Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-09-05
Death of Brigham Young.
UNDINE.

SALT LAKE, Aug. 29.-Brisham
Young died to-day at 4 o'clock of chol-
era morbus, after short but painful
illness. His death bas completely up
set the Mormon element here, and be-
fore he was cold rings and cliques were
formed, each struggling to Influence
the nomination Of his successor.
Brigham Young was born in Whit
iugham, Vt, June l, 1901. He was
the son of a farmer, and received but
little education, and learned the trade
Of a painter and glazier. He was a
member of the Baptist church, and is
said to have pr sached occasionally. In
1882 he joined the Mormons at Kirt-
land, O., was ordained elder, became
one of the twelve apostles, and was sent
to the eastern states in 1885 to make
proselytes, in which he was very sue
cesstul. After the death Of Joseph
Smith, in June, 1914, Young was one
of the four aspirants to the presidency,
and was unanimously chosen to that
office by the apostles. The choice met
the general approval Of the sect, and
soon afterward his principal rival, Sid
ney Rigdon, was excommunicated.
After the charter Of Nauvoo had been
revoked and the city bombarded, Young
set out with his followers in 1916, and
after weary march across the plains
reached Great Salt Lake Valley, which
he persuaded them was the promised
land. Here he founded Salt Lake City
in July, 1917, became the absolute
ruler Of the colony, and in l849 organ
lied the state Of Deseret, which applied
for admission into the Union. This
was denied by Congress; but the terri
tory of Utah was organized in 1850. of
which Young was appointed governor
for four years La 1854, on the ap-
pointment of a governor who was not
Mormon, he began to disregard the
laws and defy the authority of the fed
eral government. In 1857 President
Buchanan appointed Alfred Cumming
governor of the territory, and sent him
out with a military force of $500.
This brought matters to crisis, aud
the Mormons submitted and became
peaceable. On Aug. 20, 1852. Young
proclaimed the celestial law Of marri-
age, " sanctioning polygamy, which he
declared had been revealed to Joseph
Smith in july, 1913. Smiths widow
and her four sons at once denounced
this as a forgery, and headed schism~
Though the Mormon apostles had re-
peatedly replied to the imputation ct
such doctrine Or practice with the most
emphatic and explicit denials, the per-
sonal power Of Brigham Young was
such that be had little difficulty in es-
tablishing polygamy as an institution
Of the church. He has taken to him
self a large number of wives, most OF
whom reside in building known as
the 'lion house" so called from huge
lion, carved in stone, which stands up
on the portico. In 1874 his fifteenth
wife left him, and petitioned the United
States court for divorce In addition
to his Office Of president ofthe church,
Young is grand archee Of the order OF
Danltes, a secret organization within
the church, which is one Of tie chief
sources of his absolute power; and by
organizing and directing the trade and
Industry Of the community for his own
advantage, he has accumulated immense
wealth.
His death will doubtless be the sig
nal for a revolt among the Josephits,
who have most Of the respectability
Comparative, )nearly all the brains,
and, according to tradition, all the right
of the succession of Brigham's boots.
It is likely that descendant Of Joseph
Smith will make a struggle for the
throne, and with not improbable
change OF gaining it. Neither Brig
him, Jr., nor John w. Young are cal.
culated to be leaders among men.