DEFENSE OF CELESTIAL MARRIAGE—BIBLE SOCIETY'S WAR ON MORMONISM—ELDER TAYLOR'S BIBLE—STRANGE SOLUTION OF THE MORMON PROBLEM—THE ARMY TO THE RESCUE.

And what of the question of polygamy, which, during the years that The Mormon was published, was the slogan of the enemies of the people of Utah—the head and front of Mormon offending? To understand the amount of bitterness infused into the remarks of the press—discussion would be too dignified a term for the denunciation and invectives found in it—the reader must remember that besides being a religious controversy, Mormon plural marriage was also dragged into the politics of the country.

The Democratic party at that period took the ground that the territories were to be free to regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States. This was the celebrated "Popular Sovereignty" doctrine, which grew up out of the slavery controversy; and was the manner in which certain sections of the pro-slavery party proposed to settle the question of the existence of slavery in the territories—that is by leaving it to the inhabitants of the Territory to establish or reject it on becoming states. The Abolition Party promptly took advantage of their opponents who accepted the "Popular Sovereignty" doctrine, by saying that if the Territories were to be free to regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, then Utah had a right to establish polygamy as well as slavery if she so elected, and thus threw the odium of sustaining polygamy as well as slavery—which they denominated the "Twin relics of barbarism"—upon the popular sovereignty division of the pro-slavery party.

To escape this odium of sustaining a Territory in the right to establish polygamy, if the inhabitants thereof should so desired, the pro-slavery party was more vindictive in its denunciations of Mormon plural marriage than the abolitionists themselves—and thus all parties, with all the bitterness which characterized political discussions in those days were arrayed against Mormonism—especially against plural marriage: and finally, when the Republican Party was organized, in 1856, and adopted the doctrines of the abolitionists, it incorporated in its platform the following:

"Resolved, That the Constitution confers upon Congress sovereign power over the Territories of the United States for their government, and that in the exercise of this power it is both the right and the imperative duty of Congress to prohibit in the Territories those twin relics of barbarism, slavery and polygamy."

In the midst of the agitation and bitterness which led up to such a conclusion as this, though unaided and alone—sustained only by his own conviction of the truth of the system of marriage that God had revealed, and conscious of the support and approval of Almighty God—Elder Taylor stood unmoved and fearlessly sustained the rightfulness of Mormon plural marriage against all who opposed it.

In the very first issue of the Mormon, under the caption "Polygamy," he said:

"Since this doctrine has been promulgated by us as a part of our religious creed, every variety of opinion has been expressed by men in all classes of society. It has been talked about by religious and irreligious, professors and profane. It has been the theme in the legislative hall, the pulpit, the bar-room and the press. Polygamy and the Mormons, Mormons and polygamy have resounded everywhere. * * * In this our first issue it may be expected that something would be said in relation to this matter. This we undertake as cheerfully as any other task; for we are not ashamed here in this great metropolis of America * * * to declare that we are polygamists. We are not ashamed to proclaim to this great nation, to rulers and people, to the president, senators, legislators, judges; to high and low, rich and poor, priests and people, that we are firm, conscientious believers in polygamy, and that it is part and parcel of our religious creed. We do this calmly, seriously and understandingly, after due deliberation, careful examination and close investigation of its principles and bearings religiously, socially, morally, physically and politically! We unhesitatingly pronounce our full and implicit faith in the principle as emanating from God, and that under His direction it would be a blessing to the human family."

After drawing a vivid picture of the immoral state of the world, and allowing that some who opposed polygamy did so because they considered it as a scheme devised to still further plunge humanity into licentiousness, he continues:

"We are not surprised, then, that men of reflection and virtue, and having a knowledge of the world should feel indignant at polygamy. They look upon it as something pandering to the brutal passions of man; and from the exceedingly low standard of virtue, can scarcely conceive of anything but lasciviousness associated with the sex. We respect the conscientious feelings of such men; for we know that with their ideas of such things, they must be extremely revolting. But we would respectfully ask such persons if they ever seriously reflected upon the matter? and further: Is it prejudice, education and the corrupt state of society that has led them to these conclusions [respecting plural marriage]; or matters of fact deduced from scripture, reason, history or precedence? Did they ever think that Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and a host of other good men mentioned in the scriptures were polygamists? That the Twelve Tribes of Israel, to whom belong the covenants and promises, descended from four women, the wives of one man? Did they ever reflect that those men were more virtuous than this generation; and that for such things that are practiced here every day with impunity—adultery—a man would be stoned to death by all Israel? Did they ever reflect that it might be possible for the Lord to be unchangeable? That He had not learned much from man in a few thousand years; and that possibly He was not in error then; and if not then, the same principles might probably be as correct now as they were at that time? It is well for us not to be too hasty."

Referring again to the sexual corruption everywhere prevalent, and the vain endeavors of philanthropists, statesmen, kings and presidents to check it, he concludes by saying: "The Lord's way [plural marriage] as practiced by ancient men of God—the restitution of which has lately taken place—we think will stop it among us."

Upon these lines he continued to defend the marriage system which God revealed; and when the press, for want of better argument, denounced it as immoral, and pretended to be shocked at Mormon wickedness, because they believed it right under certain conditions for a man to have more wives than one; Elder Taylor drew aside the flimsy veil covering the licentious practices of monogamous "Christian" communities, and reminded his opponents that the cities and towns and states in which they themselves lived, were not so immaculate in their purity that ministers, editors and moralists must needs cross the plains and the mountains, in order to find impurity to suppress. He reminded them that the demon of licentiousness stalked abroad unchallenged in their own midst; that he was to be found in their guilded ball-rooms and opera houses; met them upon their streets, mingled in their best society and even sat in their pews.

This was no attempt to justify the practice of one evil by pointing to the existence of another; but to remind them of the fact that even if Mormon polygamy was as bad as they represented it to be, there were evils infinitely worse rotting and festering in their very midst, and which they sought in vain to ignore, as they met them at every street corner, flaunted in their public highways, and were disgustingly placarded on their walls; while the victims thereof filled their poor houses, shrieked out their madness in their asylums, lay slowly rotting in their hospitals or sought relief in self-destruction. He referred to these things to show up the hypocrisy of a generation that could live in the midst of such social corruption, without an effort to check its ravages; and at the same time pretend to be horrified at supposed social evils existing in distant Utah. In this he further resembled Tertullian, of whom it is said, that being arraigned as a criminal at the bar, he accused and condemned his judges.

But while he uncovered for an instant the corruptions of monogamous Christian communities, in order to reprove their hypocrisy, he by no means regarded that exposure as a defense of plural marriage. His defense of that doctrine he based upon the sanction which Almighty God gave to it, as clearly demonstrated in holy writ; upon well known physiological facts; upon moral and social necessities, and his defense was unassailable.

While he was in New York a number of plans were suggested for the overthrow of Mormonism. Among the more humane ones was that of the American Bible Society, which proposed flooding the settlements of Utah with Bibles, being under the impression, doubtless, that the Mormon people did not accept the Bible as the word of God. Hearing of the project Elder Taylor called at the office of the society and offered his assistance in the enterprise, urging them to send well bound books, and gave them the following advice through The Mormon:

"Our mountaineers never do things by halves or for appearance; if they carry Bibles they mean to use them; they'll read them frequently and thoroughly, too. We have a Bible that has kept us company many years on our pilgrimage through life; it has dangled in our pockets many a thousand miles, when, for the gospel's sake, we have visited towns, cities and hamlets. We have had to patch it together frequently, and in fact our friend has got so covered over with our own notes and references, that a white spot is scarcely discernible. We would, therefore, respectfully suggest to the managers of the American Bible Society—if they propose doing real good to the inhabitants of Utah in the Bible line—do it, gentlemen, respectably, for the inhabitants of that Territory will probably use them as we have ours."

Whether his visit and these remarks dashed the ardor of the Bible Society in the undertaking or not, or convinced them of its uselessness, I do not know, but certain it is that the project failed.

Shortly afterwards the Sun, seized with a sudden spasm of confidence that Christianity could overwhelm Mormonisn, called upon the churches of New York to send out ministers to convert the Mormons from the error of their ways. Elder Taylor approved of the undertaking, and gave assurance that they would be well treated and receive respectful attention; but he at the same time expressed his doubts as to their going, and referred to the failure of the Bible Society, saying:

"The Bible Society got up a report about two months ago, that they were going to send a Bible agent to Utah. We then hastened to offer them our co-operation, but as we advanced to receive the precious gifts, they vanished into their original element—gas!"

But of all the schemes for the suppression of Mormonism, there was one suggested by the New York Herald, which for vileness, stood pre-eminent. In August, 1854, Lieutenant-Colonel E. J. Steptoe arrived in Salt Lake, with a detachment of United States troops en route for California, but remained in Utah until the following spring. During their stay, it is said, that members of the command prostituted a number of squaws and also seduced and betrayed several white women. The latter, having lost caste among their former associates, followed their betrayers to California. When this item of news reached the East, the New York Herald made the following comments and recommendations:

"This is momentous news, and very significant withal. It shows that the Mormon women are ripe for rebellion, and that a detachment of the regular army is a greater terror to the patriarchs of the Mormon Jerusalem than Indians or drouth or grasshoppers. It indicates the way, too, for the abolishment of the peculiar institution of Utah. The astonishing results of the expedition of Colonel Steptoe, in this view, do most distinctly suggest the future policy of the government, touching this nest of Mormons. It is to send out to the Great Salt Lake, a fresh detachment of young, good-looking soldiers, and at the end of two or three months, order them off to California and replace them by a new detachment at Salt Lake City and so on until those Turks of the desert are reduced, by female desertions, to the standard Christian regulation of one wife apiece. Unquestionably, if, with a taking detachment of the army in a new and showy uniform, the President were to send out to Utah at this crisis of impending famine, a corps of regular disciplined woman's rights women, to lay down the law to their sisters among the Mormons, they would soon compel the patriarchal authorities of Salt Lake to an exodus to some other region beyond the reach of our gallant army, and our heroic warriors in petticoats, who know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain them. * * * The hint should be appropriated by the administration, for, if under the doctrine of squatters' sovereignty, we cannot constitutionally reach this crying evil of polygamy at Salt Lake, we must reach it by stratagem. We recommend, therefore, to the President and Secretary of the Interior, the policy of detailing another detachment of troops for Great Salt Lake City with the auxiliary force of half a dozen regular woman's rights women whatever the cost; and thus even should the grasshoppers fail to conquer the Territory in the expulsion of the Saints, the work may be done by a revolution among the wives of the apostles."^[1]

To this shameless gloating over the downfall of innocence, and still more infamous recommendation, Elder Taylor remarked:

"Such then is the modus operandi proposed! Gentlemenly debauchee officers are to be sent out—'good looking ones,' that they may be the better able to take away from vice the horrid appearance it would have dressed in another garb. After these shall have performed their work of misery and death, they are to be recruited by others—fine, dashing, young, good-looking fellows, who will be quite competent to deceive and destroy; real Christian gentlemen with 'new, showy uniforms,' who will be able to corrupt the daughters of Utah, and introduce Christianity in all its beauty as practiced in the United States. They are to take with them a number of pals,—'woman's rights women,' who are to assist in their conversion, and to show them their rights, that the inhabitants of Utah may have ocular demonstration of the beautiful workings of monogamous Christianity, and be brought back to the standard Christian regulation of one wife apiece—and as many misses or fast young women as suits our convenience, that a deadly blow may be struck at the virtue of Utah: and that she may be crowded with voluptuaries, and prostitutes like all other good Christian states and cities; that debauchery and corruption may run riot, that we may have our procuresses, pimps, cyprians, hotel accommodations, and houses of assignation; that virtue, chastity and purity may be banished from Utah; that our daughters may be prostituted and our wives debauched; that we may have our nymphis du pave, our 'Five points,' our Randall's Island,^[2] our infanticides, our Maisons d'accouchment, our diseases, doctors and hospitals and all the other appliances of a good Christian community. That when officers, lawyers, judges, soldiers and Gentiles in general go to Utah they can find the same conveniences and accommodations that are to be met with everywhere among the virtuous Gentile monogamous Christians! And all this glory is to be achieved by the gallant officers and soldiers of our army, under the auspices and direction of James Gordon Bennett.^[3] * * * * * *

"What are we to think of a man who is publishing a popular journal, and who publicly and unblushingly advocates seduction, and openly proposes the introduction of debased characters into a Territory for the avowed purpose of seduction, prostitution and infamy, for the purpose of corrupting the Mormons and reducing them to our standard previous to their overthrow?"

Footnotes

1. New York Herald, 15th Sept., 1855.2. Famous in those years for its hospital for the unfortunate victims of man's licentiousness.3. Proprietor and manager of the New York Herald.