Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-02-12

POlYgamY.

are beginning to realize that the
have been nursing a viper in thei
midst in the form of pOlygamy, l
has grown to monster proportions
and is now ready to strike its ven
omous fangs into the Government
that has nursed it. Polygamy is I
monster evil that has been tolerated
until the Mormons believe that tht
government dare not interfere witt
it.
Like slavery, it seeks to hide its
hideous form behind Estate rights,
and unless taken hold of before
Utah is admitted as a State, it may
require as much blood to wash the
stain of its horrible trail from the
land, as slavery did.
The time for action is at hand.
For more than a quarter of a cen
fury the people have been waiting
for polygamy to " die out"
When the Pacific Railroad was
building, many believed that the
terrible monster would be fright
ened away at the approach of the
''iron horse" Again, when Brig
ham Young died, it was thought
Mormonism would go down. But
is it the case? The number of
polygamous marriages have been
greater since then than before, and
is constantly increasing 1t is esti-
mated that there are now 100000
Mormons in Utah and more than
$4,000 in other countries. They
already have the balance of power
in Idaho, and are rapidly acquiring
influence in Colorado and Arizona.
In a scope of country larger than
New England, the people are taught
such pernicious doctrines as these:
"GOd is the celestial patron of
pOlygamy."
& POlygamy on earth gives rank
in heaven"
mothers should be responsible
for the support of their children"
" Mother and daughter may be
wives of one husband.
Should not the women of the
United States be aroused on this
subject, if no one else is? The |
Christian women are generally
found in the front ranks, battling
for the cause of the right. They
surel y ought not to keep silent now,
when so much that interests them
is involved.
Noble defenders of the right, do
you wish to see your race so de-
graded? All womanly impulses
crushed out, and wrongs heaped
upon your sisters that are equal
to those practiced in the lands
of the darkest heathendom ?
Arouse from your lethargy,
buckle on your armor and go to
work to put down this evil.
Behold that wretch sitting so
complacently in the halls of Con-
gress by the side of your husbands
and sons. He defes the anti-po-
If he was guilty of liv-
ing with four wives anywhere else
than in Utah, a dungeon would be
his portion, instead of seat in Con-
gress.
Mothers, will you submit to it ?
Where is your boasted pride of
virtue and chastity!
The Mormons are opposed to edu-
cation, and if the evil is not put
Town society will be oVerrun by
men and women more ignorant, SEN
'ual and degraded than the inmates
# the dens of infamy in the cities.
The press, the ministry and the
women should be at work trying to
destroy this twin sister of barbarr
SIN. Such men as Schuyler Colfax,
Prof. VIM. Wells and Rev. Joseph
Cook, the great Boston lecturer,
ire speaking forth, but the people
are not yet aroused to a sense cf
heir danger.
The press should strive to keep
he people informed OF the doings
If this gigantic evil.
The minister's voice should be
heard ringing forth in tones of
thunder the evils and sins of the
great vice.
Woman's influence should be
Welded to Danish it from this fair
and of ours. 0, that l had a voice
hat could reach and arouse every
woman in the land. If the noble
who sits in the "White
House" would only become inter
,sted on the subject, she might set
n motion a stone that would crush
he hideOus demon to atoms.
The people all over the United
States ought to instruct their Con-
yressmen to vote, work, and wage
bitter warfare against the evil. Let
petitions go up all over the land for
he election of that four-wived mis-
'reant from Congress.
HIS presence there is a shame to
,ur government that other nations