There is no reason to believe that, to the date of Joseph Smith's
death, Brigham Young had inspired his fellow-Mormons with an idea of his
leadership. This was certified to by one of the most radical of them,
Mayor Jedediah M. Grant of Salt Lake City, in 1852, in these words:--
"When Joseph Smith lived, a man about whose real character and
pretensions we differ, Joseph was often and almost invariably imposed
upon by those in whom he placed his trust. There was one man--only one
of his early adherents--he could always rely upon to stick to him closer
than a brother, steadfast in faith, clear in counsel, and foremost in
fight. He seemed a plain man in those days, of a wonderful talent for
business and hundred horse-power of industry, but least of everything
affecting cleverness or quickness. 'Honest Brigham Young,' or
'hard-working Brigham Young,' was nearly as much as you would ever hear
him called, though he was the almost universal executor and trustee of
men's wills and trusteed estates, and a confidential manager of our most
intricate church affairs."*
* Grant's pamphlet, "Truth about the Mormons."
When the Saints found themselves in Salt Lake Valley they had learned
something from experience. They could not fail to realize that, distant
as they now were from outside interference, union among themselves was
an essential to success. The body of the church was soon composed of two
elements--those who had constituted the church in the East, and the
new members who were pouring in from Europe. Young established his
leadership with both of these parties in the early days. There was
much to discourage in those days--a soil to cultivate that required
irrigation, houses to build where material was scarce, and starvation
to fight year after year. Young encouraged everybody by his talk at
the church meetings, shared in the manual labor of building houses and
cultivating land, and devised means to entertain and encourage those
who were disposed to look on their future darkly. No one ever heard
him, whatever others might say, doubt the genuineness of Joseph Smith's
inspiration and revelations, and he so established his own position
as Smith's successor that he secured the devout allegiance of the
old flock, without making such business mistakes as weakened Smith's
reputation. "I believed," says John D. Lee, one of the most trusted and
prominent of the church members almost to the day of his death, "that
Brigham Young spoke by the direction of the God of heaven. I would have
suffered death rather than have disobeyed any command of his." Said
Young's associate in the First Presidency, Heber C. Kimball, "To me the
word comes from Brother Brigham as the word of God," and again, "His
word is the word of God to his people."*
The new-comers from Europe were simply helpless. They were, in the first
place, religious enthusiasts, who believed, when they set out on their
journey, that they were going to a real Zion. Large numbers of them were
indebted to the church for at least a part of their passage money
from the day of their arrival. Few of those who had paid their own way
brought much cash capital, all depending on the representations about
the richness of the valley which had been held out to them. Once, there,
they soon realized that all must sustain the same policy if the church
was to be a success. They were, too, of that superstitious class
which was ready, not only to believe in modern miracles, "signs," and
revelations, but actually hungered for such manifestations, and, once
accepting membership in the church, they accepted with it the dictation
of the head of the church in all things. Secretary Fuller has told me
that, after he ascertained the existence of gold near Salt Lake City,
he said to an intelligent goldsmith there, "Why do you not look for the
gold you need in your business in the mountains?" "Why," was the reply,
"if I went to the mountains and found gold, and put it into my pouch,
the pouch would be empty when I got back to the city. I know this is so,
because Brigham Young has told me so."
* Journal of Discourses, VOL IV, p. 47.
The extent of the dictatorship which Young prescribed and carried out
in all matters, spiritual and commercial, might be questioned if we
were not able to follow the various steps taken in establishing his
authority, and to illustrate its scope, by the testimony, not of men
who suffered from it, but by his own words and those of his closest
associates. With a blindness which seems incomprehensible, the sermons,
or "discourses," delivered in the early days in Salt Lake City were
printed under church authority, and are preserved in the journal of
Discourses. The student of this chapter of the church's history can
obtain what information he wants by reading the volumes of this Journal.
The language used is often coarse, but there is never any difficulty in
understanding the speakers.
Young referred to his own plain speaking in a discourse on October 6,
1855. He said that he had received advice about bridling his tongue--a
wheelbarrow load of such letters from the East, especially on the
subject of his attacks on the Gentiles. "Do you know," he asked, "how I
feel when I get such communications? I will tell you. I feel just like
rubbing their noses with them."* In a discourse on February 17, 1856, he
vouchsafed this explanation, "If I were preaching abroad in the world,
I should feel myself somewhat obliged, through custom, to adhere to the
wishes and feelings of the people in regard to pursuing the thread of
any given subject; but here I feel as free as air." **
* Journal of Discourses, Vol. III, p. 48.
** Ibid., p. 211.
Mention has already been made of Young's refusal to continue Smith's
series of "revelations." In doing this he never admitted for a moment
any lack of authority as spokesman for the Almighty. A few illustrations
will make clear his position in this matter. Defining his view of his
own authority, before the General Conference in Salt Lake City, on
April 6, 1850, he said, "It is your privilege and it is mine to receive
revelation; and my privilege to dictate to the church." *
* Millennial Star, VOL XII, p, 273.
When the site of the Temple was consecrated, in 1853, there were many
inquiries whether a revelation had been given about its construction.
Young said, "If the Lord and all the people want a revelation, I can
give one concerning this Temple"; but he did not do so, declaring that
a revelation was no more necessary concerning the building of a temple
than it was concerning a kitchen or a bedroom.* We must certainly
concede to this man a dictator's daring.
* Ibid., Vol. XV, p. 391.
An early illustration of Young's policy toward all Mormon offenders was
given in the case of the so-called "Gladdenites." There were members
of the church even in Utah who were ready to revolt when the open
announcement of the "revelation" regarding polygamy was made in 1852,
and they found a leader in Gladden Bishop, who had had much experience
in apostasy, repentance, and readmission.* These men held meetings
and made considerable headway, but when the time came for Brigham to
exercise his authority he did it.
* "This Gladden gave Joseph much trouble; was cut off from the
church and taken back and rebaptized nine times."--Ferris, "Utah and the
Mormons," p. 326.
On Sunday, March 20, 1853, a meeting, orderly in every respect,
which the Gladdenites were holding in front of the Council House, was
dispersed by the city marshal, and another, called for the next Sunday,
was prohibited entirely. Then Alfred Smith, a leading Gladdenite, who
had accused Young of robbing him of his property, was arrested and
locked up until he gave a promise to discontinue his rebellion. On the
27th of March Young made the Gladdenites the subject of a large part
of his discourse in the Tabernacle. What he said is thus stated in the
church report of the address:--
"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.... I say again, you Gladdenites,
do not court 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." (After telling of a dream he had had,
in which he saw two men creep into the bed where one of his wives
was lying, whereupon he took a large bowie knife and cut one of
their throats from ear to ear, saying, "Go to hell across lots," he
continued:) "I say, rather than that apostates should flourish here I
will unsheath my bowie knife and conquer or die." (Great commotion in
the congregation, and a simultaneous burst of feeling, assenting to the
declaration.) "Now, you nasty apostates, clear out, or judgment will be
put to the line and righteousness to the plummet." (Voices generally,
"Go it," "go it.") "If you say it is all right, raise your hand." (All
hands up.) "Let us call upon the Lord to assist us in this and every
good work." *
*Journal of Discourses, Vol. I, p. 82.
This was the practical end of Gladdenism.
Young's dictatorship was quite as broad and determined in things
temporal as in things spiritual. He made no concealment of the fact that
he was a money-getter, only insisting on his readiness to contribute
to the support of church enterprises. The canyons through the mountains
which shut in the valley were the source of wood supply for the city,
and their control was very valuable. Young brought this matter before
the Conference of October 9, 1852, speaking on it at length, and finally
putting his own view in the form of a resolution that the canyons be
placed in the hands of individuals, who should make good roads through
them, and obtain their pay by taking toll at the entrance. After getting
the usual unanimous vote on his proposition, he said: "Let the Judges
of the County of Great Salt Lake take due notice and govern themselves
accordingly.... This is my order for the judges to take due notice
of. It does not come from the Governor, but from the President of the
church. You will not see any proclamation in the paper to this effect,
but it is a mere declaration of the President of the Conference."* The
"declaration," of course, had all the effect of a law, and Young got one
of the best canyons.
* Journal of Discourses, Vol. I, pp. 217, 218.
Very early in his rule Young defined his views about the property rights
of the Saints. "A man," he declared in the Tabernacle on June 5, 1853,
"has no right with property which, according to the laws of the land,
legally belongs to him, if he does not want to use it.... When we first
came into the valley, the question was asked me if men would ever be
allowed to come into this church, and remain in it, and hoard up their
property. I say, no." *
* Ibid., Vol. I, pp. 252-253
Another view of property rights was thus set forth in his discourse of
December 5, 1853:--
"If an Elder has borrowed [a hundred or a thousand dollars from you],
and you find he is going to apostatize, then you may tighten the screws
on him. But if he is willing to preach the Gospel without purse or
scrip, it is none of your business what he does with the money he has
borrowed from you." *
* Ibid, Vol. I, p. 340.
Addressing the people in the trying business year of 1856, when his own
creditors were pushing him hard, Young said:
"I wish to give you one text to preach upon, 'From this time henceforth
do not fret thy gizzard.' I will pay you when I can and not before. Now
I hope you will apostatize if you would rather do it."*
* Ibid., Vol. III, p. 4.
Kimball, in giving Young's order to some seventy men, who had displeased
him, to leave the territory, used these words: "When a man is appointed
to take a mission, unless he has a just and honorable reason for not
going, if he does not go he will be severed from the church. Why?
Because you said you were willing to be passive, and, if you are not
passive, that lump of clay must be cut off from the church and laid
aside, and a lump put on that will be passive." *
* Journal of Discourses, Vol. III, p. 242.
With this testimony of men inside the church may be placed that of
Captain Howard Stansbury, of the United Stated Topographical Engineers,
who arrived in the valley in August, 1849, under instructions from the
government to make a survey of the lakes of that region. The Mormons
thought that it was the intention of the government to divide the land
into townships and sections, and to ignore their claim to title by
occupation. In his official report, after mentioning his haste to
disabuse Young's mind on this point, Captain Stansbury says, "I was
induced to pursue this conciliatory course, not only in justice to the
government, but also because I knew, from the peculiar organization
of this singular community, that, unless the 'President' was fully
satisfied that no evil was intended to his people, it would be useless
for me to attempt to carry out my instructions." The choice between
abject conciliation or open conflict was that which Brigham Young
extended to nearly every federal officer who entered Utah during his
reign.
The Mormons of Utah started in to assert their independence of the
government of the United States in every way. The rejection of
the constitution of Deseret by Congress did not hinder the elected
legislature from meeting and passing laws. The ninth chapter of the
"ordinances," as they were called, passed by this legislature (on
January 19, 1851) was a charter for Great Salt Lake City. This charter
provided for the election of a mayor, four aldermen, nine councillors,
and three judges, the first judges to be chosen viva voce, and their
successors by the City Council. The appointment of eleven subordinate
officers was placed in the Council's hands. The mayor and aldermen were
to be the justices of the peace, with a right of appeal to the municipal
court, consisting of the same persons sitting together, and from that
to the probate court. The first mayor, aldermen, and councillors were
appointed by the governor of the State of Deseret. Similar charters were
provided for Ogden, Provo City, and other settlements.
As soon as Salt Lake City was laid off into wards, Young had a Bishop
placed over each of these, and, always under his direction, these
Bishops practically controlled local affairs to the date of the city
charter. Each Bishop came to be a magistrate of his ward,* and under
them in all the settlements all public work was carried on and all
revenue collected. The High Council of ten is defined by Tullidge as "a
quorum of judges, in equity for the people, at the head of which is the
President of the state."
* Brigham Young testified in the Tabernacle as to the kind of
justice that was meted out in the Bishops' courts. In his sermon of
March 6, 1856, he said: "There are men here by the score who do not know
their right hands from their left, so far as the principles of justice
are concerned. Does our High Council? No, for they will let men throw
dirt in their eyes until you cannot find the one hundred millionth part
of an ounce of common sense in them. You may go to the Bishops' courts,
and what are they? A set of old grannies. They cannot judge a case
pending between two old women, to say nothing of a case between man and
man." Journal of Discourses, Vol. III, p. 225.
These men did not hesitate to attempt a currency of their own. On the
arrival of the Mormons in the valley, they first made their exchanges
through barter. Paper currency was issued in 1849 and some years later.
When gold dust from California appeared in 1849, some of it was
coined in Salt Lake City by means of homemade dies and crucibles. The
denominations were $2.50, $5, $10, and $20. Some of these coins, made
without alloy, were stamped with a bee-hive and eagle on one side, and
on the reverse with the motto, "Holiness to the Lord" in the so-called
Deseret alphabet. This alphabet was invented after their arrival in Salt
Lake Valley, to assist in separating the Mormons from the rest of the
nation, its preparation having been intrusted to a committee of the
board of regents in 1853. It contained thirty-two characters. A primer
and two books of the Mormon Bible were printed in the new characters,
the legislature in 1855 having voted $2500 to meet the expense; but the
alphabet was never practically used, and no attempt is any longer made
to remember it. Early in 1849 the High Council voted that the Kirtland
bank-bills (of which a supply must have remained unissued) be put out
on a par with gold, and in this they saw a fulfilment of the prophet's
declaration that these notes would some day be as good as gold.
Another early ordinance passed by the Deseret legislature incorporated
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints," authorizing the
appointment of a trustee in trust to hold and manage all the property
of the church, which should be free from tax, and giving the church
complete authority to make its own regulations, "provided, however, that
each and every act or practice so established, or adopted for law
or custom, shall relate to solemnities, sacraments, ceremonies,
consecrations, endowments, tithing, marriages, fellowship, or the
religious duties of man to his Maker, inasmuch as the doctrines,
principles, practices, or performances support virtue and increase
morality, and are not inconsistent with or repugnant to the constitution
of the United States or of this State, and are founded on the
revelations of the Lord." Thus early was the ground taken that the
practice of polygamy was a constitutional right. Brigham Young was
chosen as the trustee.
The second ordinance passed by this legislature incorporated the
University of the State of Deseret, at Salt Lake City, to be governed by
a chancellor and twelve regents.
The earliest non-Mormons to experience the effect of that absolute
Mormon rule, the consequences of which the Missourians had feared,
were the emigrants who passed through Salt Lake Valley on their way to
California after the discovery of gold, or on their way to Oregon. The
complaints of the Californians were set forth in a little book, written
by one of them, Nelson Slater, and printed in Colona, California, in
1851, under the title, "Fruits of Mormonism." The general complaints
were set forth briefly in a petition to Congress containing nearly two
hundred and fifty signatures, dated Colona, June 1, 1851, which asked
that the territorial government be abrogated, and a military government
be established in its place. This petition charged that many emigrants
had been murdered by the Mormons when there was a suspicion that they
had taken part in the earlier persecutions; that when any members of
the Mormon community, becoming dissatisfied, tried to leave, they were
pursued and killed; that the Mormons levied a tax of two per cent on the
property of emigrants who were compelled to pass a winter among them;
that it was nearly impossible for emigrants to obtain justice in
the Mormon courts; that the Mormons, high and low, openly expressed
treasonable sentiments against the United States government; and that
letters of emigrants mailed at Salt Lake City were opened, and in many
instances destroyed.
Mr. Slater's book furnishes the specifications of these general charges.