AFTER BRIGHAM, WHAT?
The Unsolved Problem of the Latter-Day Saints.
FORECASTING THE FUTURE.
Who Will Succeed the Chief Mormon Apostle?
THE RIVALS AND THEIR CLAIMS.
Brigham Young's Intrigues for His Son.
THE RULING NAME OF THE FUTURE,
& c., & c., &c.,
BY A MORMON ELDER.
Here we have a subject which will interest all Mormondom, and it is the very subject which the editors, commercial men, and legislators of America are constantly suggesting for answer. It involves the future of Mormondom, and is the unsolved problem in the minds of all the ''Latter-Day Saints," both in America and Europe. It grows in impor-tance every year, for every year Brigham Young travels fast towards the grave. But the ''faithful" only whisper upon the subject in the family circle, or conceal it in their closets to commune with it in secrecy. The orthordox dare not ask themselves aloud, When will Brigham die, and after him “what," or "who?" And the nearer the subject touches the men most concerned in the successor-ship, the more secret and reticent they are. They know that it troubles the heart of hearts of the Mormon people, up to Brigham himself, but they pretend to be utterly oblivious of the fact. The Utah Protestants and the ''Joseph-ites " are the only ones who speak freely upon the matter. They, in fact, exult in the question: "After Brigham, what?" But George Q. Cannon, the most ambitious man in the church, and the man most like Brigham Young, is sublime in his pre-tended unconsciousness of Brigham's mortality, of his seventieth year, and the great issues which await his death. This number of THE WORLD Brigham will read, and George Q. and the rest of the apostles will read, for it will unfold themselves and the theme of their thoughts; but so character-istic will Brother George be that, unless I forestall him, he will write thus in the Deseret News: ''The apostates and the Gentiles, in the evil intents of their hearts, are with a devilish wickedness specu-lating upon the death of God's prophet; but they, to their shame and confusion, will find that the Lord will preserve his servant until he has accomplished his purposes through him and frustrated all the malicious designs of the apos-tates and the Gentiles to overthrow his kingdom." But this simply means that Brother George Q. Can-non, the man most like Brigham Young in his am-bitions and capacity, but not his equal in potency of will, desires Brigham to live long enough to secure Mormondom, but wishes to hide from all eyes how much he dwells upon the future and himself as one of the successors of Brigham Young. Nor is the subject under consideration less prevailing in the mind of the Mormon President. Indeed, I believe it is constant there, and painful in its burden, but he also hides it deep down in his own thoughts, though he tries to throw off the burden by a vigor-ous conceit of youthfulness, which his appearance justifies. The question, "How shall I match the United States?" troubles him infi-nitely less than the question, ''After Brigham, what?" So much does the man believe in him-self and his mission that, could he keep himself as he is to-day for another quarter of a century, the “After to-day, what?" he could readily answer. His answer would be simply, "Brigham." And he has been for the last seven years aiming to give this something like a literal construction, by bringing on his son Brigham to succeed him. Yet the Mormon President is only certain in himself, and hence he gives to his life another fifty years. I was remark- ably struck with this two years ago, on my return from a mission East. Visiting him, after a cordial reception, I congratulated him with evident pleasure on his appearance, saying, "You look, brother Brigham, as though you would live another twenty-five years." “More than that, Edward; more than that," he replied. "I shall live, Edward, as long as I can." That is exactly the case. Brigham Young will live as long as he can, and if it is as long as he hopes, the question, “Who will succeed him?" which writers so often put, will amount to nothing as a present subject, but to all human seeming it is the question of to-day. Heber, his life-long companion, is gone, and his brother, John Young, passed away a few months ago; and the end of Brigham is also near. It would be wise for him to think so, for then he could better prepare, for the prevailing opinion is that he will die sud-denly of apoplexy. Any hour may startle us with a telegraphic announcement of the death of Brigham Young; and then the question, ''After Brigham, what?" would terrify Mormondom, for there would be exultation among thousands who in his lifetime dared not vent their thought; while in every house of the orthodox brethren and sisters the question would buzz around, ''Who will succeed Brigham?" I will aim in this paper to reveal all that can be re-vealed upon the matter before the issue, and per-haps give Brigham himself some new views of what is and what will be.
DAVID SMITH.
It is certain that for nearly twenty years it was the intention of Brigham Young that David Smith should succeed him, for both Brigham's policy and the traditions of the church centred around young David. Indeed, Brigham has repeatedly declared in public that David Hyrum Smith, the son of Joseph the Prophet, would succeed him. He was with his mother, Emma, in Nauvoo, but it was expected by all that the boy—who was born after his father's martyrdom—should grow up and come to realize that a kingdom awaited him, he would break through his mother's influence, which is deadly to the ''Brighamites," and ''gather" up to Zion, to "en-ter by the door of the kingdom " which he was ex-pected to rule. Brigham even went so far as to say that David would in due time come up to him as meek as a lamb, and as a child seeking his parent, and crowned his prophecy with the proclamation that in that event he was ready to resign the sceptre to David and retire into the quorum of the twelve apostles as their chief. Hence, for twenty years, none of the Mormon apostles thought of applying to themselves the question, ''Who will succeed Brigham Young?" for it was supposed to be answered by prophecies and proclamations extraordinary—''David Smith."
That Brigham was genuine in this is most reason-able, and I am positive that it was his intention to marry David to one of his daughters, and create a hereditary dynasty in the grandchildren of Joseph and himself; and a Brigham Smith Young was de-signed as the heir of the two first prophets. While he lived he would, in this case, have been David's Richelieu, and the hereditary succession would have been established long before his death. It was Brigham's grand scheme concealed in his own heart all from the vulgar eye, for he knew well that the Mormons, including their cardinals or apostles, would unite with acclamations in securing the suc-cession in the line of young David, and if that part was realized, he also knew that the uniting of Joseph and Brigham in their race was certain. But David would not be tempted with the magnificent offer of the ''kingdom," with absolute power, after Brigham's death, and the millions which the church treasury gathers. His rejection of the offer is almost without a parallel. Brigham, who always judges others so much by himself, was certain for twenty years that it would be impossible for David to refuse a ''kingdom." But David is a poet, who can also paint pretty landscapes, and he has no con-ception of selfishness or ambition. So when his elder brother, Joseph, started the rival Monogamic Church in Illinois, which numbers now about 75,000 disciples, our "Prince of Zion" joined his brother and sent out year after year repeated manifestoes that he rejected Brigham and all his offers, complaining of the tempters sent unto him to lead him astray to usurp his elder brother's place. Brigham and the apostles bore with this for several years, believing that as the youth grew into manhood he would repent his folly and go up to Utah to take his place.
At length Brigham became doubtful, and he re-vised his programme, resolving to establish the suc-cession in his own son Brigham. And now, for the first time, fate threw the subject of the succession between the chief apostles to be hereafter their ''apple of discord," for until then there was no per-tinence in the now general question, ''Who will suc-ceed Brigham Young?" And, as observed, these chief apostles still hide the fact that the question has any pointing to themselves. Were there one among them bold enough, and unwise enough, to make the public feel that he was the "coming man," Brig-ham would break him down and disgrace him before his death. Hence, George Q. Cannon is so wor-shipful of Brigham, and so oblivious of the fact that he may be his successor. We may all look out for an interesting time near at hand between half a dozen of these rival apostles and claimants, and, perhaps, a fatal family feud between Brigham's own sons over the succession after his death. From the many complications, with the results of the railroad, the opening of the Utah mines, and the schisms, it may he safely predicted that a tremendous shock will answer the question, ''After Brigham, what?'' —when death shall have taken the reins from the strong hand which now rules. Next let us deal personally with the rivals, and expose their several claims and chances.
YOUNG BRIGHAM.
As soon as Brigham the First had resolved to bring on immediately after him a Brigham the Second, he sent him to England on a mission, to be the right-hand man of Daniel H. Wells, who there presided. He was next elevated to the presidency of all the churches of Europe, and placed over the head of Orson Pratt, who had been sent to Austria on mission, more I believe, to unrank than to exalt him. Orson had presided over Europe in the palmiest days of our missionary work abroad, but now being placed as a "travelling Elder" under ''young Brigham," the very rank of the veteran apostle Pratt only gave greater prestige to the designed successor to the presidency of the whole church. It was one of Brigham's strokes of policy, by which he brings in startling innovations upon the legiti-mate order of the church when it suits his purposes and ambitions. His son, having presided over Orson Pratt, who ranked in the church before Brig-ham the First was even a member, could at the death of his father, in virtue of a special ordination to the successorship, very consistently preside over the minor apostles. The next thing that the father did, on the return of his son from the presidency of the European churches, with the glory of the labors of the elders abroad upon his head, and the prestige of having out-ranked Orson, then he daringly, but with his wonderful secretiveness, sought to throw his sons above the twelve, by an extraordinary ordination, making them a special quorum of himself. He ordained his sons, Brigham, Joseph and John, to this special apostle-ship, outside the legitimate twelve, under the pre-tence of making them his counsellors, which, in effect, was creating princes of his royal family. Brigham's apostleship was conferred upon them, and that in his mind meant the right to outrank all the apostles of the church, when the due time of the succession came up. Moreover, one day in the “Endowment House," he cornered Heber C. Kim-ball and forced him to assist in ordaining his son Brigham to succeed him after his death. Thus Brigham the Second has actually received the en-dowment of the succession, under the hands of Brigham and Heber, the two chief apostles of the first Mormon Prophet. So we see complica-tions multiplying, and Brigham the Second ap-pears as the Richard Cromwell of Mormondom. Heber had been betrayed by his old friend and compeer, and he went home from the ''Endowment House" overwhelmed with the bur-den of his wrong and his jealousy, and told all to his first wife. She asked him why he had not re-fused to assist Brigham in thus robbing himself, Heber, the undoubted rightful successor, and all the legitimate apostles after him. Heber answered that he dared not refuse; that he was surprised into the act, and that he was so overwhelmed that he had assisted at the ceremony of ordination almost in a state of unconsciousness. From that day He-ber C. Kimball was broken off from the man who had thus betrayed him, and occasionally he would Inquire of some confidant what value ought to be put upon a forced consent. It meant that Heber C. Kimball, in case of Brigham's death before him, would set aside the spurious ordination, and take the presidency of the church, which all would have read-ily granted as his right. Heber held an endowment and apostleship equal to that of Brigham the First, which had been conferred by Joseph Smith, which no stolen secondary ordination could set aside: and this is also the case with Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt. It will be seen, therefore, that these deep schemes for a hereditary succession only make the prospects of the future more troublesome and revo-lutionary. At the time of the ordination of the ''Prince of Utah," as he has been called, there were alive four of the ''first twelve"—namely, Brigham Young, Sr., Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, and Orson Pratt. This fact known, any one could answer: ''Who will succeed Brigham Young?" in the legitimate order. It then stood, after Brig-ham, Heber; then Orson Hyde; and next Orson Pratt. Heber is now dead; Orson Hyde is the suc-cessor in the legitimate line to the apostolic throne; but Brigham's plots for the hereditary succession has confounded the legitimate order of the church. The death of Heber seemed to make the design practica-ble, for though young Brigham would have been no rival worthy of Heber, he is a rival to the unpopular Orson Hyde; yet if the ambitious sire persists in his scheme, which is as unsound in principle as in policy, he will create a great revolution at his death, this time involving the chief priests and princes of the Mormon hierarchy. He will also bring a deadly strife into his own family, for young Brigham is not the eldest son, and, moreover, there are those in the ''king's household" who have resolved upon this great family eruption, in case the hereditary succession should be maintained. Notwithstanding all this, the "Mormon king" will be almost certain to stand to his purpose, for Brigham Young never resigns his purposes as long as there is a shadow of a chance of carrying them to their issue. Let Brig-ham grow wise in time to save his name, or Mor-mondom will surely have a Richard Cromwell for a few weeks, and then his ''crown prince" would be rejected by the cardinals of the Mormon Church and the voice of the people.
ORSON HYDE.
Here is legitimately the successor of Brigham Young. He cannot be set aside by the ordinary rule. Nothing but an extraordinary act of legisla-tion of his quorum, sustained by the voice of the entire church, could displace Orson Hyde, and that would amount to a grand impeachment; and what is so singular in the case is that the people, at least, would be almost certain to impeach their chief of the twelve apostles. It is Orson Hyde's right, but Brigham Young has been impeaching him for many years, and, as we have seen, actually setting him aside in the succession. The president, in fact, has done much to make the church feel that Orson Hyde is unworthy of the apostolic throne, though Orson was his own stepping-stone to it. Here is how the case stands between these two chief men: Brigham Young once occupied the place of Orson Hyde, and in virtue thereof, as President of the Twelve Apostles, he took the lead of the church after Joseph Smith's death. The Twelve overruled the claims of Sidney Rigdon and for four years governed the church as a quorum, Brigham being only their presiding com-peer, and not a superior. But the Mormon Crom-well in his ambition conceived the design of creating a one-man power" and to rule as an absolute prince. This is contrary to the very constitution of the church, which is republican in its genius. Even in the time of the prophet Smith, the church was governed by its various quorums—the twelve apostles, with a large body of the quorums of the seventies and high priests, constituting a parlia-ment—and the president of the whole church not only was elected by the vote of the entire people, but he was simply one of the ruling priesthood, act-ing in the presidential office. His prophetship was supposed to be from heaven, and independent of the people, but the office of president was derived from the people. But Brigham resolved to create a one-man power, and to practically set aside all the quorums of the church, absorbing all the governmen-tal functions in himself. To do this, he saw that he must first lift himself from the quorum of the Twelve into the one of the Mormon trinity, which had been cut off by the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. And now we are touch-ing the strength of Orson Hyde's claims, for of course, in working out the problem of the succes-sion for himself, he, by the first great precedent, established the claims of Orson Hyde, who has already been his successor to the presiding office in the Twelve. And just here I will reveal a circum-stance of the plotting of these two men for the apostolic throne, more than twenty years ago, and it will show to the reader whether Orson Hyde, who became Brigham's stepping-stone that he might be his successor, will resign now without a tremendous struggle that place for which he has so long plotted. As we have seen, the Twelve ruled as the first quorum of the Mormon commonwealth, and so, in order to create for himself the pontifical supremacy, Brigham found it necessary to win over the chief men of the apostles, and to tempt them through their ambitions. Having led the pioneers up to the Rocky Mountains, and asserted a moral supremacy, he deemed the time had come to carry out his scheme. So one morning on his return with the pioneers to Council Bluffs, he engaged Wilford Woodruff in conversation as they travelled along, upon the necessity of ''filling up the quorum of the First Presidency," asking Woodruff's opinion upon the subject. Though this apostle has ever been ''obedient," he gave his opinion then that ''no man could take Joseph's place," that it would be usurpa-tion, and that the church could only be ruled by the twelve as a quorum. Woodruff was the first man to whom Brigham suggested his inten-tions. For the first time also is this circumstance published, and Mormondom has the revelation through THE WORLD; but let the presidents of the Twelve be set aside by another of Brigham's innova-tions, and the ''saints" will hear the subject enough discussed. The president of the apostles must stand as the legitimate successor, or Brigham thereafter will be called a bold usurper. Orson Hyde, who was less scrupulous than Woodruff to put himself in a direct line, joined his chief in his scheme, and at a grand conference carried him up to the presiden-tial chair, having previously done the same in the councils of the Twelve. Heber was also carried into the first presidency, and Orson Hyde became chief of the Twelve, in virtue of being which Brigham had leapt into supreme power. If Orson Hyde, then, outlives President Young, as he most likely will—for the chief has already had his second apoplectic fit—Orson will be the successor to the apostolic throne, or Mormondom will be shaken to its centre,
ORSON PRATT.
Now that is just what is coming to pass—this shaking to the centre. Any sagacious mind could foretell that Brigham's schemes for the hereditary succession, with his constant impeachment of Orson Hyde, have worked up, as the sequel to his reign, a great apostolic warfare between the rivals for his throne. It will open between Brigham the sec-ond and Orson Hyde; and then, in the issue, the people by their vote will set aside both as un-worthy, and choose Orson Pratt, the next in the legitimate line. Of all the Mormon apostles, Parley and Orson Pratt stand out incomparably beyond their compeers. They were not so much of society-builders as Brigham Young, but they were far more apostolic. Indeed, Brigham has grown out of such men as the Pratts. It is questionable if Brigham has made twenty converts in all his life, while Orson and Parley Pratt have directly or indirect-ly converted twenty thousand to the Mormon faith. Ask the people what brought them into the church, and you would hear from every di-rection Praley Pratt's "Voice of Warning," or ''Orson Pratt's Tracts," until it would almost seem to you that the Pratts had created the church. In-deed, the best part of Mormon theology has been derived from them, and so it may be said that they also, to a great extent, originated Mormonism. Orson was also the master of nearly all the Utah Protestants, and of all the thinkers and rebels in Mormondom. Godbe, Harrison, Stenhouse, Tul-lidge, and their class all acknowledge themselves as Orson's disciples, and they still venerate their old master, whose example they are well following in measuring arms with Brigham Young, re-fusing to be subdued by the absolute will and thought of any mortal man. They would therefore sustain Orson Pratt; and, as they control the independent press, they would checkmate the plots and ambitions of George Q. Cannon, who would be certain to play a deep game to reach the pontifical chair of Utah. It will be remembered that the Utah reformers have not set up a head, for which the orthodox party often burlesque them. But there is method and purpose in their ''new movement." They are waiting for the death of Brigham; waiting for the ''coming man;" waiting to give many answers to the question, ''After Brigham, what?" They will say as touching the succession, ''Orson Pratt;" ''no heirship;" ''no kingcraft;" "no Orson Hyde, whom Brigham hag impeached for twenty years as an unworthy man, and whom the people impeach to-day;" "Orson Pratt is the man to succeed Brigham Young, and he shall be chosen by the vote of the people." They will agitate every settlement of Utah with this at the death of Brigham. Even to-day they control public opinion. Indeed, they create it first. Before they arose there was no public opinion in Utah. In helping Orson to maintain his rights they will for-ward their own reform cause, for the Pratts repre-sent not only the idealities of Mormonism, but inde-pendence and honesty, and Parley being dead, Orson stands also in his brother's place. But I err in speaking of Orson Pratt maintaining his rights. He has no ambitions, and will be most conscientious in preferring any one of the Twelve to himself to succeed to the Presidency. This very fact, how-ever, will enable Orson's friends to fight for him, and in the squabble of the rivals for the dead man's shoes, Orson, in his great integrity and simplicity, will rise head and shoulders above all the rest. Moreover, Dr. Newman's discussion with him has done much to lift Orson to the steps of Brigham's throne. He is the Paul of Mormondom, and at one time with the churches of Europe, and also with the Gentile public of Great Britain, Orson Pratt stood out alone the Peter of his church. This aroused the jealousy of the man who held the keys, and from that day those said keys have been often administered to Orson's "stubborn head," as his chief apostle styles it. Finding that the Pratts were moulding the church, and rivaling him even in his own day of power, Brigham resolved to crush Orson by the might of his will. His learned rival had published tracts by the hundreds of thousands, and published them upon his own responsibility as an apostle, so Brigham opened upon him by de-nouncing his works, calling them in, and commanding them to be burned. He also caused Orson to be tried by his quorum, and forced him to make re-peated confession before thousands for teaching false doctrine. In this Orson won the respect, Brigham the reprehension, of the church; for Orson's ''confessions," as they were called, were of such a noble character that they exalted him in the public mind, and the President was ever forced to honor Orson's integrity. Yet, after fifteen years of war-fare, Brigham subdued him to his will, but he can-not take from him his right, next to Orson Hyde, in the legitimate line of the succession; and now, being forced to call up his Paul to defend the pecu-liar institution against Dr. Newman, without de-signing it he has thrown him again into popularity. Should the church fall into Orson's hands, he will rule in the name of Joseph Smith and sink the name of Brigham Young.
GEORGE Q. CANNON.
This last view of the case brings up the man who is most like Brigham, and who, being only about forty-two years of age, will, if the legitimate line be continued, most likely live to reach the pinnacle of his ambition, unless Mormondom be entirely transformed into a new order of things. But there is a chance of his being the great rival of both Hyde and Pratt. Brigham knows that either one of these men would sink his name after his death, and rule in the name of Joseph Smith; whereas, George Q. Cannon, being his own creation, would rule in the name of his benefactor, thus making Brigham Young live in the future. Should this considera-tion, with the conviction at last forced home that young Brigham would be rejected, induce him to nominate George Q. Cannon to succeed him, we should then indeed have the giants of Mormondom in rivalry, and it is impossible to tell the result, though easy to foretell the chaos which would come. George Q. Cannon, however, is only as yet a probability in the case, but important enough to deserve a passing notice.
GEORGE A. SMITH.
This is the only other man to be considered. He is Brigham's ''First Counsellor,” and many will think that the right of the succession belongs to him, for he is now the superior of any single mem-ber of the Twelve. But the trial of the case would show, by the great precedent given at the death of Joseph Smith, that the presiding power returns to the Twelve as a quorum; for, the head of the church gone, the ''First Presidency " is at an end until the Twelve create another. George A. Smith, though now the first counsellor, will then have to return to his place as one of the apostles, and he ranks after the two Orsons. In Heber C. Kimball's case it would have been different, for he stood next to Brigham in the original quorum, called the ''First Twelve," and in returning would have been the president of that quorum, which would have given him also the presidency of the church. The legitimate line, therefore, we still trace to Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt; and, as already observed, the very trial of the rival claims consequent upon the scheme of Brigham to set up his son, will give the church into the hands of Orson Pratt, or beat it into chaos. George A. Smith would remain the light-hand man to the first president, and he would help Orson with all his might to re-establish the name of his cousin Joseph, the founder of Mor-mondom.
THE RULING NAME OF THE FUTURE.
The very strength of Brigham Young will after his death react upon himself. He has for many years ruled in the potency of his own name, yet at first he ruled in the name of Joseph. None of his successors will be able to make their own names dominate over Brigham's, nor will either of them be mighty enough to continue the ''one-man power " which he has created. The apostles and the elders will therefore return to the name of the founder to preserve the unity of the church. The case is exemplified in all religious sects. The prophet or the founder always comes up again as the ruling name. Joseph Smith in reality is the successor of Brigham Young, and Orson and the Twelve will sink themselves in him. On that name all can unite, including the Utah Prot-estants and the 75,000 of the young Josephites. The name of Brigham will be exploded in the eruption which his death and ambitious aims will cause. The temporal power also will pass away, and there will be no more strife between Utah and the United States. Orson Pratt is an apostle and not a king, not a pope, and under his apostolic rule the missions abroad will revive and Mormondom be transformed into a higher state of civilization.
