The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-09-14
The Mormon Women.

Mr.. Greeley, in letter, says: " have Gu
joyed opportunities for visiting Mormons, and
studying Alormonism, in the homes of its
votarics, and of discussing with them what the
outside world regards as its distinguishing fea-
mre, in the freedom Of friendly social inter-
course. lu one instance, veteran apostle OF
the faith, having first introduced to me
worthy mGtron, Of fiftyiivc or siXty--the wife of
bis youth, and the mother of his grown up
snns.-as Mrs. Z. soon after introduced young
and winning lady of perhaps twenty-five suus
mers, in these words, "Here is another Mrs.
T." This lady is q recent emigrant from our
Stnte, Of more than average powers oil mind
and graces Of person, who came here with her
brother, as a convert, q little over year ago,
and has been the sixth wife of Mr.. T. since a
few weeks after her arrival. (The intermediate
four wives Of Elder 7. 1.-Two on a farm or farms
some miles distant.) The manner of the hus-
band was perfectly unconstrained and olf-hand
throughout; but ] could not well be mistaken
in my conviction that both ladies failed to con-
cea dissatisfaction with their position in the
eyes of their visitor, and of the world. They
seemed to feel that it needed vindication.
Their manner toward each other was cordial
and Sistcrl rly-sincerely so, doubt not-but
this is by no means the rule. A Gentle friend,
whose duties require him to travel widely over
the Territory informs met hat he has repeatedly
stopped with q Bishop some hundred miles
south O6 this, whose two wives he has never
known to address each other or evince the
slightest cordiality during the hours he has
spent in their society. The Bishops house
consists of two rooms and when my informant
staid there with Gentle friend, the Bishop
being absent, one wife slept in the same apart
ment with them rather than in that occupied
by her double. presume that an extreme
case, but the spirit which impels it is not unu-
sual. met this evening a largo party Of
young people, consisting in nearly equal mum
oers of husbands and wives; but no husband
was attended BY more than ono wife, and nc
gentleman admitted orimplied, in our repeated
and animated discus sions Of polygamy, that he
had more than one wife. And L was again
struck by the circumstances that here, as here.
tofore, no woman indicated, by word or look,
her approval Of any argument in favor of po-
lygamy. That many women acquiesce in ii as an
ordinance of God, and have been drilled into q
a mechanical assent to tho logic by which it j.
upheld, I believe; hut that there is not n
woman in Utah who does not in the heart wish
that God had not ordained it, am confident
And quite number Of the young men treat il
in conversation as o. temporary or experimental
arrangement, which is to be sustained or put
aside as an experience shall demonstrate it
utility or mischief. One old Mormon farmer
with whom discussed the matter privately
admitted that it was impossible for poor
working man to have woll-orderod, we'll
governed household, where his children had
two or more mothers occupying tho Same or
dinary dwelling. On the whole, I conclude
that polygamy, as it was graft on the orig
inal stock of Mormonism, will be outlived by
tho root-that there will be a new revelation,
ero many years, whereby tho saints will be
admonished to love and cherish the wives they
already have, but not to marry any more
beyond the natural assignment of ono wife tc
each husband"