Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-23
Mormonism.

Mr.. Greeley, in his last letter to the New
York Tribune, gives report OF two hours
conversation with Brigham Young on the
peculiar tenets and practices of Mormonism
MIR. Greeley sums up his conclusions as fol-
lows:
Such is, as nearly as ! can recollect, the
substance Of nearly two hours conversation,
wherein much was said incidentally that
would not be worth reporting, even il could
remember and reproduce it. and wherein
others bore part bur As President Young
is the first minister of the Mormon Church,
and bore the principal part in the conversl-
ton. have reported his answers alone IL my
questions and observations. The others al-
peared uniformly u defer to ! is views, and
to acqriicscr fully in his responses and rxpla-
nations. He spoke readily, not always with
grammatical accuracy, but with no appear
auce VI hesitation or reserve, and with no
apparent desire 70 conceal anything, nor dld
he repe ANY my questions rs impairment.
lie WAS very plainly dressed III thin summer
clothing, aud with nu air Of Sanctim"ny on
tlnatciSm. lnupprArance he Is portly. frank.
good natured. rather thlck-set man oi 10
seeming IT, ENJOY life. and he in n" particular
hurry 10 get 10 heaven. His associates are
plain men, evidently horn and reared I" II
lie of labor, aud looking as it'll, like crafty
hvpocrites or Swindlers, Us any body oi men
| ever met The absence If cant or shuttle
from their manner was marked and general,
vet think may fairly say that their Nor
munism has not impoverished them-tlIat
they were generally po men when they
embraced it, and are now in very c"m"r-
IN m a. .iyp
or four wives ap zee certainly need lie.
II hazard any criticism on MormnniSm
generally, reserve them Tor separate let
ter, being determined to make this Il fair and
full expose of the doctrine and polity. III the
very words of It's Prophet. 81 far rs ] can
recall them. But have Il right add here.
because said it to the assembled chiefs al
the close of the coll"quy, that the desredatl""
Tor if you please. the re>trlctlonl oi woman t"
the single office of child bearing, and its AZ
cessories, is an inevitable consequence OF the
system here paramount. ! have not obServ-
ed n sign i'm the streets, an advertise emt
in the journals, of this Mormon metropolis,
where bv II woman proposes to do any
thing whatever. No Norman has ever
cited to me his wites or amy woman =
opinion on any subject; ny Mormon woman
has been introduced or has spoken t" me-; and.
though have been asked to visit Mnrmnns
in their houses. no one has spoken OF his wife
Tor wives) desiring to see me, or his desiring
me To make her tor their acquaintance, or
Voluntarily indicated the existence OF such II
being or beings. will not attempt to repor,
our talk on this subject, because, unlike what
have above given, it assumed somewhat the
character of Il di>putatlnn, and could hardly
give it impartia!Iy; but one remark made hI
President Young, think can give accurate
ly, and it may serve rs Il sample oi al that
was offered TN that side Ii was IN these
words. think exactly: III did not consider
myself competent 10 transact 4 certain bust
ness without taking my wiie'S n any We
mans counsel with regard to it, think |
ought To let that business alone. The spirit
with regard to wuIlan. of the entire Mormon,
US of all other poygamic systems, siairly dis
played in this ayowal. Let any such system
become established and prevalent. and woman
will snon he confined to the harem. and her
appearance in the street with unveiled face
will be accounted immuicst. ljoyiully trust
that the genius of the Nineteenth Century
tends to solution of the problem OF woman $
sphere and destiny, radically different from
this. Ill. Il.