Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-10-10
Che gepnbliean.
THE MORMONS.
Brigham YouRg.-Hs Wires and
Eanaily.-POLyadnly and its effects.

hundred. in his sixty sixth year. and won
derfully well-preserved. His face resem-
bles that of the late Thomas III. Ben
ton. though with n suggestion of grossness
about the puffed cheeks and hinge neck
which Old Bullion never gave. His check
is fresh and unwrinkled. his step agile and
elastic lis Gu ling arand whiskers uniting
ed with gray s he Ponce dc Leon who
has found in polvgamy the fountain of per-
peiusl youth?
He has grayish blue. secretive eyes, ca
Gle nose. and mouth that shuts like vice,
Indicating tremendous frmness. lie uses
neither tea nor coffee, spirits or tobacco.
With an affable and dignified manner he
mapifests the uumi,t Ikqhle egotism of one
having authority In little COALITIONS of
earnestness he speaks right AT people. us
ing his dexter forefinger with emphasis to
point a moral He threats his brethren
with warmth, throwing his arm caressingly
around them, and asking carefully after
the wives and babic.
Proyincialism of his Vermont borhood
and his Western manhood still cling 10
him. lie says ''leetle.' ''bcycnd. and
''Gisremember," An irrepressible conflict
between his nominatives and verbs, crops
out in expressions like they was"
He has observed much, thought much
and mingled much with practical men hut
seems unfamiliar with the usages of cult
waited society. Yet those who hold him a
cheap charlatan are wilder, If possible, than
the saints who receive him as an angel OF
light. or those Geniiles who dcaouncc him
as a goblin damned A striking embodi-
ment of the one-manpower he holds a
hundred thousand people in the hollow oil
his hand. Gathered from every nation, al
WAYS poor, usually ignorant. sometimes vi
cious. he has modelled them into an indus
trious honest, and homogeneous communi-
ty. As class they have doubtless improv-
ed their condition Nv settling in Utah.
Owning the most desirable properly at
home. and well husbanded investments in
ENGLAND. he is one of the milliOnaireS of
the United States lie il universally
popular among The saints, and rules them
with the utmost ease. lie Is man OF
brains who would have achieved success
in any walk al lte. MANY believe him an
impos;er and atheist. But fancy he is of
that combination 50 frequent in history,
half deceiyer and hall-fanatic.
He has great knowledge of human ma
ture and rare business capacity, and is re-
puted to be kind hearted and just in all
his commercial dealings.
All Mormons are required 10 pay one
tenth of their incomes annually TO the
church: and, so far as the Gentiles can see.
Brigham is the Church and the Church is
Brigham.
lis inclosure Of ten scrcs in the We V
heart of the city, is surrounded by u wall,
eleven feet high, OF bOulderS laid in mortar.
1t contains his two chief dwellings, the
Lion House and the Beehive House. In
them reside most Of his wives, though a
few favOrt, ONES occupy separate dwell
lings outside The Enclosure contains va
rious other buildings for his domestic and
business purposes. and ample, well-kcpt
gardens Astounding in flowers and fruit
Babies seem Indigenous to Salt Lake.
Their abundance through all the streets
ral,scs wonder till one remembers that they
are the ONLY product which docs not re-
quire irrigation.
By Brigham's invitation spent an hour
in his school, Its register bore the names
OF thirty four pupils, three Brigham I
grandchildren, all the rest his own sons
and daughters There were twenty-eighi
present from four to seventeen years old,
on the whole looking brighter and more
intelligent than the children OF any other
school ever visited.
With three of the prophets daughters
| had some conversation. Their language
is good. and their manners graceful. One
has classic face; and another is so pretty
that half the young men of the church are
in love with her Afterwards visited the
ward schools of the city. There the fore
heads are narrow, and average intelligence
low. Tuition costs from four to ten dol
lars per quarter There are no free school.
in Utah.
Though Brigham has buried eight son;
and two daughters, he has fifty surviving
children and several grandchildren. Hi:
wives number about thirty; he Increase:
his list by one or two additions yearly, the
first and eldest is matronly, vel looking
woman all the later ones saw are exceed
ingly plain and unattractive. Among the
present generation of MOrmons, the mel
are far more intelligent and cultivated thar
the women.
The Gentiles relate many stories at th'
expense of the leading patriarch of thu
saints He is the grand Supreme Court %
all his people; TO him they carry thei'
troubles for relief. and their disagreement
for adjustment 1t is said that one day ;
woman went to Brigham for counse
touching some alleged oppression by al
officer of the church Brigham. like tru,
politician, assumed to know hsr; but wher
it became necessary to record her case
hesitated and said:
LET me see, sister-1 forget your name.
my name " was the indignant reply
''why. am your wife,"
when did l marry your
The woman informed the President,
who referred to an account book in hi:
desk. and then said:
"Wcll, believe you arc right. knew
your face was familiar
The saints are fraternal. There are ne
misters or esquires among them. Every
body Is Brother A. or Sister B.
The Gentle women recognize and visit
only the first wives. / convcrsed alone
with three Mormon ladies on their system
Two were young aud unmarried. The
first was an active member of the church.
and apparently an earnest believer in its
doctrines. She spoke Of it with great ar
dor manifesting the anxiety universal In
the entire community for the respect and
commentator ofsirangers. She laid great
stress upon the honesty, frugality, and hos
pita.ity Of the people, the kindness and
justice of the Almighty which their history
seemed to imply But my remark that
liked everything | saw except po.ygamy
she answered ingcniously:
swell, don't like that, and don't know
of anybody who does !"
The second, though reared in the faiill
and nominally one of the saints, had stead
tasty refused all offers of marriage. She
regarded the leaders as charlatans, declar.
ed she would din rather than wed In 8
community where plurality or wives were
tolerated, and an6 would leave the Terri
tory but for famil; ties a few months H.
ter she did leave 20 become the wife of q
Gentle.
The third was the wife of a prominen;
saint. had already formed her scquain
lance in public, and now encountered hel
in Gentle parlor. Again and again hat
I heard her husband aver that the wonner