Chapter XLIII. Investigations Preliminary to the Exodus

Plan to Annex the Pacific Coast. Petition to Congress concerning that Scheme. The Elders Report. Joseph's Plan virtually Adopted by the Nation.

ADOPTED BY THE NATION.

It will be readily perceived that in the foregoing manifesto Joseph had presented himself to the United States, not as a politician, but as a Prophet. Much of his enunciation of national policy was purely in the spirit of Messiah's minister, urging upon Congress and the people of both sections of the States reforms necessary to the times and necessary to the prevention of revolution and civil war, concerning which he had given a famous revelation twelve years before.

But the removal of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains, or California, was the real action contemplated by the Prophet, and not a successful campaign for the Presidency of the United States. The event, however, did afford a grand opportunity for sending out the Apostles and a company of the ablest elders, to make another missionary effort in the States before the contemplated exodus. For

instance, take up Joseph's diary note, made within a fortnight after the issuance of his manifesto :

"Tuesday, Feb. 20th [1844]. I instructed the Twelve Apostles to send out a delegation and investigate the locations of California and Oregon, and hunt out a good location where we can remove to after the Temple is completed, and where we can build a city in a day, and have a government of our own. *

On the evening of the following day the Twelve met at the Mayor's office, and, according to the above instructions, appointed the following committee : Jonathan Dunham, Phineas H. Young, David D. Yearsley, David Fullmer, Alphonso Young, Jas. Emmett, George D. Watt, Daniel Spencer. Subsequent action was also taken upon the same subject, and volunteers were added to the committee.

A few days later we find Joseph alluding to himself in connection with the Presidential chair, but he at once branches off to a subject which more particularly attracted his thoughts, namely, the annexation of Texas and the possession of the Pacific coast by the United States. Said he:

"As to politics, I care but little about the Presidential chair. I would not give half as much for the office of President of the United States as I would for the one I now hold as Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion. * * *

" When I get hold of the Eastern papers and see how popular I am, I am afraid myself that I shall be elected. But if I should be I would not say, 'Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you.'

"What I have said in my views in relation to the

annexation of Texas is, with some, unpopular. The people are opposed to it. Some of the Anti-Mormons are good fellows. I say it, however, in anticipation that they will repent. * * *

" We should grasp all the territory we can. * * The Government will not receive any advice or counsel from me: they are self-sufficient. * * *

" The South holds the balance of power. By annexing Texas I can do away with this evil. As soon as Texas was annexed I would liberate the slaves in two or three States, indemnifying their owners, and send the negroes to Texas, and from Texas to Mexico, where all colors are alike. And if that was not sufficient, I would call upon Canada and annex it."

Mark next his bold empire-founding move, in petitioning Congress to raise a volunteer force of a hundred thousand in the service of the United States, to possess the Pacific Coast. Says he, under date of March 30th :

" I had prepared a memorial to his Excellency, John Tyler, the President of the United States, embodying in it the same sentiments as are in my petition to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, dated March 26th, 1844, asking the privilege of raising 100,000 men to extend protection to persons wishing to settle Oregon and other portions of the territory of the United States, and extend protection to the people in Texas. * * *

" Also signed an introductory letter for Elder Orson Hyde, who is going to carry the memorials to Washington."

This, now, is Joseph indeed. To found empire for America was just in the line of his character. Destiny was pushing the Saints westward, and had Joseph reached California at the head of an army of 20,000, backed by the remainder of the 100,000, as emigrants, he would have given quite a Napoleonic account of himself, and opened the war with Mexico. This was clearly his intention, and it may be observed that he did not overrate his forces.

And what makes the Prophet's bold national design so deserving of attention, is the fact that the United States Government and the British Government were at that moment in attitude of rivalry for the possession of the Pacific Coast, and that the United States barely escaped being worsted.

Thus prefaced, let us listen to the report of Elder Hyde to the Prophet, from the Capital :

"* * Judge Douglas has been quite ill, but is just recovered. He will help all he can ; Mr. Hardin likewise. But Major Semple says that he does not believe anything will be done about Texas or Oregon this session, for it might have a very important effect upon the Presidential election ; and politicians are slow to move when such doubtful and important matters are likely to be affected by it. * * *

" I will now give you my opinion in relation to this matter. It is made up from the spirit of the times in a hasty manner, nevertheless I think time will prove it to be correct : — That Congress will pass no act in relation to Texas or Oregon at present. She is afraid of England, afraid of Mexico, afraid the Presidential election will be twisted by it. The members all appear like unskillful players at

checkers — afraid to move, ior they see not which way to move advantageously. All are figuring and playing round the grand and important questions. In the days of our Lord the people neglected the weightier matters of the law, but tithed mint, rue, anise, and cummin ; but I think here in Washington they do little else than tithe the mint.

" A member of Congress is no enviable situation. If he will boldly advocate true principles, he loses his influence and becomes unpopular ; and whoever is committed and has lost his influence has no power to benefit his constituents, so that all go to figuring and playing round the great points. * *

" The most of the settlers in Oregon and Texas are our old enemies, the mobocrats of Missouri. If, however, the settlement of Oregon and Texas be determined upon, the sooner the move is made the better ; and I would not advise any delay for the action of our Government, for there is such a jealousy of our rising power that Government will do nothing to favor us. If the Saints possess the kingdom, I think they will have to take it ; and the sooner it is done the more easily it is accomplished.

" Your superior wisdom must determine whether to go to Oregon, to Texas, or to remain within these United States and send forth the most efficient men to build up churches, and let them remain for the time being; and in the meantime send some wise men among the Indians and teach them civilization and religion, to cultivate the soil, to live in peace with one another and with all men." * * *

In a subsequent letter Elder Hyde said :

" We have this day [April 26th] had a long conversation with Judge Douglas. He is ripe for Oregon and California. He said he would resign his seat in Congress if he could command the force

that Mr. Smith could, and would be on the march to that country in a month. ' In five years,' said he, ' a noble State might be formed, and then if they would not receive us into the Union, we would have a government of our own.' "

So we see that the American nation was not at that time prepared for the Prophet's bold design of occupying the Pacific Coast by an irresistible American emigration ; yet several years afterward Fremont, with his volunteers in California, and Houston and Taylor by their action in forcing the war with Mexico, proved that a manifest destiny was in some such plan as that proposed ; and an American emigration swept on like a tidal wave. And as it was, the Saints, per ship Brooklyn, were the first company of American emigrants to arrive in California ; while simultaneous was the exodus of the entire community to the Rocky Mountains.

Perhaps it were well also to note here that this petition of Joseph, in 1844, was probably the original basis of the action of President Polk in callingthe " Mormon Battalion," and designing to use the Saints for the national convenience of possessing California. The whole of Polk's action in the case, and the instructions of the Secretary of War to General Kearney to " make a dash into California, conquer the country, and set up a government there" in the name of the United States, show that the Cabinet were not only familiar with the Prophet's scheme, but that statesmen, at this date, endorsed it.

Nothing seems more certain than the fact that had not the martyrdom of Joseph so soon followed

the events of which we have spoken (predetermined perhaps by the Divine Will), he had moved with his people to the Pacific Coast two or three years earlier than the occupation of Utah. And had he gone on to California he would have raised the American flag there, and struck the first blow with his legion, instead of Fremont doing it in 1846 with his volunteers.

Had Joseph moved with his people, either to the Rocky Mountains or California, it had been at the head of his Legion. Force of circumstances, it seems, would have made him thenceforth a Prophet- General, while the very strength of his Napoleonic character would have shot him, like Jove's thunderbolt, into the action between the United States and Mexico*