Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-14

this life but in the life to come, still II is
the belief OF civilized men, who have faith
in future life, that happiness in the future
state is consistent with happiness in this
that the common good with respect to
this world is consistent with welfare iii
the world to come.
Assuming then that such actions and
institutions as promote human welfare
are morally right, and that such actions
as produce pain and distress are wrong,
and assuming, also, that justice (Which is
equalness) is right, | will endeavor to
test by these rules the morality OF the
monogamic marraiage (the marriage oil
one man to one woman) and the poly
gamic marriage (the marriage OF one man
to two or more women).
Whether we consider marriage in law
simply as contract, or as more than II
contract--a status-a state or condition,
it should fix the rights and duties oil the
parties with respect to each other They
are mutually bound TO love, respect and
cherish each other Each has right to
the affection, the society and the support
Of the other. II is union for life or until
severed according to law. All the duties
OF the husband which belong TO the re-
lation are due to the wife, and the duties
which the wife owes that relation are due
to the husband. Ii the husband may
neglect such duties and deprive his wife
of the benefits and happiness which their
discharge would bring, ii he may divide
his society, his attention and his support
with other women, if he may thus neglect
his wife and her children for the benefit OF
other women and their children, and the
,,;c hn tn "a al In
duties which belong to the relation, then
marriage is for the wife an unequal and
unjust contract. And ii the wife may
refuse to discharge her obligations also,
then this holy union of matrimony has
no binding effect and free love or promis-
Guilty must follow. With the overthrow
OF the institution OF marriage will come
the destruction OF the family and of the
home, and that refuge OF chastity, Of
purity and OF virtue-the fountain of de-
votion, OF love and of happiness, the in
stitution which furnishes so largely the
incentives to industry, to self respect, to
fidelity and to patriotism-thes sure founda-
ton OF social order, OF prosperity and
progress, and the corner stone upon
which civilized government reposes, will
inevitably be destroyed.
The great number of divorces obtained
in the District and Probates Courts of
this Territory and the illegal divorces
heretofore granted by the Mormon
church show that the institution OF mar
riage is regarded lightly where polygamy
prevails. Under the statutes OF this Ter
ritory divorces may be obtained for sucl,
trivial causes, and have been so fire.
quently granted, that the "Utah divorce
is a proverbial term OF derison and con-
tempt. And it must be SO, since the ten
dency OF polygamy is to make marriage
a means for the qualification OF passion
and bestial lust.
Again, polygamy is based upon the
idea that woman is mans inferior, not
upon the idea that she is his
equal it disregards her womanhood, her
rights and her claims. The laws of this
Territory abundantly illustrate this propo
sition. These laws, with respect to the
rights OF married women to property, like
the institution whose influence probably
enacted them, properly belong to a by
gone age; they are unworthy of this
Polygamy brings woman into contempt
and must result in her degradation; i,
tends to make her an object OF low ant
grovelling desires. Its tendency is back
wards and downwards to the barbarisn
where the monogamic marriage found
her, with the yoke OF oppression and in
justice upon her in the chains of slavery
Monogamy broke the yoke and loosec
her chains, and led her up the shining
way OF progress to the high plane o
equality, justice and liberty. Her exalta
ton has ever attended human progress
and human welfare demands that sht
shall be regarded as the equal OF man
| In, In ln vi nf h,r I,n, 81
wales of superstition woman is n slave
in the light OF intelligence and truth, anc
on the hilltops OF progress and civiliza
ton, she is crowned with respect an,
love. She is mans equal before man anC
before God, and she is free.
The family composed OF one HUSBAND
and one wife and the children OF tina
union are more likely to agree and co
operate than the family composed OF on
husband and many wives and the chill
dren OF such relations. The mothe
will be impartial and just between
her own children, but she will no
be SO between her own and TIN
children OF other living wives, becaus
she has not the same feelings and affec
tons toward them All the children O
the monogamlc marriage bear the SAM
relation to both parents and to each other
The family is held by common tie al
Its members have equal feelings and al
fectlons, common hopes and aspirations
and good will, harmony and Happiness
are likely to prevail but rivalries, ami
mosities, dissensons, ill-will, discord an,
unhappiness are likely to grow up ant
exist in family composed OF one hus
band and numerous wives and the chill
dren OF such wives. Such a family in
cludes all the elements OF domestic dis
cord Superstition and fear may keep i
down, but it will then become u smoth
cred fire consuming the peace Of tn,
soul.
The happiness and welfare OF societ,
demand that children when growing III
shall have the care, attention, support
counsel, advice and example OF the lathe
as well us OF the mother. The great mas,
OF men are hardly able to provide for ant
bring up well one family OF children. |
man attempt more, there will surely be
neglect somewhere. While the Chris
tan world believes that the New Tesla
ment condemns polygamy, it also believes
that Infinite wisdom and goodness are
manifested in nature; that the disposition
oil men and women to associate together
and to form the relationship termed mar.
rage is an expression in natural law OF
the will OF the Great Author. And the
relative proportion OF males TO females
Is also believed 10 be an intimation
IN nature upon the subject OF marriage
from the same infinite source. Ii polyp-
amy were such an expression upon the
subject oil marriage, ii is reasonable Ia