The Administration of President John Taylor
1880-1887
The Year of Jubilee
April 6, 1880, was just fifty years from the day of the organization of
the Church. On this date and the three succeeding days, the fiftieth
annual conference of the Church was held in the tabernacle, Salt Lake
City. Preliminary meetings were also held on the 4th and 5th. All the
members of the council of the apostles were present, excepting George
Q. Cannon, who was in Washington representing Utah as delegate in
Congress. President John Taylor drew attention to the fact that this
was the jubilee year of the Church, and referred to the custom which
prevailed in old Israel, as set forth in the twenty-fifth chapter
of Leviticus. It was proposed that it be made a year of jubilee and
forgiveness in the Church. The Church set the example by striking
off one half the indebtedness held by the Perpetual Emigration Fund
Company, against individuals classed as worthy poor, amounting to the
sum of $802,000. One thousand cows and five thousand sheep were also
distributed among the needy. The Saints were advised to be charitable
and liberal in their dealing with one another. The sum of $75,899,
in unpaid tithing, one half the amount due, was remitted against the
Saints who were unable to meet their obligation. It was proposed that
the Relief Society lend to the farmers, who had suffered loss because
of drouth the year before, 34,761 bushels of wheat which they had
on hand. This was to be repaid by the farmers, without interest, at
the close of the next harvest. "If you find people owing you who are
distressed, if you will go to work and try to relieve them as much as
you can, under the circumstances, God will relieve you when you get
into difficulties," said President Taylor. "I will tell you that,"
he added, "in the name of the Lord. Let us act on a kind, generous,
brotherly principle, doing good one to another and carrying out the
principles of the everlasting Gospel in our lives."
The Pioneer Day Celebration
The spirit of the jubilee was carried through the year, and was again
made manifest in a marked manner at the celebration on pioneer day,
July 24, 1880. There was a long pageant, which paraded through the
streets of Salt Lake City, and on three of the floats were natives from
twenty-five countries, representing the people who had been gathered
through the preaching of the Gospel. A banner was also carried upon
which the inscription was written: "I will gather you out from all
nations." Exercises were held in the tabernacle and patriotic speeches
were made. Utah had a population at that time of 143,690, showing an
increase of nearly 60,000 in the past decade. The great majority of
these were members of the Church.
President Taylor's Prediction
At this celebration President Taylor gave utterance to the following
prediction: "There are events in the future, and not very far ahead,
that will require all our faith, all our energy, all our confidence,
all our trust in God, to enable us to withstand the influences that
will be brought to bear against us. . . . We cannot trust in our
intelligence; we cannot trust in our wealth; we cannot trust to any
surrounding circumstances with which we are enveloped; we must trust
alone in the living God to guide us, to direct us, to lead us, to teach
us and to instruct us. And there never was a time when we needed to be
more humble and more prayerful; there never was a time when we needed
more fidelity, self-denial, and adherence to the principles of truth,
than we do this day."
Re-organization of the First Presidency
At the general semi-annual conference held in October, 1880, reports
were made of the distribution of the cattle, sheep and other substance,
which was voted on at the April conference. A time of great rejoicing
was had and on the last day (10th) the First Presidency was again
re-organized with John Taylor as President of the Church, and George
Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith as his first and second counselor,
respectively. Elders Francis M. Lyman and John Henry Smith were called
to the apostleship, leaving one vacancy unfilled. The voting was done
by quorums, as it was at the sustaining of President Young, beginning
with the apostles; second, the patriarchs, presidents of stakes and
counselors, and high councils; third, the high priests; fourth, the
seventies; fifth, the elders; sixth, the bishops and their counselors;
seventh, the lesser priesthood--priests, teachers, deacons; eighth, the
presidents of various quorums, and last the whole congregation.
Death of Orson Pratt--Calling of Elders Teasdale and Grant
Orson Pratt, the last surviving member of the original council of
apostles, died in Salt Lake City, October 3, 1881. Elder Pratt
possessed a remarkable analytical mind, and was one of the world's
great mathematicians. His discourses and writings on the Gospel
are clear and convincing. With all his learning he was humble and
unassuming, having perfect assurance in the divinity of the mission of
Joseph Smith.
In October, 1882, Elders George Teasdale and Heber J. Grant were
called to the apostleship by revelation given through President John
Taylor. Elder Seymour B. Young was also called to be one of the seven
presidents of the seventies.[1] This revelation was given October 13,
1882, and the brethren were ordained three days later. The Lord, in
this revelation, called upon the various quorums of the Priesthood
to arise and purify themselves, and for the members to magnify their
callings. The Saints were commanded to set their houses in order that
they might be purged from sin. The prediction was made that eventually
Zion should be established and the nations shall yet acknowledge the
Lord.
Dedication of the Logan Temple
The Logan Temple--the second structure of the kind built in Utah--was
dedicated May 17, 1884, under the direction of President John Taylor,
who offered the dedicatory prayer. The site for the temple was
dedicated May 17, 1877, by Orson Pratt. The work of excavation was
begun May 28, and the laying of rock in July following. September 19,
1877, the corner stones were laid, the order of temple-building being
followed. The dedicatory services in 1884, which lasted three days,
were very solemn and impressive, and the Saints rejoiced that another
house of the Lord had been built, where work for the salvation of the
living and the dead could be performed.
Anti-"Mormon" Legislation Agitated
During the eighties there appeared to be a united effort on the part
of the press and the denominational ministers to force legislation
against the Latter-day Saints. The chief instigators of this campaign
were anti-"Mormon" residents of Utah, with the aid of their organ, the
Salt Lake _Tribune_. President Rutherford B. Hayes, who was imposed
upon by this agitation, in a message to Congress in December, 1879, and
again in 1880, referred to the "Mormon" question and plural marriage.
President Garfield made similar reference in his inaugural address, and
after the assassination of Garfield, President Arthur took the matter
up in his first message to Congress.
Bitterness of "Christian" Ministers
The bitterness of the times was expressed by the Chicago _Interior_, a
Presbyterian paper in the summer of 1881, as follows:
"Let the lands and tenements of the Mormons be thrown open to
original entry by civilized settlers. . . . Let it be understood
that the army will keep out of the way in Utah for four years, and
that the use and occupation of Mormon property for one year is to
give a preemption title. There are enough young men in the West and
South, who are seeking homes, to finish up the pest, fumigate the
Territory, and to establish themselves in ninety days after the
word 'go' is given."
In consonance with this "Christian" spirit, the Rev. J. H. Peters, at
Dayton, in October, 1881, said to his congregation: "I would that the
guns of Fort Douglas were turned upon them [the "Mormons"] and they
made loyal by this means if by no other." Falsehoods of the deepest
hue were also uttered. The notorious T. De Witt Talmage, for instance,
circulated the false report that the assassin of President Garfield was
a "Mormon," and the Latter-day Saints were wickedly accused by this
reverend, and others, of holding meetings and rejoicing because of the
President's death.
The Edmunds Bill
The result of all this agitation was the passing of a law in March,
1882, by Congress, amending the law of 1862. It was known as the
Edmunds Law, because it was introduced into the senate by George
F. Edmunds of Vermont. This measure not only made punishable the
contracting of plural marriage, but also polygamous living, which was
designated as "unlawful cohabitation." The punishment for contracting
a plural marriage remained the same as in the law of 1862--a fine of
five hundred dollars or imprisonment for five years, or both, in the
discretion of the court.
The President of the United States was authorized to grant amnesty to
those who had entered into plural marriage before the passage of this
bill, under certain conditions and limitations, and their children born
before January 1, 1883, were legitimated.
"No polygamist, bigamist, or any person cohabiting with more than one
woman, and no woman cohabiting with any of the persons described as
aforesaid . . . shall be entitled to vote at any election . . . hold
any office or place of public trust, honor or emolument, in, under,
or for any such Territory or place, or under the United States," was
declared in this bill. Of course this was not intended to apply to
"Gentiles" who "cohabited" with more than one woman, outside of the
marriage relation, and such--and Utah had them--were shielded by the
officers of the law. Moreover, the mere belief in the doctrine of
plural marriage was sufficient to bar a person from jury service.
All registration and election offices were declared vacant, and
provision was made for a commission of five persons to be appointed by
the President, and with the consent of the senate, to attend to the
duty of registration of voters, canvassing the returns of elections
for members of the territorial legislature, and issue certificates, or
other evidence of election, until otherwise provided by law. They were
to be paid three thousand dollars a year, and to continue in office
until the legislature, elected and qualified under the Edmunds Law,
should provide for filling the offices as authorized by the statute.
Self Government Denied
By this law, local self-government was annihilated in Utah, contrary to
all the guarantees granted to free people since the days of the framing
of the government of the United States, if not since the days of King
John. Following in the wake of this legislation there was conducted a
crusade against the "Mormon" people without a parallel in the history
of the United States.
The Utah Commission
The five commissioners appointed through the Edmunds Law, arrived
in Utah, August 18, 1882. They were: Alexander Ramsy, of Minnesota,
chairman; Algernon S. Paddock, of Nebraska; George L. Godfrey, of Iowa;
Ambrose B. Carlton, of Indiana; and James R. Pettigrew, of Arkansas;
with Arthur L. Thomas, secretary. They immediately set to work on
the duties assigned them, and appointed registrars for the November
election, in a manner most unjust to the "Mormon" people. Eight of
the registrars, out of twenty-four, were members of the Church, yet
the "Mormon" population was in excess of 120,000, and the "Gentile"
population--including apostates and others classed as "doubtful" was
approximately 23,000. The commissioners also published rules for the
guidance of the registrars and the government of election judges, which
were manifestly unfair and beyond the scope of the law, which was done
to disfranchise a large portion of the "Mormon" population.
The Test Oath
Perhaps the most abominable and shameful thing they did was to prepare
the following "test oath:"
County of Territory of Utah, } ss.
I ..............., being first duly sworn (or affirmed), depose
and say that I am over twenty-one years of age, and have resided
in the Territory of Utah for six months, and in the precinct of
.................. one month immediately preceding the date hereof,
and (if a male) am a native born or naturalized (as the case may
be) citizen of the United States and a taxpayer in this Territory,
or (if a female), I am native born, or naturalized, or the wife,
widow or daughter (as the case may be) of a native born or
naturalized citizen of the United States; and I do further solemnly
swear (or affirm) that I am not a bigamist or a polygamist; that
I am not a violator of the laws of the United States prohibiting
bigamy or polygamy; that I do not live or cohabit with more than
one woman in the marriage relation, nor does any relation exist
between me and any woman which has been entered into or continued
in violation of the said laws of the United States prohibiting
bigamy or polygamy; and (if a woman) that I am not the wife of a
polygamist, nor have I entered into any relation with any man in
violation of the laws of the United States concerning polygamy or
bigamy.
Subscribed and sworn before me this ........ day of ............,
1882.
.....................................
Registration Officer ...... Precinct.
Careful Wording of the Oath
The expression "I do not live or cohabit with more than one woman IN
THE MARRIAGE RELATION," was so placed as were other clauses to apply
against the "Mormons" only. The "Mormon" press and preachers drew
attention to this feature of the oath which denied to the "Mormon
polygamist," but permitted the "Gentile libertine," the right to vote.
The admission was commonly made that the Edmunds Law was prepared
solely against the "Mormons" and not to apply to the immoralities of
the "Gentiles." This led the First Presidency in an address to the
Saints in August, 1882, to say that they regretted that men of high
positions would take that view of the law; but they perceived "with
unmixed satisfaction" the sharp distinction the oath drew between
marriage and licentiousness.
The Law made Retroactive
Another infamous ruling was that any person who had lived in the plural
marriage state, but was then not living in that relation, was denied
the right of franchise; and this was interpreted to apply to those who
had thus married even before the law of 1862. For instance, if a man
had married two wives in 1850, before any law against plural marriage
was enacted, and both wives had died before the law was passed; the
commission ruled that he was a "polygamist" notwithstanding he had
no wife living, and denied him the right to vote. "Once a polygamist
always a polygamist," was the common expression. Other rulings and
actions, contrary to the law, but intended to annoy and disfranchise
the members of the Church, that the minority might rule, were
attempted, among them denial to the women of their suffrage.
A Campaign of Persecution
From this time forth until the close of President John Taylor's
administration, and beyond, the government of the United States carried
on a campaign of prosecution, that was relentless and even cruel,
against all members of the Church who had married plural wives. Men
were punished, not for contracting plural marriage since the passage
of the law, but for "unlawful cohabitation;" federal officers hunted
men and women and dragged them before selected grand juries, where they
were shamefully insulted. Even small children did not escape, but were
forced to testify and answer improper and indecent questions, with the
object in view of obtaining evidence against their parents; and this
was done with threats of dire punishment and contempt of court, if
they refused. Such actions partook too much of the days of the Spanish
inquisition. Paid spies--men of debased character--were employed to
gather evidence. Among those who sat on juries to judge the "morals"
of the "Mormon" people, were those who were recreant to every law of
decency. The petty officers and the judges of the courts carried on a
reign of terror in their determination to stamp out the practice of
plural marriage, and it appeared that the greatest crime in the world
was for a man to acknowledge honestly that he was the husband of more
than one wife, and that he diligently and faithfully supported them
and their children; while for the libertine and the harlot there was
protection by officers of the law.
President Taylor's Statement
At the general conference of the Church in April, 1882, President John
Taylor spoke of the approaching storm. "While the excitement lasts,"
said he, "it is useless to reason with the world; when it subsides
we can talk to them." He also expressed the views of the Latter-day
Saints when he said: "We do not wish to place ourselves in a state of
antagonism, nor act defiantly, toward this government. We will fulfil
the letter, so far as practicable, of that unjust, inhuman, oppressive,
and unconstitutional law. . . . But we cannot sacrifice every principle
of human right. . . . While we are God-fearing and law-abiding, and
respect all honorable men and officers, we are no craven serfs, and
have not learned to lick the feet of oppressors, nor to bow in base
submission to unreasonable clamor. We will contend, inch by inch,
legally and constitutionally, for our rights as American citizens." So
sore became the persecution that hundreds of homes were broken up and
husbands and fathers were sent to the penitentiary for the offense of
"unlawful cohabitation."
A Tribune Canard
To add to the evil of the times the circulation of false and malicious
reports increased, and the Latter-day Saints were portrayed as the
vilest of the vile. The result of this was continued persecution of the
elders in the mission fields.
One of these abusive and lying canards appeared in the Salt Lake
_Tribune_, March 16, 1884. It purported to be the disloyal utterances
of "Bishop West, of Juab." There was no Bishop West, and the falsehood
was exposed. When the _Tribune_ was caught red handed in its lying,
it very reluctantly admitted the falsehood, but added that the report
sounded like what was going on all the time. Articles of this kind were
constantly appearing, and the members of the Church were repeatedly
insulted and abused with the hope that some overt act might be
committed through unendurable provocation, and thus occasion be made
against the Church for its destruction. However, the persecuted people
bore the insults without giving cause for such diabolical action.
The Canard the Cause of Murder
The "Bishop West" hoax might have been forgotten if the falsehood had
ended with the exposure of the _Tribune_ story, but, unfortunately, it
was circulated in Tennessee by a Reverend Vandevere, of Lewis County,
who made it an occasion to attack the Saints in the South, and arouse
the populace against them. He had been duly advised of the nature of
the falsehood, but that made no difference; he continued to repeat the
story. The result of this circulation of the _Tribune's_ falsehood, was
the enacting of a tragedy, at Cane Creek, Lewis County, Tennessee, of a
most shocking character.
The Tennessee Massacre
It happened Sunday, August 10, 1884. That morning a number of elders
and Saints met at the home of James Condor for religious worship. While
the small congregation was assembling, a mob of masked ruffians invaded
the premises and shot and killed Elders John H. Gibbs, of Paradise,
and William S. Berry, of Kanarra, and also two young men, Martin
Condor and John Riley Hudson, who were not members of the Church, but
who attempted to protect the elders. Young Hudson, securing his gun,
shot and killed the leader of the mob, one David Hinson, but Hinson's
followers returned the fire, mortally wounding the young man who died
about one hour later. Because of this retaliation the mob returned and
poured a fire into the house through the windows, seriously wounding
Mrs. Condor, and riddling the body of Elder Berry. They then secured
the body of their leader and made off. Two other missionaries, Elders
William H. Jones and Henry Thompson, escaped.
Elder Roberts Secures the Bodies of the Slain
Elder B. H. Roberts was at Chattanooga, in charge of the mission in
the absence of President John Morgan, who was in Salt Lake City. At
the peril of his own life he went forth and secured the bodies of the
missionaries and had them forwarded to Utah, where the "Mormon" people
were in mourning. The bodies of the slain elders were interred at their
home towns, but public funeral services were also held in Salt Lake
City, August 24, 1884.
Governor Murray to Governor Bate
Governor Eli H. Murray, of Utah, was so filled with animus against the
Latter-day Saints that it was impossible for him to communicate with
Governor W. B. Bate, of Tennessee, regarding the massacre, without
abuse of the Latter-day Saints. Governor Bate offered a reward for the
detection and arrest of the murderers. Evidently fearing that they
might be caught and punished, Governor Murray, without any reason or
excuse, sent a dispatch to the governor of Tennessee in which he said:
"Lawlessness in Tennessee and Utah are alike reprehensible, but the
murdered Mormon agents in Tennessee were sent from here as they have
been for years by the representatives of organized crime, and I submit
that as long as Tennessee representatives in Congress are, to say the
least, indifferent to the punishment of offenders against the national
law in Utah, such cowardly outrages by their constituents as the
killing of emigration agents sent there from here will continue."
The Trial of Rudger Clawson
Charles S. Zane became chief justice of Utah in 1884. He came to the
territory, August 23, of that year. He was a man whose moral life was
above reproach, but he was possessed of an intolerant spirit, and was
determined to conduct a strict enforcement of the Edmunds Law. The
first case to be tried under that law came before his court October
15, 1884. It was the case of Rudger Clawson, who was found guilty, and
when asked by the court if he had any legal cause to show why judgment
should not be pronounced he replied:
"Your honor, I very much regret that the laws of my country should
come in conflict with the laws of God; but whenever they do, I
shall invariably choose the latter. If I did not so express myself,
I should feel unworthy of the cause I represent. The constitution
of the United States expressly says that Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof. (It cannot be denied I think, that marriage, when
attended and sanctioned by religious rites and ceremonies, is an
establishment of religion.) The law of 1862 and the Edmunds Law
were expressly designed to operate against marriage as practiced
and believed in by the Latter-day Saints. They are therefore
unconstitutional, and of course cannot command the respect that a
constitutional law would. That is all I have to say, your honor."
The speech was characteristic of the man. It was bold, sincere, but
not defiant. It struck the judge with amazement and he determined on
a heavy penalty. It was the third day of November when Elder Clawson
was before the court. He was sentenced to pay a fine of eight hundred
dollars and imprisonment for four years. Elder Clawson remained
in prison until December 12, 1887--three years, one month and ten
days--when he received a pardon from President Grover Cleveland.
The Segregation Ruling
Following this trial there was inaugurated a cruel and determined
persecution. Women were sent to prison for contempt because they would
not testify against their husbands. The courts ruled that indictments
might be found against a man guilty of cohabitation "for every day." To
be seen at the home of a plural wife, or to support his plural family,
was sufficient to create an offense against a man. Each "distinct and
separate violation of the law," as interpreted by the judges, was a
separate offense and was liable for punishment.
This order of segregation, as it was called, drove many of the leading
brethren into exile, for it was virtually an announcement that the
violation of the Edmunds Law could be punished by life imprisonment.
Later, however, while the supreme court of the United States upheld
the Edmunds Law, it condemned the action of the judges in Utah in
establishing the "segregation" policy. This came in the habeas corpus
case of Elder Lorenzo Snow in February, 1887. While, however, this
ruling was being enforced, the First Presidency were in retirement and
communicated with the Saints from time to time in general epistles.
Sincerity of the "Mormon" People
With all the severity practiced against the "Mormon" people under the
Edmunds Law, yet it did not satisfy the enemies of the Church. Without
question many of the law makers had imputed to the Latter-day Saints
impure motives in the practice of plural marriage. They now discovered
through the prosecutions, which fell into the category of persecutions,
that it was a matter of the most sincere and sacred character.
Nevertheless they were determined to put an end to the practice.
Heavier penalties did not seem to avail, for the members of the Church
accepted plural marriage as a sacred religious rite, commanded by the
Lord, and they would rather die than break their covenants. The actions
of the government they looked upon as unconstitutional and an attack
upon their religious duties, and while they desired to be, and were,
loyal to the country, at the same time they desired to be loyal to
their God.
The Edmunds-Tucker Law
In March, 1887, Congress passed a supplemental act known as the
Edmunds-Tucker Law. President Grover Cleveland neither approved nor
disapproved of the act, so it became a law without his signature. Among
the many features of this measure were the disincorporation of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the dissolving of the
Perpetual Emigration Fund Company, the property of which was escheated
to the government of the United States for the benefit of the common
schools of Utah. Female suffrage was abolished. It was made the duty of
the attorney general of the United States to proceed against the Church
and wind up its affairs and the title to all property--except that "no
building or grounds appurtenant thereto held and occupied exclusively
for the purpose of the worship of God, or parsonage, or burial ground
shall be forfeited"--be transferred and escheated to the United States.
Proceedings in Escheatment
At the instance of the attorney general of the United States, suits
were filed July 30, 1887, against the Church, and the Perpetual
Emigration Fund Company, and their property was confiscated. November
5, 1887, United States Marshal Dyer was appointed receiver, and took
charge of the real and personal property of the Church to control it.
While this infamous measure was before Congress there were many brave
men who stood up in the face of the popular clamor and almost united
vindictiveness and hatred of the Church, and denounced the high-handed
proceedings. Such also had been the case when previous legislation was
enacted.
The government very graciously permitted the Church to occupy the
tithing office and historian's office, at a yearly rental of $2,400;
and the Gardo house at $450 a month. The Temple Block was also retained
by the payment of a stipulated rent. All this happened in the United
States in the year 1887, not in Spain or Holland in the dark ages or
the days of the Inquisition.
Death of President John Taylor
Early in the year 1887, because of persecution, President John Taylor
and his counselors were forced into exile. The trials and difficulties
through which the Church was passing weighed heavily upon the venerable
President. He did not live to see the final delivery of the Church
property into the hands of a receiver. He died in exile July 25, 1887,
at the home of Thomas F. Roueche, at Kaysville, Davis County, Utah,
a martyr to the cause of truth which he espoused. At the time of his
passing his counselors were with him. His life had been one of trial
and suffering. He was a heroic character, strong in his convictions,
just in his dealings, uncompromising with evil. It is proper here to
quote the words of his counselors at the time of his death:
"President John Taylor has been killed by the cruelty of officials
who have, in this territory, misrepresented the government of
the United States. There is no room to doubt that if he had been
permitted to enjoy the comforts of home, the ministrations of his
family, the exercise to which he had been accustomed, but of which
he was deprived, he might have lived for many years yet. His blood
stains the clothes of men, who with insensate hate have offered
rewards for his arrest and have hounded him to the grave. History
will yet call their deeds by their right names" (_Life of John
Taylor_--Roberts, p. 414).
Notes
1. For a complete list giving information regarding the apostles and
other presiding brethren, see appendix.