Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-01-20
Utah and the Mormons.
For the Fayetteville Observer.

, -11' " ~
Of that month is the Mormon
anniversary the day they first
landed in Salt Lake valley
Brigham is a short, thick-set
man. with light or sandy hair
and whiskers--a keen gray eye,
Fchubby hands, short neck,
heavy shoulders, and has a de-
termined, resolute appearance.
He would weigh when | saw
him. about one hundred and
eighty pounds. He had, at
that time sixteen wives and
sent .twenty-three children to
school. On the morning alIu-
dcd to at eleven o'clock, Brig
ham arose in the midst Of his
twelve Apostles, and immedi-
ately began TO speak. The sub
iect was, Of course, the histo-
" of the troubles and trials and
emigration Of the Mormons to
Salt Lake. He told his audi
ence Of ten thousand how the
Latter Day Saints were driven
out Of Jackson county, Mis-
souri,, to Nauvco, Illinois. He
spoke Of the Prophet and So
called martyr, Joseph Smith
Of his prophecies and miracles
his courage, God-like life,
and of his death by a mob at
Carthage-how the MoImons
were driven out Of Nauvoo by
the people of Illinois and Mis-
souri,, Of the building Of the
town OF Far West on the lone
ly prairie-and Of their jour
ney, afterwards, ACROSS the
plains among hostile Indians to
the wild, desolate desert of o.
tab Territory, or as the Nor
mons call it, the State Of Desc
ret" He said that he had as
good a right to start a new re-
ugion as Christ, or Mohammed,
thus proving himself TO be a
philosophic infdel. Brigham's
full titles are "Presidcnt ,Proph-
ct, Priest, Seer, Revclatcr and
Trustee-In-Trust Of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints" In speaking, he uses
few gestures-is very profanc
and obscene in his remarks, very
often dogmatic and abusive; es-
pecialIy, poor Gentiles, like our
selves. come in for a large share
Of his invectives. Rrigham's
acuteness cons sts in his knowl-
edge Of human natUre--his abil-
ity to govern and to deceive the
ignorant is unquestioned - lie
is one OF the most lemaI kable
men Of the nineteenth century.
When he was first raised to the
head of the Mormon Church,
he claimed all of the titles men
toned above except that of
Prophet--he was ambitious and
wanted that also, but how 10
get it-that was the question.
Joe. Smith was dead and the
Mormons had no prophct--the
Mormons tells a strange story
how Brigham appeared i'll the
Tabernacle one Sunday MORN
ing at Church, and they declare
most positively that he person.
ated Joe. Smith so completely
that many Of the audience
could not distinguish any diff
ference between Brigham's fea-
lures and those Of their dead
prophet-hi~ voice, shape, man
ner and everything cOrfespon-
ded with Smith's-how a man
could deceive ten thousand at /
once in that way is rather curl /
Gus. They say that Joe. Smith
spoke and said the "mantlc of. /
Joseph Smith had fallen upon
Brigham" Brigham was then
and there declared a prophet.
Many in the Tabernacle tainted
that day. Some Of the most i'll
telligent people in Utah are
ready to coroborate the truth
of the foregoing statement
Brigham must have resorted to
he is not an inspired
looking indiyidual. The NAH
ners Of the Mormons are rude
and uncouth-the women are
not pretty by any means-they
have a long manniSh gait
blonde hair, pug nose-stupid
eyes, green actions and red lips.
Young gents in their teens and
Young misses in their thlrteens
IAN be seen striding along the
street arm in arm, first one and
hen the other,gnawing an apple.
took a hack ride one day from
Salt Lake City to Great Salt
Lake. The Lake is situated
weIve miles west Of the city