The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-17


justice, or oppression, invested with dramatic
dignity which awakens interest and commands re-
spect ltwas in this interesting attitude that the
| banshed and outlawed Mormons made their appear.
ance among the honest farmers and woodsmen OF
| Illinois, early in the year 1889. Forlon indeed
and amentable was their plight; piteous and pa
thetic their tale of Missouri outrage and wrong:
meek and plausible their demeanor in these their
days of adversely and distress. The history of
their reception and their subsequent behavior in Ill
inos is the old fable over again of the frozen viper
and the rustic. Received at first with open arms
by the settlers as deeply injured men, prosecuted
for conscience sake; met with compassion hospitali
ty and substantial aid in their afliction We shall
/ see them in the sequel flung off into the wilder
ness with abhorence-for the quickened reptile was
not slow in showing its fangs, and the poison that
lurked beneath it.
So rapid had been the success of Mormon propa
gandsm, that only nine years after the first promul-
cation of the faith, we find no less than fifteen
thousand souls gathered in Illinois, prepared to share
the fortunes of their accepted prophet. Besides
there thousands of converts scattered through
out other States of the Union, and multitude of
English proselytes The first mission to England
was undertakenin 1887, by 0rson Hyde and Heber
c. Kimba both of whom are still conspicuous
lights among the saints. These two, we learn, bap-
tized over two thousand persons into the Mormon
faith, chiefly from the manufacturing districts of
England Scotland and Wales. Brigham Young
crossed the Atlantic in 1889, and the work of prose
lytism went on with redoubled ardor Within five
years from the time the first Latter Day" sermon
was preached in the streets of Liverpool thousands
of souls had been shipped to their "Zion" in Amer
ipo nd thn
cies, and the number of the sect which still remained
in the Old country was computed at 10000.
We can, perhaps, better understand the rapid
progress of this delusion among the crowded and
dscontented masses of Europe, than its success in
our country, when, after all is said that can be
said by way of explanation, it must still remain an
enigma 1t is easy to see the fascination that nov
city, romance and distance would lend to the new
fath and to appreciate the power of the more prac-
tical and persuasive inducement of emigration En-
igration to the New World-a pilgrimage to Zion
is in fact the cornerstone of the creed of the for
eign proselyte. In embracing Mormonism, the Eu-
ropean peasant sees the realization of lifeon
dream of future independence and happiness. If
poor the means provided for his removal to the
wished for land of promises he feels the fetters of old
conventionalities drop from his limbs; he escapes
hind him the desperate struggle with starvation he
not only goes to land "fowing with milk and
honey but he goes there to become a Saint upon
earth, and bright and shining light in the second
kingdom of the Messiah With consummate tact,
the Mormon emissaries have seized upon this one
idea, and have elaborated most perfect system of
emigration. A perpetual fund has been established
for the assistance of the poorer brethren They
rbnla chi 81
vision made for them on the voyage, with disci-
pline of their organization in force which in
sures degree of ORDER cleanliness and comfort un-
known among other descriptions of emigrants, and
with every facility awaiting them at the port of
their destination, whether it be New York New Or
leans or San Francisco-for their immediate con-
veyancc overland to the end of their pilgrimage
their future -home. Thus have come the tens of
thousands who are at this moment making the val
leys beyond the Rocky Mountains teen with life
and industry-valleys which, half dozen years
ago, were silent and as desolate as the rugged
peaks which frown above them.
So much by way of episode for Mormon emigra-
ton. Ii is time to go back to Illinois and follow
the fortunes of the prophet
One of Smiths convenient Especial revelations
came to his aid in his discontinue, in obed-
NiiNS II
small town occupying commanding situation on
the Illinois side of the Mississippi then called Com
merce-snce better known to fame as Nduroo-a
collocaton of letters only to be found in the Nor
mon vocabulary where it is said to mean 'the beau
tiful." The ''revelation' was no doubt suggested
in this case by charitable or speculative offer on
the part Of land owner in Commerce. one Dr.
Galand, of large tract for the free and absolute
If ba A.
good speculation from the expected enhancement in
the price of his reserved lots history is silent but
informs us that Joe Smith made quite an operation
by the sale of this property which he had thus re-
ceived for nothing, among his followers. Charity
cOmpels us to presume that the prophet regousy
dedicated the proceeds to the church.
1t is singular fact that neither Smith nor his
successors have ever abandoned the original idea
that the ultimate location of 'Zion'' is in jackson
county, Missouri Even after the precipitate fight
from that State and while Smith was in Jail at Lib
erty little knot of the more Jealous Saints headed
by that earnest fanatic, Brigham Young, returned
to Missouri incog., and secretly at dead of night,
with solemn and mysterious rites, consecrated and
dedicated at independence site for the future and
permanent temple 1t is well to bear this fact in
mind it may perhaps afford key to some of the
future movements of the Saints.
Nauvoo grew and fourished beyond all calcula-
ton. The Saints continually concentrating
there from all quarters. Its lengthening streets re-
sounded with the hum of cheerful industry In less
than two years it had aspired to the dimensions and
coveted the title of city, In lS41 it received its
charter from the Legislature of Illinois, and Smith,
of course, was installed as first Mayor of NauvoO-
Soon after the famous temple was commenced, whose
! L. L l.
bluff upon the Mississippi and mark an era in this
"strange, eventful history" The cornerstone was
laid amid feastings and reioicngs, with mysterious
ceremony and imposing pomp, civil, military and
religious.
| Smith soon added to his civic dignity of Mayor,
the imposing title of .'Lieatena General command
ing the Nauvoo Legion" Much attention was
paid towards perfecting the discipline and efficiency
of this corps An intelligent officer of the United
States Artillery who witnessed one of its reviews
writes, in September, 1842 'that the evolutions OF
these troops approximate very closely to those OF
our regular forces" and that ''there troops
like them in the States in point of enthusiasm and
warlke aspect" He then asks:
"What does all this mean? WHY this exact dis
cipline of the Mormon corps? Do they intend to
| conquer Missouri Illinois, Mexico? Before many
wears this legion will be twenty and perhaps fifty
! thousand strong, and still augmenting fearful
host, filled with religious enthusiasm and led
on by talented and ambitious officers, what
may not be expected by them? ?" The writer adds
almost prophetically, "Nerico aoiU fail into Their
hands, ecen If Teas shOnld first take it."
Another brief extract from the same letter, writ
ten sixteen years ago, will be pardoned for its sig.
nifcance at the present time:
~ have no doubt that these people are as brave
as they unquestionaby ambitious, and the ten
tlnh,sp alirrtnt
other sects. You may, therefore, that the time
will come, when this gathering host of religious ia
natics will make this country shake to its CENTRE
| A Western Empire is certain"
Smiths prosperity was at its height. The OBJ
scure, low-bred, illiterate Vermont boy, was now
Prophet, Mayor and Lieutenant General, and in
each of these capacities he had ample scope for the