Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-19
The Mormon WOmen-EGect OF
POIyg.alnY.

Mr.. Bowles, of the Springfield (Mass.)
Republican, who accompanies Mr.. Colfax in
his Western trip, writes from Utah the fol-
lowing account of the Mormon women:
How do the Mormon women like and bear
polygamy? is the question most people ask
as to the institution. The universal testi-
mony of all but their husbands is that it is
grievons sorrow ard burden; only cheer
fully submitted to and embraced under
religious fanaticism and selt-abnegation
rare to behold and possible only to women.
They are taught to believe, that through
and by it they secure higher and more
glorious 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 will
grant me in his kingdom" This is the
common wall, the common sOlace. Such
are the teachings of the church; and have
no doubt both husbands and wives alike
often honestly accept this view of the odious
practice, and seek and submit to polygamy
as really Gods holy service, calculated to
make saints of themselves and all associated
with them in the future world. Still a
good deal of human nature il visible, both
among the men in embracing polygamy
and in their wives in submitting to it..
Mr.. Youngs testimony on this point is
significant. Other signs are not wanting
In the looks and character of the men most
often anointed in the holy bonds of matri-
mony, and in the well-known disagreement
of the wives in many families. In some cases
they live harmoniously and lovingly togeth-
er; oftener, it would seem, they have sep
arate parts of the same house, or even sep
arate houses. The firstwite is generally the
recognized of society, and frequently as
sumes contempt for the others, regarding
Al. IA xtyix Dttt
is dreadful state of society to any one of
fine feelings and true instincts; it robs mar
ried life of all its sweet sentiment and COM
panionship; and while it degrades woman,
brutalizes man, teaching him to despise and
domineer over his wives, over all women.
| 1t breeds jealousy, distrust, and tempts to
| infidelity; 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.
The effect upon the children cannot help
being debasing, however well they may be
guarded and educated. But it is a chief
| falling, even scandal to the Mormons,
that plentifully as they are providing
children, who swarm everywhere as did
the locusts of Egypt, they have no Or
gauized free school system. Schools are
| held in every ward of the city, and
| Ill tNtIy NlildSC,
buildings provided for evening religious
meetings under the direction of the local
bishops, but tuition fee is eXacted for all
who attend, and the poor are practically
shut out. The -polygamists should
agitate at once and earnestly to reform this
evil-itis strong point against the domi-
nant party and a weak point in the welfare
of the Territory. 1t is a good and encour-
aging sign to learn from intelligent sources
that as the young girls, daughters of Nor
mons, grow up to womanhood they are in
disposed to polygamy, and seek husbands
among the Gentiles rather than among their
own faith. '' '-''t ,.'.'.
The soldiers at Camp Douglas, near this
city, are illustrating one OF the ways in
which polygamy will fade away before the
popular principle. Two companies who
went home to California last fall took about
twenty-five wives with them, recruited
from the Mormon fiocks. There are now
some fifty or more women in the camp who
have fled thither from town for protection,
or been seduced away from unhappy homes
or fractional husbands; and all or nearly all
find new husbands among the soldiers
| Only to-day man with three daughters,
living in the city, applied to Colonel George
for leave to move up, to the camp for resi-
dence, in order, as he said, to save his chill
dren from polygamy, into which the bish-
ops and elders of the church were urging
them. The camp authorities tell manylike
stories; also, of sadder applications, if pos
sible, tor relief from actual poverty and
from persecution in town. The Mormons
have no poor-house, and say they have no
poor, permitting none by relieving all
through work or gifts. But the last win
ter was SO long and so severe, with wood at
thirty and forty dollars a cord, that there
was much real suffering, and the soldiers
yielded to extensive demands upon the
charity that the church authorities had me-
] elected to fulfill or absolutely denied. ~