The Salt Lake Herald

MORE NUGGETS
Some Interesting Reminiscences of Thirty Years or More Ago

To the Editor of the Herald:

While I despise the unmanly methods pursued by the party who published the base "Nuggets" and who, at this juncture, is so foolish as to introduce the opinions, in isolated and garbled extracts from the sayings of the authorities of the Mormon church, to influence the voting of its members to a certain partisan end, I think it will not be untimely to fight those false "nugget" makers squarely by throwing a few solid and valuable nuggets at them.

Every observant and careful reader of Mormon church history must be impressed with the stubborn and huge fact, namely, that the originators and leaders of that church, from its inception, were strong and active Democrats.

Allow me, Mr. Editor, to give you a few rich, pure nuggets which I picked up and have kept in the repository of my cranium for more than thirty years; and though I have not publicly exhibited them, I have shown them to a few intelligent and truthful friends here.

Every intelligent man who knew Brigham Young, and who observed him closely in his career in the church, knows that Mr. Young prided himself in carrying out the designs, purposes and counsels of Joseph Smith.

When any important matter came before him, and anything extraordinary was needed, he invariably acted and counselled as he felt and expected that Joseph would do in the circumstances. What Joseph was he sought to be, and in politics as well as religion, believed and acted as he did, fully feeling that he (Joseph) was a true prophet.

Well, I remember distinctly that in 1860 a gentleman from the eastern states called on Brigham Young at his office in this city, and they enjoyed and I had the pleasure to be present during the whole interview. They conversed on various subjects, including religion and politics in a very friendly manner. Mr. Young being in an excellent humor that morning. They exchanged views freely, the gentleman dissenting as he felt disposed especially on religious doctrines, all was said and taken in good part.

While on the distinctive doctrines of Mormonism they disagreed, they were one on the common principles of religion and morality in which all Christian churches believe. In parting we all walked to the office gate, and with the last grasp of their hands Brigham Young in a cordial and earnest manner said: "Well, my advice is, do the best you can, do all the good you can, do harm to no one, and vote the Democratic ticket, and, my life for you, you'll be saved."

That is one nugget! And if I mistake not, I entered the remark with a synopsis of the whole interview in a blankbook in my charge, in which were entered memoranda of "church history."

Another "nugget" though small, may not be uninteresting to Ben Rich and others. In a social chat with Charles C. Rich, Amasa Lyman, George Q. Cannon and lesser lights along with myself, the civil war, then raging, was the topic of interest and discussion. Charles C. Rich was not only a strong Democrat, but with pronounced southern sympathy, in fact a secessionist, based on Mormon prophecy; while George Q. Cannon and Amasa Lyman were strong union men. If men will rely on dead men's words and opinions, these are truthful examples and precious gems.

I am not directly interested in the fight between the two parties, but I feel enough so to tell the truth.

M.