The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-09-13
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Death of the Great Mormon Satnt-Hts
Remarkable Career.

able men of the nineteenth century.
He was born on the LIST of June, 1901,
at Nottingham, vt. He was the son OF
small farmer, who served with honor
in the Revolutionary war. In early life
Brigham developed those traits of char
acter that later contributed SO much to
his success as the leader of a peculiar
people. Naturally artful and cunning,
and of a domineering disposition, but
having acquired good common-school
education, and being possessed of
plausible address, he was peculiarly
fitted to obtain and exercise control over
the ignorant.
Shortly after attaining his majority,
Brigham Young was licensed to preach
by the Baptist church, and rapidly OBJ
tanned a vast influence among the COM
mon people. Before he was ordained,
however, he removed to Ohio, in 1881,
where he joined the Mormon flock at
Kirkland, then under the leadership of
the first prophet, Joseph Smith. His
energy and shrewdness soon won for him
prominent place among the ignorant
and superstitious followers of the proph-
ct, and, in 1885. he was chosen one of
the twelve apostles, soon after became
chief among them, and was sent out ss
missionary to make converts to the Nor
mon faith. What success he had in his
proselyting work does not appear, but,
when he returned to the headquarters of
the sect, he had lost none of his popu
larity, end was welcomed with Joy.
When the Mormons moved from Ohio
to Illinois he accompanied them, and,
by his impassioned eloquence, and ap-
peals to their credulity, he kept them
steadfast in their faith At Nauvoo he
was leading spirit among them, and
in 1914, when the prophet Smith was
murdered by a mob, Brigham Young
stepped into his place by the common
consent of the saints, who accepted
Brigham as their seer without question.
Sidney Rigdon aspired to be Smiths
successor, but he seems to have been
possessed of none of the requisites for
leader of such people, and was Who'll
~ ignored. Being contumacious, he
was communicated, cursed, and sol
mnly delivered to the devil. "to be
buffeted in the flesh for thousand
years"
From this time forward the biog-
1aphy of Brigham Young is the history
of the Mormon people. His hand mold
ed the course of the church his mind
directed the people in all their affairs,
both temporal and spiritual. No po-
tentate on earth was SO absolute as he !;
for in his hands rested, according to the
belief of the Mormons, not only the
temporal but the eternal welfare of his
subjects.
| When the MOrmOnS were driven from
Illinois and Missouri, Young persuaded
his followers that the great Salt Lake
valley was the promised land, in which
they should find freedom from persecu-
ton, and enjoy the privilege of propa-
eating their faith unmolested. Early
in the spring of 1916 he, with small
party of his adherents, started overland
for their promised land. After endur-
ing great hardships on the plains, they
arrived at their destination, the present
site of Salt Lake City, in July, 1847,
where they founded settlement. The
next year the remainder of the Mormons
joined the pioneers, and a city was
formed in the wilderness, far from the
abodes of civilized men-a city Of en-
thusiasts, governed by crafty, ambi-
tious, INSCRIPTIONS ruler
The country about the new city was
sterile and almost absolutely unproduc-
tive. But thorough system of irriga-
ton was established, and by industry
and thrift the Mormons succeeded in
literally making the desert to blossom as
the rose
By the death of Brigham Young,
prophet, seer and President of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-D Day
Saints the Mormon church has lost a
leader whose place there is none to fill
completely, and the world has lost a
character who will be notorious as long
as history endures. He possessed those
peculiar traits OF character that fit men
to be rulers. He was despot, absolute
as the Gar of Russia, but more endeared
to his people, because he was one OF the
people, revered as a prophet-a direct
agent Of the Almighty, through whom
His will was revealed to the people. He
was cruel, remorseless in the execution
of his plans, visiting heresy with the
most terrible penalties. The tribo of
Dan, to which was given the execution
of the death penalty, when decreed by
the church or its prophet, was composed
OF men who knew no compassion, and
who executed the judgments of the des-
potic hierarchy with appalling cruelty.
The practice of polygamy owes its
origin among the Mornons to Brigham
Young. When the revelation" per-
hitting the faithful to have a plurality
of wives was given, there was a partial
revolt, but, as polygamy was privilege,
not requirement, and was recommend
ed as a means of rapidly increasing their
numbers, the saints finally accepted it,
and gradually the practice became al
most universal among the Mormors in
Utah, although few of the followers of
the first prophet, Joseph Smith, still re-
ject it as heresy. All efforts of the
Federal Government to suppress the
practice have thus far failed. With the