THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
press and property of the Expositor were destroyed and Foster was expelled from the city. Aroused to indignation by the revelation of the state of things in Nauvoo and perhaps no less by various mysterious depredations in the surrounding country, the people of bordering counties raised forces for a proposed war against the Mormons. The prophet with several others planned to flee, but upon Governor Ford's promise of protection he surrendered himself at Carthage June 24, 1844, but on the night of June 27 a band of disguised ruffians broke into the jail and shot to death the prophet and his brother Hyrum.
The tragic end of the prophet turned to the advantage of the Mormons. It placed on him the halo of martyrdom, while the leadership 12. Brigham fell into the hands of a man who was Young; his superior as an organizer and ruler, Removal though inferior to him as prophet and to Utah, religious enthusiast. There were several rival candidates for the office of first prophet and president. Rigdon was easily disposed of and even excommunicated. Other candidates, besides Young, were Strang and the prophet's son, Joseph Smith, 3d. Strang loudly proclaimed that he had received a revelation that he should be Smith's successor. Upon Young's election he withdrew with his followers and settled in Wisconsin, where in 1S56 he was shot as the result of a quarrel with two members of his sect. The " Young Josephites," largely holding aloof from Brigham Young, founded in 1852 — in a more definite way in 1860 — the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Joseph Smith, 3d, at the head (see below, III.). Brigham Young (b. in Whitingham, Vt., June 1, 1801; d. in Salt Lake City Aug. 29, 1877) was the logical successor of Smith. Although originally only an ordinary carpenter he proved himself to be a man of very extraordinary talents. His leadership was cordially accepted by the great majority of the Saints. In
1845 the legislature of Illinois found it necessary to withdraw the charter of the city of Nauvoo. This condition, coupled with the unabated hostility of the surrounding non-Mormons, led the Saints to the determination to emigrate far beyond the borders of civilization. The Valley of the Great Salt Lake was finally fixed upon. The exodus began in
1846 and before the close of 1848 the whole body of Young's adherents had crossed the plains except a few left at the Missouri as forwarding agents for Mormon emigrants. In Sept., 1846, the Mormons that had not already departed were forcibly expelled from Illinois by a general uprising. The migration to Utah was a stupendous undertaking, affording Young a supreme opportunity for the development and display of his talents as organizer and leader, so that he entered upon his administration in Utah with the prestige of a signal triumph. He reached his destination July 24, 1847- Immediately the founding of Salt Lake City was begun. A fund was established for the assistance of Mormon emigrants, who, coming from Great Britain, Sweden, and Norway, and in less numbers from Germany, Switzerland, and France, in the years 1848-51 reached the number of 6,331,
and in the years 1852-55 from Great Britain alone 9,925.
The design of Brigham Young was to build up a state which, both economically and politically, should be as nearly independent as 13. Defiance possible. The economic success of the of the Mormon community was due in part United to his skilful, though despotic, man- States, agement, but also in no small measure to the inflow of money brought by the California gold-seekers and, at a later period, to the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. In their political designs the Mormons were less fortunate. When, in 1848, the region within which their settlements lay became United States territory, Young quickly decided that he wanted statehood for his colony, not territorial rule by the federal authorities. A " provisional " government was set up for the " State of Deseret," whose boundaries were set so wide as to include most of the territory acquired by the United States from Mexico. In 1849 a constitution was prepared and a delegate sent to Washington with a petition for admission into the Union. Congress, however, refused to recognize the new state and ignored the name Deseret. In 1850 it organized a territorial government for the smaller region occupied by the Mormon settlements and gave the new territory the name Utah. The president appointed Brigham Young governor; also district judges were appointed by the federal government. But Young's tactics were so aggressive that the federal officers were soon compelled to withdraw. As Young's term of office drew to a close President Pierce purposed to appoint a non-Mormon in his stead. He offered the place to Lieutenant-Colonel Steptoe, then in Utah with a small military force. But Young's attitude was so threatening that Steptoe dared not accept the office. In a message to Congress in 1857 Buchanan declared that " there no longer remained any government in Utah but the despotism of Brigham Young." " To restore the supremacy of the constitution and laws within its limits " the president appointed a new governor (Alfred Cumming) and other federal officers, and sent them to their posts accompanied by a military force of 2,500 men " for their protection and to aid as a posse comitatus in case of need in the execution of the laws." That a collision was imminent between Mormondom and the federal government was clear to all who understood the state of affairs in Utah and the principles and policy of Young. Polygamy flourished as an avowed doctrine of the church. Young had acquired an almost incredible power as dictator. He was a mighty force for order according to his system, but the means which he employed were often atrocious. In order to accomplish a much-needed " reformation " he instituted a veritable reign of terror, and there were not a few " church-inspired murders." It was natural, therefore, that when Young heard of the coming of the federal officers and troops, his attitude should be boldly defiant. He publicly announced the news of the coming " invasion," and declared he would " ask no odds of Uncle Sam or the devil." He called the Saints to arms. They harassed the federal