but otherwise 
 to evade it, and, when safe, try violence. Fair notice 
 was thus given to all- officials to yield, or be crushed. 
 Judge Snow" also said that, until within a few years, 
 " United Sta,te Judges had not resided here but a very 
 small portion of th^ir time, though he did not know 
 why." 
 
394 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 This hint opens to rememhrance a melancholy view 
 of the dishonor to our Government through its officials 
 in Utah. Not that Brigham Young has tried violence 
 in many cases. He is far too. wary for that. Brute 
 force is the last resort of a really astute mind, like that 
 of Brigham. Chicane is his natural weapon, and with 
 it he has completely circuxiivqnted t^e majority of the 
 judges; assisted too often by the imbecile appointments 
 from the time of Fillmore until Lincoln's Administration. 
 The first judge, Perry E. Brochus, was incautious in his 
 attacks upon polygamy, and, having been led to believe 
 that his life was in danger, left the Territory. Another 
 official was detected in immorality, and resigned to 
 avoid exposure; another disgraced his office by taking a 
 prostitute upon the bench with him ; another impaired 
 his efficiency by secret drinking; and still another 
 allowed himself to be completely entrapped by two of 
 Brigham's "decoy women." One of these delinquents 
 was followed into Weber Canon by a self-appointed, 
 committee of "Mormon boys," and received at their 
 hands a severe castigation. 
 
 It is a prime principle of the Mormon faith that their 
 affiiirs ought not to come before a Gentile Court at all ; 
 and if they must go there in a case where a Gentile is 
 interested, the. jury should.be governed by "counsel" 
 in making up their verdict. But there seem to have 
 been restive spirits, even in the most palmy days of the 
 Church -government, who were often chastised from the 
 Mormon pulpit, as witness the following from a sermon 
 delivered in the Tabernacle by Jedediah M. Grant, one 
 of Brigham Young's councilors, on Sunday, March 2d, 
 1856 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 395 
 
 " Last Sunday the President chastised some of the 
 Apostles and Bishops who were on the grand jury. 
 Did he fully succeed in clearing away the fog that sur- 
 rounded them, and in removing blindness from their 
 eyes ? No ; for they could go to their room and again 
 disagree, though to their credit be it said, a little explar 
 nation made them unanimous in their action. But 
 how is it with the little jury? Some of them have 
 got into the fog to suck down the words and eat the 
 filth of a Gentile court, ostensibly a court in Utah." 
 This extract gives a sufficiently clear idea of the jury 
 system in Utah, and from all that has yet appeared the 
 attempt to enforce any Federal statute by Mormon ju- 
 ries, would simply amount to a solemn farce. To ren- 
 der the matter worse, these Bishop-judges are not 
 elected by the people, but under the provisions of the 
 Judiciary Act, are appointed by the Territorial Legis- 
 lature, which means in effect by Brigham Young ; 
 thus the Judiciary are as completely under his man- 
 agement as the officers of the ecclesiastical organization. 
 One might think there was still some chance for the 
 people in voting, and many arg inclined to ask : If 
 there is dissatisfaction, or opposition to Brigham Young's 
 government, can it not make itself felt in the elections ? 
 Even this outlet is eflfectually barred by the following 
 Section of "An Act ' regulating elections," passed in 
 January, 1853 : 
 
 " Each elector shall provide himself with a ballot 
 containing the names of the persons he wishes elected, 
 and the offices he would have them fill, and present it 
 neatly folded to the judge of the election, who shall 
 
396 LIFE m UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 number it and deposit it in the ballot-box. The clerk 
 shall then write the name of the elector and opposite 
 thereto the number of his vote." 
 
 With a sarcasm which is almost amusing, the Mormon 
 leaders call this a measure " to protect the freedom and 
 purity of the ballo,t." Thus artistically do they abolish 
 the free vote while they retain the ballot. " Thus," 
 says the English Captain Burton, their apologist, "they 
 retain the privilege of voting, while they avoid the 
 evils of universal suffrage; subjecting, as it always 
 should be, the ignorant many to the supervision of the 
 intelligent few." 
 
 Under this system, Brigham Young's emissary can 
 go into any precinct in the Territory and discover just 
 how any man has voted at any election for the last 
 fifteen years ! And with this ignorant people, alive to 
 spiritual terrors, and knowing too well what temporal 
 trouble ma?/ be brought upon them, it is plain that the 
 opposition must be in a majority before it can venture 
 to make itself known. It cannot make a start to con- 
 solidate. It may be worthy of note here, that all the 
 officers of the Mormon Church are proposed for re-elec- 
 tion or rejection, twice every year, at the General 
 Conferences, thus apparently tempering this theocratic 
 absolutism with universal suflfrage, women voting as 
 well as men. But only three instances have been 
 known of persons daring to vote against the known 
 wishes of the Hierarchy ; and in each case the offenders 
 were promptly cited before the High Council and re- 
 quired to explain, in default of which they were " cut 
 off" as being in a "spirit of apostasy." Practically, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 397 
 
 one man in each settlement or ward might just as well 
 do all the voting. The Church puts her ticket in the 
 field, and the bishop directs the people to vote it, which 
 they do accordingly. 
 
 On one memorable occasion, it is said, a sort of 
 spiritual rebellion occurred in the Utah Lake district, 
 where many American converts reside, and the opposi- 
 tion candidate Jo the Legislature was elected. On 
 reaching Salt Lake City the successful candidate was 
 simply " counseled " to resign, did so quietly, and the 
 regular nominee was declared entitled to the seat. 
 "Three years ago the Jews, Gentiles, Apostates and re- 
 cusant Mormons of the Thirteenth Ward, in the city, 
 found they had a majority, as nearly all of these classes 
 in the city lived in that ward. They elected Bishop 
 Wooley, a good Mormon, however, for Councilman, 
 against the regular nominee. The Bishop was at once 
 cited before Brigham, promptly resigned according to 
 "counsel," and the other candidate was admitted to 
 the seat. 
 
 When the celebrated and somewhat amusing Hooper- 
 McGroarty race, for delegate to Congress, took place, 
 hundreds who would have voted for an available Gen- 
 tile nominee, but who regarded McGroarty's candidacy 
 as a mere burlesque, did not vote at all ; consequently 
 that gentleman. received less than two hundred votes, 
 while, as the Mormons did their best. Hooper received 
 some fifteen thousand. It is yet a standing joke in 
 Utah to repeat portions of McGroarty's speech, prepared 
 to" be delivered before Congress ; he employed a lawyer 
 to write it for him, and while committing it to memory, 
 
39S LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 he could never talk teli minutes with a friend without 
 running into his speech, assuming an oratorical manner, 
 and the plural number, as if addressing Congress. 
 
 The evils of this system of voting are numerous, be- 
 sides the immense power it gives a few leaders ; but one 
 is particularly noticeable, the number and variety of 
 ofl&cea held by the same man. In the town of Fillmore, 
 the old capital, at one time one man held the offices of 
 County Clerk and Recorder, Town Clerk and Justice of 
 the Peace, Assessor and Collector of Internal Revenue, 
 and ex officio Overseer of the Poor. While I was in 
 Salt Lake City, one Robert T. Burton was Collector of 
 Internal Revenue for the Territory, Sheriff of the County, 
 Assessor and Collector pf Territorial and County taxes, 
 'and a General in the Nauvoo Legion ; besides being a 
 prominent elder in the Church, the husband of three 
 wives, and one of the chiefs of the secret police. This 
 Burton is the man who led the posse to capture the 
 Morrisites, a sect of recusant Mormons, and, according 
 to his own account, shot four of those people after their 
 surrender, and his continuance in the revenue office was 
 a damning blot upon the Johnson administration in 
 Utah. He is in appearance 
 
 "The mildest mannered man 
 That ever scuttled ship or cut a throat." 
 
 But if there is truth in one-fourth the private memoirs 
 of apostates, he is a most cruel and blood-thirsty bigot; 
 All the various civil officers are at the same time 
 leading dignitaries in the Mormon Church, active 
 agents of its will, chosen to their civil position solely 
 on that account; they consider the latter far inferior in 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 399 
 
 importance, and, in fact, subordinate in policy td their 
 Church dignities, and knowing little, if any, law, they 
 are guided by ecclesiastical authority and " counsel." 
 
 Let one travel wherever, he will througl^ the outer 
 settlements, he rarely if ever hears the people speak of 
 the Probate Judges as judges ; it is always " the bishop 
 decided so and so." With them he is always acting in 
 his character as Jjishop, never as judge. Nor need We 
 be surprised at this; it is the natural conflict under 
 such a system, between the theocratic, the ecclesiastical, 
 and the popular, the democratic and laical. The Ameri- 
 can idea is that power is derived from the people, is 
 merely delegated to the officer, and rests upon the just 
 consent of the governed. The Mormon idea is exactly 
 the reverse : power and authority come from above and 
 operate downward through all the grades ; the official 
 is not responsible to those below him — to them he is 
 the voice of God — but to those above him ; from them 
 he derives his authority, and to them he must render 
 an account. 
 
 In the words of a Mormon polemic, " It is not con- 
 sistent that the people of God should organize or be 
 subject to man-made governments. If it were so, they 
 could never be perfected. There can be but one perfect 
 government — that organized by God; a government 
 by apostles, prophets, priests, teachers and evangelists ; 
 the order of the original Church, of all churches acknowl- 
 edged by God." I am thus minute in my statements, 
 because so many people in the East have an idea that 
 polygamy is the only great evil of Mormonism. There 
 are many evils felt more than that; in fact, polygamy 
 
400 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 in itself is but a slight annoyance to the Gentile resi- 
 dents of Utah. 
 
 Mormonism was an unmitigated evil before they had 
 polygamy ; the priests ruled the ignorant people with 
 spiritual terrors, and that made them dangerous neigh- 
 bors and troublesome citizens wherever they Hved. 
 Probably some of these other evils grew out of or have 
 been strengthened by polygamy, but that of itself 
 troubles other residents very little. It is that the Terri- 
 tory is ruled by a Church, that civil and legal measures 
 are carried by ecclesiastical policy rather than law ; that 
 residents, not Mormons, are subjected to all the annoy- 
 ances of petty tyranny; that in their business and 
 social life they are constantly subjected to the secret 
 espionage of the Church ; that they are hampered in 
 business by church hostility and the imposition of ex- 
 cessive taxes ; that friends and fellow-countrymen have 
 been secretly murdered, and the Church prevents them 
 from obtaining justice ; in short, they are exposed to 
 the tyranny of an unopposed majority, and that majqrity 
 controlled by a small and compact hierarchy, working 
 out its Star-chamber decrees against liberty by secret 
 and, to the people, irresponsible agents. 
 
 It is this that grinds the feelings of American citizens, 
 not polygamy, though that is a great moral and social 
 evil. The Mormon people as a mass are naturally dis- 
 posed to deal justly, but, unfortunately, the people are 
 ciphers, and it seems to be the policy of their leaders to 
 keep them in a constant state of irritation • and hostile 
 feeling towards all outsiders, and to the Government of 
 the United States. 
 
 Thus it is the union of Church and State, or rathei 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 401 
 
 the absolute subservience of the State to the Church, 
 the latter merely using the outside organization to carry 
 into effect decrees already concluded in secret council, 
 that makes Mormonism our enemy. Missouri and Illi- 
 nois found, at dear cost, that no State could tolerate a 
 church exercising an absolute temporal jurisdiction, with- 
 in the State, but independent of and often hostile to it; 
 dominating and directing the action of courts within its 
 influence, subverting free institutions, and exercising' a 
 greater right over the consciences of its subjects than is 
 claimed by the laws of the State. In short, it is not 
 the social, immoral, or polygamic features that so chiefly 
 concern us, but the hostile, the treasonable and the 
 mutinous. The law against polygamy should be strictly 
 enforced, as every other law of the Government ; but 
 it is idle to say, as so many do, that that is the only 
 objection to the Mormons, or to the admission of Utah 
 as a State. If polygamy were blotted out to-morrow, 
 we could never admit Utah in her present condition. 
 Such a State organization would be opposed to every 
 principle of our political structure, and our Constitution 
 was never meant to recognize the temporal government 
 of a church. Happily the present Administration have 
 recognized many of the needs of Utah, and begun by 
 removing all polygamists and Mormon sympathizers 
 from office, filling their places with good men. Much 
 remains to be done by the Executive and Congress, but 
 it is gratifying to note that something of a reform has 
 set in, and that Utah is no longer what it was through 
 three Administrations, " the Botany Bay of worn-out 
 politicians." 
 
 26 
 
402 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 RECUSANT SECTS OP MORMONS. 
 
 Repression not unity — Great break up at Nauvoo — Sidney Rigdon's Church 
 — J. J. Strang — Cutler, Brewster, and Heddrick: "The Gatherers" — 
 The "Truth-teller." — Lyman Wight in Texas — San Bernardino Mor- 
 jQons — Apostasy, Spiritualism and insanity — Brigham supreme in Utah 
 — First Secession, the "Gladdenites" — Persecution and murders — Blood- 
 atonement introduced — Second secession, the "Morrisites" — War with 
 the Sect — Massacre of the "Morrisites"— Governor Harding's adven- 
 ture — General Connor protects the recusants — Soda Springs — Another 
 Prophet — The "infant Christ" — Beginning of the Josephites — Emma 
 and her sons— The "Reorganized Church" — First Mission — Mission of 
 the "Smith Boys" — Excitement at SaltLake— Priestly lying— The God- 
 be Schism — Liberal principles — Hopeful indications — After Brigham, 
 Who ?— Orson Hyde ?— Daniel H. Wells ?— George A. Smith f— Probable 
 future of the Church. 
 
 But all this hedging about with officials, and double- 
 lock of civil, ecclesiastical and secret governments, has 
 not always held the Mormons in perfect unity or pre- 
 vented schism and revolt. Perfect conformity in re- 
 ligion can only be secured by the rack, the stake, 
 and the dungeon of the inquisition ; Mormonism carried 
 within its bosom the germs of disintegration, long 
 latent though they might be, and the original organizar 
 tion has from time to time given rise to no less than 
 twenty-five sects, ites and isms, of which six or seven, 
 besides the main branch under Brigham, still preserve 
 a sort of moribund existence. Like the non-juring 
 bishops of Anglican history, secession once begun con- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 403 
 
 stantly repeated itself; the recusant and deposed 
 priests in turn denounced and deposed all who ques- 
 tioned their prophetic right, and each of the sects 
 solemnly points to all the others, as blind and erring 
 apostates, whose feet are treading on the straight line 
 to hell. During the life of Joe Smith there seem 
 to have been no organized secessions, though many 
 apostasies The .living oracle could be consulted, with 
 no dispute as to the meaning of his words ; Joe Smith 
 Mormonism was true or none was, and there was no 
 other alternative. But his death cut off the source of 
 infallible interpretation, and opened the way at once 
 for a variance in doctrine. Some account has already 
 been given of the struggle for succession, and it only 
 remains to briefly note the course of the diverging sects, 
 in the ever shifting phases of their pseudo-theology 
 and protean forms of error. Of all the scattering sects 
 no other had a leader with the executive ability, 
 the iron nerve, and the cruel, reinorseless ambition of 
 Brigham Young; and, in consequence, as fast as they 
 came in contact with purer faiths, most of their 
 organizations dissolved and fell away. 
 
 Sidney Rigdon led a large colony, and that of the 
 best material, to Pennsylvania; but there was not 
 sufficient ignorance in the laity or secretive cunning in 
 the leader, and little by little they scattered among the 
 Gentiles, a few only, with Apostle Wm. Marks at their 
 head, returning to the Brighamite Church, from which 
 they afterwards turned away to young Joe Smith. J. 
 J. Strang had multitudinous revelations, that Wisconsin 
 was to be the next "gathering place" of the. Saints, 
 
404 LIFE IN UTAH J OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 and a few thousand followed him to the unsettled por- 
 tion of that new State. He afterwards settled the 
 remnant on Beaveir Island, in Lake Michigan, and 
 maintained some organization till his death ; no prophet 
 arising after him, some of his flock went "hunting for 
 Zion " in lOwa and Missouri, some went to Salt Lake, 
 more went back to the "re-organized Church" at Piano, 
 Illinois, and many went crazy. 
 
 The small party which followed "William Smith, only 
 surviving brother of the Prophet, to Northern Illinois, 
 soon dissolved. Elder Brewster took another party 
 to Western Iowa, and Bishop Heddrick, a considerable 
 sect into Missouri, both of which fell to pieces on the 
 death of the leaders ; but the remnants have lately got 
 together under a new prophet, and formed the sect 
 known as " Gatherers." They are attempting to gather 
 and settle again in Jackson County, and are numerous 
 enough to have an organ called " The Truthteller" a 
 weakly periodical, published in Western Missouri. 
 Bishop Cutler also led oiF a small party in Northern 
 Iowa, and after his death most of them returned to the 
 " Re-organized Church." 
 
 When the Church set out from Nauvoo, the Apostles 
 issued orders to Elder Sam Brannan, then in New 
 York, to proceed with a party by sea to their intended 
 destination in California. He accordingly sailed soon 
 after in the ship Brooklyn, with a body of two hundred 
 and forty-six foreign converts, and $60,000 in gold, the 
 property of the Church ; but, arriving at San Francisco 
 (then Yerba Buena), when the country was first at- 
 tracting attention, he, and most of his party, apostatized 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOHMONISM. 405 
 
 and remained there. He invested thei Church funds in 
 real estate, and became one of San Francisco's wealthi- 
 est citizens ; but has since repaid the money to the 
 Church with interest. 
 
 Soon after, Bishop Lyman Wight led another large 
 party to Texas, where they increased greatly, and were 
 for some years highly prosperous. They at first ac- 
 knowledged allegiance to the Twelve Apostles, but 
 when Brigham took the reins they grew restive ; when 
 polygamy was avowed, Wight solemnly "cut-off" the 
 Salt Lake Mormons, and no long time after, was him- 
 self cut off by death, and his flock scattered for want 
 of a shepherd. 
 
 Soon after the founding of Sg,lt Lake City, a large 
 colony of Mormons was also established in San Ber- 
 nardino County, California ; but they were too far from 
 headquarters, to be governed either by Apostles or " Dan- 
 ies," and soon became entangled in the politics and public 
 interests of the State. Orders were issued for their 
 return to Utah, a few obeyed, and the remainder " lost 
 the spirit and fell into apostasy." But it is a fitted fact, 
 that ninety-nine out of a hundred who have believed 
 Monnonism for ten years, are ever after unfit for any 
 sensible faith ; appstates from Mormonism are generally 
 infidels or visionaries, Millenarians, Adventists or Lu- 
 natics; and the San Bernardino schismatics, in a body, 
 embraced Spiritualism. From the unseen world a reve- 
 lation was received, that a youth of one of the old Mor- 
 mon families would in time be called as a prophet, and 
 unite the whole Chuch ; but unfortunately the young 
 man died soon after, and San Bernardino was left with- 
 
406 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 out a prophet. A few returned to the parent organi- 
 zatioii, and a few to the "Re-organized Church;" insanity 
 prevails to an amazing extent among the remainder, 
 who long contributed from twelve to twenty additions, 
 per year, to the insane asylum at Stockton ; and it is 
 reported, that institution now contains a hundred of 
 the sect, and would have five hundred more if it were 
 not full. 
 
 Deducting all preliminary secessions, nearly 20,000 
 followed the Twelve Apostles from Nauvoo, of whom 
 less than 10,000 ever reached Utah. Throughout 
 their Iowa pilgrimage bands and parties fell away like 
 sparks from a flying meteor, and almost every " stake " 
 soon became a village of recusant Mormons ; Garden 
 Grove,, Mount Pisgah, Council Bluffs, Florence and 
 Columbus were originally settled by these apostates, 
 and considerable bodies gathered to Nebraska City, 
 Omaha and other river town's. Dr. Isaac Gall and died 
 in extreme poverty in Iowa, and nearly all the old 
 Nauvoo allies of Joe Smith ended their days in the 
 gutter, the penitentiary or the poor house. But thou- 
 sands of those who had honestly embraced Mormonism, 
 and abandoned it only when convinced of the im- 
 posture, became valuable citizens among the Gentiles. 
 
 In all these branch organizations there was no 
 isolation from the world, no repressive power, and no 
 one man to seize the reins and drive ruthlessly forward, 
 regardless alike of the sufferings of his people and the 
 lives of his enemies; hence, inherent weakness in- 
 creased, and they fast decayed. But in Utah Brigham 
 was absolute; he had perfect isolation, and talent 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 407 
 
 without the troublesome adjunct of a conscience, and 
 there despotism has been a success. Nevertheless, 
 even in Utah there have been no less than four distinct 
 and organized attempts to throw off the yoke of Brig- 
 ham, and " return to a more perfect faith." None of 
 these bodies have professed a desire to break up the 
 Church, only to purify it. 
 
 The first was by the sect known as " Gladdenites." 
 It will be remembered that Gladden Bishop was con- 
 demned at Nauvoo ; but he soon after came hsrA to 
 the Church, and other recusants were beginning to 
 return, when, in 1852, polygamy was avowed, and to 
 this and other new features the Gladdenites were 
 opposed. Their mission in Salt Lake City was headed 
 by one Albert Smith, from Saint Louis, and seems to 
 have made sufficient progress to stir up the Brighamites, 
 who have left about the only history we have of the 
 Sect in Utah. The following extract from a " sermon" 
 by Brigham will clearly indicate how this movement 
 was crushed : - 
 
 " I will ask. What has produced your persecutions 
 and sorrow ? "What has been the starting-point of all 
 your afflictions ? They began with apostates in your 
 midst; those disaffected spirits caused others to come 
 in, worse than they, who would run out and bring in 
 all the devils they possibly could. That has been the 
 starting-point and grand cause of all our difficulties, 
 every time we were driven. I am coming to this place, 
 — I am coming nearer home. ... Do we see 
 apostates among us now ? We do. 
 
 " When a man comes right out like an independent 
 
408 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 devil, and sajs, ' Damn Mormonism and all the Mor- 
 mons,' and is off with himself to California, I say he is 
 a gentleman by the side of a nasty, sneaking apostate, 
 who is opposed to nothing but Christianity. I say to 
 the former, ' Go in peace, sir, and prosper if you can.' 
 But we have a set of spirits here, worse than such a 
 character. When I went from meeting last Sabbath, 
 my ears were saluted with an apostate, crying in the 
 streets here. I want to know if any one of you who 
 has got the spirit of Mormonism in you, the spirit that 
 Joseph and Hyrum had, or that we have here, would 
 say, ' Let us hear both sides of the question. Let us 
 listen and prove all things.' What do you want to 
 prove ? Do you -vYant to prove that an old apostate, 
 who has been cut off from the Church thirteen times 
 for lying, is anything worthy of notice ? ' I heard that 
 a certain picture-maker in this city, when the boys 
 would have moved away the wagon in which this 
 apostate was standing, became violent with them, say- 
 ing, ' Let this man alone ; these are Saints that you are 
 persecuting.' [Sneeringly.] 
 
 " We want such men to go to California, or anywhere 
 they choose. I say to those persons, ' You must not 
 court persecution here, lest you get so much of it you 
 will not know what to do with it. Do not court 
 persecution.* We have known Gladden Bishop for 
 more than twenty years, and know him to be a poor, 
 dirty curse. Here is sister Vilate Kimball, brother 
 Heber's wife, has borne more from that man than any 
 other woman on earth could bear ; but she won't bear 
 it again. I say again, you Gladdenites, do not court 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 409 
 
 persecution, or you will get more than you want, and 
 it will come quicker than you want it. 
 
 " I say to you, Bishops, do not allow them to preach 
 in your wards. Who broke the roads to these valleys? 
 Did this little nasty Smithj and his wife ? No. They 
 stayed in St. Louis while we did it, peddling ribbons, 
 and kissing the Gentiles. I know what they have 
 done here — they have asked exorbitant prices for their 
 nasty, stinking ribbons. [Voices, ' That's true.'] We 
 broke the roads to this country. 
 
 " Now, you Gladdenites, keep your tongues still, lest 
 sudden destruction come upon you. I say, rather than 
 that apostates should flourish here, I will unsheathe 
 my bowie-knife, and conquer or die. [Great commo- 
 tion in the congregation, and a simultaneous burst of 
 feeling, assenting to the declaration.] Now, you nasty 
 apostates, clear out, or 'judgment will be laid to the 
 line, and righteousness to the plummet.' [Voices 
 generally, ' Go it, go it.'] If you say it is all right, 
 raise your hands. [All hands up.] Let us call upon 
 the Lord to assist us in this and every other good 
 work." * 
 
 It must be remembered that all these sermons are 
 quoted exactly as reported by the Mormons themselves 
 and printed in the Church paper, that Brigham carefully 
 revises them before they are printed ; and that they are 
 frequently so pared down and modified, with most of 
 the oaths and obscenity struck out, that it is difficult 
 for the hearer to recognize the published form. In an- 
 other part of the above harangue, Brigham warns the 
 * March 27, 1853. Jour, of Dis., vol. i, p. 82. 
 
410 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Gladdenites that they "were not playing with shadows, 
 but were trying to fool with the voice and hand of t]he 
 Almighty, and would find themselves ba,dly mistaken." 
 The effect of such preaching was horrible, and that 
 some of the Gladdenites were murdered outright is 
 beyond a doubt. But the Church authorities seem to 
 have been fearful that a spirit of rebellion might still 
 lurk in the minds of the people, and determined to, 
 stamp out the last traces of apostasy. To this end, the 
 doctrine of "blood-atonement" was introduced and 
 preached regularly for many years. This doctrine was 
 urged particularly with a wild and savage earnestness 
 by Jedediah M. Grant, who, it is but charity to suppose, 
 was insane on the subject ; a blood-crazy wretch, legit- 
 imately succeeded by Daniel H. Wells. Like the latter 
 he was First Counselor to Brigham, Mayor of the 
 city and Chief of the secret police ; and like him, too, 
 he regarded murder as a holy act, if done in accordance 
 with the rites of the Church ; and there is testimony 
 that some of these unfortunate apostates were actually 
 sacrificed in the Endowment House, "to atone for their 
 sins and save their souls." Young Mormons, who were 
 children then, have often told me of hearing this J. M. 
 Grant preach his favorite doctrine of blood-atonement, 
 with furious mien and gestures, and actually foaming at 
 the mouth in the intensity of fanatic rage. If any 
 should doubt the possibility of men going to such 
 lengths in a bloody doctrine, let them peruse this ex- 
 tract from one of Grant's sermons, delivered March 12th, 
 1854, as recorded in the Mormon publication, the Deseret 
 News ; and remember, too, that it is only the mildest 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 411 
 
 possible language which is published, compared with 
 that actually used. 
 
 " Then what ought this meek people who keep the 
 commandments of God do unto them ? ' Why,' says one, 
 'they ought to pray to the Lord to kill them.' I want 
 to know if you would wish the Lord to come down and 
 do all your dirty work ? Many of the Latter-day Saints 
 will pray, and petition, and supplicate the Lord to do a 
 thousand things they themselves would be ashamed 
 to do. 
 
 •p ^ e|» Ip Sj! 
 
 " When a man pi-ays for a thing, he ought to be will- 
 ing to perform it himself. But if the Latter-day Saints 
 should put to death the covenan1>breakers, it would try 
 the faith of the very meek, just, and pious ones among 
 them, and it would cause a great deal of whining in 
 Israel. 
 
 " Then there was another odd commandment. ^ The 
 Lord God commanded them not to pity the person whom 
 tkey killed, but to execute the law of God upon persons 
 worthy of death. This should he done hy the entire conr 
 gregation, showing no pity. I have thought there 
 would have to be quite a revolution among the Mor- 
 mons before such a commandment could be obeyed 
 completely by them. For instance, if they can get a 
 man before the tribunal administering the law of the 
 land, and succeed in getting a rope around his neck, 
 and having him hung up like a dead dog, it is all right. 
 But if the Church and Kingdom of Qod should step 
 forth and execute the law of Qod, 0, what a burst of 
 Mormon sympathy it would cause ! I wish we were in a 
 
412 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 situation, favorable to our doing that which is justifiable 
 before Oqd, without any contaminating influence of Gen- 
 tile amalgamation, laws, and traditiom; that the People 
 of God might lay the ax to the root of the tree, and every 
 tree that bringeth not forth good fruit might be heion 
 down. 
 
 " What ! do you believe that people would do right 
 and keep the law of God by actually putting to death 
 the transgressors ? Putting to death the transgressors 
 would exhibit the law of God, no matter BY whom it was 
 done. That is my opinion. 
 
 " You talk of the doings of different Governments — 
 the United States, if you please. What do they do 
 with traitors ? What mode do they adopt to punish 
 traitors ? Do traitors to that Government forfeit their 
 lives ? Examine also the doings of other earthly Gov- 
 ernments on this point, and you find the same practice 
 universal. I am not aware that there are any excep- 
 tions. But people will look into books of theology, and 
 argue that the people of God have a right to try people 
 for fellowship, but they have no right to try them on 
 property or life. That mahes the devil laugh, saying: 
 I have got them on a hook now ; they can cut them 
 off, and I will put eight or ten spirits worse than they 
 are into their tabernacles, and send thQm back to mob 
 them." 
 
 Brigham follows up this reasoning with a plain 
 declaration that none can expect finally to escape, and 
 sooner or later the vengeance of the Church will over- 
 take them. But he uses a different phraseology, as 
 follows : 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 413 
 
 "There is not a man or woman who violates the 
 covenants made with their God, that will not be re- 
 quired to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never 
 wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it ; and 
 the judgments of the Almighty will come sooner or 
 later, and every man and woman will have to atone for 
 breaking their covenants." 
 
 With these, plain directions to an ignorant and fanat- 
 ical people, from those they looked upon as the incar- 
 nate voice of God, the fate of the Gladdenites is easily 
 foreseen. Those who could, escaped to California ; the 
 others recanted or "atoned," and we hear no more of 
 them after 1854. 
 
 Second in order of time was the Sect known as 
 " Mbrrisites," whose history is substantially as follows : 
 
 Joseph Morris was a native of Manchester, England, 
 and came to Utah among the early converts. Like 
 thousands of others, he thought that the pure truth 
 delivered by Joseph Smith had been corrupted, and 
 conceived the design of effecting a grand reformation 
 in the Church. According to his own account, while 
 engaged in reflection on the subject, he was one day in 
 the pastures beyond Jordan, when he was favored with 
 a glorious vision, and by command of Christ, Enos; (son 
 of Seth,) John the Baptist, and the archangel Michael, 
 who constitute the triune mission of Mormonism, ap- 
 peared and endowed him with the holy priesthood, as 
 the true successor of Joseph Smith. 
 
 On announcing his mission, he was at once an object 
 of interest to all persons at South Weber, his res- 
 idence, some thirty miles north of this city, and in a 
 
414 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 short time had converted to his views Bishop Cook, of 
 Weber settlement, his brother, John Cook, and several 
 others. 
 
 Persecution by his neighbors soon followed, and his 
 life was frequently threatened ; but little attention was 
 paid to the matter by the regular authorities, as Morris 
 was an exceedingly simple and illiterate man, who was 
 thought incapable of giving the slightest trouble. 
 Meanwhile, he continued to receive voluminous revela-' 
 tions, and, under the supposed influence of the Holy 
 Spirit, composed two letters directed to Brigham Young 
 and Heber C. Kimball, which he took to the city and 
 delivered in person. Brigham treated the matter lightly 
 at first, but it soon grew so serious that John Taylor 
 and Wilford Woodruff, both apostles, were sent to Weber 
 to investigate the matter. They called a Church meet- 
 ing, in executive session, on the 11th of February, 1861, 
 when Taylor rose and demanded whether there was a 
 man in that ward who claimed to be a prophet, and if 
 so, whether he had any followers ? To the consterna- 
 tion of the Brighamites seventeen persons, with Bishop 
 Cook at their head, arose and avowed their belief that 
 "Joseph Morris was sent of God, and was the true 
 priestly successor of Joseph Smith." It is to be noted 
 that the Morrisites never denied the right of Brigham 
 to be First President, by election, and temporal head of 
 the Church ; but they claimed that he was " neither a 
 prophet, nor the son of a prophet." 
 
 A violent discussion followed, in which an old man 
 named Watts said that the Morrisites " ought to be cut 
 off under the chin and laid away in the brush," for 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 415 
 
 which he was sternly rebuked by Bishop Cook. After 
 the cuHtomary '^ admonition," by Taylor and WoodruflF, 
 all the adherents of Morris were formally excommuni- 
 cate'd, and " delivered over to the buffetings of Satan 
 for a thousand years." Morris established his church 
 by baptizing five persons in the Weber River, on the 6th 
 of April, 1861, exactly thirty-one years from the first 
 baptism by Joieph Smith. Converts flocked rapidly 
 from all parts of the Territory, and the new sect soon 
 numbered three hundred. It never exceeded five hun- 
 dred. Morris employed two scribes to take down his 
 revealed gospel, and his followers now have six volumes 
 of them, each containing two or three hundred manu- 
 script pages. 
 
 The spring review of 1862, of the Nauvoo Legion, 
 the Territorial militia, came on, and the Morrisites re- 
 fused to drill, for which several of them were arrested 
 and fined |60 and |80 each. Other troubles arose be- 
 tween them and the surrounding Mormons, about which 
 there is great conflict of testimony. I have the story 
 from those of the Morrisites now at Camp Douglas, 
 from various Brighamites, and from ofiicial papers and 
 testimony left by Judges Waite, Drake, and Titus. 
 The Sect occupied a portion of the Weber Valley, with 
 their town made in a sort of encampment in a circular 
 hollow, below which was their cultivated land. They 
 had all things in common, and every new convert divided 
 his surplus property among the needy, while their 
 common cow-herd was attended by a detailed herder 
 among the mountain hollows. Intelligent Mormons, 
 then resident on the Weber, tell me they took a large 
 
416 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 number of cattle from their neighbors, and committed 
 other depredations ; which the Morrisites deny, saying 
 that they only retaliated where they had been robbed 
 At length one Jones seized a load of flour belonging to 
 the Morrisites at a mill near Salt Lake, and detained it 
 and the two boys in charge, as he alleged, in satisfaction 
 for injuries done him. 
 
 The Morrisites sent out a strong posse, retook the 
 load, and brought Jones and two confederates, as pris- 
 oners to their camp. Meanwhile, the Sheriff had ap- 
 peared, and purposed to arrest all those who could not, 
 or would not pay the fines assessed for refusal to drill, 
 but he was refused admission to the settlement. Com- 
 plaint was at once made to Chief Justice Kinney, who 
 issued writs for the arrest of the leading Morrisites, and 
 Robert T. Burton,Sheriff of Salt Lake County, attempted 
 to serve them, but returned to the city unsuccessful. 
 The Nauvoo Legion was at once ordered out, with 
 several cannon, and placed under Burton's command. 
 On their way they were joined by reinforcements from 
 Ogden, Kaysville, and Farmington, till early on the 
 morning of June 13, 1862, they arrived before the 
 Morrisite Camp, with a thousand well armed men, and 
 five pieces of artillery. They captured the Morrisites' 
 cow-herd, killing such as they desired for beef, and sent 
 the boys attending it into the camp, with Burton's procla- 
 mation, calling for surrender. The camp, or fort, consisted 
 of a few houses made of willows, woven together and 
 plastered, and covered wagons, surrounded by some 
 rude fortifications. Morris called his men together, 
 when they received another note to remove the women 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 417 
 
 and children, as firing would begin in one hour. In 
 about twenty minutes a cannon was fired, of which the 
 ball entered the fort, killing two women, and carrying 
 away the jaw of another. 
 
 Meanwhile, Morris had donned his priestly robe, and 
 taken his divining rod, and was waiting for a revelation 
 as to what course should be taken. After an hour or 
 two of fanatic stlj)plication, no revelation was received ; 
 and as the Brighamites had begun to surround the 
 camp, the Prophet divided his forces, placed a band at 
 each of the weak points, and assumed the responsibility 
 of fighting. His camp was upon a knoll in the hollow 
 of the Weber, a mile or so below the present railroad 
 station of Uintah, while the Brighamite posse occupied 
 the adjacent slopes. The latter soon opened a general 
 fire upon the camp, when the Morrisites at once flew 
 to arms and the battle began. The cannon and long- 
 range rifles of the Brighamites completely raked the 
 fort, to which the Morrisites could only reply with 
 their ducking-guns and a few Spanish 8c<ypeetes, which 
 inflicted only slight wounds. The cannon, too, were 
 often loaded with small balls, ^ which tore down the 
 wicker-work and pierced the sandy hillocks, wounding, 
 the women and children who had taken refuge behind 
 them. Still these deluded people would not surrender,, 
 and for three days, fighting with the desperate energy 
 of religious fanaticism, maintained the unequal battle. 
 At intervals, during that time, they often called on. 
 Morris to intercede with the Lord for their deliverance,, 
 to which he made reply : " If the Lord will, we shall, 
 be delivered and our enemies destroyed; but let us dOf 
 27 
 
418 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 our duty." [On the evening of the third day, some one 
 raised a white flag; when Morris saw it, he said: 
 " Your faith has gone and the Lord has forsaken us. 
 I can now do nothing more." 
 
 They threw down their arms and the Legion marched 
 in. Amid the wildest confusion the men and women 
 were separated, and the former placed under guard. Few 
 of the women could speak English, and all expected 
 nothing but destruction. Burton shot Morris, his 
 Lieutenant, Banks, and two women, after the arms 
 were given up, while the soldiers plundered the houses, 
 took all the watches, jewelry and money, and destroyed 
 all they could not carry away. Here, too, there is great 
 conflict of testimony. Some of the boys who were with 
 the Brighamite forces say that Morris ordered his men 
 to take their arms and fight again, for which he was 
 shot. Still others say that Banks was only slightly 
 wounded, and called for water, when a cup was handed 
 him by the Brighamite surgeon. Dr. Jeter Clinton ; that 
 he drank of it and expired in a few minutes. The 
 Morrisites are confident he would have recovered, if he 
 had not been poisoned. The following afiidavit will 
 give most clearly the Morrisite version of the affair : 
 
 "United States of America, Territory of Utah, ss. 
 
 "Alexander Dow, of said Territory, being duly 
 sworn, says : 
 
 " In the spring of 1861, I joined the Morrisites, and 
 was present when Joseph Morris was killed. The 
 Morrisites had surrendered, a white flag was flying, and 
 the arms were all grounded and guarded by a large 
 /number of the posse. 
 
05 
 O 
 
 a 
 
 E-i 
 
 O 
 
 P5 
 Q 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 419 
 
 "Robert T. Burton and Judson L.. Stoddard rode in 
 among the Morrisites. Burton was much excited, and 
 said : ' Where is the man ? I don't know him.' Stod- 
 dard replied, ' That's him,' pointing to Morris. Burton 
 rode his horse upon Morris, and commanded him to 
 give himself up in the name of the Lord. Morris re- 
 plied: "No; never, never.' Morris said he wanted to 
 speak to the Jieople. Burton said, *Be d — d quick 
 about it.' Morris said, ' Brethren, I have taught you ' 
 true principles' — he had scarcely got the words out of 
 his mouth, when Burton fired his revolver. The ball 
 passed in his neck or shoulder. Burton exclaimed, 
 * There's your Prophet.' He fired again, saying, ' What 
 do you think of your Prophet now ?' 
 
 "Burton then turned suddenly and shot Banks, who 
 was standing five or six paces distant. Banks fell. 
 Mrs. Bowman, wife of James Bowman, came running 
 up, crying, 'Oh! you blood-thirsty wretch!' Burton 
 said, * No one shall tell me that and live,' and shot her 
 dead. A Danish woman then came running up to 
 Morris, crying, and Burton shot her dead also. Burton 
 could have easily taken Morris and Banks prisoners, if 
 he had tried. I was standing but a few feet from Bur- 
 ton all the time. And further saith not. 
 
 "Alexander Dow." 
 
 "Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 18th day 
 
 of April, A.D., 1863. 
 
 "Charles B. Waite. 
 
 "Associate Justice, Utah Territory" 
 
 All the loose property of the Morrisites having been 
 "confiscated," the dead bodies of Morris, Banks and 
 
420 LIFE IN UTAH ; OB,' THE MTSTEEIES 
 
 eight others were thrown into a wagon, with Morris' rohe, 
 crown and rod, and succeeded by the captured Morris- 
 ites, they were guarded to the city. Young and old 
 turned out to see them, with mingled emotions of glee 
 and horror, and the bodies of Morris and Banks, lying 
 for several days in the City Hall, were visited by great 
 crowds, eager to see the noted " schismatic." The vast 
 majority of these people regarded it simply as the pro- 
 per punishment due to one who had " set himself up to 
 teach heresy in Zion and oppose the Lord's anointed." 
 During the entire battle two Brighamites and ten Mor- 
 risites were killed, and a very large number wounded. 
 
 Ninety-three of the Morrisites were at once arraigned 
 before Judge Kinney, but there was so much popular 
 excitement, and as it was probable more would die of 
 their wounds, he proceeded to place them all under 
 bonds of $1,500 pach, for their appearance in April, 
 1863. Only five of them would sign the bond; few of 
 the rest could speak English, and those who could pro- 
 tested against the entire proceedings, and announced 
 their determination "to lie in jail till the Devil's thou- 
 sand years were out," before they would even by impli- 
 cation confess that they were treated legally. 
 
 But as the five signers still owned considerable .prop- 
 erty. Judge Kinney ruled that, as in a sort of commu- 
 nity, they could bind all the rest, as their representatives. 
 "When the April term (1863) came on, twenty of them 
 were out of the territory, and one was dead, but most 
 of the rest appeared. Kinney said that " their absence 
 made no difference ; he was glad to see that so many 
 had appeared ;" and proceeded to enter a fine of one 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 421 
 
 hundred dollars each against the present, dead and 
 absent. In addition, several leaders were put on trial, 
 and sentenced to the penitentiary for from five to fifteen 
 years each. 
 
 In June, 1862, Kinney was the only United States 
 Judge in Utah, and the compliant tool of the Brigham- 
 ites. But Governor Harding and Judges Waite and 
 Drake had arrived in time to hear the trial of the Mor- 
 risites, and were convinced that great injustice had 
 been done them, or even if they were guilty of resist- 
 ance to legal process, the law had been strained to in- 
 flict a cruel and unusual punishment. It was known, 
 too, as it is now, that sentence to a long imprisonment 
 in Utah simply means deatA, if the keepers in charge 
 are so instructed. Petitions began to circulate for their 
 pardon, signed by Gentiles and some of the Mormons 
 who relented at such severity. Quite an excitement 
 was created by these attempts, and Governor Harding 
 was warned by the more violent Brighamites not to 
 interfere with the sentence of law. Bishop Woolley 
 called upon the Governor with an earnest remonstrance 
 against the proposed pardon, adding in conclusion, 
 " Governor, it stands you in hand to be careful. Our 
 people are much excited ; they feel it would be an out- 
 rage to pardon these men, and if it is done they might 
 proceed to violence" etc., etc. 
 
 To' this truly Mormon attempt at intimidation the 
 Governor responded with his usual firmness. While 
 the petition, with names attached, was still in his pos- 
 session, not acted upon, the Governor was aroused from 
 Bleep one night, between mid-night and morning, by a 
 
422 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 furious knocking at the door; it was opened by his 
 spn, Attila, who acted as his private secretary, and 
 there presented himself a stranger of rough aspect, who 
 demanded peremptorily to " see the Gov'n'r." No repre- 
 sentations of the unseasonableness of the hour appeared 
 to move him ; he insisted that his business was too im- 
 portant for delay ; he had ridden thirty miles over bad 
 roads, could not arrive sooner and must return at once. 
 With precautions against surprise they admitted him to the 
 Governor's room, and he at once began : " I understand 
 that you have a petition for the pardon of some of the 
 Morrisites — that you won't act on it because you don't 
 think there are enough o' Mormon names on it — or Mor- 
 mons that are well known'. An' you say some Mormons 
 want to sign it, want 'em pardoned, but are afeard to sign. 
 Gi' me that paper an' I'll show you one Mormon that's 
 not afeard to sign — an' one that's purty well known, too. 
 An' I've rid thirty miles this night on purpose to sign it." 
 The petition was procured and handed him, and after a 
 rapid survey of the names, he seized the pen and in 
 broad, sprawling Roman capitals, extending entirely 
 across the sheet, inscribed the -well known name, 
 BILL HICKMAN. 
 It was indeed the redoubtable "Danite" captain. 
 " There," said he, holding it off at arm's length, " there 
 is a Mormon name they all know, an' they can read it 
 without specks. Talk o' bein' afeard o' Brigham 
 Young ! I tell you Brigham Young is a good deal more 
 afeard o' Bill Hickman than Bill Hickman is o' Brig- 
 ham Young." Thus speaking he departed as uncere- 
 moniously as he came, nor did any further explanation 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 423 
 
 of this singular affair ever reach the Governor. After 
 a short imprisonment, the Morrisites were pardoned ; no 
 violence was attempted or threatened against Governor 
 Harding, but another singular occurrence took place 
 soon after. 
 
 One beautiful evening, while the bright sun of Utah 
 was sinking behind the Lakes island hills, into a " sea 
 of glass, mingjed with fire," tipping with a golden glory 
 the gray peaks of the Wasatch, two women might have 
 been seen descending the hill from the Morrisite settle- 
 ment near Camp ,Dpiiglas, and seeking the resi*dence of 
 the Governor. The elder was a brawny and sunburned 
 Danish woman, of most coarse and common clay, who 
 assisted the other's steps till they stood before the Gov- 
 ernor. The younger woman was of a frail and delicate 
 aspect that indicated either long sickness and privation, 
 or a nervous organization worn to exhaustion by excite- 
 ment ; her dark, sunken eyes glowed with a strange, un- 
 earthly fire, and the blue veins of her forehead stood 
 out from a skin of marble whiteness, while her long 
 delicate fingers clasped and intertwined with intense 
 earnestness as she told her mission. It was the widow 
 of Banks, the murdered Morrisite. She had, according 
 to her faith, been in communion with the soul of her 
 husband, and thence received knowledge of a plot 
 against the Governor, not to take his life but to place 
 him in the same category with Steptoe and Dawson. 
 She related all the particulars of the purposed attempt/ 
 with that convulsive trembling, that dilation and up- 
 ward roll of the eye and that unearthly hollow tone so 
 familiar to those who have investigated the phenomena 
 
424 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 of mesmerism and psychology, in their purely physical 
 effects upon the nervous female. " Oh, Governor, Gov- 
 ernor," she exclaimed, her thin, spirituelle form quiver- 
 ing with intense feeling, " friend and saviour of our peo- 
 ple! Beware, beware. The spirit of the Lord and his' 
 martyred prophet is upon me, to warn you of this dan- 
 ger. It will come to you in the fo^m of a beautiful 
 woman ; but be guarded, and if, within a fortnight you 
 are introduced to a fair woman who presents a great 
 temptation to you, think of this warning and do not 
 yield." The Governor, being gallant as well as brave, 
 was taken somewhat aback by the fact that the seer 
 had so well anticipated the temptation best calculated 
 to overcome hini ; but the rest of the story is best re- 
 lated in his own words : 
 
 " Well, I wondered how the woman got her informa- 
 tion, but, as the boys say, I ' wa'n't afeard,' I rather 
 liked the idea. A few days after the ' temptation' came. 
 I was called from my room to receive some company in 
 the parlor,, and was there introduced to two ladies whose 
 beauty exceeded anything I had seen in Salt Lake. 
 They remained to tea with hiy landlady, after which 
 we had a delightful evening. The youngest and most 
 beautiful, (I withhold the name given by the Governor,) 
 made herself particularly agreeable to me, and was my 
 partner in several games at cards. "When the time for 
 starting came, it was pretty plainly intimated by my 
 landlady that I was to see the lady home. 
 
 "But this was not my programme. As she stood 
 pulling at her gloves, evidently waiting for me to 'make 
 a break,' I stepped forward, shook hands with her and 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 425 
 
 merely said, ' Ladies^ I should be pleased to act the 
 complimentary, but I understand it is not the custom 
 among your people for Gentiles to escort the women of 
 the Saints. So I bid you good evening.' I then 
 retired to my room. I afterwards learned beyond 
 doubt that this was the beginning of a scheme which, 
 if carried out, would have seriously compromised me." 
 Whether the Qpvemor's virtue or his astuteness ena- 
 bled him to escape the evil, the writer will not pretend 
 to say; but it is rather curious how the Morrisite 
 woman recelived her first impressions of such a plot, 
 for we cannot doubt that it was a previous mental 
 impression acting upon her peculiar temperament which 
 led to her dream or " vision," whichever it was. 
 
 Meanwhile, the bonds of the absent Morrisites were 
 declared forfeited by Judge Kinney, and execution 
 issued against the property of those still in Utah, who 
 had any, to collect the penalty. Abraham Taylor, a 
 prominent Morrisite, had his property in the city, 
 worth |3000, levied upon and announced for sale. He 
 applied to Judge Waite, who found, on examination, 
 that the records of the court showed ho judgment 
 against the delinquents, which fact he represented to 
 Judge Kinney, and applied for an injunction against 
 the officer. The application was refused by Judge 
 Kinney, who stated that, " if there was no judgment, 
 he could render one, as the Court had not permanently 
 adjourned, hut only to meet again on his own motion." 
 Taylor's homestead was put up at once and sold to one 
 Joseph A. Johnson, Clerk of Judge Kinney's Court, 
 for $200, and the family literally forced into the street. 
 
426 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 427 
 
 They remained a few days in the street in front of the 
 house, then took refuge at Camp Douglas. 
 
 After General Connor arrived with two regiments of 
 California volunteers, and established Camp Douglas, 
 the Morrisites gathered there ; and in May, 1863, the 
 General sent eighty families of them, including over 
 200 persons, to Soda Springs, Idaho, where they now 
 have a flourishing settlement. Abraham Taylor, one 
 of their leaders, remained at Camp Douglas, and in 
 1866, by Major Chas. H. Hempstead, his attorney, filed 
 a bill in the United States District Court, Judge Titus 
 presiding, praying for restitution of his property ; and, 
 after two years of delay and chicanery by the Mormon 
 lawyers, and some of the hardest swearing that ever 
 " reeked to heaven," at the October term, 1868, a decree 
 was made in his favor by Judge Wilson, giving him 
 possession of his old homestead, with rents for five 
 years; The popular Mormon idea of justice may be 
 seen from the fact that three-fourths of the;^ people 
 looked upon this decree as a gross outrage on a Utah 
 citizen by a Unitad States Judge, and a severe act of 
 " persecution." 
 
 Taken all in all, the Morrisites deserved a better 
 fate. True, their religion was a wild compound of 
 materialism, spiritism, diabolism and deism run mad, 
 but their code was far better than that of the Brig- 
 
 hamites. 
 
 Another prophet named Davis arose among them in 
 Idaho, but before his Church was well established he 
 had a revelation that all the rest were to deed their 
 
428 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 property to him as trustee, and practice communism, 
 which soon weakened his prophetic hold. Not long 
 after, they got some sort of revelation that a little child 
 among them was to be their future Christ, and kept 
 the child "set apart" and dressed in white for some 
 time ; but lately their organization has broken up, and 
 many of them removed to Nevada. 
 
 The most successful of all the recusant and anti- 
 polygamous sects, is that under the leadership of young 
 Joseph Smith, self-styled the " Ke-organized Church of 
 Latter-Day Saints," but generally known as " Joseph- 
 ites." It will be remembered that Joseph Smith, the 
 Prophet, obtained gratis from Dr. Galland, most of the 
 land upon which Nauvoo was built. After the reve- 
 lation for his people to gather there, he sold them the 
 lots at high prices, and realized an immense fortune, re- 
 ported as high as one million dollars by the best in- 
 formed. With this he paid all his old debts in Ohioj 
 lived ijj considerable style, supported a dozen women, 
 and still left a considerable fortune, mostly in houses 
 and lots in Nauvoo. Spiritual wives having no legal 
 rights in Illinois as in Utah, all this property was held 
 by his widow Emma, who refused to emigrate and re- 
 mained with her three sons, Joseph Jr., William Alex- 
 ander and David Hyruni, in Nauvoo. The oldest and 
 youngest had been in turn blessed and dedicated to the 
 leadership by their father, the latter before his birth ; 
 and when the Strangites organization had dissolved, 
 Strang's* successor went " hunting for Zion " in North- 
 ern Iowa, where he met the remnants of the Cutlerites, 
 and together they decided that " Young Joe was the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 429 
 
 man," formed a church and made overtures to him ac- 
 cordingly. He responded that he had received no 
 "call" but expected one; the Church rapidly aug- 
 mented from the debris of the scattered sects, and 
 finally, in 1860, Young Smith was "called as a 
 Prophet" and the "Re-organized Church" was set up, 
 with head-quarters at Piano, Illinois. They number 
 twenty or thirty-thousand in the West, and have flour- 
 ishing missions in Great Britain and Scandinavia, In 
 July, 1863, E. C. Briggs and Alex. McCord, their first 
 missionaries to Utah, reached Salt Lake and created 
 quite a sensation ; Brigham intimated to them that their 
 lives were in danger, and refused them the use of any 
 public building in the city. But General Connor was 
 then in command at Camp Douglas, with a small pro- 
 vost guard in the city, and the Brighamites dared not 
 try violence ; Briggs visited the people at their homes 
 and preached wherever Gentiles would open their houses 
 to him, and soon had many converts. Nearly two hun- 
 dred of these left the Territory in 1864, under a mili- 
 tary escort furnished by General Connor, and since that 
 time many more have left Utah, and their missions 
 there include over five hundred members. 
 
 But a,ll the excitement connected with Briggs' visit 
 was as nothing to that of last summer, when it was 
 announced that William Alexander and David Hyrum, 
 " sons of the Prophet and Martyr," had reached Salt 
 Lake to advocate the reformed, faith. They obtained 
 Independence Hall, the only public building belonging 
 to the Gentiles, for their meetings ; and on their first 
 service it was crowded by the Mormons, among them 
 
430 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 most of the widows of Heber C. Kimball and the wives 
 of Brigham Young. Unable to dispute the revelation 
 in favor of David, the Brighamites maintain that he 
 " is now in apostasy, and when he embraces the true 
 faith aiid comes in the right way, they will receive him." 
 This they confidently believe he will yet do. The evi- 
 dent absurdity of dictating to a foreordained Prophet, in 
 just what way he shall come, does not seem to affect 
 their views. The Brighamites were startled clear out 
 of their propriety, abandoned their silent policy and 
 organized a series of meetings in opposition to the 
 " Smith boys." But Brigham was entirely too shrewd 
 to take the lead, and put forward Apostle Joseph F. 
 Smith, son of " Hyrum the Martyr," to manage the op- 
 position meetings. The writer attended most of the 
 meetings, and fully realized the force of the maxim in 
 regard to gleaning the truth from the disagreement of 
 rogues. The controversy was one of that peculiar kind 
 where both parties "know they are right," and can 
 prove all they wish by abundant testimony. 
 
 The Brighamites can prove beyond a doubt that 
 Joseph Smith practised polygamy, while the Josephites 
 can prove, by equal personal and documentary evidence, 
 that he denied and reprobated the doctrine till the last 
 day of his life. Sixteen women swore most positively, 
 and .allowed their affidavits to be published in the 
 "Expositor," atNauvoo,that Joe Smith made proposals 
 to them to become his cOncubines ; twelve women now 
 in Salt Lake City make affidavit that they were the 
 spiritual wives of Smith at Nauvoo ; Joseph F., son of 
 Hyrum Smith, testifies that he knew certainly of his 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 431 
 
 father having more than one wife, and hundreds of old 
 Mormons testify that Joe and Hyrum taught them the 
 doctrine, and sealed them to extra wives. 
 , The proof on the other side is equally clear, as al- 
 ready detailed,* making .the question one which can 
 never be settled by evidence, which means eternal con- 
 troversy. A Gentile would find an easy way out of the 
 dilemma by considering Joe Smith a lying impostor ; 
 but that would never. do for these sects, each of which 
 claims to be his only true Church. The Brighamites; 
 however, flatly acknowledge that all these denials were 
 made; freely admit that tljeir Prophet often found it 
 necessary to lie to save his" life, and generally state that 
 their "religion occasionally makes it necessary for the 
 priesthood to lie," all of which their history abundantly 
 proves to be the case. But the "Smith boys" accomp- 
 lished little in Utah. They were not the men to 
 organize a revolution ; they were in no respect shrewd 
 enough to contend with the leading Brighamites, nor 
 half crazy and violent enough to excite the people ; they 
 were, in fact, hopelessly mediocre. Their position was 
 weak and untenable ; their claims for their father easily 
 disproved, and their propositions inherently absurd. 
 The writer, from personal acquaintance with William 
 and David, is disposed to esteem them highly as citizens, 
 and respect them as honest in their aims ; but would 
 respectfully ask : If you "purify the Church," if you 
 blot out polygamy, incest, blood-atonement, "Adam- 
 worship," and "Danites," what will you have left? 
 How much Mormonism will there be in your Church ? 
 The "Re-organized Church" has a number of period- 
 
 *See Chapter XIV. 
 
432 LIFE m UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 icals, and a lengthy " Confession of Faith," from which 
 I extract those tenets disinguishing them from the 
 Brighamites : 
 
 "We believe in being subject to kings, queens, presir 
 dents, rulers, and magistrates ; in obeying and honoring 
 the law. 
 
 "We believe that the Church in Utah, under the 
 presidency of Brigham Young, have apostatized from 
 the true order of the Gospel. 
 
 "We believe that the doctrines of polygamy, human 
 sacrifice, or killing men to sa^e them, Adam being God, 
 Utah being Zion, or the gatj^ering place for the Saints, 
 are doctrines of devils, instituted by wicked men, for 
 the accomplishment of their own lustful desires, and 
 with a view to their personal aggrandizement. 
 
 " We believe in being true and loyal to the Govern- 
 ment of the United States, and have no sympathy or 
 fellowship for the treasonable practices or wicked 
 abominations endorsed by Brigham Young and his 
 followers." 
 
 Young Joe has had but two revelations, both very- 
 mild, and seems to be slow in the business of Prophet. 
 But whoever leads oflf the ignorant of Utah must 
 outbrigham Brigham, must go to greater lengths of 
 fanaticism and have copious revelations daily. This 
 accounts in part for Morris' success ; he was as crazy 
 as any of his followers. 
 
 The last revolt against the power of Brigham ia 
 headed by several prominent men in Salt Lake City, 
 among them _Wm. S. Godbe, Henry Lawrence, W. H. 
 Shearman and — — Tullidge. This sect has been long in 
 growing, consisting of those who supported the Utah 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 433 
 
 Magazine as the organ of independent thought ; but it 
 was not till last autumn that the leaders boldly 
 announced the policy of opposition to the excessive 
 temporal government of the priesthood. The First 
 Presidency promptly condemned the Utah Magazine, 
 and Brigham issued a general order forbidding all true 
 Saints to patronize or read it. The Editor and pro- 
 prietors were citpd before the HigJi Council, and refusing 
 to recant and ask pardon were summarily " cut oflf." A 
 few who voted against this excision were called upon to 
 explain their votes, and failing to do so were also " cut 
 off." The schism increased, the new party contained 
 some wealthy and influential men, and in a short time 
 they had established a new weekly paper, the Mormon 
 Tribune, ta promulgate their views. They call their 
 new organization the " Church of Zion," and at last ac- 
 counts numbered nearly five thousand in the Territory.. 
 Their platform lays down the principles, that the 
 Priesthood are only teachers, and have no right to con- 
 trol the people in all their social and business relations;, 
 that the mines should be developed, and trade free and. 
 unrestricted with all classes ; that tithing should con- 
 sist.of a tenth of all one's increase, and not a tenth of 
 his yearly proceeds, and many other liberal principles.. 
 This is so far the most sensible and promising set of 
 principles from any of the recusant sects. They still 
 claim to be good Mormons, maintain polygamy and 
 every man's right to revelation. Many of the leaders^ 
 are spiritualists; most are evidently honest in their- 
 views , and it is to be hoped they are sufficiently crazy 
 to outdo Brigham in fanaticism and carry the matter. 
 
 28 
 
434 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 through. The present year will probably witness 
 strange changes at Salt Lake. Granted that Mor- 
 monism is to work out its own destiny without govern- 
 mental interference, the question at once arises : After 
 Brigham, what ? Who will be his successor ? There 
 is no one in the church who can entirely fill his place, 
 and five or six probable aspirants, of whom one is about 
 as well fitted as another. According to precedent in 
 the case of Brigham himself, Orson Hyde, President of 
 the Twelve Apostles, would succeed; but he is a 
 blundering and impulsive scamp, mean enough for the 
 place, but lacking in discretion. He is besides rather 
 old, and has apostatized once. Daniel H. Wells is next 
 in rank, but his bloodthirsty fanaticism would involve 
 the people in war in a short time. Orson Pratt is the 
 most learned of the Apostles,, but is a dreaming astron- 
 omer, quite impractical. George A. Smith is an easy 
 going, good-natured sensualist ; unscrupulous enough for 
 the place, perhaps, but without executive ability. 
 Should Brigham die at an early day, the strong prob- 
 ability is that the Church would divide into at least 
 three bodies. Many of the English and Americans would 
 follow David Hyrum Smith ; the most enlightened and 
 liberal would enter the " Church of Zion," and the ig- 
 norant mass would follow the lead of the Twelve Apos- 
 tles as before, eventually coming under the rule of one. 
 Having brought down our history to near the present 
 time, let us take a brief view of the material interests 
 and resources of Utah. The notes in the two succeed- 
 ing chapters are the result of a year's travel and 
 iresidence in Utah, aided by a study of the best authori- 
 tties, to which due credit is given in passing. 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 435 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES. 
 
 Territorial limits—" Basins "— " Sinks "—"Flats "—Rain and evaporation 
 — Elemental actioft and reaction— Potamology — Jordan — Kay's Creek — 
 Weber— Bear River-Caclie Valley— Timber— Blue Creek— Promontory 
 —Great Desert— Utah Lake— Spanish Fork— Salt Creek— Timpanogos 
 —Sevier River — Colorado System — Fish — Thermal and Chemical 
 Springs — Healing Waters — Hotwater plants — Analysis by Dr. Gale — 
 Mineral Springs— Salt beds — Alkali flats — Native Salts— Gbeat Salt 
 Lake — First accounts — Feemont — Stansbtjrt — Amount of salt — Val- 
 leys — Rise of the Lake — Islands — Bear Lake — " Ginasticutis "— Utah 
 Lake — Climate — Increase of rain — Singular phenomena — Fine air — Be- 
 lief for pulmonary complaints. 
 
 Utah is included between the 37th and 42d parallels 
 of North latitude, and meridians 109 and 114 west 
 from Greenwich ; deducting, however, from the north- 
 east corner a section of one degree of latitude by two 
 of longitude, lately attached to Wyommg. Its greatest 
 length is thus, from north to south, five full degrees, 
 and its width from east to west, five of the shorter 
 meridional degrees; the whole area divided nearly 
 equally between two geographical sections, viz. : the 
 valley and drainage of the Colorado and its affluents, 
 the Green and Grand rivers, and the district known as 
 the Great or Interior Basin. This remarkable section, 
 containing the western half of Utah, all of Nevada, 
 and a part of southeastern California, includes all that 
 portion of the continent extending north and south 
 between the parallels 37 and 42, and from east to 
 
436 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 west from near the meridian 111, Greenwich, to the 
 Sierra Nevadas, which tend northwesterly from the 
 meridian of 116, to that of 121 ; an irregular parallelo- 
 gram four hundred miles in extent, from north to south, 
 and five hundred miles frOm east to west. The term 
 " basin," is only applicable to the whole tract, in view 
 of the fact, that its waters have no outlet to the ocean, 
 for the general level of the lower tracts is as high as 
 average mountain ranges, and the so-called valleys are 
 little more than mountain flats; the entire section is 
 thus composed of a succession of heights, basins, and 
 mountain plateaus. A " succession of basins," because, 
 many of the traverse ranges are of equal height with 
 those on the borders ; dotted also in the most level por- 
 tions with detached hills and knobs, relieved at rare in- 
 tervals by fertile vales, spotted again by vast deserts of 
 sand and alkali or brackish lakes — a region 
 " Now of frozen, now of fiery alps, 
 Rocks, fens, bogs, dens and shades of death." 
 
 Wherever the mountains are high enough to furnish 
 melting snow throughout the the summer, large streams 
 flow down their sides, and fertile tracts are found along 
 their base, caused by the percolation of moisture from 
 above ; but in general at any great distance from the foot 
 of the mountains we find barrenness, and throughout 
 the Great Basin a large tract without mountains is in- 
 variably a desert. Most of the mountain streams sink 
 before connecting with any other body of water, in 
 many places among the foot-hills before reaching the 
 plain ; others spread out and supply natural irrigation 
 to a mile or two of land, producing broad savannas of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 437 
 
 coarse, rank grass, little oases, quite attractive in them- 
 selves and delightful in Comparison with the sterilit_y 
 beyond. Along the foot of some ranges the traveler, 
 every mile or so, crosses a considerable stream, rushing 
 clear and strong from the mountain hollows, but two or 
 three miles down the plain not a channel or trace of 
 water is to be found, the thirsty soil, warm sun, and 
 drying air, having exhausted the scant liquid ; and it 
 is only in very wet seasons that any of these streams 
 form lakes. In other localities a more plentiful supply 
 and the cool shadow of long ranges give rise to streams 
 of sufficient size to be called rivers, of which the best 
 known in Utah are the Jordan, Bear River, Sevier, 
 Ogden and Weber ; and bordering these larger streams 
 are valleys of great fertility, comprising the agricultural 
 wealth of the Territory. Many of the smaller streams 
 . form long, shallow lagoons or marshes near the centers 
 or at the points of lowest depression in the basins, 
 generally called " sinks," in which term is embodied an 
 empirical explanation of the disappearance of the water, 
 by those ignorant of the fact, that in nature's laboratory 
 action and reaction are equal, and that the fall of rain 
 and snow in an enclosed basin must be exactly counter- 
 balanced by evaporation. In most cases the water sup- 
 ply is so scant that these " sinks " become entirely dry 
 in summer, and are then known as '• mud flats," of 
 which, the most extensive are in "Western Nevada. A 
 smaller number contain some water all the year, of 
 which a few rise to the dignity of lakes. With no out- 
 lets, and receiving all the chemical material brought 
 down by the wash of their " feeders," they are of neces- 
 
438 LIFE m UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 sity either very saline in character, or brackish and 
 impregnated with iron. 
 
 Throughout the Great Basin certain general features 
 are observable ; the mountain ranges mostly run north 
 and south, and the longer valleys lie in the same direc- 
 tion. But in this particular man has not been able to 
 accommodate himself to nature, and the course of civili- 
 zation as well as empire has made it necessary for the 
 roads to run east and west. One may go from Montana 
 to Arizona, and travel in valleys nearly all the way, 
 seldom crossing anything more than a low " divide," 
 but from east to west each range must be crossed at 
 certain points, for which cause the old road south of the 
 Lake was a perfect zig-zag, selecting the most feasible 
 valleys, avoiding the mountains wherever possible, or 
 " canyoning" up one side and down the other, diverging 
 great distances from the direct line, and running to 
 almost every point of the compass. 
 
 The " rim of the Basin" is uncontinueus, formed by 
 various ranges. On the north are the broken chains of 
 the Oregon system, from 8,000 to 10,000 feet high, send- 
 ing out many spurs and traverse ridges. On the western 
 border the Sierra Nevadas average 10,000 feet, and some 
 peaks tower far above that altitude. On the south are 
 the lower sub-ranges of the Rocky Mountains, mere 
 " divides," separating the waters of the Basin from 
 those of the Colorado; and on the east is the main 
 Uintah range, known by various names, with several 
 portions rising to 9,000 or 10,000 feet. Thus the sur- 
 face configuration of Utah is a great depression in a 
 mountain land, a trough, so to speak, elevated 4,000 or 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 439 
 
 5,000 feet above sea level ; subtended on all sides by 
 mountain ranges 8,000 to 10,000 feet high, and sub- 
 divided by transverse ranges; in the geologic age, a 
 sweet water inland sea, in aboriginal times, the home 
 of the most abject savages — long a region of miscop- 
 ception and fable — then the chosen home of a strange 
 religion, and but yesterday found to be of use and inter- 
 est to the civiliaed world. Leaving the mountain ranges 
 which bound the great basin, there is a general break- 
 ing down, so to speak, towards the interior ; most of the 
 transverse ranges run north and south, terminating in 
 bold headlands towards the south, though none are 
 of sufficient length and continuous height to constitute 
 a well defined system. Few of these ridges present 
 regular slopes, but are formed of acute and angular cap- 
 pings, superimposed upon flatter prisons ; and frequently 
 after ascending two-thirds from the base, the upper part 
 becomes wall-like and insurmountable. Of these interior 
 peaks, or terminal headlands, the most noted are the 
 Twin Peaks, southeast of Salt Lake City, ascertained by 
 Orson Pratt and Albert Carrington to be 11,660 feet in 
 height; Mount Nebo, 8,000 feet; the Wasatch spur, 
 near Salt Lake City, averaging 6,000 feet, and the 
 Oquirrh range, which terminates in a bold headland at 
 the south end of the Lake, locally known as the West 
 Mountain, lying twenty miles west of Salt Lake City. 
 
 The Salt Lake Basin, including many adjacent and 
 connecting valleys, was evidently an inland sea, as 
 shown by the " bench formation," a system of water- 
 marks along the mountains, points of successive subsi- 
 dence of the waters; while many of the detached 
 
440 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 mountain peaks were as evidently islands, similar to 
 those now rising above the surface of the Lake. Ac- 
 cording to some, the dry land was formed by successive 
 upheavals ; according to others, by ages of evaporation. 
 If the latter theory be correct, it must have been through 
 a " dry cycle " of many thousand years, and if, as many 
 suppose, the " dry cycle " has ended and the rain zones 
 are changing so as to again include this section, we may 
 look for a still greater rise in the Lake surface than 
 that of the last dozen years. 
 
 The river system of Utah is curious, but unimportant 
 as to navigation. The noted Jordan, an exact counter- 
 part of its Eastern namesake, has its origin in Utah 
 Lake, and by a course of fifty miles, a little west of 
 north, discharges the surplus waters of that body into 
 Great Salt Lake. It is quite evident, however, from 
 mere inspection, that a much- greater quantity of water 
 is poured into Utah Lake from its many mountain 
 affluents than flows out through the Jordan ; a small 
 portion may escape by percolation, but at that elevation 
 and in that drying air more is accounted for by evap- 
 oration. This stream has an average width of eight or 
 ten rods ; through the upper part of its course and in 
 Jordan Canon it is swift and shallow, in the lower val- 
 ley and near the City more sluggish, with a depth of 
 ten feet or more. , 
 
 Passing around the Lake eastwardly, the next stream 
 of any note is Kay's Creek, furnishing plentiful irriga- 
 tion to the farms of Kay's Ward, besides which, there 
 are numerous streams of smaller size which break out 
 of the Wasatch' range, are diverted into irrigating 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 441 
 
 canals, and by a thousand rills through the farms find 
 their way to the marshy lands near the Lake. 
 
 The main stream from the east is the Weber, which 
 has its rise some sixty miles east of Salt Lake City, in 
 the highest valley of Summit County ; thence, flowing 
 to. the north, is swelled by the waters of East Branch, 
 Silver, White, Clay and Echo Creeks, then turning 
 northwest breaks through the Wasatch range, gives form 
 and name to Weber Canon, enters the valley thirty -three 
 miles north of Salt Lake City, and forming a large U, 
 with the bend sharply to the north, enters "the Lake. 
 Bear River rises in the same county, and but a little 
 east and north of the Weber, and running nearly two 
 hundred miles down a northern slope, between two 
 spurs of the Uintah Mountains, forms a great U in 
 Idaho, then turning southwest, "canyons" through 
 another spur of the Uintah, into Cache ' Valley, the 
 northeastern section of the Territory and home of 
 12,000 Mormons; .then "canyons" downward three 
 miles, with a fall of 1000 feet, out of Cache into Bear 
 River Valley, through which it runs to the head of 
 Bear. River Bay, the last twenty miles of its course the 
 only navigable river in Utah. 
 
 From the mouth of Bear River Canon to the head 
 of the Bay is about thirty-five miles in a direct line, 
 the valley maintaining an average width of fifteen 
 miles down to Corinne, where it widens imperceptibly 
 into Salt Lake Valley. 
 
 Bear River runs through the finest lumber region in 
 Utah, of which it* is the natural outlet, and many 
 thousand logs have already been sent down to Corinne, 
 
442 
 
 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
AND CEIMES OF MOEMONISM. 443 
 
 where a saw-mill and sash factory are now in opera- 
 tion. 
 
 The Malad joins Bear River a few miles above 
 Corinne, between which place and the promontory 
 there are a few springs breaking out of the mountains, 
 constituting but one stream large enough to have a 
 name, Blue Creek. West of the promontory a few 
 springs run togeither in the midst of a horrible desert 
 and form Indian Creek, which sometimes reaches the 
 lake in wet seasons. Thence, around the head of the 
 lake and down the entire western shore, for one hun- 
 dred miles, there is no stream large enough to have a 
 name, and but one furnishing running y^ater in all 
 seasons. 
 
 On the southwest a small creek from Tooelle valley; 
 reaches the Lake, completing the list of affluents to that 
 body. Next in importance are the feeders of Utah 
 Lake, of which the principal are. Salt Creek from the 
 south, Spanish Fork from the east, and Timpanogas 
 . from the northeast, which, with the addition of several 
 smaller streams, furnish at least twice as much water to 
 that "gem- of the desert," as the Jordan carries off. 
 The only other stream of any importance is the Sevier 
 River, which rises near the southern boundary of Utah, 
 in Fish Lake, runs a hundred and fifty miles to the 
 north, then bends to the west around the point of Iron 
 Mountain, receiving the small supplies of Salt Creek, 
 San Pete, Chicken Creek, and Meadow Creek, then 
 taking a southwest course, is lost in the " big sink " of 
 Sevier Lake Desert. West of the Iron Mountain range 
 are a score of " sinking creeks," among them Pioneer, 
 
444 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Chalk, Cove and Com Creeks, whicli are fed by the 
 melting snows of the mountains, furnish scant irriga- 
 tion to a small strip of land, and are " lost " in the 
 Great Desert of southwestern Utah. 
 
 Below the " divide," the only streams of note are the 
 Rio Virgen and its affluents, which belong to the Colo- 
 rado system. Most of the larger streams abound in fish, 
 among which mountain trout are particularly worthy 
 of note ; their waters, on issuing from hills, are of great 
 clearness and purity, and it is only where small streams 
 have run some distance across the plain that they are, 
 in local phrase, " alkalied." 
 
 The rivers depend for their existence upon the moun- 
 tains, and without those gorges, which supply melted 
 snow during the spring and summer, there would be no 
 running water. 
 
 Next to the " sinking " rivers of Utah, the thermal 
 and chemical springs constitute a remarkable feature. 
 They are found in almost every part of the Territory, . 
 but principally along the road from Salt Lake City 
 northward. All along the foothills of the Promontory 
 range, in the mountains southwest of Utah Lake, and 
 between the city and Bear River, are fountains of strong 
 brine, discharging in many instances large volumes of 
 water ; there are sulphurous pools at the southern ex- 
 tremity of Salt Lake Valley; in one of the islands in the 
 lake arc springs of every character, and in places along 
 the Wasatch, hot, cold and chalybeate, are found side 
 by side. 
 
 First in fame, and probably in medical value, are the 
 Warm Springs in Salt Lake City. Issuing in large 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 445 
 
 volume from the mountain side, the water is conveyed 
 in pipes to a regular bathing house on one side, and to 
 a plunge pool on the other, constituting, in my opinion, 
 the most praiseworthy of Mormon institutions. 
 
 The following analysis is by Dr. Gale, assistant of 
 Captain Stanbury, in 1850. One hundred parts of the 
 water, whose specific gravity was 7.0112, gave splid 
 contents of 1.06Sj087, divided as follows: 
 
 Sulphuretted hydrogen 0.038,182 
 
 Carbonate of lime 0.075,000 
 
 " magnesia , 0.022,770 
 
 Chloride of calcium 0.005,700 
 
 Sulphate of soda 0.064,835 
 
 Chloride of sodium 0.861,600 
 
 1,068,087 
 The usual temperature is 102°. 
 
 Three miles north of the city the Hot Springs boil 
 
 out from a rock at the foot of the mountain, forming a 
 
 hot pool two or three rods in circumference, whence the 
 
 branch runs westward and forms the Hot Spring Lake, 
 
 a body of sulphurous water some two miles long, and 
 
 about half as wide, having an outlet into the Jordan. 
 
 At several places around the margin of this singular 
 
 lake, small jets of hot water boil up with great force ; 
 
 the air in the neighborhood is loaded with the vapors, 
 
 and immediately over the spring is almost stifling. 
 
 Gazing into the small pool, formed by the spring, the 
 
 eye is charmed by the variety of fanciful growths, the 
 
 con/ervae on the rocky bottom. Every conceivable 
 
 form of vegetation is to be seen ; leaves, plants, flowers 
 
 and femlike stems, all of the purest emerald. But all 
 
 are deceptions, mere imitations of plants formed by the 
 
446 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 chemical material on the points of stone. The temper- 
 ature of this spring' is 128°; its specific gravity 1.0130, 
 and one hundred parts yield solid contents 1.0602, 
 divided, according to Dr. Gale, as follows : 
 
 Chloride of sodium 0.8052 
 
 " magnesia 0.0288 
 
 " calcium 0.1096 
 
 Sulphate of lime 0.0806 
 
 Carbonate of lime 0.0180 
 
 Silica 0.0180 
 
 1.0602 
 The most noted mineral springs are seventy milies 
 north of Salt Lake City, near the north crossing of 
 Bear River ; they are hot and cold, impregnated with 
 iron or with sulphur, some twenty in number, and all 
 rising within a few feet of each other. Three springs, 
 the first very hot and sulphurous, the second moder- 
 ately warm and tasting of iron, the third of cold, pure 
 water, rise within a space of three feet. The waters, 
 all flowing into the same channel, do not mix at once, 
 but run apparently in separate strata for several 
 hundred yards, the hot metalic water often running 
 under the clear, cold water ; nor is it until the sudden 
 bends in the channel have thrown the streams violently 
 from side to side, that they mingle in a fluid of uniform 
 temperature. South of Salt Lake City, along the Jor- 
 dan, are found hot pools which send out very little 
 water, and in other , places are chalybeate springs, 
 coating the earth and rocks with oxide of iron. There 
 are also chemical springs on one or two of the islands in 
 the lake. 
 
 The great salt beds of the Basin are in Nevada, but 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 447 
 
 in southern Utah is a peak known as the " Salt Moun- 
 tain," from which that mineral can be cut in solid 
 blocks, in its pure orystalized state. 
 
 Of the mud flats, impregnated with soda, and the 
 alkali deposits, there is a decided surplus, particularly 
 as jnan has been unable to devise any use for such a 
 quantity of those chemicals in that shape. It is 
 thought the presence of alkali increases the cold, nor 
 does it seem possible to eradicate it from the soil. A 
 slight admixture is thought to be beneficial to vegeta- 
 tion, but wherever there is enough to " flower out " 
 upon the surface, it is death to all vegetation — even 
 the hardy sage brush. Saltpetre is found, though 
 rarely ; sulphur is rather too common ; borax is found 
 in moderate amount; petroleum has lately been dis- 
 covered " in paying quantities," and the native alum 
 was analyzed and pronounced good by Dr. Gale. From 
 his report a hundred grammes of the freshly crystalized 
 salt gave : 
 
 Water 70.3 
 
 Protoxide of manganese 08.9 
 
 . Alumina 04.0 
 
 Sulphuric acid 18.0 
 
 Of the vast chemical wealth of the Territory but 
 little is known, and next to nothing has been utilized, 
 but in a general view the entire Basin seems a vast 
 laboratory of nature, where all the primitive processes 
 have been carried out on a scale so extensive as to 
 malse man's dominion, at first sight, seem forever im- 
 possible. 
 
 •First in interest among the large bodies of water, is 
 
448 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 the Great Salt Lake, the " Dead Sea of America," which 
 lies toward the northwest corner of Utah Territory, 
 4,200 feet above sea-level, and twelve miles, at the 
 nearest point from Salt Lake Gity. It is in the form 
 of an irregular parallelogram, of which the major axis, 
 running N. "W. by N., is seventy miles in length, and 
 the minor axis forty miles; the different projections, 
 however, greatly increase the area, which is laid down 
 by Captain Stansbury at 90 by 40 miles, in round 
 numberd. The first mention in history of this wonder- 
 ful Lake is by Baron Hontan, French Governor of New- 
 foundland, who made a voyage west of the Mississippi, 
 in the year 1690, and sailed for six weeks up a river, 
 probably the Missouri, according to his description. 
 Here he found a nation of Indians called the " Gnacsi- 
 tares," probably one of the now extinct Mandan tribes. 
 These Indians brought to him four captives of a " na- 
 tion, far to the west, whom they called Mozeemleks," 
 of whom the Baron says : 
 
 " The Mozeemlek nation is numerous and puissant. 
 These four captives informed me that at a distance of 
 one hundred and fifty leagues from where I then was, 
 their principal river empties itself into a salt lake of 
 three hundred leagues in circumference, the mouth of 
 which is two leagues broad; that there are a hundred 
 towns, great and small, around that sort of sea, and 
 upon it they navigate with such boats as you see drawn 
 on the map, which map the Mozeemlek people drew me 
 on the bark of trees ; that the people of that country 
 made stufl!s, copper axes, and several other manufac- 
 tures, which the Outagamis and other interpreters could 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 449 
 
 not give me to understand as being altogether unac- 
 quainted with such things," etc., etc., etc. 
 
 These captives may have been of the Ute nation, or 
 more probably, the semi-civilized races of Mexico had 
 colonies there at that time, as indicated by the ruins 
 found south of the Lake. The next mention of the 
 Lake is in a work published in America in 1772, en- 
 titled "A desc^ption of the Province of Carolana, by 
 the Spaniards called Florida, and by the French called 
 Louisiane," in which are recited the native accounts of 
 "a lake many leagues west of the mountains, in which 
 there is no living creature, but around its shore the 
 spirits inhabit in great vapors, and out of that lake a 
 great river disembogues into the South Sea." 
 
 The " spirits" will be readily recognized in the Hot 
 Springs, but it is singular that both accounts should 
 give the Lake an outlet. Not long afterwards the Lake 
 became well known to hunters and trappers, and in 
 1845 Colonel Fremont, then on his second expedition, 
 made a sort of flying supvey, which was scientifically 
 completed in 1849-50, by Captain Howard Stansbury. 
 In geologic ages the Lake was doubtless an inland sea, 
 which has declined to its present limits ; but it is sin- 
 gular that since Stansbury's survey the lake surface has 
 risen at least twelve feet, of which eight feet were 
 gained in the years 1865-66 and '67. The natural 
 result has been to greatly weaken the saline character 
 of the water. There is a wide-spread misapprehension 
 on this subject, it being customary for Eastern lecturers 
 to state that " three gallons of the water will make one 
 of salt" The highest estimate, however, that by Fre- 
 
 29 
 
450 LIFE m UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 raont, only gave twenty-four per cent, of salt, and the 
 water was taken from the northwest corner, the most 
 saline portion of the lake. Dr. Gale found one hundred 
 parts of the water to contain solid contents 22.282,- dis- 
 tributed as follows : 
 
 Chloride of sodium, (common salt) 20.196 
 
 Sulphate of soda 1.834 
 
 Chloride of magnesium 0.252 
 
 Chloride of calcium a trace 
 
 22.282 
 
 But it is quite evident that an analysis at this time 
 would show much less, probably not more than 18 per 
 cent, of solid matter, perhaps even less in the Eastern 
 part, and not over 12 or 14 per cent, in Bear River 
 Bay, the least saline arm of the Lake. Those engaged 
 in making salt on Spring Bay, certainly the most 
 saline, state that in 1869 it required six gallons of 
 water to make one of salt. Even with this reduction, 
 it has no superior but the Dead Sea water, of which 
 one hundred parts give solid contents 24.580, while 
 the Atlantic ocean only averages three and a half per 
 cent, of its weight, or about half an ounce to the pound. 
 At the spring floods the Lake often rises several feet, and 
 retiring in the. summer, leaves vast deposits of crystal- 
 ized salt. In places, large bayous could easily be filled 
 during the summer -by wind-mills upon the Lake shore, 
 making millions of tons of salt at a trifling outlay. 
 Considering the area of the Lake, 90 by 40 milesj and 
 its average depth ten feet, this would give a little over 
 a thousand billion solid feet of water, or at the rate 
 above mentioned, 4,800j000,000 tons of salts! Estimat- 
 
AND CHIMES OF MORMONISM. 451 
 
 ing the population of the earth at 1200 millions, this 
 would be enough to supply them all, as well as domestic 
 animals, for a thousand years. All through the slopes 
 northwest of the lake and down the western shore, 
 are a number of springs running pure brine, and east 
 of the Promontory, all the wells dug within five miles 
 of the Lake have yielded salt water at a short depth. 
 
 If any one dowbts the statement that the waters of 
 the Lake are taken up by evaporation, and inclines to 
 the hypothesis of an underground outlet, he can easily 
 convince himself by dipping a basin of the water and 
 exposing it for a few moments to the action of sun and 
 *wind ; the drying air and the direct rays of the sun 
 will evaporate it in an incredibly short space of time. 
 
 Very beautiful effects are produced by taking shrubs 
 of dwarf oak or pine, and dashing the salt water over 
 them at intervals bf a few minutes^ allowing the salt to 
 form on the leaves in thin filmy crystals. The ingenu- 
 ity of man seems in a fair way to iitilize even the im- 
 mense saline deposits in and near the Lake. The newly 
 discovered process of reducing native ore, in which salt 
 is elxteiisively used, bids fair to be generally adopted, 
 and, as there is valuable ore all over Nevada and three- 
 fourths of Utah, the day may not be distant when we 
 will need all of this useful preservative, which is poured 
 out here in such profusion as to seem a waste on the 
 part of nature. Whence comes this salt ? The mount- 
 ain rains and melting snows carry the washings of the 
 "salt mountains"' of southern Utah to Utah Lake, 
 where they are imperceptible to the taste, but are car* 
 xied down by the Jordan ; united with the contributions 
 
452 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 of Bear River and the brine springs of Promontory, 
 they are subjected to the condensing process of nature 
 in Grealt Salt Lake. If there were an underground 
 outlet, a few months' discharge, with the constant re- 
 ception of fresh water, would make it as fresh as Utah 
 Lake. Standing on the shore of Great Salt Lake, one 
 may observe the whole process of nature in rain forma- 
 tion, he may see the mist from the lake rise to a certain 
 height, then form in light fleecy clouds which sail awaiy 
 to the mountains, where they are caught by projecting 
 peaks and higher currents of air, and forced into denser 
 masses, and at times he may observe them pouring 
 upon the heights, the water which will run back and 
 mingle with the mass at his feet, completing thus the 
 cycle of moisture which Solomon remarked in the ex- 
 actly similar phenomena of the Dead Sea : " All the 
 rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the 
 place whence they came, thither the waters return." 
 
 The country bordering Great Salt Lake presents al- 
 most every possible variety of soil, but little or no 
 change in climate. 
 
 First to the soyth lies Jordan Valley, which is gen- 
 erally meant when the people speak of Salt Lake Val- 
 ley, forty miles long by about twelve in breadth ; all 
 the eastern half is valuable for agriculture, and most 
 of the western for grazing. Proceeding northward a 
 strip of salt marsh and low pasture land, near the Lake, 
 is bounded on the east by a strip of fertile land from 
 one to five miles wide, back of which are considerable 
 pastures, even some distance up the mountain side. The 
 same is true of Bear River Valley and the eastern 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 453 
 
 Blope of the Promontory, the former consisting of a fer- 
 tile tract from ten to fifteen miles in width ; but crossing 
 Promontory to the west the change is sudden, and we 
 find at the northwest corner of the Lake a valley of al- 
 kali flats and salt^beds of indescribable barrenness. The 
 entire western shore is a perfect desert ; a salt and arid 
 waste of clay and sand,, of the consistency of mortar in 
 wet weather aiyl a bed of stifling dust in dry ; not even 
 the sage, brush and greasewood find life in the poisonous 
 soil, and near the Lake thousands of acres lie glistening 
 in the sun, bare white with salt and alkali. Running 
 water is .found in but one place, and even the scant 
 springs are separated by journeys of fifty miles. It is 
 comfortable to reflect that a further rise of five feet in 
 the Lake surface would bring it upon this desert, with 
 an area of seventy miles square to cover, and requiring 
 at least ten times as much water for a rise of one foot 
 as it did ten years ago. Along the shore the atmosphere 
 is bluish and hazy, and Captain Stansbury observes 
 that " it is a labor to use telescopes for geodetic purposes, 
 and astronomical observations are very imperfect." In 
 the body of the Lake are several islands and projecting 
 rocks, designated in the order of their size, as follows : 
 1. Antelope, also called Church or Mormon Island, 
 having been appropriated by the corporation or Church 
 of Latter-day Saints, for their stock, a sort of consecra- 
 ted cattle-cormZ " for the Lord and Bro. Brigham." 
 
 At the nearest point it is about twenty miles north- 
 west of Salt Lake City ; for many years the channel 
 between it and the eastern shore was fordable, and is 
 still occasionally ; it contains a number of green valleys, 
 and some springs of pure water. 
 
454 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 In the shape of an irregular diamond, with a sharp 
 western projection from the northern point, it is sixteen 
 miles long with an extreme width of seven miles ; it 
 contains many ridges and detached peaks, the highest 
 3,000 feet above the lake, and consequently 7,200 above 
 sea-level. Near the northeastern coast is a rock called 
 Egg Island, and on the most eastern cUff, "they «ay" 
 there is a cave, with remarkable blue grottoes, of which 
 " monstrous stories " have been told. 
 
 2. Stansbury Island is the second largest in the Lake, 
 lying southwest of Antelope, near the western shore, 
 with which it is connected, at rare intervals of low 
 water by a sand-spit. It is about half the size of Ante- 
 lope Island, and consists of a single ridge, twelve miles 
 in length, and rising three thousand feet above the 
 lake. It is of some use for grazing purposes, and is 
 frequented by ducks, geese, plover, gulls and pelicanSi. 
 
 3. Carrington Island, so named from the Mormon 
 engineer, Albert Carrington, who assisted Captain Stans- 
 bury in his survey, is an irregular circle with a single 
 central peak ; it contains no springs, but abounds in a 
 great variety of plants and flowers. It lies a little 
 northwest of Stansbury, and west of the north point of 
 Antelope Island, near the western shore. 
 
 4. Fremont Island lies between Antelope and Prom- 
 ontory Point, nearer the last, and just below the point 
 where Bear River Bay opens into the central part of 
 the lake. It is shaped somewhat like a half moon — 
 abounds in plants, particularly the wild onion, but is 
 destitute of wood and water. Colonel Fremont named 
 it Disappointment Island, having been led to believe, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 455 
 
 before visiting it, that it abounded in " trees and shrub- 
 bery, teeming with game of every description 5 " Stans- 
 bury gave its present name, and it is sometimes. locally 
 known as " Castle Island," suggested probably by the 
 turreted formation of its principal peak. 
 
 5. Dolphin Island lies far up towards the northwest- 
 ern corner, a mere rocky knoll. 
 
 6. Hat Island, southeast of Gunnison, and another 
 small island in the vicinity are probably part of the same 
 reef The deepest sounding in the Lake, forty feet, is 
 found between Stansbury and Antelope Islands. The lat- 
 ter is also rich in minerals, marble of the finest quality and 
 roofing slate, being readily obtained in large quantities. 
 Boats could run directly alongside of the quarries and 
 load with the greatest convenience. A considerable 
 boating interest will yet be built up on the Lake, in 
 which these islands will play an important part. On the 
 eastern shores of the Lake are cultivated farms, populous 
 towns, mines of all valuable metals ; on the island are 
 valuable tracts for pasturage, and at the foot of the sur- 
 rounding mountains are medicinal springs, hot and coldy 
 sulphur, iron and soda. The summer air of the Lake 
 is light, saline and health-inspiring; the scenery un- 
 surpassed, and abounding in views of memorable beauty. 
 The romance of this Mare Mortuum has survived the 
 investigations of science, and from a region of miscon- 
 ception and fable, the vicinity of the Great Salt Lake 
 has become the Switzerland of, America. 
 
 Besides the^ noted " Dead Sea," the Great Basin is 
 well provided with lakes, such as they are, of which 
 those in Utah constitute an irregular chain from north 
 to south. 
 
456 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Bear Lake, a mere "tarn" among the mountains, 
 extending from Cache Valley into Idaho, is' chiefly 
 notable as the home of the " Bear Lake Monster," a 
 nondescript with a body half seal, half serpent, and a 
 he^d somewhat like a sea lion, which has often been 
 seen and described by Indians and Mormons, but never 
 by white Christians, that I have heard of. It has 
 never been properly classified or named, as it is invisi- 
 ble when scientific observers are at hand, but from the 
 descriptions current among the latter-day Philosophers, 
 I judge it to be a relic of that extinct species generally 
 denominated the " Ginasticutis." 
 
 The Sweetwater reservoir, Utah Lake, is fed by large 
 streams from the western slopes of the Uintah range, 
 its circumference, exclusive of offsets, being estimated 
 at eighty miles. This singular analogue of the Sea of 
 Galilee receives the waters from the southern moun- 
 tains, containing a few grains of salt to the gallon, and 
 after furnishing space for considerable evaporation, dis- 
 charges them by way of Jordan into Great Salt Lake. 
 Sevier, Preuss, Nicollet, and Little Salt Lake in like 
 manner receive and furnish " sinks " for the waters 
 ' from the Iron Mountain range, and the southern branch 
 of the Wasatch, none of these lakes communicating 
 with any other, but each dependent on a distinct water 
 system. Only the larger streams form lakes, the 
 smaller are either evaporated or sink in ponds and 
 puddles of black mire ; the waters in places reappear 
 or pass underground to feed the larger lakes. 
 
 The deserts of Utah consist of alkali flats, barren 
 sand or red earth, resulting, in most instances, merely 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISJT. 457 
 
 from the lack of water, for where this can be supplied 
 in sufl&cient abundance, the alkali is, in no long time, 
 washed away ; and many of the sandy districts, once 
 thought to be irreclaimably barren, have been proved 
 quite fertile by irrigation. It is quite evident, t*so, 
 that a change has been going on for many years, re- 
 claiming large tracts in the vicinity of the mountains. 
 Tracts, entirely, barren a score of years ago, after re- 
 ceiving the wash of higher lands, present a scant growth 
 of grease-wood, which is succeeded in time by whitesage 
 brush, and that in turn by the ranker growth of blue 
 sage-brush,"" each step marking an increase of fertility in 
 the soil. Large tracts are found entirely barren of vege- 
 tation, others that have advanced to the grease-wood 
 stage, still others to the growth of sage-brush. In many 
 places the transition is evident, and from the testimony 
 of early explorers, certain tracts have completed the 
 entire circuit of increasing fertility within the memory 
 of man. 
 
 Utah is in the parallel of the Mediterranean, but the 
 elevation renders it more bleak, though not liable to 
 sudden vicissitudes of temperature ; the changes in any 
 one winter are quite moderate, but the difference be- 
 tween successive winters is often much greater than in 
 any other part of the United States. Cattle have been 
 wintered in Cache Valley, Ogden Hole, and other sec- 
 tions, entirely upon the range and without shelter ; on 
 the other hand, there have been winters in which all 
 the settlements were isolated, when snow fell almost 
 every day, with a high westerly wind, sometimes so 
 high that spray was carried from the lake into the city; 
 
458 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The first two winters the Mormons spent in the val- 
 ley were unusually mild, cattle living along the streams 
 without feed; the third winter, and that of 1854-55, 
 were exceedingly harshj and the people being unused 
 to Aake provisions therefor, many hundred cattle per- 
 ished in the snow. 
 
 Twenty years ago, rain very seldom fell between May 
 and October ; in 1860 it continued quite showery, evea 
 to the first of July, and, at present, some rain may be 
 counted on with certainty every month in the season, 
 The change is attributed by one class of philosopheES 
 to a gradual change of the rain zones ; by the Mormons 
 to their prayers and piety, and the favor of Heaven, but 
 is probably due to cultivation and planting. The same 
 phenomenon is observed in western Nebraska and 
 Kansas, and in upper Egypt. The Indians say, " the 
 pale face brings his rain with him." The summer, as 
 marked by the thermometer, is hot, but the great eleva- 
 tion, the lightness and dryness of the air, the cool winds 
 from the canons and the complete absence of malaria, 
 render it delightful and wholesome. 
 
 At the north end of the lake they have the sea- 
 breeze, the mountain air and the refreshing zephyrs 
 from the plains. During the last summer the ther- 
 mometer usually rose eight or ten degrees from sun-rise 
 till noon ; the greatest mid-day heat was not oppressive^ 
 and the mornings and evenings, cooled by the moun- 
 tain airs, were deliciously soft and pure. 
 
 The most disagreeable feature of this section is the 
 dust-storms and thunder-storms, which, during the last 
 season, though not frequent, were severe. Showers 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 459 
 
 are expected when the clouds come from the west and 
 southwest ; from the east they will cling to the hills. 
 Cultivation and irrigation giving greater facilities for 
 evaporation, the process of nature in the cycle of mois- 
 ture is quickened, ' the particles of water make the 
 circuit oftener, and more frequent showers are the re- 
 sult. It is evident this climate of cool, dry air in the 
 winter, moderate, dryness and extreme tenuity in the 
 summer, and stimulating rarity at all seasons, is suited 
 to all healthy and most sickly constitutions. Paralysis is 
 rare, consumption almost unknown — the climate lacks 
 that humidity which develops the predisposition- — 
 asthma and phthisis meet with immediate relief, and 
 from my personal experience, it is evident the air tends 
 to expand, strengthen and give tonic force to the lungs. 
 But rheumatism and neuralgia are by no means uncom- 
 mon ; as in other bracing climates, they effect the poor, 
 and those from any cause, insuflBciently fed, housed or 
 clothed during the winter... For all who would avoid 
 humidity, either in soil or air; who seek relief from 
 pulmonary diseases or dyspepsia, the climate is unsur- 
 passed ; but for inflammatory diseases the good effects 
 of this climate are still open to debate. 
 
460 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 MATERIAL RESOURCES OP UTAH. 
 
 Amount of arable land — Its nature and location — Increased rainfall — Causes 
 — Probable greater increase— Mode of irrigation — Aquarian Socialisnn— 
 No room for competition — Alkali — Some advantages — Yield of various 
 crops— " Beet-sugar "—Sorglium syrup— Mormon improvements (? ) 
 — Grossly exaggerated — True Wealth of Utah — Mining and grazing— 
 Bunch-grass — Mountain pastures — Sheep and goats — "Fur, fin and 
 feather" — Trapping and hunting — Carnivora — Ruminants — Buffalo— 
 None in the Basin — Shoshonee tradition — Game, fowl— Amphibia — 
 "Sandy toad" — Serpents — Fish — Oysters in Salt Lake — Insects^- 
 " Mormon bedbugs" — Advantages from the dry air — Insectivora— 
 Crickets — Grasshoppers or locusts ? — Indians of Utah — Rapid extinction 
 — " Diggers " — " Club-men" — Utes — Shoshonees - Their origin— Mor- 
 mon theory — Scientific theory— Chinese annals — Tartans in America — 
 Mormon settlers — Twenty-three years of "gathering" — Much work, 
 slow progress — Reasons — Inherent weakness of the system— Gfreat 
 apostasy — Their present number-^Exaggeration — Enumeration of set- 
 tlements and population — Nationality — Total military force — Future 
 of the Territory. 
 
 Op the entire area of the Great Basin, probably one 
 half is a complete desert to begin with ; one-third is 
 of value for grazing purposes, and the remaining one- 
 sixth agricultural land. 
 
 Most of the complete desert is in Nevada, and 'at 
 least three-fourths of the fertile land in Utah. In the 
 entire basin are numbered thirty-five considerable val- 
 leys containing cultivable land, of great, or at least 
 average fertility, of which the best known are the 
 Jordan or Salt Lake, Bear River, Sevier, Cache Tovelle, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 461 
 
 Ruby, Malad Carson, and Humboldt Valleys. Of these, 
 all those in Utah are fully occupied by the Mormons, 
 except Bear River, on which they have but a feAv set- 
 tlements, and those along the mountains eastward. 
 The entire basin thus contains about as much good 
 land as the State of Indiana, and three or four times 
 as much of little or no value. 
 
 Even the mggt fertile valleys contain occasional 
 desert tracts', generally of small extent, of which tracts. 
 Bear River and Cache Valleys contain the least. The 
 Sevier Valley is peculiar in its features; the fertile 
 tracts -are apparently richer than in the more northern 
 valleys, but the deserts much more barren and desolate 
 in appearance ; the traveler, in places, traversing an 
 arid waste five or ten miles in width, the bare, gray 
 sand unrelieved even by white sage-brush, and then at 
 'a sudden turn of the road into a mountain cove, or a 
 depression in the land, finding a few thousand acres of 
 beauty and fertility. 
 
 Towards the upper part of its course, that valley 
 presents a rare picture of romantic beauty. Wood and 
 water are abundant, game plenty, and the soil very rich 
 along the foot of the mountains. The agricultural 
 system of Utah would present many novel features to 
 an eastern farmer, and at first view the difficulties would 
 seem to him insurmountable. 
 
 The most marked feature of the interior plains is 
 the scarcity of timber ; for, with the exception of a few 
 scant willows along two or three of the streams, the 
 whole valley of Salt Lake was originally as bare of 
 trees as if blasted by the breath of a volcano. 
 
462 LIFE m UTAH; OR,. THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The nearest timber to Salt Lake City, fit for fuel, is 
 fifteen miles distant, and that up City Creek Canon; 
 which belongs to Brigham Young, by act of Territorial 
 Legislature ; and he requires every third load to be left 
 at his corral. So, most of the fuel used in the city 
 comes from canons twenty or twenty-five miles distant, 
 and ranges from twelve to thirty dollars per cord. 
 
 This evil has been greatly increased by their strip- 
 ping the heights more bare every year, and many 
 conjecture that this prevents the former heavy ac- 
 cumulations of snow, which, in turn, blows into the 
 valley worse each winter, and may in time even lessen 
 the source of the streams, which are chiefly supplied 
 by the melting snow. 
 
 Planting trees, except in orchards or along the streetsj 
 has been entirely neglected. Unlike the farmers of 
 Iowa and Nebraska, who purpose to grow their own 
 fire-wood, there is, not to my kiiowledge, an artificial 
 grove in the entire valley. 
 
 True, the trees would require occasional irrigation, 
 but with the facilities afforded by the many little streams 
 crossing the " bench," one man could easily attend to 
 several thousand acres, and though his returns would 
 be slow, they would in time be ample. The suggestion 
 may sometime be found practicable. 
 
 The second drawback is want of water, or rather of 
 rain, for there is plenty of the article in strealns which 
 are the source of supply. 
 
 At the first settlement of Utah there were periods of 
 five or six months without rain, but of late years there 
 has been a great change in that respect, and last sum- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 463 
 
 mer rains were so frequent along the streams that many- 
 tracts required no irrigation at all. This is probably 
 due to the same cause as the similar phenomenon in 
 other places ; but the change has probably been greater 
 here, as irrigation, distributing the water so generally 
 over the land in ditches and through fields, has presen- 
 ted a greater scope for solar evaporation, the great 
 right hand of " «loud-compelling Jove." 
 
 This has increased the fall of rain, which must, in 
 turn, add to the productive force of nature, till in time 
 irrigation will be needless for the small grains and 
 cereals. 
 
 Under the present system', each settlement becomes a 
 sort of " socialistic community " as to its water supply. 
 Enough of families must make a settlement together in 
 some convenient valley, to construct a dam further up 
 the carton, from which reservoir a main canal is carried 
 through the settlement, and from thi« side canals and 
 ditches convey the water among the farms, and thence 
 into fields, and by tiny rivulets between the rows of 
 vegetation. 
 
 The various crops are watered from one to three 
 times per week, according to their nature, during the 
 dry season. The greatest labor is in establishing a set- 
 tlement, and opening these sources of public supply, but 
 thereafter, the whole settlement turns out each spring, 
 at the call of the Water-Marshal, and a few days' work 
 gets all in order. 
 
 Hence the settlement must move as a unit in this 
 case, and every man claims a supply of water according 
 to the money or labor contributed to the first construc- 
 tion. 
 
464 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 For many years, in certain settlements, the Waters 
 Marshal turned the supply to different districts at dif- 
 ferent hours, and the proprietors in each district further 
 divided the time when each might take water ; day and 
 night during the dry season, being devoted to the work. 
 In some settlements, and in the city, fines as high as 
 sixty dollars were imposed for " stealing water," that is, 
 for turning it on one's fields out of the prescribed time. 
 But with the increase of rain and heavy dews which 
 now water " the garden of the Lord and modern Zion," 
 this aquatic penuriousness has ceased to . be necessary, 
 and there are but few if any localities where one may 
 not " take water " at any hour. 
 
 The great expense is in getting the system started ; 
 after that it need not be as great as the losses attendant 
 on waiting for rain in other regions, or having too much 
 of it at a time. Herein also is an important politico- 
 religious feature of the system ; no Gentile can start in 
 with a new settlement, formed as it is by a " call " from 
 the Church authorities, and he cannot of course go it 
 alone. Gentiles could only settle by entire neighbor- 
 hoods together, or in some place buy out a Saint whose 
 water-rights are already established, and run with the 
 land. For these and other reasons, one rarely meets 
 with a Gentile outside of the towns. 
 
 Alkali is another enemy of the Utah farmer. A 
 moderate infusion' is thought to be an advantage, but 
 in many places it is so thick as to "flower outf like a 
 heavy frost or light snow on the surface ; there it is 
 fatal to most crops, and many think it will not yield to 
 the longest continued cultivation. Some crops will 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM.' 465 
 
 flourish, where it is abundant, others are ruined by the 
 slightest sprinkle. The common pie-plant entirely 
 loses its acidity, and the sorghum cane is completely 
 "alkalied." 
 
 But the principle of compensation in nature applies 
 even here, and the Utah farmer has some marked ad- 
 vantages. There are neither droughts nor freshets — 
 both considerablefitems to an Illinois farmer ; the latter 
 are unknown, and the former of no consequence in the 
 practice of irrigation. In the summer of 1866, there 
 (Occurred a furious wind and rain storm in the locality 
 of the writer's residence in the States, which destroyed 
 com, wheat, and fruit, to the value of fifty thousand 
 dollars in one township. This amount would have ir- 
 rigated for many years, a tract in Utah as large as that 
 township. 
 
 Wheat for many seasons has required but one or 
 two waterings, and in 1867 the average yield, accord- 
 ing to Mormon statistics, was Seventeen bushels per 
 acre. With flour at eighteen dollars per barrel, and 
 last year it was sometimes above that, this would pay 
 well for irrigation. 
 
 Barley and potatoes yield very heavily, and have- 
 heretofore sold at enormous prices. But the last year, 
 there has been a great decline in prices. The land pro- 
 duces all thei small grains, especially wheat, oats and! 
 barley, in great abundance; a little Indian com i*' 
 raised, but the climate is not favorable ; nearly all the 
 fruits and vegetables of the temperate zone, pumpkins^ 
 beets and carrots— in Gentile slang, " Mormon currency"" 
 —in great size and plenty. Peaches of fine flavor, audi 
 
 30 
 
466 LITE IN UTAH; OK, THE MTSTERIES 
 
 in great quantity, are grown in almost every valley. 
 Salt Lake Valley and the lower tracts adjacent being most 
 favorable. But I do not fully appreciate the apples of 
 Salt Lake ; they seem insipid, stunted in some places and 
 overgrown in others, and decidedly " pithy." The lower 
 part of Bear River Valley and the slopes leading 
 theretb, have all the natural indications for one of the 
 finest fruit ciountries in the world, the easy changes 
 of the winter and spring being peculiarly favorable. 
 
 Beets and onions grow to an unusual size, which sug-' 
 gested, in 1853, the idea of making beet sugar. The 
 " inspired priesthood," headed by " Brother Brigham," 
 entered into the matter with zeal ; one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars were expended upon the buUding and 
 machinery, but the Lord must have "spoken to the 
 Prophet with an uncertain voice ;" for the experiment 
 failed utterly ; on account of the alkali, the Mormons 
 say ; for want of good management, say the perverse 
 Gentiles, who sometimes, add that the Saints made a 
 fiery article of " Valley Tan "whiskey out of the useless 
 material. But other sweets abound; there is great 
 profit in sorghum, and one farmer near Kaysville reports 
 that last year he made one hundred and five gallons 
 from one-third of an acre, and two hundred gallons per 
 acre throughout his field. At the low price of one dol- 
 lar per gallon, this will pay for irrigation. But cane 
 jfarmers must avoid the alkali lands. Of farm improve- 
 ;ments there is little to be said. The impression prevails 
 quite generally that the Mormons are remarkably in- 
 dustrious. I have impartially endeavored to find the 
 tevidence, but, with due regard for others' opinions, I 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM, 467 
 
 fail to see it. They have bi/ilt houses, bams and fences, 
 but such as they were absolutely forced to have in order 
 
 MORMON " IMPBOVEMENTS "— A WILLOW COEBAL. 
 
 to live at, all. If there is a single farm-house between 
 Salt Lake City and Bear River, which shows qn ad- 
 vanced idea of architecture, I do not remember it. 
 
 If there is any particular development of taste, out- 
 side a few of the cities, any adornment which shows an 
 aspiration for the higher and more beautiful, or any im- 
 provements indicating comprehensive grasp and energy 
 of thought, I have missed them in my travels. The 
 Mormon converts are drawn from the most industrious 
 races of Europe ; it was impossible for even Mormonism 
 to entirely spoil them, and they have done nearly as 
 well, perhaps, as any other people would have done under 
 ■the same circumstances. 
 
 Compared with the same races in the Western States, 
 the Swedes, Norwegians^ Danes and English, of Iowa 
 or Minnesota, the latter have made as much progress in 
 five years after settlement as the Mormons in ten or 
 
468 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 twenty. But oh the credit side of the estimate for the 
 latter, we must set down the fact of their great distance 
 from civilization, the natural barrenness of much of their 
 country, the grasshoppers, crickets, wild beasts and 
 Indians with which they had >to contend ; the spiritual 
 despotism under which they labor ; their poverty and 
 their ignorance of this mode of farming ; on the debit 
 side, the advantages from overland travel, and neigh- 
 boring mining regions, which enabled them to obtain 
 fabulous prices for their grain, the general advantages 
 of a new country in "fur, fin and feather," the rare' 
 healthfulness of their climate, the unlimited range for 
 stock and the benefits of unity in their labor system. 
 
 The wonder is that they settled there at all ; having 
 settled there they, have done less in the^ way of im- 
 provement than their countrymen in other sections in 
 half the time. 
 
 But the true wealth of the Territory is in grazing 
 and mining. The range is practically unlimited and 
 the mountain bunch-grass is the best in the world for 
 cattle. This valuable and rather anomalous provision 
 of nature seems to be indigenous to the interior plains 
 of the Eocky Mountains. It is first found, I believe, 
 on the western slope of the Black Hills, and extends to 
 the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas. West of that 
 boundary it gives 'place to other seeded grasses of the 
 Pacific slope, and to the "wild oats" of California, 
 which are supposed to have been introduced by the 
 Spaniards. Millions of acres are rendered valuable by 
 the presence of bunch-grass, which, without it, could 
 hardly be traversed by cattle. As the name indicates 
 
AND CBIMES OF MORMONISM. 469 
 
 it grows in clumps, and to an eastern eye would appear 
 as if it sought the most barren spots, flourishing even 
 upon slopes of sandy and stony hills. Like winter 
 wheat it remains green and juicy under the snow; it 
 usually commences growing in February or March, and 
 continues till May or June, when it dries up and ap- 
 pears to die, but in the form of a light straw contains 
 abundant nutranent. In places, during autumn and 
 after shedding the seed, it puts forth a green shoot, 
 apparently within the old withered stalk; with the 
 advance of summer the best is found higher up the 
 mountains, and it thus furnishes food the year round. 
 
 It yields a small pyriform seed, which is greedily de- 
 voured by cattle, and has remarkable fattening proper- 
 ties, giving an excellent flavor to the beef It is often 
 a subject of remark, how little food will fatten cattle 
 upon the elevated prairies, and interior plateaus of the 
 West ; the exceeding purity, dryness and rarity of the 
 air, by perfecting the processes of digestion and assimi- 
 lation, no doubt accounts for this. 
 
 The same has been observed of the highlands of 
 Central Asia. From the same causes cattle endure a 
 greater degree of cold without shelter, and the -plains 
 can be made to produce abundant forage for winter. 
 The finest, juciest, tenderest steaks of home growth, 
 appear daily upon the tables of the Utah publicans, and 
 there is scarcely a limit to the possible supply. By 
 greater improvement in irrigation, and by the increase 
 of rain, Utah will in time have great agricultural wealth,' 
 but stock raising will be her best paying interest. 
 
 Facilities for grazing are practically unbounded, the 
 
470 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 valleys supply plentiful pasturage in winter, and as 
 spring advances and the snow line recedes up the hills, 
 cattle will find fresh pastures. 
 
 In the valleys of Green, Grand and Colorado rivers, 
 are many thousand square miles of the finest country 
 in the world for wool growing ; on all the mountain 
 slopes jvest of Bear River grass grows luxuriantly, and 
 the higher portions of Sevier Valley contain^jnillions of 
 acres of grazing land, the natural home of the Merino 
 sheep and Cashmere goat ; the 6limate and elevation are 
 exactly suitable for the production of the finest wools; 
 all the facilities for manufacturing exist along the lower 
 course of the mountain streams, and the day will come 
 when the finest of shawls and other fabrics will be pro- 
 duced in Utah, rivalling the most famous productions 
 from the highlands of Persia and Hindoostan. 
 
 Of "fur, fin and feather," the Great Basin is rather 
 deficient, in an economical view. There are minks, 
 ermines, American badgers, wolverines, woodchucks, 
 musk-rats, beavers and otters, the last two rare in other 
 parts, but still found in such plenty on the upper tribu- 
 taries of Bear River, as to make trapping profitable. 
 The principal carnivora are the cougar, catro-mountain, 
 large and small wolf,, and a variety of foxes. Of the 
 ruminants we find the antelope, deer, elk, and Rocky 
 Mountain sheep. The buffalo is seldom found west of 
 Laramie plains, not at all in the Great Basin, though 
 the Indians have a tradition that they were once very 
 numerous even < to the Sierra Nevadas, and old hunters 
 and travelers speak of finding traces of their former 
 existence there. The Shoshonees give the following 
 
9 3 8 6 
 
 E A AH AW 
 
 long long long long long 
 
 (D t >! N ^ 
 
 00 E A AH AW 
 
 long short short short short 
 
 A 's- J, 4 ,3- 
 
 00 I 01 ow 
 
 short short 
 
 G) y V f 7 
 
 U woo YE H P 
 
 a c q 
 
 B T D CHE G 
 
 Q & P % I 
 
 K GA F V ETH 
 
 ?J S 6 D S 
 
 THE S Z ESH ZHEE 
 
 ^ I 9 I M 
 
 R L M N NG 
 
 Mormon Alphabet. Invented by 0. Pratt and W- Phelps 
 to be used in Mormon Literature, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 471 
 
 account of their banishment: When the buffaloes 
 herded in great numbers in these valleys, the crickets 
 were less in number than now, but being the weakest 
 of all the animals, they had the ear of the Great Spirit 
 when oppressed. The buffaloes, in crowding to the 
 rivers to drink, trampled upon the crickets and did 
 not heed their cries, upon which the latter complained 
 to the Great. Spirit, who by a sweeping decree changed 
 all the miffaloes to a small race of crickets, leaving no- 
 thing of the buffalo but the milt ! It is a singular fact 
 that the crickets found in the basin contain a " milt " 
 or spleen, exactly similar in shape to that of the bovine 
 genus. 
 
 Of game birds there are several varieties : quail or 
 partridges ; two varieties of grouse, the most common 
 called the sage-hen ; the mallard duck is found in great 
 plenty on the lower part of Bear River and Jordan, 
 and is particularly abundant on the Sevier; while 
 brant, curlew, plover and wild geese are much more 
 numerous than the appearance of the country would 
 indicate, df useless animals and reptiles there are 
 quite enough to give variety to animated nature. That 
 purely western American phenomenon, half toad, half 
 lizard, locally known as the " horned toad " or " sandy- 
 toad," scientifically ranked Phrynoscma, is found on all 
 the high, dry plains. Its scaly body and inability to 
 jump prevents its ranking strictly among "batrachi- 
 ans." It is found on the highest and driest ridges, is 
 calloused on the belly like an alligator, its back is 
 thickly studded with homy points about a quarter of an 
 inch in length, it has legs like a common .toad, but runs 
 swiftly like a lizard. 
 
472 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Of serpents, there are rattlesnakes, water snakes and 
 swamp adders, and a few others, all very rare. The 
 fishes are perch, pike, bass, chub, mountain trout, and 
 a species of salmon trout, of which thirty-pound speci- 
 mens have been caught. There are very few molluscs,, 
 periwinkles or snails. There has been much discussion 
 of dii project to plant oysters in Salt Lake at the various 
 river mouths, but the Bcheme seems to have been aban- 
 doned. Probably it would not succeed, from the ex- 
 treme density, of the lake water, which is often driven 
 some distance up the rivers by high winds. 
 
 In view of the desirableness of any country as a place 
 of residence, the entomology is no inconsiderable item. 
 Utah, in regard to insect life, is subject to great extremes. 
 On entering the Territory. from the east, the visitor's 
 first impression would be that both animal and insect life 
 were rare. On the road from Green Eiver to Salt Lake 
 City, particularly in the early part of the season, there 
 are few stock flies, few scavengers and few large birds ; 
 troublesome insects are rare, even in the valleys, and 
 unknown on the upland desert ; but in other localities 
 there is a surplus, and after longer residence one finds 
 enough of them to be troublesome. 
 
 Li Salt Lake City the flies are probably worse, both 
 as to number and peculiarities, than in any other city 
 in America, but fortunately their time is very short. 
 During the spring and early summer they are rarely 
 seen ; in August they begin to multiply, " coming in 
 with the emigration," according to local phrase, mean- 
 ing the Mormon emigrants, who formerly completed the 
 journey across the plains by the laitter part of July. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 473 
 
 From the middle of August till cool weather they are 
 perfectly fearful, certainly much worse than they need 
 be if proper cleanliness were practised ; large, flat-headed, 
 lightr winged and awkward, they light and crawl over the 
 person in the most annoying manner, not yielding, like 
 " Gentile flies," to a light brush or switch, but requiring 
 literally to be swept off. No other part of the Territory 
 I have visited, is half so bad in this respect ai Salt 
 Lake City, and the southern valleys seem peculiarly 
 free from this pest. 
 
 Fleas are, in western phrase, " tolerable bad," but 
 bed bugs are intolerable; both in numbers and voracity 
 those of Utah beat the world, particularly in the coun- 
 try towns, and among the poorer classes of foreign-bom 
 Mormons. In certain settlements their ravage is incred- 
 ible, and Mormon bed-bugs seem as much worse than 
 others as their human companions. Like the latter, 
 too, they seem to regard the Gentile as fair prey. More 
 than once, in some secluded valley, has the writer re- 
 tired to rest (intentionally) with reckless confidence, 
 and after an hour of fierce resolution to hold, out 
 against any amount of blood letting, has risen from his 
 couch with a full appreciation of Byron's beautiful line : 
 
 "No sleep till morn — " 
 
 I have given the worst side of affairs first, and in 
 other respects the resident is rather free from annoy- 
 ance. Mosquitoes are bad in very few places ; three- 
 fourths of the country is entirely exempt, lacking 
 humidity enough to produce them. With stock flies, 
 the case is much the same ; in places along Bear River, 
 
474 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 and other streams where the current is sluggish thay 
 are troublesome, though such places are rare. In places 
 around the Lake gnats are troublesome, and Captain 
 Stansbury speaks of encountering on the western shore 
 dense swarms of small black flies, of which he says : 
 "An incredible number perfectly covered the white 
 sand hear the shore, changing its color completely-rra 
 fact only revealed as the swarms rose upon being dis- 
 turbed by our footsteps. They, too, had apparently been 
 driven in by the storm; for I afterAyards discovered 
 that they were as thick upon the water as the land, 
 moving over its surface with great ease and swiftness. 
 In the shallows left by the receding waters, I noticed 
 also quite a number of ants (the first I had seen) 
 drowned seemingly by the over-flow. Both of these 
 insects furnished food for the gulls and snipes, which 
 are almost the only birds found along this shore. 
 Across the little bay ran a broad streak of froth or 
 foam, formed by the meeting of counter currents, and 
 driven in by the wind. Passing through it I found it 
 filled with the small black flies, in the midst of which 
 were flocks of gulls, floating upon the water and in- 
 dustriously engaged in picking them up, precisely as a 
 chicken would pick up grains of corn, and with the 
 same rapidity of motion." 
 
 With the exceptions noted, the whole of Utah is re- 
 markably free from insects ; there are few, if any, of 
 the thousand varieties of wood-borers, aphides, tere- 
 hrce, curculio, weevil, wheat-fly, and the numberless in- 
 sects that infest the grass and the bark of trees in -lower 
 altidudes ; they are either totally wanting, or found so 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 475 
 
 seldom as to be innoxious. In consequence there are 
 very few birds of the insect-eating kinds, and no par- 
 ticularly dangerous reptiles. Of insects destructive to 
 vegetation the cricket was once very troublesome, but 
 ceased to be so at least ten years ago, though the grass- 
 hop|yer still makes occasional visits, as in all the Terri- 
 tories. The question has been raised in Utah, whether 
 this insect, locally known as grasshopper is not really a 
 locust — ^perhaps the locust mentioned in Scripture. But 
 an examination shows it to be congeneric with the in- 
 sect scientifically designated the oedipoda migratoria, 
 which, is certainly of the grasshopper species, though 
 known in the East by the English name of " migratory 
 locust." ( 
 
 The grasshopper of Utah is not so long and thin, 
 light-bodied and "clipper built" as that of Nebraska 
 and Kansas, but fully as destructive to vegetation; 
 though of late years its ravages have been confined to 
 certain limited localities. Though numerous enough in 
 Salt Lake City the past season to constitute a "visita- 
 iion," they did very little damage — "poisoning the skin 
 of a.pples" to a slight extent. 
 
 From grasshoppers to Indians may seem to the East- 
 ern mind an abrupt transition; but the original in- 
 habitants of Utah merit a brief notice. All the old 
 accounts represent the Indians of the Great Basin as 
 the lowest and most degraded of their race, and one is 
 surprised in the chronicles of only thirty years ago to 
 read of tribes, or rather bands and parts of tribes, now, 
 totally extinct. 
 
 The "Club-men," a race of savage and filthy cannibals 
 
476 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 were once quite numerous in all the central and western 
 valleys, but are now entirely extinct ; and many of the 
 races mentioned by M. Violet, who lived among the 
 Shoshonees thirty-five .years ago, are no longer to be 
 found. 
 
 From these and other facts, it is very probable that 
 all the Indians known as "diggers" were mere outcasts 
 from other tribes, or the remnants of more noble tribes 
 conquered in war, which had been forced into the Basin 
 as a place of refuge. 
 
 Their tribal organization broken up; their former 
 hunting grounds forbidden them; and themselves com- 
 pelled to subsist only on the meanest and least nourish- 
 ing fare, they degenerated rapidly in moraZe andphysiquej 
 at the same time that they decreased in number. 
 
 They subsisted chiefly upon roots dug from the 
 groupd, the seeds of various plants indigenous to the 
 soil, ground into a kind of flour between flat stones; 
 and upon lizards, crickets, and fish at some seasons of 
 the year. Thus lacking the food which furnishes 
 proper stimulus to the brain and muscles, each succeed^ 
 ing generation sank lower in the scale of humanity; 
 the generative powers declined under a regimen of 
 exposure and scant nourishment ; few children were 
 bom and fewer reared to maturity, and the kindness of 
 nature's law forbade increase where life promised naught 
 but exposure and misery. Of such races the numerical 
 ' decline must have been steady and rapid, and their 
 numbers only maintained by the successive additions 
 from the superior races north and east. A little above 
 these, in the scale of humanity, are the Utes or Utahs, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 477 
 
 inhabiting nearly all the southern part of the Great 
 Basin, and extending into Colorado as far as the bound- 
 ary of the Arapahoes, with whom they are almost con- 
 tinually at war. The word Ute or Utah signifies, in 
 their language, "man," "dweller," or "resident," and by 
 the adc^itions of other syllables, we have the three grand 
 divisions of that race : Pi-Utes, Gosha-Utes, Pah-Utes, 
 which may be fr«ely translated "mountaineers," "val- 
 ley men," and "dwellers by the water," those prefixes 
 respectively indicating "mountain," "valley," and "wa- 
 ter." Of all these the bravest are the mountain Utes, 
 among whom we might include the Uintahs ; but the 
 Indians of the lower countries are rather cowardly, and 
 dangerous only by theft or treachery. Far superior to 
 any of these are the Shoshonees or Snakes, found all 
 along the . northern border of Utah, and extending 
 thence northeast to the Bannacks and westward into 
 Idaho and Nevada. 
 
 They have a complete tribal organization, and some- 
 thing like government and council among themselves ; 
 own horses ,and cattle, and display some ingenuity in 
 their dwellings, and in the construction of fish weirs and 
 traps of willow bushes. They feel also something like 
 pride of race, and to call a Shoshonee a " digger," is 
 more of an insult than to stigmatize a very light mu- 
 latto as a " nigger." 
 
 The origin of the Indians has been a subject of fre- 
 quent inquiry among American antiquarians. Some 
 forty years ago, an idea was broached, and for awhile 
 IMPevailed quite extensively, that they were the descend- 
 ants of the "lost tribes" of ancient Israel, and that 
 
478 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 veracious chronicle, the " Book of Mormon," has traced 
 their descent from a Jewish family, who left Jerusalem 
 six hundred years before Christ. But if we are to 
 to draw our arguments from any recognized human 
 source, from language, features, customs, habits or tra- 
 ditions, there are no two races on earth of whose i kin- 
 ship .there is so little proof. 
 
 The features may be greatly altered by climate, cus- 
 toms may change with circumstances, and two thousand 
 years may be long enough to pervert the radical princi- 
 ples of a people's religion ; but language, not as to single 
 words but as to grammatical construction and derivation, 
 has ever been considered the surest test of ethnological 
 relationship; and every fact in the language of the 
 Jews and those of various Indian tribes, disproves the 
 theory of a common origin. To cite but one : languages 
 are divided into primitive, and derivative or compound ; 
 the latter showing by their combinations a derivation 
 from older tongues, and the former maintaining their 
 simple formation, consisting of a certain number of 
 radical syllables. 
 
 j^ primitive language is never derived from, a com- 
 pound one, the latter is from the former. 
 
 The Indian languages are all primitive,, showing no 
 derivation from any older language, even the occasional 
 words of similar sound being evidently accidental, and 
 not nearly so numerous qs those of the same form in 
 the Greek and the language of the South Sea canni- 
 bals. The Hebrew, on the contrary is a derivative 
 language, the outgrowth of older Semetic dialects, and 
 by its finish and complex structure, the language of the 
 
AND CHIMES OP MORMONISM. 479 
 
 Psalms shows that mankind had even then at least two 
 thousand years of progress and cultivation in language. 
 Such a speech may be corrupted in the mouths of a 
 barbarous people, but can never return to its primitive 
 type ; through a thousand variations and centuries of 
 corruption and foreign intermixture, though constantly 
 debased, it will become more complex and farther from 
 its radical formation. In all other branches of the in- 
 quiry, a parallel between the Jews and Indians is found 
 only in two, or at most, three points of th^ir religion ; 
 both believe in One Ood, an all prevading Spirit, and in 
 sacrifices ; the latter belief they share with nearly all 
 the races of men, and the former with many of them. 
 M. Violet, a Frenchman who came to California forty 
 years ago, and spent many years among the Shosho- 
 nees, investigated their language and traditions with 
 much care, and came to the conchision that they were 
 descendants of the Mantcheux. Tartars. His reasons 
 are good, and subsequent discoveries confirm the prob- 
 able truth of his theory. The- lately discovered Chinese 
 annals, which give an account of the expeditions sent 
 out by the Tartar Kublai Khan, about the year 1280, 
 A.D., which visited TJalifornia, Mexico, Central America 
 and Peru, show that they then recognized the fact that 
 the country had been previously settled by men of 
 another branch of their race. But it is not necessary to 
 suppose aU the Indians descended from one branch of 
 the Tartars : the passage of the North Pacific being a 
 proved fact, no doubt several different invasions of our 
 western coast took place, dating, perhaps, even as far 
 back as the fourth generation after Noah, who, it is 
 
480 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 generally agreed settled China, and who may be sup- 
 posed to have known something about navigation. 
 
 Of the first discovery and exploration of the Great 
 Basin this is not the proper place to treat ; but after the 
 Indians, in the order of time, came the Mormons. They 
 were the first white residents, and theif history is the 
 history of the Territory. Since July 24th, 1847, this 
 hag been their gathering place, the Territory of " the 
 Lord and Bro. Brigham ; " a consecrated land of salt, 
 alkali and religious concubinage; where their morals 
 were to be cv/red, and their spiritual interests preserved. 
 
 When we consider how many million people there 
 are in the world to whom Mormonism is the natural 
 religion, how full modern society is of the material for 
 such a church, that it promises a heaven exactly after 
 the natural heart of man, and with the least sacrifice of 
 human pride, lust and passion; when we add to this 
 their vast and comprehensive missionary system, com- 
 passing sea and land to make one proselyte ; and the 
 still more powerful fact that Mormonism comes to the 
 poor of the old world not merely with the attractiveness 
 of a new religion, but with the certainty of assisted 
 emigration to America, a land described to them as 
 flowing with milk and honey, we would naturally ex- 
 pect their recruits to be numbered by tens of thousands 
 annually. 
 
 -That Utah has not filled up and overflowed half a 
 dozen times with the scum of Europe, can only be ac- 
 counted for by some inherent weakness in the system 
 itself. 
 
 This weakness shows itself in two ways : inability to 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 481 
 
 secure a class who would add real dignity and strength 
 to a new commonwealth, and the constant loss through 
 a steady and ever increasing apostasy. Unfettered 
 American enterprise planted half a million people in 
 Iowa in ten years ; the vast machinery of the Mormon 
 emigration system, the excitement of religious fanati- 
 cism, the utmost zeal of a thousand missionaries preach- 
 ing temporal prosperity and eternal salvation to an ig- 
 norant people, backed by the assurance of a speedy pas- 
 sage to a new country, and aided by the advantages of 
 an organization at once ecclesiastical and secular, have 
 succeeded in twenty-three years in fixing aiv uncertain 
 population of a hundred thousand in Utah. The Mor- 
 rdon system of exaggerating their numbers is well 
 known. At the death of Joe Smith, they numbereb 
 nearly 200,000 throughout the world ; their own star 
 tistics showed half a million — [Times and Seasons, Mil- 
 lennial Star, etc.) 
 
 If they have half the latter number now, it is not 
 shown by their published statistics. 
 
 Their missionaries in the Eastern States give their 
 strength in Utah, in round numbers, at 200,000. When 
 Brigham Young was" last questioned on that point, by a 
 well-known politician last summer, he put the number 
 at 120,000. 
 
 A Judge of the U. S. Court who has traveled exten- 
 sively through the Territory, with good opportunities 
 for jufiging, estimates the total population of Utah at 
 85,000, probably a little too low. Tourists usually 
 state the population of Salt Lake City in round num- 
 ■ bers, at 25,000. There are in that city a little less 
 
 31 
 
482 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 than 1,800 houses, of all sizes, counting the barely hab- 
 itable ; allowing ten persons to the dwelling, we have 
 18,000, a very full estimate. Gentile communities 
 average five persons to the dwelling, but in Utah we 
 must double to allow for infants and extra wives. The 
 population of the Territory may be estimated with 
 tolerable certainty from the census of former years, and 
 well-known facts. By reference to the U. S. census of 
 1860, it appears there were then in Utah, 20,255 males 
 and 20,018 females; total 40,273. 
 
 The rate of increase in ten years throughout the 
 United States is less than 40 per cent.; if we ^ allow 
 the excessive ratio of 150 per cent, in Utah, it would 
 make the population this year 100,000. It will not 
 escape observation in passing that the males slightly out- 
 number the females, not exactly indicating polygamy as 
 the natural law. The latest report we have at hand is 
 that of Mr. Campbell, Mormon superintendent of com. 
 mon schools, for the year 1863, in which appears the 
 following : 
 
 Number of boys between six and eighteen 3,950 
 
 Number of girls between four and sixteen 3,662 
 
 Total 7,612 
 
 We cannot suppose from any known law of popu- 
 lation that the children between four and eighteen were 
 less than one-sixth of the whole people. This would 
 give us .46,000, nearly, for 1863, a very moderate in- 
 crease over 1860. It is hardly reasonable to suppose 
 that the Mormons have increased more than 100 per 
 cent, in seven years. Here again we see that the boys 
 slightly outnumber the girls, which will make it rather 
 
AND CEIKES OF MOEMONISM. 483 
 
 difficult for some of them to get wives, if polygamy lasts 
 through that generation. From personal observation, 
 and the best information obtainable, I sum up the^Mor- 
 mon population of Utah, beginning on the north, as 
 follows ; 
 
 Cache ,and Bear Lake Valleys 13,000 
 
 Thence to Brigham City 2,000 
 
 Brigham City.f 2,000 
 
 West of Bear Eiver 1,000 
 
 Thence to Ogden 1,000 
 
 Ogden and vicinity 4,000 
 
 Kaysvllle and vicinity 1,500 
 
 Tarijiington and vicinity 2.500 
 
 Centreville . . ' 1,500 
 
 Bountiful (Session's Settlement) 2,000 
 
 Weber Valley to Echo 2,500 
 
 Coalville, Wanship and Upper Weber 4,000 
 
 Total north of Salt Lake City 37,QpO 
 
 Salt Lake City and near vicinity 20,000 
 
 Thence to Utah Lake 7,000 
 
 Provo 4)000 
 
 Remainder of Utah l^ake district 8,000 
 
 Sevier and San Pete Valleys 3,000 
 
 Provo to St. George 6,000 
 
 St. George and vicinity 3,000 
 
 Southern settloraents '^jOOO 
 
 Tooille and Kuby Valleys 4,000 
 
 West of the last named (?) ■ ^>000 
 
 Grand total -100,000 
 
 This population extends along an irregular line, or 
 rather arc, five hundred miles from north to south; a 
 band fifty miles wide would include all the settlements, 
 except a few immediately west, east and northeast of 
 Salt Lake City; nor have I made any deductions on 
 
484 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 account of the southern settlements, now known to be 
 in Nevada and Arizona, or the few in the southern edge 
 of Idaho. 
 
 Of the entire population, the adult portion is made 
 up very nearly as follows : from Great Britain, one-half; 
 from Sweden, Norway and Denmark, one-third; a dozen 
 or twenty each from Ireland, Italy, France and Prussia; 
 a few Orientals ; five Jews ; a score or two of Kanakas; 
 and the remaining one-seventh or eighth, American. 
 The children, of course, are nearly all natives. While 
 the foreigners are as seven or eight to one in the body 
 of the Church, the Americans are about six to one in 
 the Presidencies, Quorum of Apostles, leading Bishops 
 and Elders, shomng pretty conclusively the "ruling 
 race." We are bound to say that our fellow-country- 
 men dixp smart, if they are rascally. 
 
 The entire Mormon people probably include nearly 
 ten thousand men capable of bearing arms, of whom 
 those in the northern settlements, and the American 
 portion generally, know something of drill and the use 
 of fire-arms ; of the Scandinavians, their skill may be 
 judged from the fact that a thousand or more of them 
 were driven out of Sevier Valley by three hundred 
 Mountain Utes, twenty-two of the latter in one battle 
 defeating a hundred and fifty militia. But the English 
 and American Saints in the north displayed consider- 
 able bravery under Lot Smith, and other leaders, in 
 1857, when Buchanan " crushed the Mormons." 
 
 ■ Whether they are still confident of their ability " to 
 thrash the United States," cannot well be known. 
 After a careful statement of its resources, Lieut. J. W. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 485 
 
 Gunnison, assistant to Capt. Stansbury, estimates that 
 the entire Territory is capable of sustaining a popula- 
 tion of one million persons, entirely by grazing and 
 agriculture. 
 
 The area is but half as large as at that time, and 
 from my knowledge of fertile land still unoccupied, I 
 am convinced that his estimate will apply proportion- 
 ably at present. • Thus, within the present limits of 
 Utah may be developed a State, with a population of 
 half a million engaged in agriculture, grazing, and do- 
 mestic manufacture, and a quarter of a million more 
 engaged in mining. But long before that occurs, the 
 Territory must undergo a political and social change, 
 and Mormonism give way to Christianity, progress and 
 enterprise. 
 
486 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 CHAPTER XX, 
 
 MORMON" MYSTERIES — THEIR ORIGIN. 
 
 The Endowment— Actors — Scenery and dress — ^Pre-requisites— Adam and 
 Eve, the Devil and Michael, Jehovah and Eloheim— A new version- 
 Blasphemous assumptions — Terrible oaths— Barbarous penalties — Origin 
 —Scriptures and Paradise Lost — Eleusinian mysteries—" Morgan's 
 Free-masonry " — The witnesses — Probabilities — Their reasons — 
 Changes. 
 
 THE ENDOWMENT. 
 
 Dramatis Personm. 
 
 Eloheim, or Head God Brigham Young, 
 
 Jehovah George A. Smith, 
 
 Jesus Daniel H. Wells, 
 
 Michael George Q. Cannon, 
 
 Satan W. W. Phelps, 
 
 Apostle Peter Joseph F. Smith, 
 
 Apostle James John Taylor, 
 
 Apostle John Erastus Snow, 
 
 Eve.. Miss Eliza R. Snow. 
 
 Clerk, Washers, Attendants, Sectarians, Chorus and Endowees. 
 
 I. 
 
 THE FIRST (pRE-EXISTENT) ESTATE. 
 
 The candidates present themselves at the Endow- 
 ment House, provided with clean clothes and a lunch ; 
 they are admitted to the outer office, and their accounts 
 with the Church verified by a clerk. Their names, 
 ages and the dates of their conversion and baptism are 
 
Scenes in the Endowment Ceeemonies. 
 
 1. Preparation— Washing and Anointing, 2. Eloheim Cnrsing Adam and 
 Eve— Satao Driven ont. 3, Trial of Faith— The "Searching Hand." 4, Oath 
 to Avenge the Death of Joseph Smith, p, The "Blood Atouemeat," 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 487 
 
 entered in the register ; their tithing receipts are care- 
 fully inspected, and if found correct an entry thereof 
 is made. This last is an indispensable before initiation. 
 Evidence is also presented of faithful attendance on 
 public service and at the " School of the Prophets." If 
 any husband and wife appear who have not been sealed 
 for eternity, a note is made of the fact, the ceremony to 
 be performed in ihe initiation. They then remove their 
 shoes and, preceded by the attendants, who wear slip- 
 pers, with measured and noiseless step enter the central 
 ante-room, a narrow hall separated by white screens 
 from two. other rooms to the right and left ; the right 
 one is for men, and the left for women. 
 
 Deep silence prevails, the attendants communicating 
 by mysterious signs or very low whispers ; a dim light 
 pervades the room, mellowed by heavy shades; the 
 faint plash of pouring water behind the screens alone 
 is heard, and the whole scene is calculated to cast a 
 solemn awe over the ignorant candidates, waiting with 
 subdued but nervous expectancy for some mysterious 
 event. After a few moments of solemn waiting, the 
 men are led to their washing-room on the right, and 
 the women to the left. The female candidate is 
 stripped, placed in' the bath and washed from head jto 
 foot by a woman set apart for the purpose. Every 
 member is mentioned, with a special blessing. 
 
 "Washek: — Sister, I wash you clean from the 
 blood of this generation, and prepare your members 
 for lively service in the way of all true Saints. I 
 wash your head that it may be prepared for that 
 crown of glory awaiting you as a faithful Saint, and 
 
488 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 the fruitful wife of a priest of the Lord ; that your 
 brain may be quick in discernment, and your eyes able 
 to perceive the truth and avoid the snares of the 
 enemy ; your mouth to show forth the praise of the 
 immortal gods, and your tongue to pronounce the true 
 name which will admit you hereafter behind the veil, 
 and by which you will be known in the celestial 
 kingdom. I wash your arms to laboi* in the cause of 
 righteousness, and your hands to be strong in building 
 up the kingdom of God by all manner of profitable 
 works. I wash your breasts that you may prove a 
 fruitful vine, to nourish a strong race of swift witnesses, 
 earnest in defence of Zion; your body, to present it an 
 acceptable tabernacle when you come to pass behind 
 the veil; your loins that you may bring forth a numer- 
 ous race, to crown you with eternal glory and strengthen 
 the heavenly kingdom of your husband, your master 
 and crown in the Lord. I wash your knees, on which 
 to prostrate yourself and humbly receive the truth, 
 from God's holy priesthood ; your feet to run swiftly 
 in the ways of righteousness and stand firm upon the 
 appointed places ; and now, I pronounce you clean from 
 the blood of this generation, and your body an acceptar 
 ble temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit." 
 
 A similar washing is performed upon the male can- 
 didate in his own room, and a blessing pronounced upon 
 his body in like manner. 
 
 He is then passed through a slit in the curtain to the 
 next compartment forward; as he passes, an apostle 
 whispers in his ear "a new name, by which he will be 
 known in the celestial kingdom of God." 
 
AND CRIMES OP MOEMONISM. 489 
 
 Reaching the second room, the candidate is anointed 
 with oil, which has been previously blessed and conse- 
 crated by two priests, poured upon his head from a horn, 
 or from a mahogany vessel shaped to resemble one. 
 The oil is rubbed into his hair and beard, and upon each 
 of his limbs, which are again blessed in order. At the 
 same time the won^n are anointed in their own wash- 
 ing room. The candidate is then dressed in a sort of 
 tunic, or close-fitting garment, reaching from the neck 
 to the heels. This, or a similar one, blessed for the 
 purpose, is always to be worn next to the body, to pro- 
 tect the wearer from harm and from the assaults of the 
 devil. Many Mormons are so strenuous on this point, 
 they remove the garment but a portion at a time when 
 changing, partly slipping on the new before the old is 
 entirely off. It is generally believed that Joe Smith 
 took off his tunic the morning he went to Carthage, to 
 avoid the chal-ge of being in a secret society ; and that 
 he would not have been killed, if he had retained it. 
 Oyer the tunic comes the ordinary underclothing, and. 
 above a robe used only for this purpose; it is made of 
 fine linen, plaited on the shoulders, gathered around the 
 waist with a band, and filing to the floor behind and 
 before. On the head is placed a cap of fine linen, and! 
 on the feet light cotton slippers. 
 
 At this point begins, in the adjoining room, the pre- 
 paratory debate in the grand council of the gods, as to* 
 f^hether they shall niake man. Eloheim, Jehovah, 
 3SUS and Miqhael intone a drama in blank verse, repre- 
 
 iting the successive steps in the creation of the world.. 
 
 Dheim enumerates the works of each day, and com^ 
 
490 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 mends them all; at the close of each, all the others 
 unite in a responsive chorus of surprise and praise at 
 the glory and beauty of the work, concluding : — 
 
 " Eloheim. Now all is done, and earth with animate life is glad. The 
 stately elephant to browse the forest, the ramping lion in the moun- 
 tain caves, gazelles, horned cattle and the fleecy flocks spread o'er the 
 grassy vales ; behemoth rolls his bulk in shady fens by river banks, 
 among the ooze, and the great whale beneatt the waters, and fowl to 
 fly above in the open firmament of heaven. Upon the earth behold 
 bears,, ounces, tigers, pards, and every creeping thing that moves upon 
 the ground. Each after his kind shall bring forth and multiply upon 
 the earth ; and yet there lacks the master work, the being in tiie form 
 and likeness of the gods, erect to stand, his Maker praise, and over all 
 the rest dominion hold." 
 
 " Jehovah, Jesus, Michael and Eloheim. Let us make man, in image, 
 form and likeness as our own ; and as becomes our sole complete repre- 
 sentative on earth, to him upright, dominion give and power over all 
 that flies, swims, creeps, or walks upon the earth." 
 
 The attendants have meanwhile placed the candidates 
 on the floor and closed their eyes, when the gods enter 
 and manipulate them limb by limb, specifying the office 
 • of each member, and pretending to create and mould. 
 They then slap upon them to vivify and represent the 
 creative power, breathe into their nostrils " the breath 
 of life," and raise them to their feet. They are then 
 supposed to be "as Adam, newly made, completely 
 •ductile, mobile in the maker's hand." 
 
 II. 
 
 SECOND ESTATE. 
 
 Men file into the next room, with paintings and 
 scenery to represent the Garden of Eden. There are 
 ;gorgeous curtains and carpets, trees and shrubs in boxos, 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 491 
 
 paintings of mountains, flowers, and fountains, all shown 
 in soft light and delicate tints, together presenting a 
 beautiful and impressive scene. While they move 
 around the garden to measured music, another discussion 
 ensues between the gods; Michael proposes various an- 
 imals, in turn, to be the intimates of man, which are 
 successively rejected by Jehovah, Jesus and Eloheim. 
 The men are then laid recumbent, with closed eyes, in 
 pantomime a rib is extracted from each, out of which, 
 in the adjoining room, their wives are supposed to be 
 formed ; the men are then commanded to awake, and 
 see their wives for the first time since parting in the 
 entry, dressed nearly like themselves. They walk 
 around the garden by couples, led by the officiating 
 Adam and Eve, when Satan enters. He is dressed in 
 a very tight-fitting suit of black velvet, consisting of 
 short jacket and knee-breeches, with black stockings 
 and slippers, the last with long double points ; he, also, 
 wears a hideous mask, and pointed helmet. He ap- 
 proaches Eve, who is separated from Adam, and begins 
 to praise her beauty; after which he profiers the 
 "temptation." (Here tliere is a difference in the testi- 
 mony. John Hyde says, the "fruit offered consisted 
 of some raisins hanging on a shrub;" one lady states 
 that the temptation consists of gestures and hints "not 
 to be described ;" while another young lady, after imply- 
 ing that Adam and Eve were nearly naked, merely 
 adds: "I cannot mention the nature of the fruit, but 
 have left more unsaid than the imagination held with 
 the loosest possible rein would be likely to picture . . . the 
 reality is too monstrous foriiuman belief, and the moral 
 
492 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 and object of the whole is socially to unsex the sexes." 
 A third lady states that the fruit consisted merely of 
 a bunch of grapes, and adds: "Those conducting the 
 ceremonies explained to us beforehand that this por- 
 tion of the affair should be conducted with the men and 
 women entirely naked ; but that, in consequence of the 
 prejudice existing in the minds of individuals against 
 that method of proceeding, coupled with the fact that 
 we were not yet sufficiently perfect and pure-minded,, 
 and that our enemies would use it as a weapon against 
 us, it was considered necessary that we should be 
 clothed." It is quite pi^obable the ceremony is fre- 
 quently changed.) 
 
 Eve yields and partakes of the " fruit ;" soon after 
 she is joined by Adam, to whom she offers the same ; 
 he first hesitates, but overcome by her reproaches, also 
 eats. They grow delirious from its effects, join hands, 
 embrace, and dance around the room till they sink 
 exhausted. 
 
 A loud chorus of groans and lamentations is heard 
 behind the curtain^^foUowed by a sudden crash as of 
 heavy thunder; a rift opens in a curtain painted to 
 represent a dense wood, and in the opening appears 
 Eloheim, behind him a brilliant light; he is clothed 
 with a gorgeous dress, bespangled with brilliants and 
 brights stripes to dazzle the eyes. 
 
 " Eloheim. Where art thou, Adam, 
 
 Erst created first of all earth's tribes. 
 And wont to meet with joy thy coming Lord ?" 
 " Adam. Afar I heard Thy coming, . 
 In the thunder's awful voice, 
 Thy footsteps shook the earth, 
 
AND CRIMES OP MOKMONISM. 493 
 
 And dread seized all my frame, 
 
 I saw myself in naked shame, 
 
 Unfit to face Thy Majesty." 
 " Eloheim. How knew'st thou of thy shame ? 
 
 My voice thou oft has heard, 
 
 And feared it not. What has thou done ? 
 
 Hast eaten of that tree 
 
 To thee forbid ?" 
 " Adam. Shall I accuse the partner of my life 
 
 Or on ipyself the total crime avow ? 
 
 But what avails concealment with earth's Lord ? 
 
 His thoughts discern my inmost hidden sense. 
 
 The woman Thou gav'st to be my help 
 
 Beguiled me with her perfect charms, 
 
 By Thee endowed, acceptable, divine. 
 
 She gave me of the fruit, and I did eat." 
 "Moheim. Say, woman, what is this that thou hast done ?" 
 " Mve. The serpent me beguiled and I did eat.'' 
 
 Eloheim then pronounces a curse — literally copied 
 from the Scripture — upon the serpent, or rather Satan, 
 who fell upon the ground, and with many contortions 
 wriggles out of the room. A curse is next pronounced 
 upon Eve, and then upon Adam, paraphrased from the 
 Scripture. They fall upon the ground, beat their 
 breasts, rend their clothes, and bewail their lost and 
 sinful condition. 
 
 ^^ Eloheim. Now is man fallen indeed. The accursed power which 
 first made war in Heaven, hath practiced fraud on earth. By Adam's 
 transgression should all be under sin ; the moral nature darkened, 
 and none could know the truth. But cries of penitence have readied 
 my ears, and Higher Power shall redeem. Upon this earth I place 
 My holy priesthood. To them as unto Me in humble reverence bow. 
 Man, fallen by Satan's wiles, shall by obedience rise. Behold, the 
 Woman's Seed shall bruise the Serpent's head ; from her a race pro- 
 ceed endowed on earth with power divine. To them shall man sub- 
 mit, and regain the paradise now lost through disobedience. With 
 power divine the priesthood is endowed, but not in fulness now. Obey 
 
494 LIFE IN UTAH- OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 them as the Incarnate Voice of G-od, and in time's fullness Woman's 
 Seed shall all that's lost restore to man. By woman, first fallen, Adam 
 fell ; from Woman's Seed the priesthood shall arise, redeeming man ; 
 and man in turn shall Eve exalt, restoring her to the paradise by her 
 first lost. Meanwhile go forth, ye fallen ones, with only nature's light, 
 and seek for truth." 
 
 The attendants now place upon eacli of the initiates 
 a small square apron, of white linen or silk, with cer- 
 tain emblematical marks and green pieces resembling 
 fig leaves, worked in and handsomely embroidered. 
 
 The candidates then kneel and join in a solemn oath, 
 repeating it slowly after Adam : That they will pre- 
 serve the secret inviolably, under penalty of being 
 brought to the block, and having their blood spilt upon 
 the ground in atonement for their sin ; that they will 
 obey and submit themselves to the priesthood in all 
 things, and the men in addition, that they will take no 
 woman unless given them by the Presidency of the 
 Church. A grip and a key-word are then communi- 
 cated, and the First Degree of the Aaronic Priesthood 
 is conferred. Man is now supposed to have entered 
 into life, where the light has become as darkness. They 
 pass through a narrow opening into the next room, 
 which is almost dark, heavy curtains shutting out all 
 but a few rays of light. Here they stumble about, fall 
 against blocks and furniture ; persons are heard calling, 
 " here is light, ' " there is light," etc., and a contest goes 
 on among those who call themselves Methodist, Bap- 
 tist, Presbyterian, Catholic, etc. The curtains are con- 
 stantly agitated, and being darkly painted with hideous 
 figures, discover a thousand chimerical shapes. The 
 sectarians seize hold of the initiates and pull them vio- 
 lently about, till the latter are quite exhausted. Satan 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 495 
 
 now enters, commends the sectarians, laughs, chuckles 
 and is quite delighted; the latter recommence their 
 struggle for the initiates, when a sudden fall of curtains 
 throws in a full blaze of light, and Peter, James and 
 John descend into the room. They order the devil to 
 withdraw : he falls lipon the ground, foams, hisses and 
 wriggles out, chased and kicked by the Apostle Peter. 
 The initiates are then ranged in order to Usteh to a 
 lecture — 
 
 ^'Peter. Brethren and Sisters, light is now come into the world, and 
 the way is opened unto men ; Satan hath desired to sift you as wheat, 
 and great shall be his condemnation who rejects this light. — (The 
 ceremony is explained up to this point.) — The holy priesthood is once 
 more established upon earth, in the person of Joseph Smith and his 
 successors. They alone have the power to seal. To this priesthood 
 as unto Christ, all respect is due ; obedience implicit, and yielded 
 without a murmur. He who gave life has the right to take it. His 
 representatives the same. You are then to obey all orders of the 
 priesthood, temporal and spiritual, in matters of life or death. Sub- 
 mit yourselves to the higher powers, as a tallowed rag in the hands 
 of God's priesthood. You are now ready to enter the kingdom of 
 God. Look forth upon the void and tell me what ye see." (Curtain 
 is raised.) 
 
 '^Adam and Eve. A human skeleton." 
 
 " Peter. Eightly have ye spoken. Behold all that remains of one 
 unfaithful to these holy vows. The earth had no habitation for one 
 so vile. The fowls of the air fed upon his accursed flesh, and the 
 fierce elements consumed the joints and the marrow. Do j'e still 
 desire to go forward ? " 
 
 "Adam. "We do." 
 
 The initiates then. join hands and kneel in a circle, 
 slowly repeating an oath after Peter. The penalty is 
 to have the throat cut from ear to ear, with many 
 agonizing details. The Second' Degree of the Aaronio 
 Priesthood is then conferred, and the initiates pass into 
 the third room in the middle of which is an altar. 
 
496 LITE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 III. 
 
 THIRD ESTATli. 
 
 Emblematic of celes.tialized men. 
 
 " Michael. Here all hearts are laid open, all (iesires revealed, and 
 all traitors are made known. In council of the , gods it hath been 
 decreed that here the faithless shall die. Some enter here with evil 
 intent ; but none with evil intent go beyond this veil or return alive, 
 if here they practice deceit. If one among you knows aught of 
 treachery in his heart, we charge him now to speak, while yet he 
 may and live. Brethren, an ordeal awaits you. Let the pure have 
 no fear ; the false-hearted quake. Each shall pass under the Search- 
 ing Hand, and the Spirit of the Lord decide for his own. " 
 
 The initiates are placed one by one upon the altar, 
 stretched at full length upon the bafck, and the officia- 
 ting priest passes an immense -knife or keen-edged razor 
 across their throats. It is "wnderstood that if any are 
 false at heart, the Spirit will reveal it, to their instant 
 death. Of course, all pass. They again clasp hands, 
 kneel and slowly repeat after Jehovah, another oath. 
 The penalty for its violation is to have the bowels 
 slit across and the entrails,., I^d to swine — ^with many 
 horrifying and disgusting details. Another sign, grip 
 and key word are given, and the First Degree of the 
 MelcMzedeh Priesthood is conferred, being the third 
 degree of the Endowment. Copies of the Bible, "Book 
 of Mormon " and " Doctrine and Covenants " are placed 
 upon the altar, and another lecture delivered. The 
 initiates are now instructed that they are in a saved 
 condition, and are to- go steadily on in the way of 
 salvation ; but that temporal duties demand their first 
 care, chief among which is a positive, immediate duty 
 
AND' CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 497 
 
 to avenge the death of the Prophet and Martyr, Joseph 
 Smith. The account of his martyrdom is circumstan- 
 tially related, after which the initiates take a solemn 
 oath to avdnge his death ; that they will bear eternal 
 hostility to the Government of the United States for 
 the murder of the Prophet; that they renounce all 
 allegiance they may have held to the Governnient, 
 and hold Iftiemsejves absolved from all oaths of fealty, 
 past or future ; that they will do all in their power 
 towards the overthrow of that Goyemment, and in 
 event of failure teach their children to pursue that ■ 
 purpose after them. Another oath of fidelity and 
 secresy is administered, of which the penalty is to have 
 the heart torn out and fed to the fowls of the air. 
 The initiates are now declared acceptable to God, 
 taught a new form of prayer, "in an unknown tongue," 
 and the Second Degree of the Melchizedeh Priesthood is 
 conferred. They are then passed " behind the veil," 
 a linen curtain, to the last room. 
 
 IV. 
 
 FOUHTH ESTATE. ^ 
 
 The kingdom of the Gods. 
 
 The men enter first, and 'the officiating priest cuts 
 certain marks on .their garments and a slight gash just 
 above the right knee. Then, at the command of 
 Eloheim, they one by one introduce their women to 
 the room. Very few instances have cpcurred of women 
 being admitted to these rites before marriage. " Seal- 
 ing for' eternity " is then performed for all who have 
 previously been only " married for time." 
 
 32 
 
498 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 The initiated then retire, resume their regular dress, 
 get a lunch and return to hear. a lengthy address;, ex- 
 plaining the entire allegory, and their future duties 
 consequent on the vows they have taken. The entire 
 ceremony and address occupy about ten hours. 
 
 Such is the Endowment, as reported by many who 
 have passed through it. The general reader will 
 readily recognize that portion which is paraphrased 
 from the Scriptures and Milton's Paradise Lost. The 
 _ general outline is evidently modeled upon the Mysteries 
 or Holy Dramas of the Middle Ages, wi,th, perhaps,, an 
 attempt to reproduce portions of the Eleusinian My^ 
 teries of Ancient Greece. Much of it will be recognized 
 as extracted from " Morgan's Free-masonry Exposfe," 
 by those familiar with that work ; and the origin of 
 this is quite curious. When Smith and Kigdon first 
 began their work they were in great doubt what to 
 preach ; a furious religious exciteilient was prevalent in 
 the West, and portions of argument in regard to all the 
 isms of the da^ may be found in the "Book of Mor- 
 mon." But Anti-Masonry was just then the great 
 political excitement of New York, and the infant 
 Church was easily drawn into that furious and baseless 
 crusade, which already ranks in history as one of those 
 unaccountable popular frenzies which occasionally dis- 
 turb our politics, rising from no one knows where, and 
 subsiding as apparently without cause. Smith's "New 
 Translation" of the Old Testament is full of Anti- 
 Masonry; the fifth chapter of Genesis as he has it, 
 which is added entire to our version, is devoted entirely 
 to the condemnation of secret societies, and §ets forth 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 499 
 
 particularly how thpy were the invention of Cain after 
 he "fled from the presence of the Lord." But the 
 Brighamites declare the time has not yet come to pub- 
 lish or circulate this Bible ; and it is only -quoted by 
 the Josephites, who use this chapter to condemn the 
 Endowment. Some years after, however, the Mormons 
 all became Masons, and so continued till they reached 
 Nauvoo; there Joseph Smith out-masoned Solomon 
 himself, and declared that God had revealed to him a 
 great key-word, which had been lost, a^d that he would 
 lead Masonry to far higher degrees, and not long after 
 their charter was revoked by the Graiid Lodge. How 
 much of Masonry proper has survived in the Endow- 
 ment, the writer will not pretend to say ; but the Mor- 
 mons are pleased to have' the outside world connect 
 the two, and convey the impression that this is " Celes- 
 tial Masonry." 
 
 But the experience of the Mormons has fully proved 
 — ^if any proof were needed — that among so many ready 
 to take vile and abominable oaths, some would be found 
 equally ready to violate them. Of those apostate Mor- 
 mons who communicated some portions of the matter 
 to the writer, he is convinced their account is correct, 
 and is at liberty to say no more ; but it may be of in- 
 terest to the reader to know how others justify the 
 breaking of such solemn vows, even at considerable risk 
 to themselves. John Hyde, the most noted of all apos- 
 tates, and esteemed a very honorable man, gives his 
 reasons at length, summing up as follows : 
 
 First, As no one knew what were the oaths previous 
 to hearing them, and no one after hearing,. comZc? refuse 
 
500 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 to take them, they are not binding in justice. Secondly, 
 As the obligations also involved other acts of obedience 
 as well as secrecy, and as I do not intend to obey those 
 other obligations, it can be no more improper to break 
 the oath of secrecy than 'the oath of unlimited obedi- 
 ence. Thirdly; As the obligations involved treason 
 against the United States, it becomes a duty to expose 
 them. Fourthly, The promise of Endowment being a 
 principal bait held out to the Mormons, to get them to 
 Salt Lake, it is well they should know what it is worth. 
 Fifthly, It is better to violate a bad oath, than to 
 keep it. 
 
 In ethics Mr. Hyde's first reason is worth all the 
 rest ; the third can hardly be admitted, as he was a 
 resident of England, unnaturalized in America, and the 
 last would apply with equal force to any oath, and in 
 the mouth of any man. But Elder Hyde has only 
 exemplified the usual course of apostate Mormons ; 
 from a material and gross extreme he has blundered to 
 the opposite ultimate of vague mysticism, and is now 
 preaching Swedenborgianism in England. If he live 
 twenty years, he will probably again recant, relapse into 
 complete infidelity, or become a Millenarian, Spiritualist 
 or lunatic. 
 
 Are we to believe the testimony of apostates, and do 
 these things really occur ? 
 
 My own opinion is, that the account is substantially 
 correct, for many reasons : that the witnesses agree where 
 collusion is impossible ; the relation is in many in- 
 stances by persons utterly incapable of inventing or 
 constructing such a plot ; apostates universally have a 
 
AND CRIMES OP MOEMONISM. 501 
 
 horror or fear of speaking about it, and never do until 
 they are safe beyond the power of the Church; all 
 that can be .observed by outsiders corresponds . with 
 these accounts, and particularly the fact that there is 
 a close agreement and perfect analogy between the 
 known doctrines of the Church and the outlines of the 
 drama. 
 
 Such is one o^ the means employed by the Mormon 
 leaders to weld their people into perfect unity ; and to 
 such a feast of blasphemy and horrors do they invite 
 the world, in their seductive 
 
 Missionary Hymn 
 
 "Lo I the Gentile chain is broken ;. 
 Freedom's banner waves on high ; 
 List, ye nations I by this tol^eu 
 Knovr that-your redemption's nigh. 
 
 " See, on yonder distant mountain, 
 Zion 's standard wide unfurl'd ; 
 Par above Missouri's fountain, 
 Lo 1 it waves for all the world. 
 
 " Freedom, peace, and full salvation 
 Are the blessings guaranteed ; 
 Liberty to every nation, 
 Every tongue, and every creed. 
 
 " Come, ye Christian sects and Pagan, 
 Pope, and Protestant, and Priest ; 
 Worshippers of God or Dagon, 
 Come ye to fair Freedom's feast 
 
 •'Come, ye sons of doubt and wonder, 
 Indian, Moslem, Greek, or Jew ; 
 All your shackles burst asunder. 
 Freedom's banner waves for you. 
 
502 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MTSTEBIES 
 
 " Cease to butcher one another, 
 Join the covenant of peace ; 
 Be to all a friend, a brother. 
 This will bring the world release. 
 
 "Xo ! our King, the great Messiah, 
 Prince of Peace, shall come to reign I 
 Sound again, ye heavenly choir, 
 Peace on earth, good-will to men." 
 
A<n) CKIMES OF MORMONISM. 503 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PRESENT CONDITION AND PROSPECTS. 
 
 Co:operatioii-^The "bull's eye" signs— Inherent weakness of the system 
 — Immediate eflfeots on the Gentiles— Final result to the Saints — Pound- 
 ing of Corinne — Its bright prospects — Trip to Sevier — The deserted 
 city — New Silverado — Mines and mining — A new interest in Utah- 
 Rich discoveries — Hindrances — Grant's Administration in Utah — Bet- 
 ter men in the Eevenue Department— Experience of Dr. J. P. Tag- 
 gart— More "persecution" — The Judges — The Governor — Congres- 
 sional Legislation — " Cullom Bill" — Probable effects — Guesses at the 
 future — Another ezodiis — "Zion" in Sonora. 
 
 Early in October, 1868, the writer took up his resi- 
 dence in Salt Lake City, and the latter part of the 
 same month, took editorial control of the Salt Lake 
 Reporter, the only Gentile paper in Utah. But the 
 hostility of the Church had become so great, that the 
 trade of Gtentiles was ruined, and one by one they were 
 forced to sell out and leave the city. As already noted, 
 the October Conference of 1868, passed a wholesale de- 
 cree of non-interdOurse with resident Gentiles, forbid- 
 ding any Mormon to buy of, emplo3^ or in any way 
 countenance them. The day of assassinations was 
 thought to be past, but Brigham still hoped to keep 
 out the Gentiles and their hated principles by ruining 
 their trade. But as the Gentile merchants generally 
 sold the cheapest, hundreds of the Saints found it im- 
 possible to distinguish one store from another, to remedy 
 which difficulty came another " decree " from Brigham, 
 
504 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 and soon after, over every Mormon . store was seen in 
 flaming blue and gold, 
 
 "HOLINJ^S TO THE LORD 
 
 (The All-seeing Eye) 
 
 ZION'S CO-OPERATIVE MERCANTILE ASSOCIATION." 
 
 This eflfectually " corraled " the trade for a time, but 
 with that strange fatality observable in men accustomed 
 to having their own way, which in the very nature of 
 things compels them to go further and further, till they 
 at last reach a point beyond popular endurance, Brigham 
 determined that the Mormon firms should yield also, 
 and the entire business of the Territory becomQcoope-. 
 rative in fact.. Measures were taken to establish a 
 store in each ward and settlement, while the entire 
 community combined in a large wholesale establishment 
 with a stq,ted capital of $1,000,000. It was purposed 
 to have an agent constantly residing in the- eastern 
 cities, with surplus cash in his safe, to be ready to watch 
 the markets and buy always at the best advantage. In 
 many of the settlements co-operative stores were soon 
 started, and as the people there do whatever the bishops 
 tell them, it was easy to get the scheme in operation. 
 By their religion and habits of unreasoning obedience 
 without a why or wherefore, the Mormons were as well 
 prepared for co-operation as any people could be ; and it 
 was reasonable to supposie the new scheme would be 
 almost a perfect success, that two or three years, at 
 least, would be required for it to wear out. But it soon 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 505 
 
 developed an inherent weaknees. The Mormon mer- 
 chants were, of course, no better pleased than the Gen- 
 tiles to have their business ruined, and there were still 
 a few of the laity who would not "jump as the bell 
 wether jumped," and risk their necks in the operation. 
 The history of co-operative movements shows that 
 where applied to manufacturing purposes they have, in 
 the majority of cases, succeeded ; but in merchandizing, 
 nine times out of ten they have failed. And the reason 
 is obvious. In the case of the manufacturers, a few men 
 combine their skill and labor to create wealth ; every 
 man knows something of the business, and has an under- 
 standing eye on its management : if one can do nothing • 
 but drive pegs, he understands that, all that he has to 
 do, and contributes his share to the success of the con- 
 cern. Every member knows, at a glance, the intrinsic 
 value of the company's articles, ready at a moment's 
 notice to turn salesman, and as their business is all sell- 
 ing 4nd no buying, except procuring the rude materials, 
 they have but half the opportunity for mistakes. All 
 these features are lacking to the merchant co-operators. 
 Their business must be done by agents ; not one in a 
 hundred of the partners understands the principles in- 
 volved. Merchandizing requires the unity and con- 
 trolling energy of one directing mind ; one average mer- 
 chant or two can show a better set of books than a 
 committee of fifty firstrclass merchants; a debating 
 society cannot centralize its energies. They do not 
 create, they only manipulate wealth; the buying of ne- 
 cessity equals thr^ selling, giving twice the opportunity 
 for mistakes. If there is but one vote to each member, 
 
506 LIFE IN UTAH; OH, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 a small aggregate of capital overrules a very large in- 
 terest; if there is a vote' to every share, the small 
 holders are partially disfranchised, and, of course, dis- 
 satisfied ; dissensions must naturally result, and a thou- 
 sand men cannot reasonably be expected to have less 
 than a dozen plans, either one of which would be good 
 by itself. And herein the Brighamites showed their 
 strict consistency, by maintaining that the business must 
 be managed by an inspired priesthood, that there must 
 be no dissension or difference of opinion, and that it 
 " was apostasy to dissent " from thfe business plans of 
 that priesthood; for if such a business ever becomes a 
 success, it must be by direct inspiration from the Al- 
 mighty, requiring prompt obedience and without ques- 
 tion ; it must be " yea and amen," without an attempt 
 to piece it out with mere human wisdom. When the 
 Lord condescends to run a " dollar store," we may expect 
 co-operation to be a perfect success. The end is not yet, 
 but enough has transpired to show that co-operation in 
 Utah is not exempt from the usual weaknesses. 
 
 It was on this principle of business management by 
 the priesthood, that the Godbeites first took their stand 
 in opposition to Brigham Young. They maintained 
 that the priesthood should only guide in spiritual mat- 
 ters, while every man should manage his private busi- 
 ness to suit himself. To this the First Presidency 
 jointly made reply: . "It is our prerogative to dictate to 
 this people in everything, even to the ribbons the 
 women shall wear. It is apostasy to oppose or difier 
 with the plans of the priesthood in temporal matters." 
 
 Of course the immediate efiects of the "decree of 
 
AND CEIMES OP MOEMONISM. 507 
 
 non-intercourse" were to produce greater bitterness be- 
 tween Saint and Gentile. Legally it was a move which 
 they had a sort of right to make, but it was decidedly 
 against good neighborhood ; no particular violence was 
 for awhile attempted, and both parties contented them- 
 selves with a little (juiet cursing. Social ostracism 
 seemed to be complete; the " loyal" Brighamite and the 
 straight-out Gentite seldom met, except in enforced 
 cases, and when they did either sat in sullen silence, or 
 their conversation was a mixture of the "rile" and 
 " knagg," both exasperating and unprofitable. During 
 the winter of 1868-69 the Gentile residents of Salt 
 Lake City numbered nearly eight hundred, of all ages 
 and sexes, among whom we include that portion of the 
 apostates who fully associated with and were recog- 
 nized as Gentiles. This estimate I make from an in- 
 . spection of the subscription Hst of the Daily Reporter, 
 the 1*011 of membership of the Gentile (Episcopal) Church, 
 the members of St. Mark's Grammar School and Sabbath 
 School, the roll Of the Hebrew Benevolent Society, 
 including every Jew in ^he city, and the membership 
 of the Masonic and Odd Fellow Lodges, besides having 
 been pel'sonally acquainted with almost every one of 
 them. Besides tliese, there were one day with another 
 several hundred transients in the city, consisting of 
 visitors, railroad men temporarily out of employment, 
 teamsters, miners and travelers, stopping from one week 
 to three months. Early in March the number began 
 to decrease ralpidly ; Gilbert & Sons departed for other 
 points ; Eansohoff & Co. sold out to the, coK)perative 
 institution j Corinne was laid out on the 25th of March, 
 
508 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 and in two months thereafter received a large accession 
 of Salt Lake men, and by the 1st of June there were 
 probably less than three hundred Gentiles in the city. 
 The arrival of the newly appointed officials, their 
 families and deputies increased the number a little ; but 
 the general depression in business has acted upon all, 
 and there is no encouragement for new comers either 
 Saint or Gentile. The Gentile power seems to have 
 consolidated in the northern counties, along the rail- 
 road, and though the process may be slow will even- 
 tually liberalize that section of Mormonism. 
 
 CoRiNNE stands forth in fame as the first and only 
 Gentile town in Utah ; though the progress of the rail- . 
 road has caused settlements, of a hundred or so each, 
 at Bear River, Wasatch, Echo City, Uintah, and Indian 
 Creek. Corinne is sixty miles north and twelve west 
 of Salt Lake City, occupying the same relative place 
 on Bear River, the other does on the Jordan. It is at 
 the railroad crossing of Bear River, midway between 
 the Wasatch Mountains and the spur known as Pro- 
 montory, some eight miles from the lake, and in the 
 centre and richest portion of Bear River Valley. The 
 western half of this valley, unoccupied, except by one 
 small village of three hundred Danish Mormons, con- 
 tains half a million acres of the very finest farming 
 land; of this one^fourth is cultivable iivithout irrigation, 
 and the rest could be made fruitful by moderate water- 
 ing, while an extensive stock range of the richest kind 
 extends westward and northward. The elevation is 
 4300 feet above sea-level^ 1000 feet less than that of 
 Denver, 2000 less than Cheyenne, 3300 greater than 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 509 
 
 Omaha, surrounded north, east and west by lofty moun- 
 tain ranges, and on the south by the Great Salt Lake. 
 It is thus the central point of a beautiful valley, fifteen 
 by twenty miles in extent, with a location unsurpassed 
 for natural beauty. 
 
 The City was laid out March 25th, 1869, by Mr. 
 John O'Neill, Engineer of the Union Pacific Kailroad; 
 at the first sale of lots by General J. A. Williamson, 
 Land Agentof the Railroad Company, the sales amounted 
 to $21,000, and in a few weeks a flourishing town had 
 sprung up. Corinne is the natural centre of the Rocky 
 Mountains; the most convenient spot on the railroad for a 
 point of departure to Helena and Virginia City, Montana, 
 and the point of supply for Idaho and Northern Utah. 
 Bear River is navigable thence to the lake for steamers 
 of a hundred tons ; and Salt Lake and Jordan equally 
 so to within three miles of Salt Lake City. North and 
 east of Corinne, in Utah, is already a resident popula- 
 tion of fifteen or twenty thousand, whose natural trad- 
 ing point is at that place ; the constant efibrts of the 
 Church authorities are directed to preventing that trade 
 from reaching there ; but it is already coming, to some 
 extent, and must steadily increase as liberal ideas pre- 
 vail in that section. Corinne is an anomaly in politics, 
 a government within a government, a little republic in 
 the midst of a theocracy ; a free city in the Territory 
 of an absolute monarch. For a few months the town 
 was governed by Councilors chosen without a charter ; 
 this organization was allowed to lapse, and the Mormon 
 County authorities were acknowledged ; finally, within 
 the last few weeks, the Territorial Legislature granted 
 
610 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 a regular charter, and the city is now fully organized 
 under it. Corinne has a little of the "wickedness" 
 incident to new railroad towns, but thus far of a re- 
 markably peaceful character; morally she is an exception 
 to railroad towns ; the political and religious antipodes 
 of Salt Lake City, she is on her good behavior. A 
 church and school have been successfully established, 
 and this gem of the mountains. Queen city of theLak% 
 has started with a good reputation. 
 
 While sojourning pleasantly at Corinne, lasjt August, 
 rumors reached me of an immense silver district on 
 the Sevier River, two hundred miles south of Salt Lake 
 City. Little was known for a certainty of that region ; 
 the . spot was far beyond the settlements in the edge 
 of the Indian country, and the route thither lay 
 through the most benighted region of Polygamia. For 
 these and other reasons, I felt that the Sevierites 
 needed a historian. The man was, ready and the hour 
 was propitious. Peace had been made the preceding 
 year with the Uintah s, and the route was just safe 
 enough to not quite destroy the spice of a slight 
 danger. Messrs. Salisbury & Gilmer, successors in 
 fame to Wells, Fargo & Co., had just established a tri- 
 weekly line of coaches to Fillmore, running within a 
 hundred miles of the new Silverado, and on the morn- 
 ing of September 1st, I took a seat in their best 
 " outfit '•' and was soon rolling southward through the 
 richest portion of Jordan Valley. Twenty-five miles 
 south of the city a spur of the Wasatch juts out from 
 the east, almost joining the West Mountain, leaving a 
 small gap known as the ^'Narrows," or cafion- of the 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 511 
 
 Jordan; here the stage road follows a "dug-way" 
 around the hill, several hundred feet above the river, 
 where there is never tAvo feet to spare between the 
 wheels and a slope almost perpendicular. Thence we 
 descend over a long slope, with a succession of beauti- 
 ful views, into the valley east of Utah Lake, the Galilee 
 of modern Saints ; we pass the flourishing settlements 
 of Lehi, Battle Ckeek, and American Fork to the city 
 of Provo, second oldest town in the Territory. Prom 
 there a night stage brought us to Levan or Chicken 
 Creek, a hundred and fifteen miles south of the city, 
 where the main road bears off to the. right of Iron Moun- 
 tain, while to the left, a trail through a high, uninhab- 
 ited valley, leads to the Sevier, near the head of which 
 are the mines.. We were now out of even Mormon 
 civilization, and the remaining ninety-five miles were 
 necessarily divided into two stages, thirty miles to 
 Old Fort Gunnison, now a small Mormon settlement, 
 and sixty-five "through the valley formerly settled but 
 deserted during the Indian war. The miners have 
 established an express over this route, making one trip 
 per week, and the driver and myself were soon on the 
 way, traveling for the rest of the day through a regioA 
 literally alive with small game; jack-rabbits, sage- 
 hens, and small fowl were abundant on the high plain, 
 and ducks fairly swarmed about every pond in the 
 lower valleys. 'We spent the night at Fort Gunnison, 
 a veritable walled town a^d city of refuge. The place 
 is a square of some thirty acres, surrounded by a stone 
 wall with huge gates on the four sides ; within is an 
 awkward collection of dobie and log houses, mud huts, 
 
512 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 stone stables, " dug-outs," and willow corrala, inhabited 
 by English, . Danes, cattle, dogs and fleas, the latter 
 predominating. It may have been that the poor peo- 
 ple could do no better on account of Indian troubles, 
 but as I walked about this singular town it seemed to 
 me the place rested under the curse and shadow of a 
 barbaric superstition. The stone walls with houses 
 built against them and towers for sentinels ; the" dirty 
 children resembling Arabs more than Caucasians ; the 
 heavy gates thrown open to receive the "evening 
 herd " of cattle, and the general air of desert life per- 
 vading the place seemed so unlike any American scene, 
 that I almost expected to find I was in the midst of 
 that Oriental life from which Mormonism has drawn 
 so many of its features. 
 
 From Gunnison a few hours brought us to the noted 
 " Salt Mountain," a series of ridges from which crystal- 
 ized Salt can be cut in immense blocks ; around the 
 points rise numerous springs of pure brine, and a little 
 further on, where a stream of pure water gushes out 
 of a rugged canon, is the city of Salina, now com- 
 pletely deserted. 
 
 From this point we traversed an unbroken desert for 
 ten miles, its bare, gray surface unrelieved save by an 
 occasional clump of scant grease-wood or cactus. Be- 
 yond this a spur of the mountains runs out nearly to 
 'the river, and turning this point' we were delighted at 
 sight of Glenn's Cove, a semircircle of .beauty and 
 fertility extending back into an opening in the moim- 
 tains, containing at least six miles square of land, well 
 watered and fruitful. Moving through the low 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 513 
 
 meadows where the natural grass grew to the height 
 of a man's head, and then ever a tract of farm-land, we 
 entered the beautiful town of Glenn City. Situated in 
 such a place, with the water of a dozen mountain 
 springs coursing through the streets, this had evidently 
 been a town of considerable pretensions. The streets 
 were laid off with the cardinal points ; the houses were 
 well constructed «f lumber, stone and dobies ; the gar- 
 dens had been enclosed with stone walls of extra finish, 
 and the ditches lining the streets paved with that care 
 and beauty which marks the settlements of the better 
 English Mormons ; while the cool shade and agreeable 
 rustle of the rows of trees lining the walks, seemed to 
 invite the desert-weary traveler to repose in coolness 
 and comfort. But there were none to enjoy this beauty; 
 tall " pig-weed " and rank wheat-grass filled the streets, 
 the stone walls were broken down and overrun by wild 
 vines, the irrigating ditches in places overflowed and 
 rippled unchecked through front yards and gardens, 
 and the cool winds from the canons sighed mournfully 
 through the deserted habitations. 
 
 Involuntarily I looked for the cemetery, for it seemed 
 that a plague must have smitten the city ; but there 
 was no unusual record of death there. Beyond the 
 city lay untilled fields, with plows in places rusting in 
 the furrows, and still further deserted ranches and 
 meadows, apparently sleeping in the hazy air of au- 
 tumn. While the driver rested his team for an hour, 
 I looked through the place, for it almost seemed to me 
 the people were hidden in the houses ; but when I 
 entered the largest residence I found the floor broken 
 
 33 
 
514 LIFE IN UTAH ; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 through and an Indian arrow sticking in the wall. In 
 another well built house, I observed a child's cradle, 
 still unbroken, near the fire-place, and beside it the 
 mildm^ed remnants of a dress and bonnet and baby's 
 shoes; melancholy traces of the attack and flight, when 
 the fearful mother caught up her child and fled before 
 the avenging arrows of the " Lamanites." 
 
 Fifteen miles, further we passed Alma; a town cover- 
 ing thirty acres in a square; enclosed by a massive 
 stone wall, witli towers at the corners, arranged with 
 port-holes and sentry posts. But walls and towers 
 were useless without skillful men to man them ; the 
 savages drove away the cattle of the settlement in 
 broad day light, and soon after the place was aban- 
 doned. The whole number of Black Hawk's band of 
 Mountain Utes, who drove the whites out of this valley, 
 is reported to have been less than five hundred ; and 
 though peace had been made with him for a year, the 
 Saints were slow to return. 
 
 At Marysvale, the last town on the route, we found 
 three returned families ; and here we left the river and 
 traveled six miles up a gulch to the westward, which 
 brought us to Bullion City and the mines. I spent 
 several days in this strange mountain community, con- 
 sisting of some two hundred miners isolated from the 
 world, and made a thorough examination of the district. 
 I found an awkward condition of affairs. There are, 
 without doubt, immense quantities of silver ore there ; 
 the facilities for working the mines, in the way of tim- 
 ber and water, are unequaled ; but there are no placer 
 diggings, all quartz; and the miners were men of limited 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 515 
 
 means who had rushed in from Nevada, each working 
 enough " to hold his two hundred feet," but none able 
 to buy and bring in a quartz-mill. The various leads 
 extend for some miles along both sides of the gulch, 
 "cropping out" in some instances for three or four 
 thousand feet. That there is immense mineral wealth 
 in this district is beyond a doubt ; but it is far from 
 transportation, an«l no bullion returns have yet been 
 made to convince capitalists of its richness, or create a 
 "rush." The Mormons manage to hinder progress 
 there in various ways, and development is slow. But 
 I think it highly probable these will, in time, be among 
 the most valuable mines in the West. 
 
 Gold mining has been successfully established in 
 Bingham Carton, twenty miles west of Salt Lake City, 
 and in Rush Valley some farther west ; within the last 
 few months rich deposits have been discovered, and 
 these places are attracting great attention. Other 
 valuable discoveries have been made in Cottonwood 
 Canon, and with the opening of the present season the 
 mining interests of Utah become, for the first time, im- 
 portant. 
 
 The accession of General Graht to the Presidency 
 Ttas looked forward to, with great interest by the Gen- 
 tiles, in the expectation that some reform would be in- 
 augurated in Utah ; nor were these hopes entirely with- 
 out realization. 
 
 The new Administration hastened to remove the of- 
 ficers who had disgraced the Revenue Service for four 
 years, appointing 0. J. Hollister, Esq., Collector, and 
 Dr. J. P. Taggart, Assessor, in place of Burton^ and 
 
516 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MTSTEKIES 
 
 Chetlaine removed. Of Burton, I have already spoken ; 
 of Chetlaine it need only be said that he was the personal 
 friend and rather intimate associate of Brigham Young, 
 often accompanying him in his trips about the Territory, 
 and that he made no attempt whatever to assess the 
 Church income. I am of opinion, however, that the 
 serious charges against him in other respects are untrue. 
 
 Chief Justice Wilson had been appointed some time 
 before by President Johnson, and retained his position. 
 The Mormon Associate Justice, Hoge, was succeeded 
 by Hon. 0. F. Strickland, who had resided several years 
 in Utah and Montana, and is eminently qualified for the 
 position. ^ The Judge has had great practice in the pe- 
 culiar technicalities of Mormon law, and enters upon 
 his duties endowed with valuable experience. The 
 veteran, Judge Drake, who had served seven years in 
 Utah, gave place to Hon. C. F. Hawley, of Illinois, as 
 Associate Justice, who has already taken a high position 
 among the few United States officials who have upheld 
 the dignity and maintained the honor of the Govern- 
 ment even in Utah. 
 
 The opinion of Associate Justices Strickland and 
 Hawley, lately delivered, dissenting from Chief Justice 
 Wilson, in the case of Howard, Brannigan and La 
 Valle, has attracted great attention in the Territories, 
 and is regarded as an authentic exposition of Federal 
 law in Territorial courts. 
 
 But it was in the Revenue Department that the first 
 collision arose with Brigham. The following extract from 
 the correspondence of an Eastern Journalj exhibits the 
 clearest view of all the facts and deductions therefrom : 
 
 " An attempt has recently been made in Salt Lake 
 
AJfD CRIMES OF MOKMONISM. 517 
 
 City by Dr. Taggart, the new Assessor of Internal Eev- 
 enue, to assess a tax upon the income of the Mormon 
 Church, which is known to amount to a large sum an- 
 nually. In this effort he has met with the most deter- 
 mined and persistent opposition from Brigham and his 
 subordinates. Singular as it may seem, the wealthy 
 'Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' has 
 never yet paid the Government tax upon its income. 
 The former Assessor, Chetlaine, was known by the 
 'Gentiles' of Salt Lake City to be the mere tool of 
 Brigham Young. 
 
 "He accompanied Brigham upon his royal progress 
 through the Territory, and upon one occasion, when 
 attending an evening meeting of the Mormons, accepted 
 an invitation to a seat upon the platform, with the 
 Bishop and his two counselors, known violators of the 
 anti-Polygamy law. When, however, he is removed 
 and a man like Dr. Taggart steps into his position, de- 
 termined to discharge the duties of his office without 
 fear or favor, the Mormons salute him with howls of 
 rage, and threats of persecution. 
 
 "The first act of Assessor Taggart, upon assuming 
 oflBce, was to assess the Government tax upon the total 
 amount of scrip issued by the Corporation of Salt Lake 
 City, 1190,000. The Treasurer of the Corporation had 
 made his returns regularly to the former Assessor each 
 month, with the tax calculated at one-twelfth of one 
 per cent, upon the circulation, as required of bankers, 
 and General Chetlaine' accepted them as proper and 
 correct. Section 6, of the Internal Revenue act of 
 March 3, 1865, requires the assessment of 10 per cent. 
 
518 LIFE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 upon the -issue of all corporations of cities, &c., the act 
 not recognizing those bodies as legitimate bankers. 
 The tax upon $190,000 at 10 per cent, is $19,000 ; 
 the tax upon $190,000 at one-twelfth of one pei* cent. 
 is $158.83^ leaving the sum of $18,841.69, of which 
 the Government would be defrauded, did not the present 
 Assessor enforce payment. The profits made upon this 
 issue of $190,000 are really a part of the revenues of 
 the Mormon Church, the members of the Corporation 
 of Salt Lake City being nominated by Brigham, and 
 their election being secured by him under the present 
 anti-republican form of voting in Utah. In the early 
 part of last August, Dr. Taggart forwarded to Brigharii 
 Young a set of blanks, at the same time requesting 
 him, as Trustee of the Church, to make a proper i;etum 
 of 'its income for 1868. Brigham became greatly in- 
 censed at this, and at first flatly refused to comply, but 
 sent in reply the following document : ' We, the Gov- 
 ernment of the United States, do not recognize any 
 such organization as the Church of Jesus Christ of 
 Latter-day Saints, or any such ofi&cer as the Trustee-in- 
 Trust of said Church. We, the Government of the 
 United States, have obliterated such church and officer 
 from existence by legislative enactment of July 1st, 
 1862.' No signature was appended to this. The 
 meaning intended to be conveyed was doubtless this : 
 That the anti-Polygamy act was theoretically intended 
 to wipe the Trustee-in-Trust and 'Church of Jesus 
 Christ of Latter-day Saints' out of existence, although 
 practically it had failed in its object; and therefore the 
 Government could not assess and collect a tax upon the 
 
AND CHIMES OF MORMONISM. 519 
 
 income of that ecclesiastical corporation. This commu- 
 nication from Brigham was treated with the contempt 
 which it deserved — no notice being taken of it. The 
 Assessor declared, however, that, if proper and correct 
 returns were not made within the time limited by law, 
 he should proceed to make the assessment himself from 
 the best information which he could obtain, and should 
 also hand the afiiair over to the United States District 
 Attorney. Upon the last day allowed by law, Brigham 
 made a return stating the total income of the Church 
 for 1864 to be $440. The return was signed by Brigham 
 Young in his private capacity. The blank oath was 
 filled up and purported to have been sworn to before 
 the Deputy Assessor, a Mormon, though Brigham had 
 been in the habit of having his private income-returns 
 sworn to by one of his clerks, who, he said, knew more 
 about it than he did himself 
 
 "The papers were immediately turned over to the 
 United States District Attorney, who prepared an ela- 
 borate opinion, demonstrating that the Mormon Church 
 corporation was as much liabjle to have its income taxed 
 as Trinity or any church corporation, subject, of course, 
 to the legal exemptions. The various sources of reve- 
 nue of the Mormon Church were also clearly and suc- 
 cinctly given. The papers were then forwarded to the 
 Commissioner at Washington to await his opinion and 
 instructions, and there they now remain. 
 
 "The Mormon Church corporation has dealt exten- 
 sively in the buying and selling of horses and cattle. 
 For years this Jbusiness has been carried on by its 
 agents, but no license was taken out by any of them as 
 
520 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 cattle brokers until the new Assessor informed them of 
 his intention to prosecute, if they were nof immediately 
 obtained. The authorities own and run a distillery and 
 a wholesale and retail liquor store, which are carried 
 on ostensibly in the name of the corporation of Salt 
 Lake City, but really are part of th6 Church, and 
 the profits all go into the Church treasury. By 
 means of this distillery the Government has been de- 
 frauded of thousands of dollars, which should have been 
 paid in the shape of $2 upon every gallon of whiskey 
 manufactured. Brighara gives as the reason for not 
 including the tithing in the income returns, that the 
 payment of it is voluntary and optional, and therefore 
 is merely a gift and not taxable. Unfortunately, how- 
 ever, for Brigham, the facts do not bear out his asser- 
 tion. A few months past a laboring man obtained work 
 on the grade of the Utah Central Railroad, now being 
 built by Brigham. After earning $50 he concluded to 
 leave work, and accordingly asked for his time, which 
 was given to him. Upon arriving in Salt Lake City he 
 hastened to Brigham's office to obtain his money. The 
 clerk hunted over the Church books, and found that the 
 man owed |48 tithing for 1868. That amount was 
 accordingly deducted, and the balance, |2, handed over 
 to him, notwithstanding his earnest protestations that 
 his family were actually in need of the money to pur- 
 chase food. Non-payment of tithing is visited upon the 
 offending members with all the prosecutions which the 
 resources of the Mbrmon Church enable it to employ. 
 The Mormons estimate the total population of Utah at 
 130,000 souls. These figures include only the Mormons. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 521 
 
 Of this number at least 30,000 are required by the rules 
 of the Church and undoubtedly do pay tithing. Aver- 
 aging their earnings at |500 a year, a low estimate, we 
 have $15,000,000 as the agregate. This, of course, is 
 not in money exclusively, but in produce. The tithing 
 on this would be $150,000. At least five of the leading 
 Mormon merchants pay a tithing of $10,000 each a 
 year. The incomie from the whiskey distillery and 
 liquor store cannot fall short of $100,000 ; the rents 
 and profits of real estate are about $25,000 more, be- 
 sides other sources of revenue not to be ascertained. 
 
 BECAPITULATIOlf. 
 
 Tithing from 30,000 people 8150,000 
 
 Five Mormon merchants 50,000 
 
 Church distillery and liquor store. 100,000 
 
 Bents and profits of real estate 25,000 
 
 Total • • • • $325,000 
 
 Deduct exemption , 50,000 
 
 $275,000 
 
 " This leaves upward of a quarter of a million of dol- 
 lars subject to the Government tax, and the probabilities 
 are that the Church income is more than double this 
 amount, as many sources of revenue are not stated. 
 Out of this and other taxes upon the private incomes 
 of the Mormon leaders, the Government has been sys- 
 tematically defrauded year after year, through the con- 
 nivance of an Assessor who executed his duties in the 
 interests of Brigham Young. The present ofiicer has 
 commenced with a determination to do his whole duty, 
 and it is to be hoped that he will receive the support 
 of the Government in his efforts to collect the public 
 revenues." 
 
522 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 Dr. Taggart proceeded to collect the evidence show- 
 ing the amount of tithing, and the fact that it was a 
 requirement of Mormon discipline and the great test of 
 standing and fellowship in the Church; and at the 
 present writing, he is in Washington, to lay the whole 
 before the Department. It now begins to look as if 
 Brigham Young would be compelled to pay his income 
 tax, the same as any other speculator. Of course, all 
 this is regarded as " rank persecution "by the Mormons ; 
 as is the enforcement of , any law which does not happen 
 to suit their convenience. 
 
 It is sufficient comment on the " wonderful industry 
 of the Mormons," of which we have heard so much, to 
 state the plain facts, that there is no other community 
 of a hundred thousand- in America but has paid twice as 
 much revenue as Utah ; the Territories of Colorado and 
 Montana, with half the population, have each paid 
 nearly twice as much to the Treasury, and added from 
 ten to forty times as much to the national circulation, 
 and, notwithstanding the fearful demoralization of 
 mining camps, have, in the end, produced a better race 
 of men and women. 
 
 General J. Wilson Shaeffer was appointed Governor, 
 to succeed Durkee ; he was formerly the Quartermaster 
 in General Butler's department, and is reputed in every 
 respect well qualified for the difficult and delicate posi- 
 tion. Thus far, however, he has not shown his adminis- 
 trative talents in Utah, but remains in Washington, 
 awaiting the action of Congress in regard to Utah. 
 
 The history of " Federal relations" in Utah presents 
 a strange mixture of the sad and ludicrous. The first 
 
AND CEIMES OF MOEMONISM. 523 
 
 law against polygamy, that of July, 1862, was utterly 
 inoperative, as the Act of Congress failed to provide 
 any means of enforcing it. Two years ago, Senator 
 Cragin introduced a much better bill, providing for all 
 needed reforms in the Judiciary and voting system ; but 
 it was " referred and smothered in Committee." Next 
 was Hon. James Ashley's bill, introduced in January, 
 1869, providing for«a division of the Territory, and an- 
 nexing half or more to Colorado, one-third to Nevada, 
 and a small portion each to Idaho and Wyoming. This 
 would have been the merest political quackery, a vir- 
 tual backing down on the part' of the Government. 
 Nature makes the boundaries of future states in the 
 New West, and this is peculiarly the case with Utah ; 
 it is exactly fitted for one State, and has the area and 
 resources for the comfortable support of half a million 
 people. Nevada is already as large as New England, 
 and between it and the habitable valleys of Utah are 
 interposed b'road deserts and rugged mountains, forming 
 a ten-fold greater natural boundary than the Mississippi 
 or the Hudson. Equally plain is the natural division 
 between Utah and Colorado, and criminals from Southern 
 Utah, if an attempt were made to execute the law, 
 would have to be dragged eight hundred miles, around 
 three sides of a mountainous parallelogram, to reach the 
 Federal court at Denver. This bill, too, was justifi- 
 ably " smothered in committee." Last is the bill intro- 
 duced by Hon. S. M. Cullom, Chairman of the House 
 Committee on Territories, pending before Congress as 
 this work goes to press. It provides for giving the 
 United States Marshal his appropriate power ; for re- 
 
524 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 stricting the Mormon Probate Courts to Probate and a 
 limited civil jurisdiction as in other Territories; for 
 dividing the Territory anew into Judicial districts, and. 
 for the proper support and protection of the Courts ; 
 that only citizens of the United States shall serve as 
 jurorSy that none who uphold or practice polygamy 
 shall sit on the trial of that crime, and for many other 
 needed reforms. It is reasonably certain this bill will 
 pass both Houses, and, by the time this meets the eye 
 of the reader, become a law. 
 
 The first effect will in all probability be, that the 
 actual polygamists will at once retire from the northern 
 sections and concentrate in the South ; below the Utah 
 Lake region the bill could not probably be enforced by 
 the courts, for many years ; but the northern section 
 would shortly be relieved of the only class who cause 
 any trouble, for the practical polygamists there do not 
 exceed one in six. 
 
 The writer will not attempt to forecast the future of 
 Mormonism. It is evidently on the decline, and with- 
 out interference could hardly outlast thirty yeai's ; but 
 with its immense local power, could do much harm in 
 that period. On account of this decline, many have 
 argued that the Government should take no further 
 measures to enforce its laws in Utah ; but, with due 
 deference to their opinions, this seems to me a very 
 unstatesman-like view of any subject. What would 
 be thought of a court which should decide against pun- 
 ishing a thief or murderer, " because, if left to himself, 
 he will die in twenty or thirty years anyhow !" If a 
 church is at liberty to violate the laws for religion's 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOBMONISM. 525 
 
 sake, which an individual may not do; and if the 
 Goveniment has no resource, in this case or any other 
 which may arise in the future, but to wait until time 
 and internal corruption have worn out the criminal 
 organization, it is certainly a novel principle in politi- 
 cal ethics. 
 
 The opportune death of Brigham Young would sim- 
 plify matters somgwhat ; but there is still a mass of 
 thirty or forty thousand who would stick together 
 under new leaders, and continue the Church for another 
 quarter of a century. Or, in case the Government at- 
 tempts to enforce its laws and. the Mormon Presidency 
 gives the command to move, at least one-third of the 
 people wpuld follow them into Arizona and Sonora; 
 but the really valuable portion would remain in Utah 
 and become first-rate citizens. The Church is constantly 
 planting settlements further south in Arizona; they 
 now control one county in that Territory, and are 
 within three hundered miles of Sonora, which, it is 
 popularly believed among them, would be their desti- 
 nation, iif compelled to abandon Utah. The Hierarchy 
 could take jat least thirty thousand devoted foUowei's 
 with them, and between the Mexicans, Apaches and 
 Mormons, we should have little to choose. 
 
 The history of all the diverging sects has clearly 
 demonstrated one fact : wherever the Mormons have 
 come in close contact with considerable numbers of 
 Gentiles, it has invariably resulted in a great apostasy, 
 a fight or an exodus. By the usual rule we should 
 expect in Utah, first a little flurry of war, then an 
 exodus of one-third or more of the people, and general 
 
526 LIFE IN UTAH; OB, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 apostasy of the rest ; and to this conclusion do present 
 indications point. 
 
 Meanwhile, various redeeming agencies are power- 
 fully, though somewhat quietly, at work in Utah, 
 which are of sufficient importance to merit a separate 
 chapter. 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 527 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 EE&EEMING AGENCIES. 
 
 The Church— Rrst attempt— Rev. Norman McLeod— Dr. J. K. Robinson 
 —Second attempt, Fafller Kelley— Last attempt— The Episcopal Mis- 
 sion, success and progress- Sabbath School— Grammar School of St. 
 Marks— A buildingneeded— Mission of Rev. George W. Foote— Difficul- 
 ties of the situation — Number and occupation of Gentiles — Political pros- 
 pects — Gentile newspapers— The Valley Tan — The Vedette — The Utah 
 Reporter — S. S. Saul, the fotinder — Messrs. Aulbach and Barrettt— The 
 author's experience— Principles advocated — Courtesy of the Gentiles — 
 Conclusion. 
 
 The Christian Church, the school and the newspaper 
 are but just established, with fair prospects in Utah; 
 but already they Ij^ve accomplished considerable. It 
 is somewhat surprising that such a, field for missionary 
 labor was neglected so completely and so long. For at 
 least fifteen years the voice of the Christian minister 
 was never heard in Salt Lake City. 
 
 If there were Chaplains among the troops of John- 
 ston's army, they seem to have left no record of their 
 presence, or made any attempt to work among the 
 Mormons. The first missionary efibrt was by the Rev. 
 Norman. McLeod, Chaplain of the California volunteers, 
 at Camp Douglas, Late' in 1863 he began to preach 
 in a room on Main Street, and afterwards raised money 
 to build Independence Hall. A large part of the funds 
 was advanced by a literary society then existing among 
 the Gentiles, and that building has never been con- 
 
528 LIFJE IN UTAH; OE, THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 sidered so much a church as a lecture and assembly 
 room ; it is, however, held by trustees for " The First 
 Congregational Church of Utah." It is still burdened^ 
 I believe, by a debt of near $2,000. Kev. McLeod es- 
 tablished a Sabbath School, of which Dr. J. K. Eobin- 
 son was for some time Superintendent ; he also delivered 
 a series of lectures on various subjects, particularly 
 polygamy, which excited great intere^. The bent of 
 Mr. McLeod's mind seems to have been towards con- 
 troversy, aiid many of his lectures and sermons were 
 highly polemic in character, exciting no little wrath 
 among the Mormons and some discussion among the 
 Gentiles. Whether this aggressive policy, or one more 
 mild and persuasive, would better reach the case, is still 
 a debatable question. In the autumn of 1866, Mr. 
 McLeod went east to raise funds for building a church; 
 during his absence Dr. Robinson T?as assassinated, and 
 as McLeod's life was openly threatened, he deemed it 
 best not to return. 
 
 The second attempt to found a mission was by Father 
 Kelly, a Roman Catholic, in the summer of 1866. He 
 spent some time in Salt Lake City, managed to keep on 
 good terms with the Mormons and from various sources 
 raised money enough to purchase a lot, which is still 
 owned by the Catholic Church; but he found few 
 Catholics in the district, formed no church and left 
 little permanent record. 
 
 The third and last missionary effort was under the 
 auspices of Bishop Tuttle; in charge of the Diocese, in- 
 cluding Utah. In April, 1867, at his request, Reverends 
 George W. Foote and Thomas "W. Haskins set out for 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 529 
 
 Salt Lake City, where they arrived in May and com- 
 menced services at once. They fomid but two communi- 
 cants of their own faith^ — Episcopal — and only twenty 
 of all other Christian denominations. From that day to 
 this regular services have been held in Independence 
 Hall, and a flourishing church established. During the 
 two and a half years of their ministry a hundred and 
 one persons halve been baptized by them, of whom 
 thirty-four were adults, and many of Mormon antece- 
 dents. Ninety communicants have been admitted as 
 regular members, of whom sixty-six still retain their 
 standing in Salt Lake City; the others have either 
 removed or died. All denominations have united to a 
 great extent in support of this Church and Sabbath- 
 school ; the Jews also attend and contribute, probably 
 the only place in America where such is the case. 
 
 The Sabbath-school was begun with a few members,, 
 and, in consequence of orders from the authorities of 
 the Mormon Church, some of this small number were 
 soon after withdrawn. But others soon took their place, 
 and, in spite of open hostility and private malice, the 
 school increased and spread, a powerful lever for good 
 At different times a little over three hundred children 
 have been instructed in the school, and the teaching, 
 whether in the case of Mormon or Gentile youth, has 
 been attended with marked and beneficent results. 
 This school is still growing, and its light of Christian 
 knowledge is a bright spot in the centre of polyg^c 
 heathenism. 
 
 The Grammar School of St. Mark's Associate Mission,, 
 the first Gentile school in Utah, was opened in July,, 
 
 34 
 
530 LIFE IN UTAH; 0% THE MYSTERIES 
 
 1867, by Kev. Thomas W. Haskins and Miss Foote, 
 sister of the minister, with sixteen scholars. The Mor- 
 mon leaders again forbade their people to allow their 
 children to attend, but the attractions of free tuition 
 prevailed with many; the school has steadily increased, 
 both in numbers and scholarship, till it now has a hun- 
 dred and forty pupils, and is compelled to refuse- all 
 others until enlarged accommodations can be secured. 
 From first to last four hundred children have been in- 
 structed in the school. It is now purposed to provide 
 more teachers, and steadily raise the grade of scholar- 
 ship until young men can take a regular collegiate,, or 
 at least a regular academic, course. A fixed rate of 
 tuition is charged, but all unable to pay are received as 
 free pupils, of whom there are sixty in the School. 
 This is the nearest approach to a free school at present 
 in Utah. 
 
 As yet there is no Christian church edifice erected in 
 Salt Lake City ; but it is hoped there soon will be a 
 building worthy of the cause, with ample accommo- 
 dations for a school, and Rev. Geo. W. Foote is now in 
 the East raising funds to that end. The mission and 
 school have also had the assisting care of Rev. Henry 
 Foote, who has lately removed to Boise City, Idaho. 
 The gentlemen in charge of this mission have thought 
 it best to raise no personal controversy. Whether it 
 was an outgrowth of their personal disposition, or of the 
 conservative policy of their Church, or that they hoped 
 to avoid the bitter animosity which existed against 
 Rev. McLeod, they have steadily refrained from aught 
 like personal controversy or a direct attack upon the 
 
AND CHIMES OF MOBMONISM. 531 
 
 Moi-mon leaders, contenting themselves with " preach- 
 ing Christ and Him crucified," and plaaiting principles 
 which should in the hearts of hearers work out in a 
 love and desire for the truth. It was but reasonable to 
 suppose such a policy would at least disarm personal 
 hostility, and that men would not curse though they 
 might not agree. But vainly would one hope by fair 
 words to neutralige the venom of the serpent's fang ; 
 the blind adder will strike, simply because it is his 
 nature, though charmed " never so wisely," and Mor- 
 monism when opposed flies to weapons of slander and 
 vituperation, as well as against the persuasive reasoner 
 as the fierce polemic. If these gentlemen hoped to be 
 spared McLeod's experience, they have been disap- 
 pointed ; every epithet a vile fancy could suggest has 
 been heaped upon them from the Mormon press and 
 pulpit, and the madness of bigotry has not hesitated at 
 slandering the ladies who assisted at their noble work. 
 It was perhaps as well that this should be so ; Christian 
 ladies of such character could receive no stain from such 
 a source, and this action merely made plain the inherent 
 blackness of the real Mormon heart. But surely, if there 
 be one deep,' dark pit in the regions of the damned, 
 which Divine Justice has reserved as too awful for the 
 fate of common sinners, it is in waiting for those who 
 have used the . priestly profession to attack the reputa- 
 tion of woman. 
 
 Preaching was begun at Corinne early in 1869, earn- 
 est endeavors were made to secure funds for a building, 
 which was completed and dedicated in July of the same 
 year. Neat and unpretentious, not large but commo- 
 
532 LIFE IN UTAH; OR,-. THE MYSTEEIES 
 
 dious, it is an ornament to the city and worthy of note 
 as the first Christian church, edifice in Utah. Sabbath- 
 school has been established and regularly continued, 
 while a day school, as a branch of the Salt Lake Gram- 
 mar School, was established last autumn and continued 
 during the winter, to be resumed at an early day. It 
 is taught in the Church, by Miss Nellie Wells, formerly 
 an. assistant in the Salt Lake City School ; it numbers 
 some forty scholars, and as the first entirely Gentile 
 school in Utah, deserves a place in history. 
 
 The residence and occupation of the Gentiles are not 
 such as to encourage either schools or churches, they 
 being miners, herders, scattered traders, or transient 
 residents. 
 
 The mines of Utah develop slowly, but it is reason- 
 ably certain there is mineral wealth there, if they can 
 find it or properly get at it. Utah is in the mineral 
 belt, there are paying mines all around it, the formation 
 of the country corresponds exactly with those where 
 immense wealth of gold and silver is found ; some im- 
 portant discoveries have been made, and more will be. 
 Sevier, Bingham, Cottonwood, Rush Valley and Stock- 
 ton mines have not, altogether, developed enough as yet 
 to create a " rush," or make any one suddenly rich ; but 
 in several places steady industry has been found profit- 
 able", and with better facilities for transporting ore and 
 machinery, with more experience and further dis- 
 coveries, the latter will come in time. 
 
 Any present estimate of the number of Gentiles in 
 Utah, is necessarily somewhat- conjectural. As they 
 are practically disfranchised, they run no ticket and re- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 533 
 
 cord no vote; they have but one organized church 
 society, and very :^w are within reach of that ; they 
 have never held a convention en masse, or had an effi- 
 cient organization to give us any data; and finally, they 
 are scattered over half the Territory, with very iinper- 
 fect understanding or communication. From the best 
 evidence at hand, I estimate as follows : 
 
 Corinne 1,000 
 
 Ogden, Uintah, Echo, "Wasatch and Bear Eiver, 
 
 ' (100 each) 500 
 
 Salt Lake City 500 
 
 Camp Douglas. '. 400 
 
 Bingham, Cottonwood and Eush Valley (100 each) 300 
 
 Sevier mining district 300 
 
 Scattering 500 
 
 Total 3,500 
 
 Deducting soldiers and U. S. officials, this would leave 
 three thousand citizens. Of the entire number, at least 
 two-thirds are voters, nearly all the non-voters being in 
 Corinile and Salt Lake City. With the lowest increase 
 we may reasonably expect in the coming summer, with 
 the least settlement of railroad men absolutely neces- 
 sary at the Junction, with no increase among the 
 miners, and with little, perhaps very little, help from 
 those of the Josephites, and other recusant Mormons 
 who dare say their souls are their own, the Liberals 
 ought to cast a vote of at least four thousand at the 
 coming August election. They will do so, if a proper 
 organization is eflfected. 
 
 As to the legal vote of the Mormons, it is beyond the 
 power of statistics to determine. At the last election 
 of Hooper their vote amounted to 15,068 ; it could just 
 
534 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 as well have amounted to 1,500,068. It was only a 
 question of a few cyphers, which do not amount to much 
 anyhow. Deducting all those who were under age, all 
 voted for by proxy, all unnaturalized or illegally natu- 
 ralized by the Probate Court, all those disqualified by 
 the Act of Congress of July 1st, 1862, ajlthe double 
 voting and false ballots^ and the cypher would be moved 
 the other way, leaving a legal vote of 1,568. 
 
 There have been, at different times, three Gentile 
 papers published in Utah. 
 
 With Johnston's army came one Kirk Anderson, who 
 soon after established a weekly paper called the Valley 
 Tan. It ran through 1858 arid all or nearly all of 1859, 
 then failed . for want of support. Little is known of 
 this paper, except from the bound files still in the Re- 
 porter office ; but it seems to have been edited a portion 
 of its existence by Mr. Anderson, and at another time 
 by a Mr. McGuire. 
 
 The first daily paper, the Union Vedette, was estab- 
 lished at Camp Douglas late in 1863, with Gen. P. E. 
 Connor as proprietor. At the beginning, the work was 
 done by enlisted men of the California and Nevada vol- 
 unteers, and the editing by various officers of that com- 
 mand. The main object of the Vedette seems to have 
 been to give daily telegraphic reports from the seat of 
 war, which were eagerly sought after by all the Gen- 
 tiles. The Mormons then had but one paper, the 
 Weehly Deseret News, almost as old as the Territory, but 
 much too dull and prosy to meet the new demand for 
 intellectual stimulus. The Vedette was established with 
 the concurrence of Gen. Wright, then in command of 
 
AND CRIMES OF MOEMONISM. 535 
 
 the Department, with a view to the publication of offi- 
 cial orders, and in flie hope of disseminating mora cor- 
 rect information on the military and civil policy of the 
 Government among the Mormons. 
 
 In addition to the old feeling between Mormon and 
 Gentile the Vedette had to deal with questions of 
 loyalty, the Volunteers being, intensely devoted to. 
 American institutions, and the Mormons only differing 
 ■from Southern rebels in the fact that they were not 
 openly in arms. The paper soon became quite popular 
 and obtained a wide circulation in Montana and Idaho, 
 as well as Utah. In the autumn of 1865 it was re- 
 moved into Salt Lake City and enlarged. Some of the 
 officers still wrote occasionally for it, but the editorial 
 control was in the hands of civilians. Rev. Norman 
 McLeod and 0. J. Goldrick. The controversial spirit, 
 which was of questionable benefit in Mr. McLeod's ser- 
 mons, was much more fitting in the columns of the 
 Vedette, which increased in popularity and ran well for 
 one year. Several other persons contributed also to its 
 pages during that time. The office then changed hands, 
 and Mr. Shoafi", a printer from California, became 
 nominal owner and editor. But the Vedette had 
 passed the height of its prosperity and in five months 
 was reduced one-half in size, receiving but indifferent 
 support at that. Shoaff soon after left, handing over 
 the paper to Judge Daniel McLaughlin and Mr. Adam 
 Aulbach, who again enlarged it to the former size. 
 For a short time the concern flourished; but Judge 
 McLaughlin departed for Cheyenne, after which the 
 paper rapidly declined and soon was compelled to 
 
536 LIFE IN UTAH; OK, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 suspend. During Shoaff's administration the financial 
 embarrassment of the concern had increased to such 
 an extent that all the surplus material was sold, and 
 two othe:^ offices were mainly outfitted therefrom, viz. : 
 The Utah, Magazine and the Sweetwater Mines. 
 
 Early in 1868 Mr S. S. Saul arrived from California 
 and deeming the location favorable purchased the 
 remaining material, and on the 11th of .May the same 
 year, issued the first number of the Salt Lake Reporter, ' 
 daily only. The first five months of its existence the 
 paper was very small and but poorly supported ; it was 
 edited hap-hazard by several difierent persons, and 
 regularly by no one. A newspaper more than any 
 other enterprise requires the controlling energy of one 
 directing mind ; steady mediocrity is better than vari- 
 able talent ; above all it must have a fixed policy, and 
 one common place worker, a mere plodder though he 
 be, is far better than half a dozen brilliant but irregular 
 geniuses. But it is doubtful if any newspaper could 
 have succeeded during that period, no matter what 
 talent might have been employed. 
 
 On the lOth of September, 1868, the writer entered 
 Salt Lake City, and on the 19 th of October took edi- 
 torial charge of the Reporter, in which position he 
 continued for eleven months, until September 1869. 
 On the first of December he joined with Messrs. Adam 
 Aulbach and John Barrett in the purchase of the entire 
 oflBce, which partnership continued for eight months, 
 with real pleasure to the writer, but with little pecuniary 
 profit. A weekly edition was commenced in February 
 1869, which is still continued, with increasing circu- 
 
AND CRIMES OF MORMONISM. 537 
 
 lation and popularity. In the spring of 1869, the office 
 was removed to Corinne and Utah substituted in the 
 title for Salt Lalce. Early in September the writer re- 
 tired, and soon after the office' passed into the hands of 
 Messrs. Huyck and Merrick, the present proprietors. 
 
 During my editorial labors I frequently had occasion 
 to discuss the action of Mormon Courts, and particularly 
 after our removal* to Corinne. Our County Judge was 
 the Bishop Smith, already mentioned as the husband 
 of two of his nieces ; in an article on county affairs I 
 alluded to that fact with considerable severity, more, 
 perhaps, than strict equity in journalism would allow. 
 Soon after quitting the editorial position I was sum- 
 moned to attend court at Brigham City, and while 
 passing from the court room to the street received a vi- 
 olent blow on the back of the head, which prostrated 
 me almost senseless upon the ground. Whether more 
 than one took part I do not know; all I distinctly 
 remember is a confused rush and trampling of heavy 
 boots, and when I revived I was being raised by my 
 friends, who were taking stock of my condition gen- 
 erally. My collar bone was broken in two places, 
 and my scalp badly torn, besides minor injuries; alto- 
 gether, it was a narrow escape. There were but half a 
 dozen Gentiles present, from whom I learned that the 
 principal ass^iilant was a son of the Judge; but I did 
 not see and could not now identify him. The attack 
 was probably caused by my strictures- upon his father 
 and the Probate Courts. There was nothing to be done 
 about it, however ; it was one of those incidents to 
 which newspaper men are liable anywhere, which are 
 
538 LIFE IN UTAH; OR, THE MYSTERIES 
 
 of frequent occurrence to Gentiles in Utah, and for 
 which there is no remedy there. 
 
 Shortly before, a young apostate Mormon in Bear 
 Lake Valley, acting as clerk for Mr. Frederick Kiesel, 
 a Gentile merchant, was killed outright in a way that 
 pretty clearly indicated the direction of the Church 
 authorities ; and not long after a Mr. Phelps, a youngs 
 Gentile in Salt Lake City, was attacked at night by the 
 secret police, shot through the shoulder, and narrowly 
 escaped with his life. He had the good fortune, how- 
 ever, to kill one of his assailants. Such occurrences are 
 rare now, as compared with ten or fifteen years ago, 
 still they happen often enough to make Gentiles appre- 
 hensive and not anxious to remain, which is doubtless 
 the effect desired. The most efficient government could 
 not altogether prevent this, but much more might be 
 done than is. 
 
 I was wounded on the 1st of November, but in that 
 healthful air recovered sufficiently to travel by Decem- 
 ber 1st, when, after fifteen months' residence, I left the 
 Territory, for a short time at least. As editor for one 
 year of the only Gentile paper in Utah, in closing these 
 sketches a few words may be pardoned to one speaking; 
 it may be egotistically, of himself, while occupying a 
 delicate and difficult position. 
 
 Of my intercourse with the Gentiles of Utah, I have 
 none but the most pleasant recollections. An utter 
 stranger, quite an invalid, and in a condition where per- 
 sonal friendship was almost a necessity, I received from 
 the first at their hands the most courteous and respect- 
 ful attentions. My keenest sympathies were enlisted 
 
AND CRIMES OP MORMONISM. 539 
 
 for a people, exiled as it were in the very centre of their 
 country, claiming the name and protection of American 
 citizens but subject to a worse than Russian despotism; 
 prjKitically disfranchised and without representation in 
 any Legislative body. My social intercourse with them 
 has been of the most pleasant character, and if at any 
 time I have complained of an inefficient pecuniary sup- 
 port for my work* I now perceive that it was due to the 
 pressure of adverse circumstances beyond their control. 
 It is a source of pride and deep satisfaction that my 
 editorial management met with the hearty approval 
 of those in whose judgment I most confided, and that 
 the Reporter is now upon a footing that renders its 
 continuance reasonably certain ; for I shall ever feel a 
 pride that I- once directed its policy. 
 
 As for the Mormons, I came among them with but 
 few ideas about them, and my first impressions were 
 rather favorable. My first friends were all Mormons, 
 with whom I journeyed across four hundred miles of 
 the plains ; and those persons are still my friends ; they 
 have extended me courtesies which I duly appreciate ; 
 I have " eaten their salt and warmed at their fires." 
 But not all their kindness or personal friendship could 
 blind me to the monstrous) defects of their social system, 
 or the odious features of a church tyranny; and if my 
 feelings soon changed towards the hierarchy, it was 
 only from the best of evidence. That evidence has 
 constantly accumulated until language fails me to con- 
 vey my utter detestation of their system. That the 
 people are frugal, industrious or honest will avail them 
 but little, while fanatically devoted to such a power. 
 
540 LIFE IN UTAH. 
 
 If, in the bitterness of heated controversy, injustice has 
 inadvertently been done to any private person, none 
 will regret it more or be more ready to make amends, 
 and though some unpleasant experiences have fallen to 
 my lot, I am not conscious of special animosity against 
 the body of the people. And when a score of years 
 shall have passed and the principles for which we have^ 
 contended are seen in their fruition, I am quite sure 
 many who have cursed the writer will at least give 
 him credit for sincerity; and though there still be some 
 who dissent from the measures he has advocated, when 
 the fierce alembic of time has proved which was cor- 
 rect, and the test of experience has shown what was 
 really best for the Territory and the people, I trust 
 they will not remember their wrath forever. 
 
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