Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-01-13
OUR UTAH LETTER.

HEBER CITY, Dec. %, 1881.
DEAR JOURNAL the Presidents
Message, see, as usual, n paragraph on
the Mormon question. He urges the me-
cessily of stringent legislation for the sup
preston of Poygamy in the Territories.
One sentence reads: "Prominent among
the obstacles is the difficulty of procuring
legal evidence sufficient to warrant con-
viclion." Another :-"I recommend, alpo,
the passing of an act providing, that in
the Territories of the United States, the
fact that woman has been married TO II
person charged will, bgamy shall not dis
qualify her as n witness upon his trinl for
that offense."
Jess so. But let us look at the position
of the woman and see il she does not also
deserve TO be punished. In Polygamy
the woman mnrries the man, knowing lie
has another wife, or wives, and enters this
state of her own free win and accord; and,
becoming dissatisfied, IN 10 be allowed to
appear an II witness against the husband,
and escape punishment herself in order to
obtain sufficient evidence TO convict the
man. L. she not as guilty as the man?
Does sle not also need to he convicted md
punished for Polygamy-not Bigamy-
mark the difference? In the latter the
woman or man is viciimized, not know
ing there was former husband or wife
living and of course one of them is inno-
cent of crime. In Polygamy the n,lvsa-
bility of furnishing the woman has two
views irst slie would be reluctant to testi-
| fly against the man, knowing that she
would suffer the penalty of the law, and
it would be hard to obtain witnesses, az
| suggested in the Presidents message, to
convict the man. But would il not put
check to Celestial marriages in Utah
| Could an many women be found 10 EN-
brace that form of marriage, knowing that
they also were subject to the law Are
they NOT violating the law of the land as
we'll az the MANI Dies not Justice de.
mand that they suffer the penalty as we'll?
| am acquainted with dozens of Polyga
nous families here, and am con vlnced that
they are sincere in their belief that Polyg
amy ~ Divine religious principle. A
man Is certainly not to he envied las far
ms happiness in this world is concerned
who has two or more women. He seems
to be martyr, A. it were, bearing his
cross here in order TO obtain his reward
hereafter. Jealousies often exist between
the women, out where they can't agree To-
gether, they are kept in separate houses.
man must have an unimpeachnble
character before he can obtain recon
mend from the Bishop to get him another
wife; and then he sometimes tails if he is
discovered in any of the "ways that are
dark"
AT present this practice,so abominable to
christianity, is iourishing and many Poly.
| oo mn Mari fiaeya n snn IN ba N
sumated every week; but they are kept dark
until the law of Limitation is up. They
then make no "bones" about it as they can
, not be prosecuted.
believe that Polygamy is gradually be
coming unpopular with the young people
of Utah, and especially with those reared
in the faith. They seem to have hat
} enough of it, and perhaps as civilization ad
vances, it will become more and more &c
and eventually die. More Anon,
WILD OATS