Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-07-20

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is evidently man of the keenest percep-
ton, of great self reliance ana will, of the
subtlest cunning, and possesses a physi-
cal organization capable of the highest
measure of endurance. In his manners
and movements he is quite graceful, in
dicating considerable culture, but really
the fruits of his varied experience and
intercourse with all classes of men. No
man could acquire any needed quality
more readily than Brigham Young. He
is eminent as mimic, and often resorts
to mimicing as his most powerful weap-
on in hurting his anthemas against the
gentiles or apostates in his sermons. In
short, Iwould put him down, after meet
ing him in his office and leaving him in
the pulpit, as most scienced impostef,
singularly able, versatile, and unscrupu-
lous, and as one who seeks to hide his re-
voting, beastly icentiousness, by delib-
crate blasphemy.
l do not pretend to know the number
of wives and children Brigham Young
can boast. | believe that no two writers
have estimated them alike, and l have
f und no Mormon, in the scores with
W uOlu INS VII IuC ouDJSNO,
who professed to know. 1t is conceded,
however, that he has some Is or 20 who
are members of his household, and prob
ably q. score of others who are simply
sealed to him as spiritual wives, so rs to
share his high crownin the future world.
Even the dead have been welded to him
by proxy, to satisfy the anxiety Of delud-
ed pal ents, who wished their departed
daughters to wear starry robes around
the prophet in heaven. OF his living
wives, who are subject to his domestic
laws, the first, who was his lawful wife
before polygamy was thought Of as part
Of the Mormon faith, now lives in pleas
ant, spacious cottage by herself, some
distance from the harem, that is peopled
with the fairer and more tender acquisi-
tions to his family circle. She is said to
be firm believer in the faith, and accepts
her situation as a cross imposed upon her
to enhance her reward hereafter. L saw
her in the Theatre, along with five junior
wives, who i'll turn succeeded each other
in the favor of the prophet, and gave way
in time to younger and fresher charms.
Of all the so-called Mrs. Youngs l have
seen, the lawful wife seems much the
most intelligent and refined. The last
one, and OF course for the present the
favorite, had private box in the theater,
sported gay ribbons and furbelows,
and seemed to look down upon het
faded predecessors with the contempr
they deserved. She is a niece of the first
wife, and deiies even Rrigham's boasted
domestic government. She was tried in
the harem, but her rebellious spirit tlrreat-
ened subversion OF all law and order
there, and she is now quartered Ill house
of her own, beyond range of the others.
do not, of course, credit all the revolt
ing scenes detailed as occurring in the
extensive family of the Prophet, but it is
well known that the last addition to the
wives hectors her annointed fraction of a
husband in the most irreverent style, and
storms the holy inner circle of inspired
power with profane speech and violent
pugilistic gestures. Although each one
alter the first has usurped the place of
another, not one has been discarded for
a successor without the keenest sorrow,
and often only after trenzied, but fruit
less resistance,
Polygamy was not a part of the Nor
mon creed as promulgated by Smith. On
the contrary, he expressly denounced 1t,
and his widow and SONS have discared the
Salt Lake MormoLs because of the adul-
ferrous practices committed iii the name
of the church. Brigham Young IS the
founder Of the polygamic feature of the
faith of the Latter Day Saints. While |
doubt not that lust had much to do with
its adoption, yet as means OF attaining
despotic power, it has served an import
ant purpose. Mr.. Young has four broth
ers, all adhering to the church in this city
and all with plurality of wives. His
sons initiate his example with filial tideli-
ty; and his daughters are married only
| into harems of the. more Intelligent and
influential members of the. church. BY
this system he is directly related to every
family of Importance in Zion, and his
power perpetuated. By thus binding
the more intelligent to his cause by mar
riage ties, he is enabled to command the
complete submission of the unlearned, by
declaring polygamy to be the duty OF the
faithful, and promising the heart broken
wives that their crosses are but creating
for them lighter crowns above.
had much anxiety to see polygamy in
the household, but have failed. Not on
ly are strangers practically denied ac-
quaintance with plural wives, but the
subject is never welcome one IN conyer-
sation. | have talked with MANY Nor
mons who are polygamists, and in every
instance when / have asked respecting
their wives, they responded as If l had
introduced to them some painful and del
icate scandal about their families. L
found one who claimed, and L learn just
ly to have two wives in one house, and
all happy but only one. Utmost lnstan-
ces each wife must have separate house
to hide herself from mutual humiliation
and shame. To all who introduced the
subject to me l asked the question Did
your first wife cheerfully consent to your
marriage to another?" and in not sin
gle instance could an affirmative answer
be given. Mormon or Gentle, with one
accord they revolt against it. They
must cease to be women and descend
into the scale of brutes, or even lower
still, before the wives of Salt Lake can
voluntarily consent to such appalling de
; gradation. One-third of the entire adult
male population of Utah is now practic-
ing polygamy, and in Salt Lake City the
proportion is larger. 1t hangs like ter