Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-08-02
VOL. 1l.--NO. 4s.
THE MORMON WOMEN.

w
Mr. Bowles, of the Springfield (Massl
Republican, who accompanies Mr.. Coltaxin
his western trip, writes from Utah the tol-
lowing account of the Mormon women:
How do the Mormon women like and
bear polygamy ? is the question most people
ask as to 1he institution. The universal tes-
timony of all but their husbands is that it Is
grievous sorrow and burden; only cheer
fully submitting to and embraced under are
ligious fanaticism and selfabnegation rare
to behold and possibly only to women. They
are taught to believe, and many of them
really do 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, tho
common solace. Such are the teachings Vi
the church and have no doubt both hus-
bands and wives alike often honestly accept
this view of the odious practice, and seek
and submit to polygamy as really God 5 holy
service, calculated to make saints ofi them
selves and all associated with them in tho
future world. Still good deal of human
nature is visible. both among the men in
embracing polygemy and in their wives IN
submitting to 1t.
Mr.. Young's testimony on this point Is
significant. Other signs are not wanting In
the looks and character of the men most
often annointed in the holy bonds of matri-
mony, and in the well-known disagreement
of the wives in many families. In soma
cases they live harmoniously and lovingly
together: oftener, it would seem, they have
seperate parts Of the same house, or even
seperate houses. The first wife is generally
the recognized OF society, and frequently as
sumes contempt for the others, regarding
them as concubines, and not wives But il
is dreadful state of society to any one OF
fine feeling and true instincts; it robs mar
ried life of all its sweet sentiments and com
panionship and while it degrades woman,
brutalises man, teaching him to despise and
domlneer over his wives, over all women, il
it breeds jealousy, distrust, and tempts toin-
fidelity; 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
failing, even scandal to the Mormons
that plentifuly as they are providing chill
dren, who swarm everywhere as did the To-
Gusts of Egypt, they have organized no free
school system. Schools are held in every
wrad of the city, and probably in every con
siderable village, in buildings provided for
evening religious meetings under direction
of local bishops, but a tuition fee is exacted
for all who attend, and the poor are practi-
cally shut out The -polygamists should
agitate at once and earnestly to reform this
evil-it Is strong point against the domi-
nant party and week point in the welfare
Of the territory. 1t is good and encourag-
ing sign to learn from intelligent sources
that as the young girls, daughters of Nor
mons, grow up to womanhood, they are op-
posed to polygamy, and seek husbands a.
mong the Gentiles rather than among their
own faith.
''The soldiers at Camp Douglas, near this
city, are illustrating one of the ways in
which polygamy viii 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 hocks There are now some
fifty or more women in the camp who have
fled thither from the town for protection, or
been seduced away from unhappy homes and
fractional husbands and all or nearly all
find new husbands among the soldiers. On
ly to-day a man with three daughters, living
in the city, applied to Colonel George for
leave to move up to the camp for a resi-
dence, in order, as he said, to save his chill
dren from poligamy, into which the bishops
and elders of the church were urging them
The camp authorities tell many likely stories;
also, Of sadder applications, if possible for
relief from actual poverty and from persecu-
ton in town. The Mormons have no poor
houses, and say they have no poor, permit
ting none by relieving all through work or
gifts But the last winter was so long and
severe, with wood at thirty and forty dollars
a cord, that there was much real suffering,
and the soldiers, yielded to extensive de-
mands upon the charity that the church
authorities had neglected to fulfill or abso-
lutely denied