OCR Text |
Show BY ITS OWN WITNESS. Speaking still further upon tho murder mur-der of Joseph and Il3'rum Smith, Tho Tribune again takes pleasure in making mak-ing reference to tho witness that the Deserot Ncws presented, namely, "Something of Men I Havo Known," written b3' Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson. It is a significant paragraph to Latter-day Saints meaning those of them who can read botweon tho lines. Mr. Stevenson, speaking of tho timo immediately following the death of the "prophet," s.ays: Sidney RIgdon now aspired to be tho head of the church ns the successor to tho martyred pro-diet. His claims were verified by a protended revelation direct from heaven. He was, however, at once' antagonized by the "quorum of the twelve," and after a bitter struggle. Apostle Brlgham young was chosen, and Rigdon expelled from tho church and "given over to tho buffctlngs of Satan." Now, in considering tho causes making mak-ing for the death of Joseph and Hy-rum Hy-rum Smith, it must bo borne in mind that the church which they had organized organ-ized upon the religion which they arc said to have invented had become a ver3' profitable affair. In an incrcdibl3 short timo the Smiths and their coadjutors coad-jutors had gathered together a considerable consid-erable bod3" of people. Nauvoo was, at ihat time, pr.obabl3' tho largest municipality mu-nicipality in tho State of Illinois. On that account it had (been granted a charter that was formidable in its political po-litical deformit3'. Under the pl'sieal and political achievements of tho Smiths a weapon had been formed that was especially alluring and attractivo to men of ambitious, mind. Rigdon was ono such, and no man in all the earth will sa3' that Brigham Young ran a whit behind him in this respect, although al-though not possessing nn3'wherc near the educational qualifications. But. hero wo soo two men contending for this "uursc" that had been accumulat ed b3 tho Smiths. Thero were wealth and power in it, Sidimy Rigdon even went so far as to havo a "direct revelation reve-lation from heaven" to provo that he ownod tho treasure. But he was not ns cunning ns Brigham Young. Brig-ham Brig-ham (tho sly old fox that he was!) aroso in tho Nauvoo lomplo and had the people to think that tho "mantle of Joseph" had fallen upon him, and that this was unto thorn a sign. Besides, Be-sides, Apostle Amasa M. L3'mnn nnd Apostlo Orson Tratt wero no slouches ns Brigham 's assistants. They went to nnd fro among tho audience for I he purposo of convincing thoso who could not soo tho "m.intlo of Joseph" that it was actually there. To tho doubtful and tho doubting ones, they exclaimed in hushed tones, "Don't you sco it? Thoro it. is! Thore is Josoph standing beforo us now! Tho mantle has fallen! Behold 3'our loader!" Meantime Brigham Brig-ham was cramming it into tho heads of his hearers that ho was "It." And ho was. Thus ended that part of the conspiracy. conspir-acy. Of course, Tho Tribune does not pretend pre-tend to sa3' who, in all, had hands in tho matter of tho assassination of Joseph Jo-seph nnd Hyrum Smit.li; but thero havo been less mon than Brigham and Ileber and Jododiah who havo dono moro for less; nnd quotations wo havo mndo from thoir own lips show that U103- considered consid-ered thomsolves under suspicion. |