New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-09
THE MORMONS.
ENr LAKE CfTY-DEsPOTIsM on THE GREAT PLAINS
CHARACTER or BRIGHAM YoUNG-HIs WIVES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AMONG THE SAINTS.

PA Oo Special Correspondent
SALT LAKE CITY, June 1s, 1851
I have seen MonnOnism in its best garments only.
Its digntaries have made me welcome. Its hospi-
aality encompassed me. It's fruits and flowers its
light spots and pleasant recreations all before
,ne With it's humble followers and its Swallowed
household circles must repeat the experience of all
other gentle visitors, and go i came stranger
ut on every hand the streets in the homes where
rme it's richest gliding, in the tabernacle ana
even in the very fountain of the polluted stream are
plainly visible the melancholy evidence of mingled
fraud and iufatuaton, of cunning wrong-doers and
delUdod wrong-suferers
q The world elsewhere may be sought in VAN for
despotism so relentless and ptiless is MomOnism
hings and Emperors rule millions of willing or un-
willing subjects but there is people in utter alb
eect seryty to their monarch. There are churches
sheroin infalhbty is accorded to the head or limit
I'D power of an absolute character conceded, but IN
tOne could any spiritual potentate rise up as did
brigham Young on Sunday last before |,1V PtOpio
rally dealings with the penalty on eternal danhaIOh
proclaimed for disObodence, Al first glance the AFRO
tant exercise of power by the Mormon leaders,, anu
fhe willing submission of their followers, beWlldeTS
hhe observer but when the whole theory OF this stu
sendoHs fraud is unraveled the character OF ITS sub
fleets studied, the thousand channels through when
absolute power reaches out and TanheS INTO almost
Svery household. it ceases to be mcomPIeheu-
hible. very large majority of the Mormon
Ipcope are the rescued seIfs of the Old WOrld-not
80 perhaps in name in most cases. but SO III 10et;
H1hey are ignorant, supeTstltlOus, 1anaucaly anu
,eady victims for a new doctrine that promises 70
sbring them into immediate communion WIN you
when once brought to the home of the Saints often
by the generous aid of the Emigration Society, their
temporal condition is readily Dettered ther soCia,
tats rs elevated TO recognition by the inspired
teachers and they never learn aught else but su3ms
sion TO the dOgmas OF the Church and the mandates
ST its apostles. They, rule remain aliens TO 5he
aiOYeTnment, and no claim upon the citlleh rs loi
J,tod that in any degree antagonlzes the CLAIMS OF
doctrines of the Church IL,
regard Brigham Young as a greatly under eStlm,
g,tcd man by most persons IN the East. iheS an
Sudge him mainly by his ribad and often Dlasphenl-
sous harangues from the pulpit, 90 not aplnTUa s
niim as great administrator and leader OF laSS-
kng sttainmeuts. first saw him IN ms own business
boom. He was nearly or perhaps quite alone whe
S,pened and half dozen brothers, sons secretaries;
NC were seated around the little Office learn that
DE never sees any person alone, unless he KNOWS per
hectly the character of the visitor and when sIan
1ers call on him his person is guarded from POsSlple
ssassinafion by the apparently casual but evidently
ste1natic annSarance 6f his Immediate friends. He
troets the visitor with serene dignity but iaultleSs
Gourtosy and converses freely and quite lntelhgehy
mo mood for a talk about the inside WORKINGS
s,f MOrmOnism, and an inquiry as TO the numoeI OF
b,is wives and children. and their heaith, WOuiu
TOubtlcss have terminated the interview most aO-
suptly. He is q welpTeseTyed man or 10 years, OF
anedipm hight rather corpuient WIN Sn c of
sandy whiskeYs, excepting on his upper ana lOWci
Sips. His eyes very light, dull blue, and want
Eng in expression, his nose sharp ana prominent s
aims thick aud firmly set. and the whole give MN te
tpDearauce OF man of obstinate viii, and cold, cal
Iuiating purpose. His head is OF unusual shapt'
irhe face rs quite broad just across the center and
Aradualy naTrows to the top OF the Ioleheau' anu
SOntOf the CHM while ms meek II Oh f on %
Sfthehcad to the top tapenng gradually 10 e eloWn
giving it a sugaT-loat finish lie IS eydehiy y man man
f the keenest perception of great self reliance ana
will OF the subtest cunning aud possesses physlcaf
organization capable Of the hlghest measure VI
Endurance In his manners and moVeinents ne Is
ute gtaesfnl mdlfasi1g rtsd Io and ifer
of M pOuld
Puy needed quality more readily than brigham
N Dung. He is eminent as mimic ana o.! les1lts
40 minimizing as his most powerful weapon IN huihg
bis anathenas against the gentes or ap0states III us
sermOnS Ia short, would put him down, after
zneeting him in his Office and leaving nun IN ule
amlpt as % most scienced lmpostOr, slnsnlIly aOIc
ersatile and INSCRIPTIONS. aud as one who seeks 10
hide his revolving, beastly RIGHTEOUSNESS py ueIlOcl
do not pretend to know the number of wives and
Ihildrcn Brigham Young can boast. DeiieVe tlay
elO two writer's have estimated them alhe ana
Brave found no Mormon, IN the scores WIN Wh9u
have c0nyersed on the subject, VINO pl0LLesSeu 10
sifteen or twenty who are members OF ms hQusch9lu
snd probably of others who are SIMPLY seaiea
rown in the future world. Even the dead have
Been welded to him by proxy, to satisfy the anxiety
M I,f deluded parents, who wished Their departed
Siaubtes To wear starry robes around the prophet IN
heaven OF his living wives, who are subject TO ms
domestic laws the first Who was Is lawn Ia te T S
1ath now lives in pleasant, spacious cottage 10y
aersolf, some distance from tue haIen thal Is PEG
sled with the fairer and more tender ACQUISITIONS 70
bis family circle. She ssald TO be iTm beleNer IN
khe faith and accepts her situation as cross IMPOSED
upon her TO enhance her reward hereafter IsaW mel
IN the theacr along with five junior wives VINO IN
iuru succeeded each other the tavOrof the prophet
and gave way in time TO younger ana fresher Chaii5
ar All he so-called Mrs Ioungs have seen, the law
Sal wife seems much the most intelligent and refined
he last one and Of for the present the favor
BE had private box in the theater sp9rtGd gay I'D
3,Ons aud fuTbelows, and seemed 10 look down upon
her faded predecessors with the c9hemRg they He
served She is niece OF the hist Wlic'
aud dcfcs even Briglnm's boosted domestic govern
sncut She tried in the haIeIn, but lcf IebeIhos
spirit threatened the subveTsiOn OF All law ana oct
a here and she is now CHARTERED IN a mouse OF Hti
OWL beyond range of the others do not, OF course
,Ircdt all the revolving scenes detailed rs occurring
4n the extensive family OF the Prophet but IL Is wen
known that the last addition to the wives hCctOIs
sler anOnted fraction of a husband III the most
sucverent style, and storms the holy inner circle Of
snspred power with pTOiane speech ana violent pug-
Alto gestures Although each one after the ilrst has
assumed the place of another not one has been DIS
slrled for q successor without the keoneot s0iIO~
nd often only after trenzied but iIuitless resElce
POlygamy was Rot part Of the Mormon creed as
promulgated by Smith On the contrary, nc cApcsslS
denounced it and his widow and sons have discarded
7he Salt Lake MOTmons because Of the adulteIOuS
e,rgctices committed in the name OF the ChuIch.
Brigham Young is the founder Of the polyglmlC
heature oil the faith of the Latter Day SAINTS WINE
x doubt not that lust had much 10 do with lis adOp-
ion vet as a means of attaining deSpOtic power IT
bias served important purpose. Nr Young has
Your brothers all adhering TO the church IN ms C
and all with plurality Of wives. lis sons Initiate
ks example with flial fidelity; and his daughters
are married only into harems of the moro Intelligent
1.nd iuiuential members of the church. By this sys
sem lac is directly related TO every family Of import
hnce in Zion, and his power Is PeIpetuatJd, Dy mus
Winding the more intelligent to his cause by marriage
HES he is embed 10 command the complete subnls
kion of the unearned, by declaring pOlygamy 10 be
fhe duty of the faithful and promising the heart
broken wives that their crosses are but creating ior
lhem lighter crowns above