The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-20

d E.
Il T. DARR, Sumter, S. C.
: THAD. G: ANDREWS, orangeburg, $: c.:
j. NJ. BROWN, tSoutlerner Office, Darlington, S. G.
NJ. NJ. QUINN BRO, Augusta
j. n. ESTEIL, Savannah, Ga.
ISAAC DAvEGA, Agent in New York
: J. l. SHECUT, Agent at Atlanta, Gu.
WIN. HENDERSON, Agent at BennettsviHe, s. c.
Utah sind Women Mt Salt Lake
Mr. HEPwoRTH DIXON, editor Of the London
Aleneune who has but recently paid q visit to the
United States, has published book called 'New
America" His pictures OF Western life are most
admirably drawn. A large portion Of the book is
devoted to Utah and the Mormons. The social
effect of polygarny receives practical illustration
among the Mormons, which MIR. DIXON did not tail
to notice. His remarks on this subject are very
interesting and instructive:
WOMAN AT SALT LAKE.
EAnd rlat, as regards the woman herself is
the visible issue of this strange expert
ment in social anu family life
During our fifteen days residence among the
Saints, we have had as many opportunities afforded
us for forming Judgment on this question as has
ever been given to Gentle travellers. We haVo
seen the President and some Of the apostles daily;
we have been received into many Mormon houses,
and introduced to nearly all the Leading SAINTS
we have dined at their tables; we have chatted
with their wives we have romped and played Win
their children. The feelings which we nave Salneo
as to the effect of Mormon Life Oh the character
and position Of woman, are the growth OF cure, OF
study, and experience and our friends at Salt
Lake. we hope, while they will differ from our
views will not refuse to credit us with candor and
good faith.
that the idea Of plurality OF wives e1ctes IN the
female breast the widest fanaticism. They tell
you that q Norman preacher, dwelling on the eX-
anples of Sara, and of Rachel, finds his most vii
IL E. o1oh has TIknI COW
that ladies' club was formed at Nauvoo to foster
polygamy, and to- make it the fashion; that moth
ers preach it to their daughters; that poetesses
praise it. They ask you to believe that the trst
wife, being head of the haren, takes upon herself m
to seek out and court the pretiest girls; only too
proud and happy when she can bring new Hagar,
q new Bilah to her husbands arms.
This male version Of the facts is certainly sup
ported by such female writer's as Belinda Pratt'
In my opinion, Mormonism is not religion for
woman. I will not say that it degrades her, for
the term degradation is open to abuse; but 1t Ger
tainly lowers her, according to our GENTLE IDEAS
in the social scale. In fact woman!lahot In Socle,
ty here at all. The long blank walls the emooWereu
randas, all suggest to an English eye something
of the jealousy, the seclusion, the subcrdinatlon
of Moslem i1arem, rather than the gayety anu
freedom Of o Christian home. Men rarely see
each other at home, still more rarely In the com
pauy OF their wives. Seclusion ssemsto be fashon
wherever polyeamy is the law. Now, by ITSELF anu
apart from ali doctrines and morahties, the habit
Gf secfrding women from society must tend TO dm
tian oinckens men, it still more quickens women;
and we can IoI;ndly say, after experience ln many
households at Salt Lake, that these Mormon ndies
have lost the practice and the power OF taxing
part even in such light talk as anmates Gunner
table and a 1rawing-room. We have met Wlth
only one exception to this rule, that OF LADY VINO
had been upon the stage. In some houses, the
wives Of our hosts, with babies in their arms, ran
about the rooms, fetching in champagne, Drawing
iceinEw While the yen we're loling in chairs,
putting their feet out Of window, smoking cigars,
and tossing OF .beakers Of wine.
Z. IN. B.2Abstnence from VINE and tobacco Is re-
commended by Young and taught IN the mormon
wine in al except in the hotels The ladies', as
rule, are plainly not to say poorly, dressed with
no bright colors, no gay hounces and furDeloWs.
They are very quiet and subdued In manner, With
dash, ai sportiveness, an life, had been preached
out OF them. They seldom smiled, except with o
wan and wearied look and though they are all OF
Enghsh race we have never heard them laugh
with the bright merriment Uf our English girls.
They kroW very little, and feel an interest in
very few things. assume that they are all great
at nursing. and Z know that many OF them are
clever at drying and preserving fruit. But they
are habituslly ahy and reserved, as though
they were afraid lest their bold opinion on sun
set on q watercourse, or moUntaln-range,
should be considered by Gheir lords as dangerous
intrusion on the sanctities Of domestic life. While
you are in the house, they are brought INTO
the public room as children are with us ;
hands; then drop out again, as though they feit
themselves in company rather out OF place.
have never seen this sort Of shyness among
grown women, except in Syrian tent.
Anything like the ease and bearing OF an English
lady Is not to be found in Salt Lake, even among
of no rioh nm
reigns. Here, no woman hints by her manner
that she is mistress of her own house. She docs
not ALWAYS sit at table; and when she occupies
place beside her lord it is not at the head but on
one OF the lower seats. In fact her LIE does not
seem to be in the parlor and the dining-room, so
much as in the nursery, the kitchen, the laundry,
and the frlt-shed.
The grace, the play, the freedom of Q young
English lady are quite unknown to her Mormon
sister. Orly when tho subject Of plurality OF
wives has l,een under consideration between host
and guest have ever seen Mormon lady's face
grow bright, and then it was to look sentiment,
to hint an opinion, the reverse Of those maintained
by Belinda Pratt.
plurality Of wives is not popular with the femae
Saints. Eesides what have seen and heard from
Mormon wives, themselves living in polygamous
families, have talked, alone and freely, with eight
or nine different girls, all Of whom have lived ut
Salt Lake for two Or three years: They are an
for their religion; but after seeing the family life
Of their fellow-Salnts they have one and all become
firmly hostile to polygamy;. Two or three Of these
girls are pretty, and might have been married IN
q month. They have been courted very much, and
one Of them has received no less than seven offers.
Some Of her lovers are old and rich, some young
and poor, Nth their fortunes still to seek. The
old fellows have already got their houses tu9 OF
wives, and she will not fall into the train as either
fifth or fifteenth spouse; the young men being
krr1n
forever to their earliest VOWS, and so she refuses
to wed any Of them. All these girls prefer to re-
main single-to live q life Of labor and depend-
ence-as servants, chambermaids, milliners, char
wonen-to q life OF comparative ease and leisure
in the harem of Mormon Bishop:
It is q common belief, gathered IN great mea-
sure from the famous letter plurality, by Beln-
ds Pratt, that the Mormon Sarai is willing to seek
on her lord. More than one Saint has told me that
this is true, as a rule, though he admits there
may be exceptions in 80 far as tho Norman Sarai
falls short of her high calling. My experience lies
among the exceptions solely. Some yves may be
never found one who would own it, even in the
presence of her husband and sEhen the occasion
might fave besnheld to warraait slittle feminine
fbbing. Every lady to whom have put this ques,-
o9 flushed INTO denial though wth thas efea
every Mormon wife. "Court new wife for him!"
said Uns lady; &C no woman could do that; and TO
woman would submit to be courted by woman"
The process Of taking either second or . six
teenth wife is the same in all cases. "I will tell
you" !" said a Mormon elder, ''how we do these
things in our order. For example, have two
wives living, and one wife dead. I ala thinking Of
taking another, as can well afford the expense,
and man is not much respected in the church
Who has less than three wives. Well, fix my
mind On . young lady, and consider within myself
whether it is the will Of God that should seek
her. II feel, in my own heart, that it would be
and srproves, as he shall see fit; on which 60
to the President, who will consider whether am y
good man and worthy husband, capable of ruling
my little household, keeping peace among my
wives, bringing up my children in the fear
Of God; and II I am found worthy, in his sight,
Of the blessing, shall obtain permission to 60 on
with tho chase. Then lay the whole matter Of my
desire, my permission and my choice, before my
first wife, as head OF my house, and take her
con eognael as to the young ady's habits character,
my second wife; perhaps MOI; since it is not So
much her business as tits that Of my first wife;
beside which, my first wife is older in years, has
seen more OF life and ia mnch mora nf q frnnd to