The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-27

heaven; and let US beat the despots Of Europe out
Of tho grca. mart Of music as we did the Mcxicans
out Of Mexico. We can do it.
PoLYGAhY AMONG TIE MoRMoss-SAvAGE Dr.
FENCE OF ELDER GRASr.-The attention Of cur road
ers who are compelled to be satisfied with one wife
at time win doubtless be attracted to the astound
ing Developments which We publish to-day from
st. Louis paper, concerning the extent to which tho
peculiar institution Of polygamy is praotised among
the Latter Day Saints in their city of Zion, at the
Great Salt Lake. The public this side of the Rocky
Mountains will also be edited with the extraori-
nary extracts from the extraordinary defence of the
Saints by Elder Grant, Mayor Of Salt Lake City,
which we also give in columns this morning
Pro and con, it is subject calling for the most
thorough and sitting inquiry of the government, by
special commission.
1t is said that King Solomon, when his glory filed
tine whole earth-about the time that the Queen of
Sheba attracted to Jerusalem, from the fame
of his name among the natiOns-had the ANA
zing aggregate of three hundred wives and seven
hundred concubines-a round thousand in all-as the
equipment of his seraglio. Yet Solomon was re-
nowned as q man Of wisdom, above all the wise men
VA eAO "oiiu' AhC piSscue iNluS VI Tic MOTIuOH
Israel, at the Great Salt Lake, has no. been long
enough established in his kingdom, and the king
dom itself is too new, to admit of SO large a
demonstration but fifty wives for Governor
Brigham Young is a very fair beginning. From
all accounts too, obtained from the Gentiles the
twelve apostles at the Salt Lake, and the Quo
rum of Seventies, are limited in their num-
Der of wives only by their own discretion. Nor is
I.oo &C "a
as liberal as the blessings of matrimony. All that
is required TO separate man and wife, among the
Saints is the consent Of the parties; and they may
be married again. and divorced again. if they please,
several times over, the same day.
happier people, perhaps, do not exist on the
face of the earth, than the Mormons. They have
made "the wilderness to blossom like the rose."
They roll in abundance. They live on the fat of
the land Thoy work, like colony of beavers, all
in harmony; and they enjoy themselves in the most
improved oriental style. They open their convivial
dances with singing and prayer, and after royal
supper and Virginia break down, they close with
the apostolcal benedioton, towards daybreak, from
the mouth Of the prophet himself. They have more
industry, more religion, and probably more rascaty,
among them, than any other community of Saints
Of the Anglo-Saxon stock. They practice the doc
trines Of the Old Testament; they believe in the
New. And, in addition to all this, they have q
Koran Of their own, the motto of which is, that
God is great and Brigham Young is his prophet.
Their government, civil, religious, and social, is
the most curious admixture Of Mahometanism, Ju.
daism, Christianity, socialism, pagansm, and inf
deity. They are in,perium IN imprio-a separate
kingdom Of the patrarchial ages, within the limits
Of the United States. Their history is the wonder
Of the age their preservation through prosecutions
explosions, pestilence famine, and their wanderings
through the Rocky Mountains, is miraculous; their
success, their increase, and prosperity, nearly a
thousand miles from the borders Of civilized life in
any direction, surrounded every side, in the heart
of the continent, by almost impossible noun
tans and deserts, are still more marvellous. In
all this they entitled to proper share Of credit
1t is all due to hard work, perseverance, faith sing
ing, dancing, and prayer, and plenty Of warm and
cold bathing-sat and fresh-but above all, to
faith hard work, music and dancing, and singing,
and prayer.
But there is another side to the picture. This
strange and peculiar people stand accused Of hold
ing the government and the laws Of society Of the
United Statesin the most open contempt, and in the
most dsgracefu manner. To these charges they must
be held to answer. Upon the question Of polygamy-
though, in roundabout way, denied to exist
among the Saints by Elder Grant, in his pamphlets
he lately confessed, in the Office Of the New YoRK
HERALD, that the heads of the Mormon community
the spiritual and political chefs-were allowed
seven wives but no more. Seven is pretty liberal
number for new territorial settlement; but if the
Governor has extended his domestic circle to fifty,
i is absolutely insuferable. The defence Of Elder
Grant is an outrageous defence 1t proves the case
against him. 1t has all the intrinsic evidence Of an
equivocating, half savage fanatic with crack in
his skull; yet still cunning, vindctive sptefu and
guilty. 1t betrays the vulgar characteristics of the
sect-ful Of coarse and brutal jokes and the cant
and rant Of rabid fanaticsm. He is as ignorant Of
the laws and sovereign jurisdiction Of the United
States over the territories he appears to be Of the
manners and usages of civilized society. His letter
to Mr. Fillmore urges the absolute Independence of
Mormondom; and his defence pleads in justification
of open murder 1t is time that these people should
understand that, even in Utah, polygamy is a
penitentary offence, under the practical common
law Of the United States; and that murder COM
mitted in Salt Lake City makes the murderer liable
to execution by the hangman. 1t is to be hoped
that while the Mormons protected in their rights
they will be held amenable to the laws Of the United
States. They ought to be looked after now, or
they may be the occasion Of serions difficulties
hereafter.
OYSTER HOUSE CRITICs-LOLA Monies AT THE
BROADWAY THEATRE.-We give, elsewhere in our
columns, long article, which we believe comes
from one Of the oyster house critics who assemble
nightly at Windust's oyster cellar, at another
place near Christy's, in Broadway, describing the
first appearance Of Lola Monies in the very elo-
quent and affecting drama entitled !" Lola Monies
in Bavaria" Or history Of her life and political
explosions in that kingdom. According to all
counts, and particularly according to our oyster
house critics account she has been very successful
.,,4 baA,