Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-23
MORE ABOUT THE MORMoNs.
Interview with President George
A. Smith-Polygamy and the NO.
cIaI EviI-vfews of Mormon WO-
men-Rrlgham Young's Family.

men-Brigham Young's Family.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Journal.l
SALT LAKE CRY. UTAH. September 4.
"How can your institution (polygamy)
stand a railroad2" | asked one Of the
Mormon elders some time since in Chi.
cago. IF Chicago can stand railroad
| guess we can" was the reply; which
for the moment rather staggered me, and
replied simply, i will go and see.
We have spent two days in talking with
a number of the people about the great
foundation-stone of their faith,
PoLYGAMy.
President Young is absent on a jour
ney South, hence could not see him;
but / think this was fortunate. for one
told me thal he rarely ever treats visitors
civilly. His First Councillor, President
George A. Smith, occupies the presden-
tial chairin Brigham's absence, who gave
me fully an hours audience and much
information, which you shall have as
near as can repeat it.
Mr.. Smith is the cousin of the founder
of Mormonism. / found him occupying
an immense armchair, from which he
arose with some little difficulty as en-
tered the handsome office used for trans
acting church business. Imagine a
heavy-set, red-faced, corpulent, slow
moving man (of sixty, should think,
dressed in linen suit, short sack-coat
breeches that were fully six inches, too
short, and which needed consider
able stretching to cover his home
made cotton socks, or reach to his
"pontoon slippers. His head was
covered with certainly the reddest wig
ever saw. His eyes have grown dim and
were covered by spectacles, and as he
talks he slobbers at the mouth like a
horse fresh from clover-ield. He was
extremely jolly, and said he was glad to
see me. He did not court notoriety, but
was willing to give strangers all the IN
formation he could about their people
and institutions. He talked for some
time about what the people had accom-
plished; how they assisted in building
the great national blessing the Pacific
railroad; how they had made this vast
valley blossom as the rose; how his peo-
pie had been prosecuted and driven from
Illinois on account of their religious
opinions; how they had always con-
formed to the laws of the land; and how
they were now threatened by the Cullom
bill with determination, simply because
they were worshipping God according to
the dictates of their own consciences.
owe do not intend to interfere with your
opinions" said he. There is nothing
in the Constitution prohibiting polyga-
N.Y." he continued, frothing and splitting
with considerable emphasis, "and how
on earth your people can countenance
any such outrageous enactments as the
Culom bill is past our comprehension.
| allowed him to go on, hoping he would
soon come to the "gist" of this big
joke" polygamy, and he did, upholding
it, Of course, and, referring me to this
people, asked me to compare them and
polygamy to Chicago, with its brothels
and licentiousness, which walked up the
subscriber, and questioned him thus:
f. G. WI understand you to say,
Mr.. Smith, that your women are better
off in polygamy than are ours in mon
ogamy2 =,
President Smith = Yes, thousand
times. We support the wives we cohabit
with your people do not. Your cities
are filled with brothels. There is no such
thing in all our city.
+. G. W.-Are you not mistaken in
this2 II | am correctly informed, there
is brothel within few hundred yards
of where we now sit.
Mr.. Smith-It is some accursed Cen
tile hole. No Mormon ever goes there.
f. G. W.-Perhaps not, but | am in
formed by good authority that there are
at least two Mormon girls there.
President Smith-Well, ! don't know;
don't bslieso I word Of it. (Frothing
and splitting horribly.
f. G. WI am aware that all our
cities have houses of ill-fame, but the
best men do not visit such places, and |
only mentioned what / have heard, be-
cause have always believed until now
that no such place existed here.
President Smith-If the matter is prop
erly brought before our Mayor, it will be
stopped at once. If a Mormon is caught
committing adultery be is fined 81, 600
each time, and there are not many of us
can pay that often these hard times.
FIG. WI fail to see any excuse for
a Mormon committing adultery who is
in polygamy.
President Smith-We are the most
yirtuous people on the face Of the globe.
1t is one Of Our most sacred beliefs that
man and woman should only oohabit as
the animals do-never during nursing or
pregnancy and we practice this, too; your
people do not. Your women are sickly,
feeble, and waste their lives in sexual
excesses. Our women are healthy and
live out their full days.
+. G.. W.-Do gen practice polygamy
because the Old Testament seems to
sanction it?
President Smith-No, sir; that com
manA was revealed to my cousin, Joseph
Smith, by the angel from Heaven.
+. G. W.-Then why did yOl ELDERS
consume so much time lately in discuss
ing that point with DIR. Newman2
President Smith-Simply to show the
world thai polygamy was not contrary
to the Bible. We probably should prac-
tice it if there was nothing said about it
in the Bible.
7. G. W.-How did your people like
DIR. Newman
President Smith-He insulted our
wives grossly, and is unworthy to wear
the garb of minister. Il am informed
by a gentleman of this city that the last
day Of the discussion, which filled the
Tabernacle for several days, the women
becaHe indignant and boisterous at
some remarks made " the learned doc
tor, and would have attacked him had
not Brigham silenced them.)
The same day presented letter of
Introduction / had to the wife Of one Of
Al III IL \ Io1 ,.1n nt