The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-02

fresh men from his reserves, and fought
on unmoved as if determined to win on
that line, and expressed the idea that the
greatest of all the great achievements of
that iron hearted soldier was at Appomat-
toX when White-Winged mercy prompted a
generous refusal of the surrender of Con
federate horses and mules offered by
General Robert E. Lee. No said Grant,
mot horse, not mule, general: your
people will need them for the spring ploW-
ing" In that simple expression, revealing
the tender heart and magnanimous soul OF
L. S. Grant is found the sequel of his
greatness; and, 1 believe, largely of his
success as hero soldier.
A little later one of the brethren re-
ferring to my remarks about Grant, drew,
in eloquent language, a touching picture OF
Lee, the general of the lost cause, and
showed his greatness, not alone in victory,
recital of how that Smighty commander
watched division after division. regiment
after regiment, melt away under terrific
cross fires, and finally saw the hope of the
confederacy crushed on the bloody field OF
Gettysburg, and while realizing that his
heart was breaking, exclaimed, I'VE cannot
always win battles" l confess that while
l did not think Grant less great, I thought
that Lees greatness had been tested far
beyond that of the other; and what after
al is the evidence of greatness save that
found in the test.
On this rule, where stands Brigham
Young; Place him not, my young friends,
l beseech you. below the highest our great
country has produced. No boast do we
make that ne killed, or gave command to
kill, hundreds and thousands of fellow be-
ings. l am aware that the high
est laUrels are woven into gar
ments 10 crown the brows OF wars
BLOOD STAINED HEROES;
but where others conquered on the field of
Brigham Young conquered in the
field of justice and reason. When the vision
Of crimsQned walls and despatched floors
and the martyred prophet at Carthage was
revealed to his mind, his first thought was
Has Joseph taken the keys of the king
dom with him!n Joseph might die and
the world still live; but Joseph dead and
the keys Of the kingdom gone, the world
and all things in it, he knew must perish
sooner or later. Hence the far-reaching
thought not prompted by in
1ividual or selfish ambitious motives; for
men like Brigham Young, lose thought of
self and individuality being completely
swallowed up in the work assigned them.
Sydney Rigdon seeking, after the martyr
.
church was not thus swallowed up; hence
the Joy of a shepherdless, distracted people
when they heard the voice of true inspira-
ton, the voice OF true greatness uttering
Attention, Israel?n
No duplicity or fear or doubt in those
words, nor any that followed from his lips.
In the finishing of the Nauvoo temple
under the circumstances then surrounding
the saints, is there any evidence of infinite
trust in God and of greatness:
Grant and Lee, Napoleon, Caesar and
Alexander each, no doubt, understood how
to plan campaigns and conduct retreats but
history affords no evidence that either or
all combined possessed wisdom sufficient to
organize destitute, despoiled people and
successfully lead them as did Brigham
Young. General Lees hopes were crushed
when he witnessed his shattered forces
broken at Gettysburg. But Brigham
Young, driven with his people into howl
ing wilderness, did neither faint nor falter
Search the annals of war and conquest
from the beginning and learn that greatest
courage and most lofty devotion are not eX-
libited on
THE BATTLE FIELD OF CARNAGE AND DEATH.
But to lead a people destitute almost to
starvation and nakedness requires great
ness of the first magnitude. What Brig
nam Young accomplished in that respect
mas but one parallel in history, that of
Moses leading ancient Israel out of Egyp-
tan bondage. Witness what he did at
Winter Quarters With graves increasing
around him and making the last earthly
resting place of those daily dying from ex-
DOsure and want Brigham Young certainly
sOugh to distract the minds of the people
from their miserable surroundings, by di-
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present, to the hopes Of the future. Think
IF introducing the dance and encouraging
he song under such sorrowful conditions.
Think of his pleadings for the redress of
he grievances of people driven ruthlessly
rom their homes, and for answer receive
from the President request for 500 men
rom the camps of a homeless people to
secure the conquest of California and to
light, if need be, in the war with Mexico.
Who shall say that tests like those are
lot such as try mems souls! Yet Brig
lam Young, with his masterful conception
If the future, yielded the strength of camps
md devoted it willingly to the service of
he country that had permitted his people
10 be robbed of every right dear to an
American citizen except to honorably die.
One can readily believe that treatment of
his kind would inevitably tend to make the
recipients in turn harsh and cruel.
TO THE NARROW AND BIGoTED SOUL
t undoubtedly would have that effect.
But not so with Brigham Young; quite the
as evidenced by the precept and
practice of the humane doctrine-When he
came in contact with aboriginese-that'' sit
was cheaper to feed than to fight Indians"
Cheaper in the saving of property, cheaper
in the saving of human life, both of the
white and the red man; cheaper every way
and more in harmony with Christian sym
pathy and divine law.
1t is not necessary that l should dwell on
the trials and. tribulations attending the
exodus OF a numerous people. They are
matters of record within the reach of all
who wish to know the facts. There are
many sad details connected with the I'M
paralleled journey into the wilderness over
which it is better now to draw the veil of
1t is more pleasing to re-
1ect on the glorious outcome and mighty
achievement wrought by merciful God
his servant Brigham Young. His
greatness shines forth in conduct and
and colonization and in the
building of a mighty commonwealth in
these mountain valleys; but vastly supe-
rior appears his marvellous management
when coping with an invading army backed
by the determination of the mightiest ma
ton on earth bent on destruction to crafty
public prejudice. In the supreme moment
of danger, the thought of making of this
CITY a Moscow was born of emergency, but
Brigham Young was its author. On all oc-
casions promptness and decision were char
act eristic of his organizations, and let a
question arise where it might, all Israel felt
when it reached Gods prophet leader it
would find proper solution and when solved
would be endorsed by wisdom.
have spoken of many things respecting
the life and character of Brigham Young,
known perhaps to all the people,
But THERE ARE OTHERS,
very numerous and of deep interest OF
which l would like to say something, but
am admonished that it would not be pru-
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