Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-31 00:00:00

THE CITY OF THE MORMONS.

The City of the Saints is fortified with a wall of
seed twelve feet high, with a broad deep ditch in
frost of ih soil semi-bastions at half musket range.
These are pierced with loop-holes to afford a front
and lank fire in case of attack. Entering through
a gate of tho wall, we feud the city divided into blocks,
often of ten acr a each, intersected at right angles by
streets 130 feet wile, rousing due north and Bomb
and east and wee*, and in wet weather almost
impassable. The houses in the suburbs are scattered, arid
consist mostly of mud bowels, with dirt roofs and log
shanties. she centre of the city is more thickly settled
and better built. The sidewalks are of respectable width,
often with a stream of water fl iwing through them, on
which are planted cotton wood end other trees of rapid
growth. Everything bears the impress of industry and
toil. Improvements are visible in all quar`ers, which no
dr nes could have effected. The number of inhabitants is
about 15,000. Most of them are English_ and Scotch,
few Americans, many Welsh, and some Danes. The
Americans, who are principally from the Western borders
of the United States, although composieg less then a third
part of the population, possess a complete monopoly
of political power, fill all the offices, ecclesiastical
and civil, and receive all the emoluments. Almost
without exception, they are polygamists, bitter
in their hatred of the Gentiles, and full of zed
for their miserable faith. Arrivirg at the centre of the
city, we cone upon Temple Block and a street fall of
stores. The premises are favourable to business, awl the
merchants make enormous profits, often amounting from
150 to 600 per c-nt. Large stocks of merchandise are
yearly imported across the plains, is huge waggons drawn
by oxen. The stores are built of adobe sun-dried bricks,
and their white colour gives a lively appearance to the
streets. In this portion of the city reside the principal
dignitaries. Their houses are generally comfort-
able, though with slight pretensions to eleganc
You see a largd barrack-like house on the corner. This
is the residence of Elder Benson and his four
wives. Brother Gran', with his five wives, lately occupi-d
the pretty house you see en the east Bide. Parley P.
Pratt, with his nine wives, lived in more ascetic style, and
was content with the mean-looking house you pass on the
west. Dr. Richards, with his eleven helpmates, lived in
that bong dirty row of single rooms, half hidden by a very
beautiful orchard and garden. Looking towards the north,
we see a whole square covered with houses, barns, gardens,
and orchards. Here, in serene domestic bliss, resides the
great apostle, H. C. Kimball, with his 18 or 20 wives, their
families and dependents. Here is a pompous edifies, with
a fierce lion in repose sculptured on its font. It can only
be the dwelling of the champion, the "Lion," as he is
sometimes called, the renowned Brigham Y mug. Here, with
his seventeen wives, he watches ever the welfare of hiss
charming colony. This house was erected at an expense
of over £30,000, in addition to the shingling, which was
performsd by all the carpenters in the city, at the command
or Brigham, "by the authority of the holy priesthood."
Bat we have not arrived at the grand seraglio of our occi-
dental saltasr. Tait is a large, showy, adobe baildinr,
finely plastered, brilliantly white, balconied from ground to
roof, an observatory on the top, and the whole surmonn'ed
by the Mormon s,ymbol of inlastry, a beehive. It cost over
15,000 dollars, and is the most splendid buildingin the ter-
ritory. It is occupied by the senior wife of the patriarch
and her family. Orchards and gardens lie behind it and
surround it. Near by is the Social Hall, devoted to dramatic
representations and to the dance. The last is a great
institution with the Mormons, and Brigham himself does
not d'sdain to initiate the unenlightened into the mysteries
of Terpsichore. He is an accomplished dancing m ister.
The Mormons Chow a discriminating taste in their choice
of dances. They especially effect cotillons, country dances,
and reels, but show no favour to the polka, schottische
and similar ambitious performances, being averse, as they
say, to seeing their wires and daughters in such close
proximity to other men. An original genius among them
has invested a double cotiden, giving two ladies to each
gentleman, a necessary arrangement, as the ball room
generally numbers from three to four women to one of the
ruler sex. The Tabernacle is an imposing structure or
temple block, a square containing ten acres, and surrounded
with a wall and handsome shade trees. The
Tabernacle will seat over two thousand persons. They
have an instrumental bend which plays marches, waltzes,
and other lively tunes, besides a choir who sing the
iginal productions of the Mormon muse to the air of
Old Dan Tacker, Bach's chants, and Hendel's oratorios.
Their meetings commence with singing and prayer, which
are followed with discourses on adobe making, clothes'
washing, house cleaning, ditch digging, and similar
iastractive topics, the whole service winding up with
arnonncements of letters in the post-office, plans for pic-
nics, and the arratigement of work. Even their theatrical
performances are opened with prayer, and the actors aro
dismissed with a benediction, often while in a state o'
pyth on ic excitement (rein bad liquor.—Neu York
Tribune.

THE EDITOR.

Au Editor sat on a lofty sto I,
A very long pen was stuck in his ear,
Before him letters from knave and fuol,
In penmanship not over clear.
He opened one—he opened all—
As fast as any mortal man,
Smothered in scribble, scratch, and acraw',
And thus the precious medley ran:—
Mr. Editor, what would it cost,
To break a fellow's head for fun ?
Which of the tvo wrote Paradise Lost
Billy Nutts, or the poet Bar,❑ ?
An Editor sat, &c.

When do the Chartists take Lmidon
Can a man gat drunk on four shilling tea?
D 3 gooseberries mako the best chimpa.Tue ?
Do you think Prince Albert at all like me ?
Is Nlr P4Ol Bedford out of his teens ?
Who inventd cobler's cv..x ?
Is it true Lord Russell shortly means
On sleepy heals to levy a tax ?
Are rabbits Wel:h considered gam 3 ?
Do undertakers ever weep?
Which is the shortest road to fame ?
Does Mrs. Nesbett swear in her sleep?

Mr. Editor, once before
I wrote to ask, now tell me pray,
Did the celebrated boy (buoy) at the Non
Ever have a father—eh ?
Who was the author of Shakspeare's plays ?
D) they eat much bacon up the Rhine ?
Is it true that M,ther Eve wore stays
Is the North Pole made of oak or pine ?
What do they term the flesh of a cow ?
What is the English for jolly b icks ?
Of actors which is the greatest now,
Mr. Macready, or—bravo Hicks ?

Did Miltcn use steel pens or no ?
Is the language chaste at Billingsgate
Is it true that the author of " Jump Jim Crow "
Is appointed Poet Laureate ?
Please to insert a receipe
To produce whiskers an i make them good.
You are more versed in classics than Imo,
Is " take a sight" considered low ?
Is the Irish Ambassador given to drink ?
DD 'busses run to B)tary Bay?
Mr. Editor, don't you think,
Kissing very delightful play ?

Was Dryden fond of heavy wet ?
Did Ovid write "All round my hat ?"
At Chili do peop!e ever sweat?
What was the age of Whittington's cat ?
Does the Kyhoshedra carry a tal ?
Is the Fangajawcabes double flatted?
If I suck the eggs of a nightingale,
Shall I have a voice like Jenny Lind ?
If a maiden dies at forty-one,
Don't you think she's nipp'd in the bud
Pray, was Master Widdicum
Born before or after the flood ?

Was Queen Bohanki fond of a pipe
Are guinea pigs the deircst pork ?
Is the King of Prussia fond of tripe ?
What sort of a chap's the Cove of C)rk ?
Pray, what time do you take your meals?
Did carrots grow in the reig❑ of Anne?
Wai Byron fond of pickled eels ?
Is Lori Broug'ilm a French or an Englishman ?
When do they ope❑ the Middlesex line ?
What day next week is it going to rain ?
Where will the British drama shine,
At Common Gardin or Drury-lane ?
Editor, dear, do you want a mate,
Because I've two or three daughters fair ?
I've often heard of the River Plate,
Pray is it silver or crockery ware?
Are red plush breeches considered neat?
Is it very healthy to have the gout ?
Is the German Diet good to ear,
That we read s) much in the papers about ?
You can tell me, I suppose,
Can I go all the way by coach to Greece ?
If a ruffian bites off part of your nose,
Is'nt ho bound to keep the peace ?
So the Editor juwp'd from his lofty stool,
And into a terrible passion flew,
Swore that his dinner was getting caol,
And cursed the 'otters and writers too.