The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-01

my term So did many congressman
President Grants visit was a notable I
occasion He had gone 10 Des Moines
TO take part in a soldiers reunion in
1876, and had made his first public
speech there. It was being widely and
favorably commented on by the press.
This reminded me of the presidents
promise to come out and see me, so 1
went to the telegraph Office and sent
this essage:
You are so far west now, why not
extend your trip to Salt Lake City2
The people here would be deiighted-to
see you
The next morning. which was sun
day, I got this reply from the presi- /
dents secretary:
President Grant and party en- route
TO Salt Lake City VIII arrive by spe-
cial train
Salt Lake City had never before en-
tentained . chief executive of the Unit
ed States, so L had some curious expe-
rienccs in telling the people what ought
to be done in the way OF appointing
committees, etc. to receive him.
One mali said: What in HI will
you dn with the president out in this
godforsaken country?'
Well 1 said. I'VE car give him a
clean bed and something 70 CaI. which
is about all he gets anywhere
1 took the reception committee lit
tie way eastward 10 Evanston, Wyo.,
where We net the .-reSiGenTS train.
, When We arrived in Ogden. on the way
( back to Salt Lake City. George -. can
non. ii EN- delegate to congress came TO
me and asked if 1 supposed the presi-
dent would have any objection to
meeting President Young.
President Grant said TO me he hadn't
T! the slightest Objectionable he would
rather like to meet Brigham Young.
So Young's private car was attached
to Grants train at Ogden Young
then owned the branch railroad from
Ogden to Salt Lake City.
Young and Grant Meet.
Mr.. Cannon escorted Brigham Young
into President Grants car, and l in
PRODUCED him They shook hands. and
Young said:
This is the first opportunity / have
had of meeting the chief executive OF
my country. and il assuredly affords
me great pleasure. 1 and my people
Will do all in our power to make your
visit 10 Utah agreeable"
I then took Mr.. Young on my arm
into the ladies' car. and introduced him
to Mrs. Grant. Mrs. Fred Grant and
Mrs. General BabcOck.
Later, when 1 asked Mrs. Grant what
she thought OF Brigham Young she
said:
He is one of the most entertaining
men ever met"
Curiously enough this was the first
time that 1 had ever spoken 10 and
shaken hands with Brigham Young. 1
had been governor of the territory for
over a year, but he had never called
upon me, and 1 did not consider it my
place to call upon him We merely
bowed as we passed each other while
out driving. l suppose that my author
ity in what he believed to be his own
commonwealth was odious to him. But
he was too much Of diplomat to show
it outwardly.
Growth of Polygamy.
After 1 had been in Utah a year I
realized that something must be done
to check the growth of polygamy. In
my second message to the territorial
legislature I called their attention TO
this matter. showing the feeling that
was being engendered throughout the
whole United States against the Nor
mons. L said to them;
If you. members of this legislature,
can see your way clear to circumscribe
poiygamy and do il in good faith so
there shall be no more OF it in the ter
ritory, and make provision for the chill
dren so they shall all share and share
alike in their fathers estates, 1 can
see my way clear TO approve such
law"
L told them if they did not take this
step that. in all probability. congress
would take a hand and might handle it
in a rough way.
They disregarded my advice. The
result was that a few years later the
Edmunds-TUCkeT law was passed,
making polygamy felony. George q.
Cannon, one of their chief apostles. was
, imprisoned and other leaders shared
his fate or fed TO distant parts of the
world
l also insisted on justice being meted
out to the Mountain Meadow massacre
outlaws. The next term of court Lee
was tried and convicted. The judge
fixed the day for execution Lee was
taken to the place where the massacre
occurred and shot.
At that time a territorial governor
had absolute pardOning and veto power
without advice and consent OF any one.
My term as governor lasted till the
spring of 1880. when / was relieved by
Governor Murray, appointed by Presi-
dent Hayes.
In spite of all the troubles attached
to my position 1 enjoyed it. Aside from
polygamy I never met a pIeasanter.
more hospitable class Of people than
the MOrmOnS-
Mistakes in Mormon History.
There seems to be a mistaken idea
among eastern people about the origin
of the Mormons. 4 large ma jority of
them were from foreign countries it is
true. But the leaders, Joseph Smith.
the prophet. Brigham Young. the
Shows. and the Ears. and eX-President
MILFORD Woodruff were New England
men. largely from Vermont. The pres
ent head of the Mormon church. Joseph
Smith. is a nephew Of Joseph Smith. the
prophet from Vermont All these men
are from some of the best stock in New
England.
The business integrity of the Mormon
| people was above reproach. l refer
| particularly to the merchants among
them. heard many travelling men
say they would trust the MOrmons for
any amount of goods ordered
! OF course, the polygamoUs situation
/ was a very grave thing and still is.
have given a good deal of thought to