New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-08-28
The Mormon Question.


The tendency and the practice Of civilized
society has been towards monogamy, and it
must, we think, be acknowledged that this
has been useful as well as credtable char
acteristic Of modern society. That in actual
life, through easily procured divorces, or the
immortality which exists, there may be many
exceptions to the general rule does not lessen
the importance Of the fact.
The spirit of civilization seems opposed to
polygamy, and it has been the business Of
the modern legislators to strengthen the
monogamc system by throwing about il the
protection and sanction of law.
America has been the place where polyg-
amy, already decaying and cOrrupting the
nations which encourage it, has again reared
| its head, and, making itself religious duty,
has insured its continuance with the exist
encc OF the State.
That this system should continue to -four
ish in Il Christian country has been hurled
at lis as a reproach, but it is a great deal
easier to reproaCh us with the fact than to
suggest practical means to get rid of it,
| There are two objections to it, the low
state of morality as is alleged that il Guilt
Yates, and the effect it has socially. Unfor-
tunately for the theorists, the actual state of
morality is far higher among the MormOns,
as both their enemies and friends testify,
than among the average Gentle nations and
communities. The rum shop, billiard saloon,
and gambling hells which are sometimes sup
posed to be necessary adjuncts of American
civilization, find no support nor countenance
| in Utah. This makes the interference of
national authority with these people thing
to be dreaded; in the first place, because
the moment we attack their State and sys-
! TEN, we attack their religion and begin a
religious persecution, foreign alike to our
republican Government and the temper Of
the times. At the same time by such a
policy we should at once elevate to the scat
fold of martyrdom the bigoted Sensualist
and his elders, while we provoke for them
the sympathy of the world. In the second
place, because it is the policy of our National
Government to interfere as little as possible
with the relations Of the States and Terrific
ries, and in those cases where it does, only
when absolutely necessary to preserve the
authority or save the life of the State.
That the State does have authority to in
terest itself directly in the affairs Of Terri
tory, such as Utah, must be acknowledged;
but the eXpcdiency of SO doing is another
and far different question in its execution
and results. Utah does not render itself
amenable to law by its practice Of what the
law of July, 1862, characterizes as bigamy,
but as this law is practically a dead letter,
and has never been actively enforced, it is
TODAY at least an exceedingly questionable
policy TO apply it to the Mormons alone.
Polygamy is supposed TO have an injurious
effect upon the women who are its yotaries
or victims, but their general testimony does
not bear out this supposition, whether it
arises from their ignorance or iniatuation.
In fact, all the experiments made in Commu-
nistic circles in France, England, and at the
Oneida community in America rather bear
witness to the generally cOntented DISPOSE
tons of the women. Indeed, we are rather
inclined TO think that man, after ALL is the
one who Chafes most at the infractiOn of the
nuptial bond. Now, while bigamy, when
committed by a single individual, can prop
erly be treated as crime by the State when
it has the sanction Of a whole community,
and is matter Of religious faith, it becomes
the State to lie extremely careful, lest in its
zeal for morality, it does not violate the
rights which are guaranteed to those people
by the Constitution
What We would dcnounce a. crime
against the family relation, they would sim
ply call their religious duty.
The social effects of Mormonism are bad.
They develop, if they do not encourage,
ignorance. Fanaticism grows best in igno-
rant communities. Most OF the converts to
Mormonisn are ignorant, and consequently
easily deluded people. Education is not
widely dihused, nor definitely supported. A
feeling of isolation, an attempt TO shut them
selves out from extraneous influences, is fos-
tered, and ali trade with Gentiles is disap-
proved. All these things prove the system,
leaving out Of view for the present the ques-
ton of plurality of wives TO be founded on
wrong and unstable iples-principle
which possess in themselves the seeds Of
decay. The energy, foresight, and practical
shrewdness of Brigham Young are the only
things which nos; keep the relic Of barbarism
standing in the great American desert.
When he dies, it is probable that, as in the
case of Mahomet, the jealousies, quarrels,
and riyalries of his subordinates will dig the
grave Of his system. The great railroad
which has lately threaded its way across the
continent, the forerunner Of civilization, will
be one OF the most powerful agents in break
ing up this great system Of polygamy, by
throwing into that Territory large and an
tayonistc immigration
Should the Monnons attempt 10 prevent
peaceable settlers from coming into the Ter