How much a man needs for himself is a question to be decided by "council;" in other words, by the reigning prophet, who, being guided by revelation, can not err. If all is taken, he has no right to complain, because it is revealed to the prophet that property is an injury to him, and he promotes his temporal and future welfare by taking it from him. All good Saints bear this denuding process with exemplary patience. The discontented are made to feel the ten thousand annoyances which may be brought to bear upon them in a community so secluded and so organized; and if they prove too refractory, they are handed over to the tender mercies of the Danites.

This system of plucking, under one pretext or another, has been a distinguishing trait of Mormonism from its commencement. Any number of cases are related at Salt Lake City, a few of which will suffice for the present purpose.

A woman by the name of Vienna Jaques—a squarebuilt, angular Yankee, claiming to be a lineal descendant of John Rogers, of Smithfield memory-was a resident of the city of notions, when she was made a hopeless captive by one of the earliest Mormon missionaries. She "gathered," as in duty bound, at Kirtland, then one of Zion's stakes, with her little fortune, consisting of about $1500 in ready money. The prophet Joseph was, of course, always in want of money; and, like the sink of Mary's River, which absorbs the confluent waters, had a ready skill in extracting from his followers both moieties of their goods and chattels. In due time, the treasures of Sister Vienna were transferred to Joseph's coffers, and she became his creditor,

and enjoyed the superior unction of becoming a resident in his family. He, however, tired of her presence, and unceremoniously got rid of her and the debt too by one of those celestial responses which never failed him in time of need. The divine rescript ran as follows:

“And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, it is my will that my handmaid, Vienna Jaques, should receive money to bear her expenses, and go up unto the land. of Zion; and the residue of the money may be consecrated unto me, and she be rewarded in mine own due time. Verily, I say unto you, that it is meet in mine eyes that she should go up unto the land of Zion, and receive an inheritance from the hand of the bishop, that she may settle down in peace, inasmuch as she is faithful, and not be idle in her days from thenceforth." (Doctrines and Covenants, p. 332.)

Vienna, in obedience to this command, straightway gathered with the Saints in Missouri; and, as her health was good, and her habits industrious, she managed to gain a livelihood. She has since followed the fortunes of the Saints in all their varying phases, and is now industriously earning her living as a nurse at Salt Lake City—proud that her means have been devoted to Joseph's use-doubly proud that she has been made the subject of a revelation from heaven, and ready to do vigorous battle with any one who ventures to intimate that the whole concern is a veritable humbug.

The case of Captain R****1 attracted some attention in the winter and spring of 1853. This gentleman had been a sea-captain, was a resident of one of the British North American provinces, and had amassed a

large fortune. His mind, being afloat on religious subjects, was excited with the idea that the last days were at hand, and that the Latter-day Saints enjoyed open communication with heaven, through the medium of their prophet. So rich a galleon was a tempting prize for missionary privateering; and a few extra broadsides, in the shape of miracles, and other et cetera, reduced the gallant captain to submission. Among the many inducements held out for his gathering with the Saints was, that a project was on foot to establish the business of manufacturing sugar from the beet root, on a large scale, in the valley, which would furnish a favorable opportunity for the profitable investment of his capital. Seduced by these representations, he was induced to make heavy advances for the purchase and transportation of the sugar machinery, with the understanding that he was to have a joint-stock interest in the concern, in proportion to the amount invested. His advances are said to have amounted to over $20,000. He repaired to the valley in the fall of 1852, for the double purpose of gathering with the Saints, and looking after his interest in the sugar business. The machinery came, too, but was unceremoniously turned into the public works as the property of the Church; and the captain was given to understand that, instead of making himself the member of a joint-stock company, he had only obeyed a law of tithing, which required an appropriation of his "surplus properties.” This did not at first satisfy him, and it was generally understood that he would leave the valley in the spring in disgust; but, as he had other "surplus properties," he was in some way prevented from going; whether

by a revelation to suit his case, as in the instance of Sister Jaques, or how, has not been permitted to transpire.

A Mr. C****d, an Englishman of fair fortune, is a fellow-sufferer in the sugar business, and is understood to have advanced large sums; but he is in a much more disagreeable fix. In an unguarded moment, he was seduced to enter more deeply into the mysteries and privileges of the Saints by taking a wife. This, however, would not be worthy of notice, were it not for the material fact, that he has a wife living in England, where there are sharp laws against bigamy. He is from henceforth as helpless a prisoner at Salt Lake as the poor whale stranded upon the beach, which can neither fight nor swim.

A large building has been erected at the capital for a tithing-office, in which one tenth of the grain, beef, pork, butter, and every other product of labor, is received and stored; and in the same building are kept accounts with every member of the Church, in which the amount of the produce of each one is carefully ascertained, and he is charged with one tenth of every thing, including his labor, and credited with what he pays. Branch offices are kept at the principal villages and settlements, from which reports are made. In this manner the presiding prophet is kept perfectly posted up, not only in regard to the condition and prospects of each one, but made speedily aware of the growth and extent of any sentiments of disloyalty to the Mormon rule.

This complete reduction of all its parts to a dependence on its head runs through all the ramifications of

the Mormon hierarchy, and probably forms a more perfect blending of Church and State than the world has ever yet seen. The temporal affairs of the community and all its members are governed by its ecclesiastical organization, which, in practice, is absolute, stern, unrelenting, and cruel. A Saint can neither marry, or get divorced, or sell his property, or successfully transact business, or leave the Great Basin, without the consent or against the advice of "council." The laws of Japan are not more minute and searching in their operations.

CHAPTER XI.

GOVERNMENT.

Legislative Assembly.-Governor's Message, 1852.-Legislation proceeds from the Church.-No Freedom of the Ballot-box.-Crimes.— Murder of Hatch.-Case of Goodyear.-Joe Bankhead.-Better Treatment of Emigrants.-Thieving.—Different Classes of Mormons.

THE Territory of Utah is organized as such under an act of Congress, and, theoretically at least, the laws of the United States applicable to territories are therein administered. Under the organic act, a Legislative Assembly was elected in the summer of 1851, and held a session in the following autumn and winter. At this session they passed a small body of laws, embracing the usual range of legislative action-the organization of the courts of justice-the punishment of crime (except bigamy)—the administration of estates-the incorporation of cities the construction of roads and bridges the training of the militia, &c., &c.