Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-03-24

I POLITICAL PARTIES Ill all tHC aNJoSShe ONobCs
and Territories. l submit that it is time
that the mailed hand was applied; time
that this vile monster was checked and
placed in course of ultimate extinction.
We cannot do this by kid-glove legislation.
1t requires harder blows. Somebody must
be hurt. This bill hits the right class ;
it strikes the authors Of all the mischief
and wickedness no other element is
| touched. Mormons who do not indulge
the luxury of a plurality Of wives are left
ON an equal footing with the Gentiles Of
Utah nc better and no worse.
This bill is a premium to them to be-
have themselves in the future; to continue
to obey the laws of the land and bring
| order out OF disorder. This is its best
| feature. And it must be constantly borne
in mind that there are two classes OF Nor
mons in Utah-knaves and dupes. The
first are men who have brought about the
condition of things / have hurriedly and
imperfectly described. The latter deserve
the fostering care Of the Government;
they deserve to be encouraged so long as
they remain l~aw-abiding. That is what
this bill does. 1t leaves them the power
to control and shape the destinies OF the
Territory. Against this latter class have
no harsh word to pronounce. As q rule
tuCJ Il q lIuHdAs ilduot tOao oh0 VIII
meaning people. But they have been for
years most outrageously imposed upon by
the hypocritical priesthood Of the Mormon
Church. There is O cause for this, and as
w proceed in the consideration OF this
question we will do well to reason from
cause to effect.
The great mass of Mormons are foreign
born. They were proselyted and trans
planted from grinding poverty in the Old
World to comfortable homes in Utah by
| the Mormon Church. The change is SO
marked and marvellous that they re-
gard it as an inspiration, and praise the
Mormon faith accordingly. They are in
capable of explaining the betterment Of
their condition on any another hypothesis.
Hence the deep hold which their plotting
leaders have on them. All they are and
all they have and all they hope to be they
ascribe to the Mormon Church.
They attest their fidelity and gratitude
fully and unanswerably year after year by
the voluntary surrender Of a one tenth
part of their earnings in the shape OF
fittings for the maintenance of the Church
and the dissemination of its doctrine
among the heathens here in the East and
in the European countries.
The plural wives of Utah are also loyal
w tHO 1tth amy "a . III nv
tive Of personal interest and pride. 1t is
the direct personal interest of these miser-
able women to make polygamy respectable.
Having fallen into the terrible vortex Of
degradation, they are interested in up
holding before the world the system to
which their shame and misery are atIrib-
utable as a part and parcel of a holy re-
ligious conviction, having for it's object the
redemption and sanctification Of everlasting
souls. They take refuge behind it as the
only pretext they can offer for their deep
and ineffaceable disgrace; and, above all,
with a mothers love they shrink with
bleeding and respondent hearts from the
performance of an act calculated to bring
the stigma Of bastardy against their off
spring. They are to be commended fer
this holy sentiment. l have no word of
censure for these deluded mothers; for
them and their deplorsble condition every
right feeling and right thinking man must
entertain the most profound sympathy.
Joe Smith was the author Of the Nor
NOR religion. He invented it, but left
polygamy out. And Smith stole the whole
plan and idea from an enterprising news,
paper correspondent, who had simply laid
the foundation for a sensational story.
Some copper plates bearing hieroglyphics
had been deposited by the correspondent
in a mound somewhere in the State of
New York. Smith knew Of their where
abouts. The correspondent died suddenly
and Smith dug up the plates, pretended to
translate the meaningless hieroglyphics,
and based thereon the Book of Mormon.
Thus what originally was designed to
furnish the basis of a clever fiction for the
Police Gazette was turned into a so-called
religious creed, which in less than 90 years
is seriously threatening the perpetuity of
the American Union But, as l have
already said, there was no polygamy in
Joe Smiths new religion. The Book Of
Mormon consists OF garbled extracts from
the Old Testament, with here and there an
occasioLsl precept in not over-vigorous
English by Smith himself.
Polygamy was an afterthought. It was
one OF Brigham Young's revelations after
he had succeeded to the Presidency Of the
Church after the death of the Prophet Jo-
seph. Brigham set up in business as q
irst-class seer and revelator after he got
charge OF things. He 80 played upon the
ignorance and superstition OF his followers
as to Undue them with a thorough belief
in his divine power. Brigham was a crsfty
old revelator and well knew how to impress
his doctrines on his people. His associates
and apostles knew that he was a BIAS
phemer, but it served their purposes to
stand by him. In the language of Colonel
Sellers, there was "millions in it'-like-
wise women TO satisfy their lustful natures.
These knaves formed a conspiracy against
the ignorant men and women who had
come over from the Old World. They
played into each others hands and man
aged in every way to make Brigham Young
''solid" as q revelator; and in turn Brig
har, oaua than, mara wopaon and halter
opportunities to plumber the faithful. So
well had they played this game that the
unsophisticated brethren believed impli-
city that Brigham after death might re-
surrect and come forth from the tomb, as
did the Savior of the world. II is record
ed that a watch was set over his grave to
witness the triumphant mounting OF the
golden stairs by the late lamented, but he
came not. The inference is that he went
the other way.
Revelation was at that time, and 1t is
to-day, the chief cornerstone of the Nor
mon Church. Those who believe in Nor
monism at all believe especially in reyela-
ton through their apostles. Thus it is
that we find Church and State 80 intl-
mately blended in Utah that it is impossi-
BILE to tell where one leaves off and the
other begins. Out OF a total membership
of 81 in the Utah Legislature, recently In
session in Salt Lake City, 81 were mem
bers of the Mormon Church, and ~ had a
plurality OF wives. That is pretty unani-
nous. 1t shows that none but Mormons
need apply. 1t also shows that the polyg-
amist element is preferred. Revelation
did the business. The ignorant dupes
were told that it was the wish and will OF
the Diety that none but Mormons should
ha retnrnad To the Legislature. They are
told the same thing at every election. And
these pretended revelations always give
greatest prominence to the brethren who
are living in ~polygamy. This Is lone to
give tone and responsibility to the lecher-
Gus element. 1t 10 also done as a defiance
10 the laws Of the land. Brigham Young
onca hid Delegate Hooper, q ~monogamic