Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-12-08
The rdormohs and their Polysamy.

The Mormohs and their PoIygamy
Whether the Mormons do or do not al
low polygamy, has been mooted question
The following letter from Wisconsin over
land traveller, the Milwaukee .Nsws says, il
addressed to the mother Of the writer, ant
has been furnished for publication to tha
paper: =, ,o-o
"SALT LAKE CRY, July 26, 1852.
81 arrived here before grand jubilee o.
the Mormons. They were celebrating the
anniversary of the. arrival of the Pioneers
WHO first planted their colony, and be-
lieye, first discovered the valley. The pro
cession was magnificent. l will give It te
YOU as saw it: Marshal Of the day pre-
siding, followed by flags, band, and alarge
painting, exhibiting the pioneers Of 1S4S
crossing the. upper ferry Of Platte river
Pioneers then followed-Pen and scribe
(every sermon is taken down, in short hand
and inscribed in the Big Book men ,witl
the dlfferentjmplements and tools, of al
most every art and profession in the world
forty old men and flag; forty old women
representing the Mothers in Israel, their
flag being inscribed with Our Children
and our Hope;' twenty-four young men
with their banner-motto, Union and Lib
erty;' twenty.four yodng ladies', (Daugh-
ters of Zion ); twenty-four boys twenty
four girls, band, soldiers, and eighteen blsh-
ops, bringing up the rear. am quite con-
fdent there were seven thousand persons
present; and taken altogether, It was
sigh, we'll worth seeing out amidst these
hills. In the evening, balls and parties
prevailed all over the city.
yesterday Orson Pratt one Of their a.
postles, gave us quite sensible sermon
Brigham Young IS the Prophet. Seer, Rev.
elator and head of the Church. He is as
sisted by two Councillors, twelve Apostle:
and eighteen Bishops. The Prophet, (and
under Wing rule, the Governor, was pres.
ent with some of his wives, who came and
went in large elegant open carriage. He
has living with HIM in the city:i one house,
sixteen wives and thirty children. Each
wife, with her progeny, lives in her sepe-
rate furnished apartment, and spins, sews,
weaves, &c., &c. All this is true. went
over the premises with view to entertain
you for an hour, and ! believe saw pretty
much everything. st
"The person board with has two wives.
Dr.. Richards, councillor. has SIX, and all
Of them good-looking, healthy women.-,
Thus you see polygamy is openly allowed
and supported by these Mormons. A man,
having right 10 as many ,cipes ashe can tnd
and support, takes fancy, goesto justice,
and swears he is able to support her, and
the marriage comes off with due ceremony
and SO il goes on, as he grows richer,
without limit. 80.
ga Mormon moving into the valley gives
one-tenth of his property to the church, and
one-tenth of his productive industry yearly,
whatever 1t may be.
"The city contains population OF 5000
souls, and in the whole valley there are
probably $4,000, which will be largely in.
creased this season.
"There are warm and hot springs here,
the last at boiling heat. Salt is manfactur-
ed from the lake water, which yields one
bowl of salt from three of water. There
are also mines of coal and iron. Lumber
is scarce, $50 per thousand. The city is
watered by more than one hundred streams
brought from the neighboring mountains, OF
the purest water.
This country is certainly as beautiful
and fertile a, any ever saw. They raise
all we do in Wisconsin, and in far greater
proportion. Vegetables are peculiarly ex-
cellent, and. after the hard bread and ba-
con Of the plains, taste very we'll, assure
you.
"The Mormons find guile kind and OBJ
liging. Brigham Young is fine looking
man, resembling little Judge H. His
wives are mostly pretty, and the little ls-
giiimates, whom the people here call young
prophets, are all good looking and well
dressed"