Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-22
Polygamy among the Mo,mons.

SECOND LECTURE OF MRS. ANN ELIZA
YOUNG.
Mrs Ann Eliza Young, nineteenth
wife OF Brigham Young, delivered her
second lecture in Denver, Col, on the
evening Of December 10th. Ii was de-
voted to an account of the origin, spread.
and pccu.iarities of the system ofpolvg-
amy prevalent in Utah. From the re-
port in the Denver News We quote the
following:
'Thc Mormon leaders are unscrupulon.
i'll their dealings with domestic relations
outside OF iah. Wives are euticed from
husbands, and families broken up, on the
plea that the only salvation j. in Nor
inonisin. Destruction upon all nations,
except Mormondom, has been glowingly
>ct io't "a; that il was near at hand, and
thc ohly refuge was, 10 flee out of Baby
Ion and go to Zion. 1t made no differ
ence II wives, husbands. or children
stood in the way. Lust, rs the control
lnS motive, was carefully disguised:
! women was not TO be taken with bait so
, gross. Hence the theory was started
that there are myrads OF spirits floating
around through space, in want of bodies
to Ill them for a higher sphere Thus
1t becomes the duty of these disconsolate
lncorporeal shades. The greater the
number OF descendants here, the greater
the eXaltatlon i'll the world to come.
The women are told that they are saved
only by being joined to a man, and that
ii she rebel she will becut off. When a
Mormon takes his second wife he NAV
| do 1t without consulting his first If he
asks her consent, and she rebels, she j.
threatened and then admonished that
She Is standing i'll the way of her hu>-
oahd eXaltatlon. She may go to the
altar and perform her part OF the cere-
I nphN. but her nature rebels. The Nor
mons claim that a man may love equally
hall "a dozen women as well as u mother
may the same number Of children, and
that the women are satisfied with this
divided affection; but this is not and
never can be the case. At the present
time polygamy is principally fed bv The
! foreign element. The new arrivals NAV
be owedes OF Danes, but love can speak
language all can understand. MANY
times wives are thrown aside and others
taken, after consultation, simply for the
work they can perform, such as dairy
mad, housekeeper, cook, dc. Some
times the favorite wives acquiesce in
such division in the service of the
household, while certain OF being head
manager. In many cases nature will as
sert Itself over false faith. Some wives
Will not submit to the indignity, and
Will leave the husbands, but generally
he cares little. Ii the wife of whom he
has become tired desires to SHIFT for her.
sell, ho has no objection, and the chill
dren can go where they choose
Here followed description of the
manner IN which polygamy distributes
households, 1t being necessary, in some
instances, for the husband to have his
wives widely separated. In addition to
his wives in Salt Lake Brigham Young
has one i'll Prove, fifty miles south, and
another i'll St. George, $50 miles away
The expense of keeping up these large
aud numerous establishments generally
exceed the means of the most wealthy.
Strict economy is enjoyed. In order to
keep the women we'll in hand, Brigham
Young claims the right to dictate the
number of breadths of material in their
skirts, the character of trimming for
their hats, and, in short, decide respect
ing the entire VIZ .robe of the women of
his church. The favorite wife may OBJ
tain fashionable luxuries from her hus-
band, but others can only get them by
by keeping boarders, sewing, or other
like work. Many OF the wives ofthe apos-
Ties provide for themselves. Joseph A.
Young, son of Brigham, utterlyjne lect-
ed his second wife; she lives in the
greatest destitution. The wife of one of
the Bishops of Salt Lake, who is confined
to her bed, is so neglected and destitute
that she recently applied to Christian
ministers for relief. A wealthy banker
of salt Lake SO neglected one of his wives
that she was compelled to earn her own
living. Tho Delegate from Utah has
J. four wives the third being Ms. Youngs
cousin. 1t is now reported in Utah that
he put away all but one wife, in order 10
). gam his seat. but the report has no toun-
datlon. Mrs. Young here gives instan-
ces CT plural wives who perform menial
services for Gentiles One sews from
house to house at fifty cents day !:
one of four wives goes out washing !;
the four wives of Bishop support that
divine BY washing and house-cleaning
A great deal OF jealousy exists in Nor
mon households, caused by the PARTIAL.
ty OF the husband for some particular
wife. Husbandiy favors are shower,
upon her and caresses upon her children
while the children Of the other wives re-
ceive no care, no love, no attention
This touches the motherlv heart, a.G
crushes all womanly instincts, except
motherly love. She hates the husband