Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-11-14
SALT LAKE, Nov.7,-The following
was adopted at meeting of non-Mor
mon women Of this citv

SALT LAKE, Nov.7,-The following
was adopted at meeting of non-Mor
mon women of this city:
10 Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes, and
the aoomen of the United States 1t is
more than 80 years since polygamy
was planted on the shores OF Great
Salt Lake. During these years, Con.
gress has utterly failed to enact eff :
cient or enforce existing laws for the
abolition of this great crime, and we
believe that more of these unlawful
and unhailowed alliances have been
contaminated the past year than ever
before in the history OF the Mormon
church. Endowment houses, under
the name of temples, are being erected
in different parts of the territory,
costing millions. 1t is impossible to
ascertain the exact number of poly
gamous marriages, for they are conse-
Grated in these endowment houses, an
institution no Gentle is permitted to
enter, where brotherhood and sister,
hood are sealed and bound by oaths
so strong that even apostles will not
reveal them, and to mention which
witnesses on the witness stand IN
blushingly perjure themselves, and on
the jury violate all considerations OF
oath and duty. Considering all our
surroundings, polygamy has never
taken such degrading and debasing
form in any nation or among any peo-
pie above the conditions of barbarism
as in Utah. 1t is degrading " man
and woman, curse to children and
destructive to the sacred relations oil
family upon which the civilization oil
nations depend, and there are things
that canno. be repeated or printed
that reduces the system to the lowest
form of indecency. That it should be
practiced in the name and under the
cloak of religion that an apostle pol.
ygamist, with four acknowledged
wives, is permitted to sit in Congress,
only adds to the enormity of the
crime, and makes it more revolving to
our common Christian principles. Our
Legislature is composed almost en-
tirely of polygamists and members OF
the Mormon priesthood, and they
have thrown around polygamy every
possible safeguard in their power, and
right OF dover has been abolished to
break down the distinction between
lawful wife and concubine. The Nor
mons are rapidly extending their set
Elements into Arizona, Idaho, New
Mexico and Wyoming. They have
the balance of power in two terrific.
ries, and are without doubt plotting
for it in others. We call upon the
Christian women of the United States
to join us in urging Congress to EN-.
power the courts to arrest the further
progress of this evil and to delay the
admittance of Utah into stateshood
until this is accomplished. And we
ask you to circulate and publish our
appeal, in order to arouse public sem
timent which should be against an
abomination that peculiarly Expresses
and stigmatizes woman. 1t is our
purpose to ask names for petition
designed for Congress, and we hope,
also, that every minister Of the gospel
will commend it to the women of his
congregation, and that all Christian
associations will do what they can to
obtain signatures. With the cordial
cooperation and concerted action OF
the Christian women of our land we
may confidently hope that the great
sin of polygamy may be abolished.