New-York tribune., 1871-11-22
A MORMON LEADER.
:, ,,vroS,r,oy OF THE FAITH.

o,, az ncc, ,>IoynC CORRESPONDENT OF THB TRIBUNE
S,rJ,Kr. Nov. 12-Thc fact is indlsputa-
MI, th,, the Mormon Church Is practically without
bca1 Whatever excuses may he offered hy his friends
for his absence from home there can be no doubt that
Rricbom = n fugitive from tho officers Of th" law. I"
he surc No has often visit Il the Southern settlements at
this season Of the year lint his departure has not hereto"
fare been taken silently and almost alone. In AL his
prcvious Journeys his progress has been like the TIL
,upEll march of Conu Ing hero. His last exit was
as the flight " lun;cd f'on To-day he rests upon the
Arizona line. miles away from the scat of his Ii'c
Empire. tie destiny of which he has swaycd "th con
coded skill Tor u years. hi IN wh'h HIS
,ulo "a practically ended. Though s'HI thc
nominal head of the cAnIch," he IL" more
governs lis affairs than BE- would were his
bones an ,dy ia the grave which h cahho now iohs
escape. The natural order Of things. His absence does
lot mach ripple upon the surface OF st"
rrty Younger mcu have taken his place IN spiritual
naA.rs aS we'll a. temporal and, from beng Ms p'"Nit'
his practical successors. NhH"uEh H'
would I've unwilling admit it. those who have watched
lam narrowly aware that hi> intellectual Nlg"r and
business capacity have greatly wancd during the last
fw years No longer the great aud powerful leader. lie
is now unl lurstionahy led hy few of his more vigorous
hrthrcu III whose ability ANA judgment he las learned
t. Conii, These the real Mormon leaders, the
power behind the throne, and to them must the people
look for future guidance. While only small minority
Of them can claim great spiritual gifts. and while To the
majority the "fnoli>hucS> of preaching at least gram
natcally and cOhcreny, will never he charged, the
little circle aggregates faith III the Mormon doctrines,
great business sagcty and experience and that large
aud hardearncd wealth which is the Legitimate gauge
Of ability.
or these mon, hope to speak fully hereafter and
a strive to Photograph them for the readers of TIE
TRIBUNE that the future OF the organization. which
would to-day practical nulliiy but for their viti1
Ig influence. may De appro Ninately foretod To-day
propose allow OF these to speak for himself
and for the church Of which he yet BE- the spiritual
lead 1t IS useless for the Mormons to seek conceal
hc fact that the possibility that successor for Brigham
nay soon needed has been widely discussed of late
During his sickness u September he inquired Of his first
counselor, George A. Smith, how he supposed the
Church would get along without him In the event o hi
1esth AS Brighams ghtcst words are looked upon ~
emlprophccies by the mass OF his followers This INQUIRY
WAS accepted as a virtual admission of the probable
uearnes| OF that grim Marshal whose process even
prophets rarely cvaie. To another he admitted his
waning powers by the remark after his recovery. tat
he thought the workout boiler might be patched up 50
- to allow the engine To make few more trips lmt
now addition TO his than three score ana ton
gears the growing fccencss which he has long re-
listed hut which he is st last compelled To confess, he
inds himself wandcrcr from home ana its comforts;
hunted ike dangerous thing beyond the confines ~ Ms
own dnminOns II is not surprising therefore that the
claims Of To the succcss0iship shonld he quiet!
discussed hy the public large if not 10y hi, nearest
friends
II ia admitted that the candidates In number ony
two, and that upon " these the mane must .al!
Te-., George 4. Smith and George @ Cannon. The
t)rIuer cousin of the founder, Jos ph-'" second
officer of the church, and probably the most popular
the leaders He Is 81 years of aGr. OF hinge
proportions and hos tho reputation Oi beag Ike Kug
C0le of cOuvival memory, "a jolly old soul. To the
superficial observer he is little more than this; while to
those have tbouchtuly anal wed lis qualities. h" is
most sagacious and thoughtful man. II his health
somewhat impaired Of atedoes not fl he Will pro'"'
a1iat. .f iIll
Of the office OF " President
D"srors OF learning the views o. one so near tie
hrune upon numerous topics under general discus
sion. called at bis residence and met with the i'll
tclligcnce that President smith accompanied President
Young III journey IT, the southern settlements" As
tho laudahle ambition which anlates all TRBu Ne cor
respondents the bubble, information, even IN
the Cnnnns month, strong within me, determined
o Scck that younger, though less promn"nt
Saint and Apostle. George G. Cannon editor
Df The DrSerct NevS, and Of the lead
ing pulpit orators OF the Mormon faith'
found this gentleman In hs great Office. suround" 10y
assistants and amid scene of Industry 81
sctIvo - l." almost confusing. The NCrs Is PUBLISHED
In tho old Tithng Office" although th" composing
rooms aad steam presses are in an adjacent building
IIer prepared and published the various editions OF
Church also doctrna paper for ohidrcn,
and t>,. Icarfully unrcadablo volumes upon which, To-
the unrcs"ncrate mind. so much good ink ant noh nve
PAPER have lrea wattrd--the " Book Ol MOImOh, and
the Book of Doctrines and Covenants"
My possible future Prophet, seer and H"vciatcr
proved t" ho modest. mil hammered .nIin: c"nt!c
man II g. stout of ti'%b. low Of stature. rubnrii of
rountenancr, aud ready Of tongue. Aftcr hrlof and
plea ,,at III SHADE small taS. settled down TO tine
siege which. uuintru,iouay 10 your Orre~pondcnt.
assumed at times the nature of discussion rather tlan
d series ~ questions and reSpnnScs
Correspondence l have called Mr. Cannon, 10 have a
little plain talk with you aud trust vOi VII rot Of
tended II ask you some questions whch may appear
nt cd Brigham Sulup j. a IN
gitIve from Justice l. II true
Cannon No. Jpstic" is ~" thing be desires He
would gladly any reasonable distance I,elcvc, 10 oD
tain a..
Core spOndent-IIOw do you reconcile the ta"t of III,
departure under the Of Garkncss with the remark
made hy hiu to month snce that he should hold
mat, aeiinsi hm. aud should sl Ills enemies
own courts and with their own MeapOnsf
aunO.i absent al the time Uf hi departure nDd
am not awarr that he went awayM night To prevent
excitement President Young Ii fully Justified IL moving
about WITH ~ ,uctncss possible. III" bad Oh
reasons tn suppose that his trial upon the Only chrGc
w, m hd a . MtcS ,g term Il Srt At least for some 1e
II WAS PrrsIdent Yonngs inteti0n long be"ir ll ill.,
icmcnt~ had been found aS4lhol hlln u :lh % l Mi.
ter in nilder climate, and when he stdIt 'hl" wa.
rcnsn suppose that s Wescco would bc required
rrc,rondent-Do you sIe,e Brigham world le
willing to risk trlal either on the present Shnras"
Is2 he could b convinced that the trals
would br conducted fairly, honestly. and ably :
CannoC-A trial such ut you deScitbc-f"r able, ani
honest-Could not. i'll my opio be 0btained her as
has heru prcarranged 10 prevent such ral Nothlne
les. than convection VIII satisfy ,he iadse and me OH,
1T pans which have been taken 20 set aside the Ter
rtorai statutes whi.b p.esrrin' ,ne mode Of ln,an-
the penalties for tho violation of which sHSac,
sriscS@d Jury i,upanrled either Mormon or htitIIoi-
mon. conviction could be secure but now "A" United
states Marshal goes out on the street with an olon
n