The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-03-27
The Lesson of Utah.
TFrom the Woman's JournaI.l I

From the Mom0ii's JOurnsi-
The population of Utah is divided into
two hostile classes, the MoTmons and
Gentiles. The Mormon voters, even
without the women, largely exceed the
Gentiles in number. But this prepon
derance is increased by the votes of the
women because almost all the women of
Utah happen to be Mormons. Indeed,
almost all the resident population, the
farms, the homes of Utah, are composed
of Mormons. They are a peaceable, in
dustrious people, devoted to their pc
culiar observances, with u theology
which not only permits, but inculcates
polygamy as an article of faith, and are
characterized by the eXclusiveness of
social feeling, which sectarianism de-
velops and persecution intensities.
The Gentiles, on the contrary, are
chiefly composed of miners; rough,
reckless frontiersmen, without fixed
homes, without wives or female rela
tives. This floating population is natu
rally Jealous of Mormon supremacy and
impatient of restraints, whether salu-
tary or otherwise. When n GENTLE
sees n Mormon and the women of his
family cast several votes, he does not
stop to consider that he might neutral
iZe these votes by making home and
inviting his female relatives to leave
the East and settle with him in Utah.
Nor does he ask himself whether these
women have not quite as much right to
vote as himself, upon questions which
equally concern all? lie simply sees
the momentary numerical disadvantage,
and appeals to the authorities at Wash
ington to strike down the women. And
such men as Senator Frelinghuysen
are prompt to do his cowardly bidding.
But, il is said, these women help sus-
tain by their votes the semi-barbarous
institution of polygamy. Well, suppose
they do. And suppose that this institu
tion, for which they plead the Patri-
arehal sanctions of the Old Testament,
is as unnatural and as injurious as its
bitterest opponents represent it. And
suppose that we coneede without ques-
tion that forcible interference by Federal
authority is right and eXpedient and
necessary. What then? VIII not these
poor women, the victims of a false the
ology and a mistaken sense of duty,
need hereafter every right and privilege
of citizenship more than women who
are more happily circumstanced If
the United States Courts are TO deprive
these women of their so-called husbands,
and declare them unmarried, and pro-
nounce their children bastards, and
compel them to rely upon their own re-
sources for the future support OF them
selves and their children, ought we not
at least to recognize and respect their
equal rights of citizenship? Why give
a vote to the man who is 4 polygamist
and refuse it to the woman? Why in
crease the power of the strong and
double the burthens of the weak? If
any class of Mormons should he dis
franchised, it certainly ought not to be
| the women. But
"Man TO man so Oft unjust
/ Is always 50 TO woman"
The utter Indifference of Congress to
! the rights of the women of Utah is in
] singular contrast to its almost morbid
sensitiveness in regard to the rights of
cOlored men. Suppose that the Senate
Judiciary Committee, in view of the
very "peculiar condition" of South Car
olina, had quietly reported Bill, the
effect of which would be to deprive
colored men of suffrage? Would a long
debate have taken place without a
single allusion TO the proposed "limita-
ton of suffrage" to white men? On
the contrary, Mr.. Sumner would have
exhausted the resources of eloquent in
vective, and every Republican Senator
would have denounced the proposition
as conspiracy against liberty.
Let us hope that the day will come
when the rights of women will find as
many and as earnest defenders in the
Congress of the United States as the
rights Of colOred men find now. But
that day will never dawn until the
women of America are armed with the
ballot.-H B. BLdckdceH