The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-11-20
EMPORIA NEWS.
FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 20, 1874.
A QUEER DEFENSE OF
POLYGANIY.
rrom the Ogden lutah } Innct,on

One OF the standing arguments
against the practice of polvoamv
is the statement that the sexes are
born in about equal numbers. 1t
is brought up by preachers anx-
ious to defend the Bible from the
reproach of teachingl polygamy,
when they find themselves unable
to throw dust enough in the ewes
of their hearers to blind them with
their sophistry, and perceive that
the Bible is too plain on the sub
iect to be covered up by their DER
versions. 1t is the staple stock in
trade of editors when anti-poly-
gamic leaders are in demand.
But the argument is as poor as
it is stale. The question properly
put would be, Is there any dispro-
portion between the sexes at q
manageable age? That there are
more manageable females than
males in most parts of the world
very few will deny. There are
few localities, such rs mining dis
tricts and newly-settled countries,
where the men outnumber the wo-
men. But statistics prove that in
the nations of the Old World, and
in the majority of cities and states
in the new, there are more mar
riageable women than men. In
consequence of tile dangers to
which the male sex is exposed,
the male mortality is far greater
than that of the female. Fewer
boys than girls live to the age of
maturity. War, accident, and the
rougher and more dissippated life
of the sterner sex make deaths
harvest far richer in the masculine
than in the feminine field of hu-
manity.
But supposing that the number
of men and women in the world
was equal. How many of the
former there are who will not as
sumo the cares and responsibilities
of matrimony! while it is conced-
ed that the number of women who
remain single from choice is ex-
ceedingly limited. In consequence
of this the matrimonial market is,
all over the world, except in such
exceptions as we have named, far
better stocked with the feminine
article than the masculine.
There are two other points
which are irresistible against the
equal number argument. Every
woman should have the privilege
of choice, and vile and corrupt meI
should not be husbands and faith
ers. None but the good deserve
the fair. To be loved wife anC
mother is the cap-stone of a vir
gins castle in the air. 1t is thu
GROWING glory of womanhood
Every virtuous girl should hav,
the opportunity to SILL the meas
ure of her creation" and reach Ia,
goal of her journey of life. TIL,
cup of her happiness is never filled
until she clasps to her bosom tn,
offspring of true union with tn,
lord OF her heart. If there ar,
more women love the same maj
and mutually agree to accept hin
as there husband, whose rights ar
trampled upon? What principl
Unnatural or divine law is violated
The doctrine of pairs is contra
dicted by natures voice in tn
whole animate universe, ant
Deity itself speaks in harmon,
with its tones.
To say that the marriage of sew
eral woman with one man prevent
some men who should marry iron
obtaining q wife, is untrue, an,
facts contradict it. In what par
ofthe world where polygamy i
practiced is any man debarre
from the opportunity to marry
Certainly not in Utah. The girl
in Utah who are favorable to mai
rimony outnumber the boys b
immense odds. Ifthe young me
will not marry them can they b
blamed if they unite with the old
er ones who are already married
when all parties concerned ar
agreed? And who can censure
virtuous maiden for rejecting tn
matrimonial advnces of youth
who are depraved in their habits
III COl
rupt in their practices? Virtuou
families make up a virtuous con
munity, and the strength of ms
ton is its purity. If vile men ar
crowded out of the marriage rels
ton because polygamy opens tn
door for the union of the pur
with the good, so much in favor c
polygamy.
The standy anti -polygamy argu
ment is therefore baseless an
vain, and is only supported by as
sertion and sOphistry. The trut
is that the weaker sex needs great
or facilities for honorable wedlocl
throughout the "civilized" world
and mormon" polygamy, praC
ticed I'm the spirit of the theory,
sexual salvation, and the door @
maternal happiness to thousand
who, without it, would be doome,
to single misery or social degrade
ton.