Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-29
Union AND AMERICAN
THE MORMON auEsrIoN.


The construction Of the Union Pacific
Railway, and the consequent flood of travel
through the far West, has brought the
Mormon question once more before the
public, and this time there is
fair prospect of its final settlement. The
"saints" had taken root in the fertile valley
of Salt Lake, and were in a thriving con-
dition when this new difficulty commenced.
They had enjoyed long period of immuni-
~ from persecution since their
hegira from Nauvoo in 1S4T. In tie
then remote wilderness beyond the
great desert Brigham held unlimited
sway over his people and the faithful were
happy. They TILED the fertile soil and lit
orally .'Inade the wilderness TO blossom"
Their city grew with an ever-increasing pop
ulation; they married and gave in marriage
often and great deal; their families in
creased with amazing rapidity, and their al
most total freedom from idle and intemper-
ate habits made them healthy and con-
tented People-that is, the men of them.
1t is true there were occasional family bick-
erings. Wife No. | of some venerable
patriarch would sometimes get into diff
culties with her colleague No. 10, and jeal-
ousies and heart-burings would stir their
gentle bosoms. Some graceless wife would
allow shadow of discomfort to cross her
mind at the thought that, at the most, she
could never hope to possess more than a
fraction of her husbands heart. But these
troubles scarce. Y ruffied the surface of Nor
mon society, and the distant world, if it
ever thought of them, could only guess that
all was not happiness among the saints.
So the years passed by till the iron horse
began TO career across the plains of the great
West, and the peaceful colony was disturbed
by the appearance of monogamist strangers.
bringing to the saints "reminiscences of their
early prosecutions and they became I'M
happy. Genties settled in their midst-men
who had no fear of Brigham before their
eyes, who were sharp in their dealings and
undeIsold the Chosen People, and last Of
all, TO crown the Affections Of the faithful,
Susan B. Anthony and others of her sex
who were spare of body, ill-favOred and
sour Of aspect and sharp of tongue, and
who had no love for the lords of creation
and less respect for their hereditary prerog-
atiyes, appeared in the streets of Salt Lake,
and preached their pernicious ideas of
woman's rights among the people. Dissatis-
faction spread through the households of the
patriarchs; disaffection grew in their midst,
till at last, when Brigham had reached the
ripe age of seventy, and had seen his family
multiply around him like a corn ield, the
Federal authorities stepped in and wrested
the sceptre from his hand. The venerable
President of the Saints with his less Illus
trious colleagues are Row under arrest, on
charge of adultery, and there is little
doubt, from the strong public sentiment
against them that the days of their power
are numbered. While the enlightened
opinion Of the age viii regard sucha consuln-
nation with supreme satisfaction there just
possibility that the present movement may
be magnifed into persecution of the Nor
mons, the certain result of which cannot
fail to be, rapid increase of their numbers.
1t was so when Joseph Smith and Rigdon
Were tarred and feathered at Kirkland, Ohio,
in June 1898; further increase followed
+. their expulsion from Missouri, in 1898; and
a sill greater addition to their numbers
occurred when Joe. Smith and his brother
Hiram were shot by the mob at Carthage,
H., in lS45. and when the Mormon town
of Nauyoo was cannonaded for three q.
days IN the following year and its
unfortunate inhabitants were driven at the
point of bayonrt from Illinois away beyond
the borders Of civilization out into the
great Western wilderness, The zeal of
their opponents in all these instances only
strengthened the organization that it sought
20 crush. and ia these relentless persecU-
lions. more than to anything else, may be
as,ribed the continued existence of Nor
monism.
The lovers Of morality may in this in
s'Ance hope for prompt and decisive action
oa the Tar+ of The Federal authorities.
. There are no such inducements for the EX-
erative to interfere on behalf Of the Utah
plvgamists Us there were in the Bowen
case. The whole country looks for the
suppression of polygamy as practiced in
Utah. and C,rant has seized upon the occa-
sion. not so much in the interest of morality,
as to make political capital for himself If
lia would only extend to Radical offenders
against the civil law as well as morality the
same punishment that he metes out to the
"fa,ter Day Saints" the public might be
persuaded that for once he had acted from
pure and dsinterested motives.
4 CONFECTIONERY Of Canadian paper
vlo was present a. the opening Of the En-
ro3san and North American railroad, and
wio happened 10 be on the same train with
oar President from Boston and Bangor,
v.i-ss rs { lows: "The train stopped at
sc..ral stations in order to afford opportu-
ni-v Tor H. President 10 show him
set to the crowd which he did,
b.t nary a word. In appearance
h, IS a regular American, With a good deal
OF stubbornness and very little Intellectual
itv visible in his countenance. He says
little. and HAT little is worth less. His
pyiacipal o. patton seems 20 be TO smoke
a ais aaa ., ayh the smoke That Is the
i,,.sr,.s.io.. mai our chief magistrate makes
or ~ ga, II every ten who comStn con
tact Will hin.