The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-02-23
q. and end the Mormon church, toos''

"And end the Mormon church, too?n
The old man shook his head and replied:
mo. The church is stronger today than
IL ever was. We were talking about the
enects OF the decision yesterday, shortly
after we had heard of it. / remarked that
l had never seen our meetings so well at
tended as they are now Our people are
hrmer in their faith than they were before
the adverse legislation began. We have
mad no schlsms and no secessions since the
prosecutions began''
!, LII Is a singular fact that, with two or
three exceptions, the members of the first
presidency and of the twelve apostles are
natives OF this country. George Q. Cannon
Is most notable exception. He was a
Liverpool boy, but his parents were con
verted to the faith when he was only
twelve, and trained him in it. The plain
story of Cannon's life is stranger than
fiction. He was printer on the Times and
SEASONS at Nauvoo when Joseph Smith was
murdered in the jail at Carthage Three
years later, when barely of age, he went
with the advance party of Mormons
across the plains, and was one of the
pioneers of Salt Lake city. In 1S49 he
was a gold digger in California. In
1850 he was Mormon missionary
on the Sandwich islands, acquiring the
Kanaka language in six weeks. Four years
after that he was back in California pub
fishing paper called the Western Standard.
When the United States troops under Gen
eral Albert Sidney Johnston marched to
Utah in 1859 to suppress the anticipated
Mormon uprising, young Cannon was in
charge OF the DESERT NelUs, and carted the
type and presses to place of safety. At
the age of thlrty-two, in 1852, Cannon
reached the official position than which
there was but one higher in the church.
he was chosen an apostle, then he was sent
abroad as president of the European
mission
In 1862, the Mermons, having resisted all
overtureS from the south to join the con-
federacy. held a constitutional convention
and applied to Congress for admission as a
state. That was IN the darkest period of
the war for the north, and quite strong
movement developed at Washington in
favor of the admission of Utah. The Nor
mons feltso confident of the support of the
republican party in their petition for ad-
mission that they organized the state of
Deseret, as they called it, and elected two
United States Senators. These Senators
elect were William H. Hooper and George
y. Cannon. The latter came from Europe
to Washington TO urge the claim of Utah
When the statehood movement failed, Can
non went back to his European
mission, and in two years for
warded 1900 converts to Salt Lake
city. From Europe he returned to Utah
TO become private secretary to Brigham
Young. After holding that position three
years he took charge of the Mormon paper,
the Dessert Ne1CS, and published it until he
was elected territorial delegate to Congress
in 1872. He held that position nearly ten
years.
In Cannon the Mormons had strong ad-
vocate at Washington. He is man of most
remarkable energy, but always suave and
gentle IN manner. To show that Mormon
ism was not as bad as painted, Mr. Cannon,
from time to time, brought members of his
family to the national capital and permitted
his wives to speak for themselves 1t was
respecting Delegate Cannon the witty
CAL Hamilton once SAID that the only
difference she could see between him and
many OF the other pnblic men at Washing
ton was that he boldly drove his women
abreast while the others drove theirs tan
dem.
MIR. Cannon represented Utah in Con-
gress until 1882, when Governor Eli Muir
ray refused to issue to him certificate of
election on the ground that he was not a
citizen of the United States, although he
held certificate of citizenship. Cannon
had received Is. sos votes ard Allen G.
Campbell had received 1851 votes. Gov
bell. Governor Murray's refusal to issue
the certificate was based upon the Edmunds
act, DISTINGUISHING polygamists. Cannon
made no secret of the fact that ne had
three wives. The House refused to seat
Campbell and declared vacancy, to fill
which John T. Game was elected by the
Mormons.
Then followed Cannon's prosecution for
polygamy. While out on bond he disap-
peareG and for a couple of years his where
abouts was a complete mystery. One day
he reappeared at Salt Lake city, went be-
fore the court and received sentence. He
served his term in jail and now he is back
in Washington. His hair and whiskers-
he wears the latter only under the chin
are snowy white. He has aged some, but
his figure is stiD sturdy and his step is
brisk. There is not a tinge of resentment
in his conversation as he talks of 1.-The
trials of the church He says: awe
believe that the Lord means all these per-
secutions for our good and viii bring
things out right in His own time"
w. B. >.