Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-12-16

CRY. -Four hundred emigrants, mostly
from England, arrived at Salt Lake City
on single train, one afternoon last Ju-
ly. The next day at noon, you could
scarcely find one OF them in the CITY,
Each one Of them had already been al
lotted to his place, and was at work, ask
ing no questions.
1t is not strange that such men follow
the example Of their leader into polyga-
my, first TO tolerate, then to justify, and
finally to embrace. The women arc al
50 deeply religious, terribly fanalical and
intensely in earnest. The lesson OF their
lives seems very plainly written on the
countenanccs of the thousands of women
who, with their children, crowd the tab
ernacle Of Sunday, as in The plainest
possible attire, generally in the fashion
of the day, they enter the circle. They
lean forward in their seats, as if intent
to catch every possible word Of comfort
or support that may fall from the lips OF
those who assume to teach. There seems
eyes, and their hands are resting on the
seat in front of them, while they act like
hungry and thirsty people, and you al
most hear them say, "Give us food and
drink" Now what does it all mean p
Ask a woman, be she the first wife, o.
last among dozen, or even the dcvout
! Mormon wife, who, as yet, has not been
compelled 10 share her marital rights
with another, what she has to say OF
! poly gamy? And she will answer you
| that it is cross which she il called up
on to bear in this world, that she may
wear a crown in another, and the glory
Of the ono shall be as tie burden of the
other. 1t strength be given her for this
/ trial, so shall she secure an unspeakable
reward hereafter. n devout Mormon
women, who, with her husband, had
seen and mingled much with the outside
i world, apd had witnessed there, as well
as tasted in her own hcme, the beauty
and blessings that flow from the sacred
ness of the marriage relation, answered
this question with something like pious
shudder-'I tremble" said she, "when
think that may be called upon at any
hour to take up this cross, lest be found
unequal 10 its burden. 1t is terrible
trial of our faith in God and His rclig-
ion, which, in His inscrutable dealings
with us, His weak and erring children,
he calls upon us TO endure. / pray for
strength, but l pray in fear and trem-
bling"
1t does not seem possible that so hid
eous q vice could ever be clothed i'll
such carmen g, yet mingling with this
people leads oIe to conclude that senti-
ments akin to these obtain generally
among the women of Utah, and that the
care-worn, anxious faces and troubled
countenances which they bring to the
Tabernacle each Sunday, do not arise so
much from dissatisfaction with their lot,
as from internal struggles with what
they have come to believe, under
the infamous doctrines they lear put
forth weekly as Divine revelations, is
the weakness of this worlds probation,
to be overcome, if they would in this
life fit themselves tor another. 1t is not
rare to hear them exult in their triumph,
aud point to the very surroundings OF
their loathsome marital life as evidences
J of their growth in grace. In nothing
do they more firmly believe, than that
as people, they lead a better life than
those from whom they have separate,
themselves. The terms "Latter Day
! Saints" ard "Gen,iles," though phrase:
invented by their leaders, do well eX
; press this belief of the people. The
words, HOLINESS TO THE LORD" arc
printed over the doors of their business
) institutions, around what is meant fol
an All-seeing Eye. The people trust
however rank the hypocrisy that put
this inscription upon the wall. Every
Thing is done in the name of religion
dictated, as they believe, by specia
revelation.
= Now imagine eighteen thousand adul
females, three fourths of them foreigners
mostly ignorant, bigoted, Welsh women
taught TO believe that polygamy is
f divine injunction, with the trat Of it il
e an army Of children an average of thre
n to every one of them standing aroun'
/ them, to he made legitimate members O
: the household, aud heirs to their owr
a fathers substance, or cast out drov
5 Of bastard beggars, according as poly
= gamy shall be upheld or overthrow
! You can :hen comprehend what wonl
. otherwise seem impossible, such cond
tion of things that even woman will b
= found clingIng to this leprosy. The lega
Il consequence of pronouncing polygam.
$ unlawful, crime to be punished, nece>
sarily driving three tourths of tn
f mothers of Utah forth into friendles
g world, prostitutes and beggars, wit
: their children illegitinatized. has bee
;, so industriously taught the multitud,
O that they have come to believe then
o selves thrown upon the defense OF thei
p homes and firesides.
|, The argument of destitution and di
:, grace is constantly used by the Mormon
= with their women, to intensity their hat
), of all proceedings instituted to owe
If throw polygamy. But it does not seeI
If TO have attracted the attention of thos
G devoted exclusively to the work of e
e termination by the anathemas of the la
'e alone. They do not seem to have sto
u ped to inquire what would be the co
l. dition of that people with more tha
s, one half of its population, and that i
n- women and children, cast off and disil
sr herited beggars, with the brand OF inf
t. nv uDon their brow, aud with no plaC