The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-08-26
THE NUMBER OF BRIGHAM's WIVES.


The number of women belonging to
Brigham is not really known by any one
except himself He has some twenty-five
around him. These live in his two houses
and in some adjacent cottages He in
tends to see them all once day, if posi-
BILE: if not, then at least once week
Should he be sick, however desirOus any
of his wives might be to attend on him,
of course they have to be excluded.
Twenty-Five women in sick chamber
would be no triae for deranged nerves!
They generally eat at one table in the
dining hall, and that dining hall is curl
Gus sight He keeps no female servants,
his women have to be his servants, and
their own. The domestic labor is shared
among them; cooking, washing, repairing
ard dairy work, is distributed according
to individual ability, or, in case of differ
ence, the absolute dictum of the Prophet
is appealed to and that is final
Of course, Brigham does not love all
his wives equally, and necessarily they are
aware of it, but they all love and believe
in him; and if they cannot share his love
here, they hope to be able to participate
in his "glory" hereafter; although dis
tributed among so many, it can come only
in homeopathic doses to any one of them.
That they are sincere in their faith, their
sufferings and priyations evince, 1t can
not be licentiousness that induces twenty
women to share one husband; to have
their woman's love neglected, their wo-
mans heart crushed, their woman's jealousy
constantly aroused, and yet continually
stiAed. Deluded = outrageously, mon
strousIy deluded-they are, but their in
tentions and their conduct are pure.
THE CHILDREN
He necessarily must have had many
children; but, for the number of his wives
his family is comparatively small. Very
many of his children are dead. Hardly
one of Smiths children by his extra
wives has survived. 1t was so with Mo-
hammed and it is so with Young. 1t is
Natures argument against polygamy.
Brigham's houses are filed with his wo-
men; their offspring are in their graves.
OF these surviving, he has several mar
ried. .s-
Boys and girls surrounded by such illus
trious examples, constantly hearing the
most shameless conversation and illusions
cannot help but be precocious. They
hear and see till they think, and think till
they try to initiate. Some remedy has to
be adopted. Brigham has adopted that
of early marriages. "Boys ought to be
married at fourteen and fifteen, girls at
thirteen and fourteen" says Kimball.
"Boys should be married and still live with
their father" says the patriarchal Brigham.
That neglect of offspring, inability to pro-
vide for and educate them, great in morality
among the children of these juvenile polyg-
amist should be found, is not surprising
They are the inevitable results-nature's
penalties for the infractions of her laws.
SLAVERY.
As he not only initiates, but far ex-
ceeds Judaism in polygamy, SO Brigham
attempts to surpass Judaism in adopting
the institution of negro slavery. On this
subject he is pointed and characteristic.
Isaac, a very smart colored man, was one
day holding favorite horse of Brigham's
who remarked, "There's my horse and
there's my nigger; the horse is mine, and
Ike is mine too; and would just as free
ly shoot the rascal who attempted to pur-
suade Ike to run. off, as l would if he
were to attempt running off with my horse. !"
Brigham is very fond of talking about
shooting. He once remarked, ~ always
carry two loaded revolvers on me, and the
man who touches me to take me as pris.
oner, dies. In the name of the Lord, l
have spoken it'll" On another occasion, he
commanded man named Albert Smith,
to clear out of the Territory, and that
right straight too," and threatened most
brutally to kin him if he refused to COM
lply. He confidently anticipates trouble
aud boasts. We are raising up set of
boys here who will carry blood and thun-
der to the very gates of the Capitol, if
needs be-"
We are struck with his coarse but ner-
vous language-his wild way of talking;
but yet admire the practical cast of his
mind when action is involved Deceiviug
himself, a degrader of woman, and con-
spirator against his country, he still GER
tainly evinces administrative genius of a
strong character, in his singular arbitrary
and absolute government over the affec-
tions, credulity and even lives of his ad-
herents
E The New York Mirror, speaking
Of the fashion prevailing at Cape May OF
ladies going into the water promiscuously
with their ..beaux," and making regular