Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-07-28
A Utah GentiIe's Ideas of polysamy.

"Gentile" writes from Salt Lake Cty In tbe
Tribune to contradict the impression attempted
to be conveyed by Bayard Taylor that the ..reye-
lation' of polygamy was promulgated to hasten
the increase of population, and this peculiar
institution of the Mormons is fast dying out.
The writer becomes indignant that travellers
should 80 seek to delude the people of the East
and in his letter says.-
The revelation commanding polygamy was
invented to cover the licentious practices Of
Joseph Smith, which, together with incest and
murder,g grew as naturally from Mormon theology
| as three branches from one stock. As early al
| 1882 Joseph began to have revelations on the
subject, and his attempts on the virtue of his
| female devotees kept the sect constantly in
trouble as long as he lived. 1t was to retain his
hold on his own people, which he was fast losing
by lustifying in some sort his bad habits as we'll
as to sanctify sexual license by making it re;
| lgious duty, that the revelation was obtained
Fol. ten years thereafter it was practiced by
| leading Mormons in secret, the Church denying
| it from time to time in the most public and
solemn manner, through Joseph Smith himself,
/ through its conferences, its sacred books its
newspapers, its elders and missionaries eyery-
where. At last its fruits became too evident, il
| could no longer be concealed; it had to be
avowed or reprobated, and in 1852, five years
after their arrival in Utah, it was acknowledged
and proclaimed as a doctrine of the Church.
| 1t is likewise mistaken idea that it is on the
| decline. From numerous and unquestionable
sources has it been coming to us all the spring,
that never before was it entered into to such an
extent, other things being equal, as since the
| bill prohibiting it now pending in the Senate was
introduced in the House. 1t is done in spirit
of defiance. Polygamy has cometo be so inter-
woven with their theology, religion, and polity,
that it and Mormonism are synonymous terms
and the people were never more firmly, although
| they may have been more fanatically, Mormon
than now. True, some members have become
demoralized. and fallen off around the edges,
| but why Because of the weight of public con-
demnation resting upon them. Within eighteen
months there has been much change for the
better. Formerly Brigham lad great influence
in Washington. He has none with the present
| Administration. All polygamists in Government
employ have been succeeded by Gentiles, and if
| any one of these showed signs of weakness he is
at once superseded. For the first time polygamy
feels that it is prescribed by the President of the
| United States. The world has been brought so
near by the railroad, that free dcussion is no
| longer personally dangerous. Prominent men
| have seeded from Brigham and established a
| schism of much more Importance than its num-
bers indicate, because of its comparative intellec-
tual character The sons of the prophet Joseph
have established church here also which bold
| ly aiIaigns brigham as usurper and arch-apos-
tate, and which is gradually gathering up the
| spiritual element as Godbe and Harrison are the
intellectual Last April we had three rival Nor
mon Conferences here in the holy city,
| each stoutly claiming to represent the
| true Church. Very recently the Methodists
| have started mission here, whese prospects
are bright AT its last session tho Legislature
| adopted the best code Of civil and criminal laws
| it could find. gave woman the right of suffrage,
enactef law to regulate mining and ineorpo-,
| rated Corinne. German Railroad town. A few
| wears ago these same men soeMnly denounced
| the law and lawyers as an g abomnaton. When
| the Cullom bill passed the House, and they met
| in mass convention to protest against it, there
| was no ranting, no profane and vulgar buster
| ing as formerly there is little of the same oh
| servable in their sermons, either, but their
| cause was pleaded with moderation and dignity,
| and could We grant their premises, effectively.
| Then came n live Governor in the person of Col
Shaffer, and earnestly set about making use Of
what law we have to ostracse polygamy and
treason He resolved to assert his rights acc Dr.
| ding TO the organic act of the Territory.
| All this Generalization may be justly said to
| have proceeded from the attitude of the ad-
| ministration and of Congress toward the Nor
| mon rebellion, for such it has long been. Let
| that be changed, let them show any sign of re-
lenting, and this good work would not only
| cease but Brigham would recover all the lost
| ground. Let MS have law before Congress adj
iourns that will make the law of 1862 available,
| and let it be explicit and thorough. not coui-
| promise with the evil which wonld give 1t great
iy the advantage-not half measure, which
| would iriitate our opponents, exhaust us, and
effect nothing but mischief:
Information has been received iii Canada that
the British Government is willing to guarantee
loan for the construction of the proposed rail-
road from Montreal to British Columbia.
In accordance with the provisions of the tax
bll a circular has been prepared at the Internal
Revenue Bureau which will be sent to all gov
ernment officials notifying them that on and
after August LIST 1870, the income tax on salaries
|, | mill mot ha co11entad hv than