Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-01-30
The N1ormons at Home.

An English traveller, Mr.. q. w. Dixie, has
recently published record OF his travels
across the plains, and his visit to Salt Lake
City. He was we'll received by the leading
Mormons. lie carried with him n letter of in
PRODUCTION from Elder Frederick Evans, of the
Shaker village Of New Lebanon, the exponent
of those who believe in perpetual celibacy, to
the leading man Of those who uphold and DO
tend and practice apurahty Of wives.
He represents the Mormons as Deists, who
believe in the Bible, and use the Book Of Nor
mon as their testament, though when leaving
Brigham Young, he blessed him in the words:
peace be with you In the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ" With the Bible in their hands,
they exclaim, David, the best beloved of
God was polygamist." "Show us a biblical
denuneiation of polygamy and we will believe
you." Our traveller, finding the hotel filed
even to the balcony, was quartered in pri-
yate house, and entering the drawing
found his hosts first wife reading to her two
daughters, just blooming into wOmanhO0d,
Belinda Pratt's defence Of polygamy. After
spending some time In agreeable chat with the
ladies, whom he found very intelligent, he was
shown to his room, which was that usually oc.
cupied by the eldest son, lad Of sixteen years.
In one corner stood two Ballard rifles and two
revolvers, and q militia uniform hung from
pegs upon the wall. When he laid down he
thrust his hand under the pillow, and camo in
contact with iull-sized Colt fully capped.
After four interviews with the Mormon lead
er, our traveller came to the conclusion that
Brigham Young is undoubtedly sincere in be-
leving what he processes to be. lie tells US
that he is 4 prophet, Gods representative on
earth, but when asked if he was Of totally
different spiritual rank TO that held by other
devout men, he said ''By no means; [ am
prophet-One of many All good men are
prophets; but God has blessed me with peculiar
favor in revealing His will oltener and more
clearly through me than through other men.
They 90 through the torn OF an election every
wear for a president, and say like the Jews that
the choice of the people is the choice OF God
that they see God's $ will in the ballot box
When StenhouSe, one of the principal elders,
was asked, HAS Brigham's election as
prophet ever been oppOsed?' he answered
sharply, Il should like to see the man who d
do it"
Brigham personal position is represented
to be strange one; he calls himself Prophet,
declares he has revelations from God himself;
but when asked quietly what all this means,
you find that for Prophet you should read po
htieal philosopher, for, after all, he says,
"the highest inspiration Is good SenSe-the
knowing what to do, and how to d0 IT.. lie
sees that canal from Utah Lake to Salt Lake
Valley would be of vast utility to the Church
and the people-that new settlement IS urg-
emily required. He thinks about these things
until they dominate in his mind; he dreams OF
the canal and the city, and sees them before
him in his waking moments. That which is
so clearly for the good OF Gods people becomes
Gods will Next Sunday at the Tabernacle
he steps in front and says; God has spoken:
He said to his Prophet, Get the up, Brigham,
and build me city in the fertile valley to the
South where there is water, where there are
fish, where the sun is strong enough to ripen
the cotton plants and give raiment as we'll as
food to my saints on earth Brethren willing
to aid Gods work should come to me before
the Bishops meeting" As the prophet takes
his seat again, and puts on his broad brimmed
hat, hum OF applause arises around the Tab
ernacle, and teams and barrOws are freely
promised
The Mormon ladies are represented as highly
polished and educated-much more so than
the females at any point thousand and more
miles east OF them. Our traveller met Captain
Hooler, the Mormon delegate to Congress, who
is a great favorite of Brigham s, though he has
but one wife, which prevents his promotion to
high Church dignities, as the Prophet cannot
consistently promote him on account of say
Ing of his own-'A man with one vile is OF
less account before God than man with no
wives at all. When joked with as to his lack
of wives, he replied that on one OCCASION
member of Congress presented himself at the
door Of the White House with three ladies, the
rule being to admit but one with member to
the reception, The usher stopped him with
the salutation Can't pass; only one friend
admitted with member" Suppose, sir,
that am the delegate from Utah, was the
reply ooh, pass in sir, pass in, was the M
stant answer Of the usher. With regard to the
Mormon ladies, We give our travellers own
description, as follows:
"Our best opportunity of judging of the
Mormon ladies' was at the theatre, where we
attended regularly, sitting now in Elder Stem
house family seats, now with General Wells.
Here we saw all tho wives of the leading church
men OF the city; in their houses We saw only
Al ~ Il L hNHf