The Portland daily press., 1865-07-27
Thursday Morning, July 81, 1866.
THE MoRMoN WOMEN.
EFFECT OF PoLYGAMY.


Mr. Bowles, of the Springfield (AIass.) Re
publican, who accompanies Mr.. CoIfax in his
western trip, writes from Utah the foIlowins
account of the Mormon women: 4
How do the Mormon women like and bea,
polygamy? is the question most people ask as
to the institution. The universal testimon,
of all but their husbands is that it is griev-
GUS sorrow and burden; only cheerfully sub
mitted to and embraced under RELIGIOUS fa-
naticism and selfabnegation rare to behold
and possible only to women. They are taught
to believe, and really do believe, that through
and by it they secure higher and more glori.
Gus reward in the future world "Lord Jesus
has laid heavy trial upon me- said one poor
sweet woman, but mean to bear it for His
sake, and for the glory he win grant me in His
kingdom" This is the common wall. the com
mon solace. Such are the teachings of the
church; and l have no doubt both husbands
and wives alike often honestly accent this view
OF the odious practice, and seek and submit to
polygamy as really Gods holy service, calculaf-
ed to make saints of themselves and all asso-
ciated with them in the future world. Still a
good deal of human nature is visible, both
among the men in embracing polygamy and In
their wives in submitting to It. q .s.s-
Mr.. Young's testimony on this point is sig
niicant. Other signs are not wanting in the
looks and character of the men most often
anointed in the holy bonds Of matrimony, and
in the well-mown disagreement of the wives
in many families. In some cases they. live
harmoniously and lovingly together; oftener.
1t would seem, they have separate parts of the
same house, or even in separate houses. The
first wife is generally the recognized of society.
and frequently assumes contempt for the 9TH
eTs, regarding them as coneubines, and not
wives. But it is a dreadful state of society to
any one Of fine feelings and true instincts; it
robs married life of ali its sweet sentiment and
companionship; and while it degrades woman
brutaiizes man, teaching him to despise ana
domineer over his wives, over all women. II
breeds jealousy, distrust, and tenpts to inf
deity; but the police system of the church and
the community is SO strict and constant that it
is claimed and believed the latter vice is very
rare. us
The effect upon the children cannot help
being debasing, however well they may be
guarded and educated. BUTT is chief failing,
even scandal to the Mormons, that plentiful
ly as they are providing children, who swarm
everywhere as did the l0custs OF Egypt, they
have organized no free school system. Schools
are held in every ward of the city, and pr0bat
bly, in every considerable village, in building
providedfor evening religious meetings under
the direction of the local bishops, but a tuition
fee is exacted for all who attend, and the poor
are practically shut out. The anti-pOlygamists
should agitate at once and earnestly to reform
this evil-iti is a strong point against the domi
nant party and weak point in the welfare Oh
the territory 1t is a good and encouraging
sign to learn from intelligent sources that as
the young girls,i daughters of Mormons, grow
up to womanhood, they are indisposed to
polygamy, and seek husbands among the Cen
tiles rather than among their own faith.
The soldiers at Camp Douglas, near this
city, are Illustrating one of the ways in which
poiygamy will fade away before the popular
principle. Two companies who went home ID
California last fall took about twenty Wive;
with them, recruited from the Mormon flocks
There are now some fifty or more women in
the camp, who have fed thither from town
for protection, or been seduced away from un-
happy homes and fractional husbands; and
all, or nearly all, find new husbands among the
soldiers. Only to-day man with three daugh-
tiers, living in the city, applied TO Col. George
for leave to move up to camp for residence
in order, as he said, to save his children from
polygamy, into which the bishops and elders
OF the church were urging them. The camI
authorities tell many like stories; also, of SAD.
der applications, if possible, for relief from &C
tual poverty and from persecution in town
The Mornons have no poor-house, and say
they have no poor, permitting none by reliev
ing all through work or gifts. But the last
winter was SO long and so severe, with wood al
thirty and forty dollars cord, that there was
much real suffering, and the soldiers yielded
to extensive demands upon the charity tha
the church and authorities had neglected tc
fulfil or absolutely denied.