The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-10-04
Editorial Correspondence


monism is Polygamy. The Christian
or Gentle (by one or the other term
are all outsiders known and styled By
the Church here) can find something
to commend in most other character
istics of EIormonism Their industry, |
temperance and good order are frankly |
acknowledged. Their cooperative |
mercantile system has its apology in the |
enmity Of resident Genliles and their
observance of the law of self protec-
ton and seeIusion. Their self sacri-
fcing missionary spirit and enthusi-
asm for and devotion to their religion,
command our admiration. But In
Polygamy there is nothing lovely or
attractive to the better instincts of
humanity. At q distance from this
Mormon community, one can we'll
conceive how contrary it must be to
domestic order and social peace-hoW
degrading to woman-hoW repulsive
to the holy instinct of affection, nat
ural dependence and jealous attach
ment of the wife. But it Is not
until we are brought in more direct
contact with the system, do we COM
prehend the full extent of its offensive
and blighting influence.
The visitors natural curiosity leads
him, in his first ramble Though Salt
Lake City, directly to the residences
of Brigham Young, the President and
Prophet, who is the leader in POlyg
amy, as we'll as the spiritual and finan-
cial chief Of the society. We find an
immense square, surrounded by a
high, close stone fence, resembling an
outside city wall, within which are
Brigham's various buildings. Two
long rows of tenement houses, called
the Lion and the Bee houses,
from the images on their respective
fronts, are the houses of his numerous
wives or coneubineg. Adjoining them,
more stately edifce, is his own home
or palace. Still farther on is quite an
extensive edifce, which is the school
for his many children. The look at
the whole establishment fills the Wis
itor with amazement and disgust. The
feeling is uniyersal-a Turkish ha-
rem, where woman is only regarded as
a raeEial, is better than this. And
yet tie whole system claims to have
Its support upon the express revela-
ton of the great Creator of men and
its strongest argument in the protec-
ton of chastity, the elevation and
happiness, temporal and eternal, Of
woman.
1t is generally understood that these
houses do not include the whole of
Briglam's household. In different
parts of the city are pointed out the
residences of other of his wives. / was
informed that the first of his wives,
now old, enfeebled and childish, lives
separate from the rest in cottage to
herself; and that In another part of
the city resides his last wife, bloom
ing young woman of eighteen or
twenty, who is now the principal re-
cipient Of the attentions of this aged
Prophet of his people" who has
passed his sixty eighth birthday! At
the Church Theatre nightly may be
seen his wives and daughters in the
seats and balconies permanently re-
served for them, while old Brigham
occupies his armed chair In the par
quette or his private box, and, as he
fancies, showers his bouquets of
flowers and smiles upon the fair
actresses on the stage. The women
are taught that it is their highest
earthly blessing to occupy the honor
ed position of wife to the Prophet.
and that 1t will entitle them to an ex-
allied place in the heavenly kingdom.
1t cannot be definitely ascertained
how many wives Brigham Young
possesses. l was unable to find any
two Mormons who agreed upon the
number, and between them and the
Gentle residents there was quite a
variance In the enumeration; and 1t
IS doubtful if Brigham knows the
number himself One of the best in
formed Of the MormOns told me that
he thought he had about twenty
three or tWenty-four, and from sixty
to seventy children. Some of the
resident Gentiles declared to me that
he had not less than sixty wives.
spiritual and all, and even more
children than the number named.
As illustrative Of the power
which Brigham possesses over the
people. and their utter slavery even
to his bestial desires, a Government
official Of my acquaintance, whom /
know to be of unimpeachable veraeity,
gave me an instance of the Presi-
dents course Of procedure. He said
that some three years ago the gentle
man in whose family he was now
boarding, an intelligent and educated
Mormon. received notice from Brig
ham that he (Brigham) required his
residence for one Of his newly chosen
wives to live In. The gentleman,
meekly and like an obedient mental,
packed up his household goods, and
vacated his own house with his family.
including an invalid son, and gave it
up to this conoubine of the "Prophet.
who inhabited 1t for more than two
years. Brigham, not long since.
graciously returned it to him, without
a cents payment of rent; and the poor.
abject slave returned to his old home
stead to find the fences broken down,
the shrubbery and garden grown wild
and ruined, the walls torn and defaced;
and he uncomplainingly sets to work
to repair the wreck, quietly consoling
himself with having laid up for him
self treasure IN heaven" by serving
the Lords Amounted. This same
gentleman has recently been ordered
on to Europe ION a missionary tour,"
without any knowledge or consuIta-
ton on his part, being informed
that 1t IS the Lords will" his son.
just married, has been sent by Brig
ham away up into the north part of
the territory, among the Wahsatch
mountains, to help form a settle
ment;" and the wife and daughter are
left alone at home, with nothing for
their support but their own labor
And such are some Of the internal
workings Of Mormonism.
Following Brigham Youpg's ex-
ample, the Counselors, Apostles
Bishops, Church Magnateg. and
those who aspire to position, wealth.