OCR Text |
Show ITS QUICK SHIFT OF GROUND. On -last Fridaj- ovening tho Dcserct News made commendatory editorial notice no-tice of the book written 1)3' Hon. Adlai K. Stevenson, entitled "Something of Men I Havo Known." It also mado discreet selection of a few expressions in that book which it imagined had a tendency to discredit the assertion of Tho Tribune that Joseph and H3-rum Smith were slain b3' their own Mormon orcthrcn. Part of its comment is as follows: fol-lows: Mr. Stevenson accounts for the tragedy at Carthage and exodus from Nauvoo chiefly on political grounds. He says when the saints came to Illinois, In 1SI9, the WhigH and Democrats both contended contend-ed for supremacy, and both were eager to gain the Mormon vote. For a lime, he says, the saints were Inclined to support tho Whig party, but soon they changed. But the News is forgetful. Just now, apparently, it approves the assignment of cause mado l)3r Mr. Stevenson, while all along heretoforo it has contended that the Carthage tragedy and the exodus from Illinois wero the direct result of religious "persecution." In ever3' meeting house in this Tcrritor3-and Tcrritor3-and State it has constantly been tho present ation that the "prophets" wero killed and tho saints driven from Nau-voo Nau-voo solcl3r bocausc they sought to live their religion. Nothing has over been said, on the Mormon side, concerning tho dabbling of the church leaders in politics that is, nothing which would tenn to snow any ponucai pomuy or usurpation. But tho News flees to this now, becauso it has been driven from its other position as opposed to The Tribune's presentations. And in this change of tack the church organ practically prac-tically admits that there was an attempt at-tempt made to unite church with stale, and that, essentially, politics is a part of tho religion of Mormon leaders. However, wo do not agreo with Mr. Stevenson, altogether, nor with tho News in its approval of Mr. Stevenson Steven-son 's statement. The political part of the trouble was but ono incident in the entire turmoil that finally proved so disastrous. dis-astrous. The church organ skims over tho others in a belittling way, even though they may be some of the most significant. It mentions the charges of polygam3', the fuss with the Laws and others on account of grave charges made against Joseph and Hyrum, but affects to attach little importance to these troubles. But thev- wore the most effective of them all, as we have shown in giving an account of (he three secret meetings hold by the Mormon conspirators conspira-tors in Willinm Law's house. It was thoro that the plots and plans wero laid by Joseph 's own brethren in the church to "remove" him and his brother, Uyrum. The acconnt of those secret meetings wo reproduced from The Contributor, Con-tributor, a Mormon publication, and it was written by a Mormon writer upon Iho recital made by Bishop Denison L. Ilnrris, who was present at all three of the meetings. We take this to bo more valuable testimony to the Mormon poo-plo poo-plo tliaj. any given b3r an outsider, bot he never so prominent. Wo have no doubt that Mr. Stevenson has treated mat tors at Nativoo according lo his best light and personal rccolloctions. But The Tribune has produced tho testimony tes-timony of a man who was at the meetings meet-ings of tho conspirators; and wo shall stick to that as boing tho very best testimony upon tho culminating facts just preceding tho tragedy. As indicated indi-cated previous', the mootings of tho Mormon conspirators wore' held at. tho house of William Law, Joseph Smith's first counselor. William Law was ono of tho proprietors of tho Nauvoo Expositor, Ex-positor, a newspaper established to oppose op-pose Joseph Smith. Joseph ordered the (Instruction of tho Expositor's plant, and then started to fieo for tho West. Ho was induced b3' Mormons lo return, and the Mormon conspirators took advantage ad-vantage of that return to forever sottle Josoph's caso before ho had another opportunity to escape. That there were political troubles is admitted; but that they wero tho chief cause of the martyrdom and the exodus is denied upon Iho very best of testimony. testi-mony. The main trouble nroso out of charges against Joseph and Ilj-rum of loose conduct with other men's wives, as is shown by tho account of those secret Mormon meetings; nnd tho destruction de-struction of-tho Expositor plant put the cup to tho climax. |