The Women of Mormondom

by Edward W. Tullidge

Soon after this, however, polygamy did become the excuse, both to Congress and the dominant political party of the country, to take action against the Mormons and their Israelitish institutions. In framing the Chicago platform, the Republican party, just rising to supremacy, made slavery one of its planks, and polygamy another. Upon these "twin relics" they rode into the administration of the government of the country.

Then came the anti-polygamic law of 1862, especially framed against the Mormons. But it was found to be inoperative. Lincoln, who had known many of them in the early days, let the Mormons alone.

The civil war was over. The South had succumbed. The work of reconstruction was fairly in progress. The conquerer Grant, and his administration, resolved to grapple with "polygamic theocracy," as they styled it—if need be by the action and issues of another Mormon war.

First came Colfax to Zion, to "spy out the land." To the polygamic saints he administered the gentle warning of a soft tongue, which, however, concealed a serpent's sting. Returning east, after his famous tour across the continent, he opened a theological assault upon Mormon polygamy in the New York Independent, and soon became engaged in a regular battle with apostle John Taylor. Returning to Zion, on his second visit, the Vice-President actually preached an anti-polygamic sermon to the Mormons, one evening, in front of the Townsend House, in Salt Lake City, in which he quoted what he interpreted as anti-polygamic passages from the Book of Mormon.

The scene changes to Washington. Colfax, Cullom, Grant and Dr. Newman are in travail with the Cullom bill and anti-Mormon crusade.

The Cullom bill passed the House and went to the Senate. President Grant had resolved to execute it, by force of arms, should the courts fail. Vice-President Colfax, while in Utah, had propounded the serious question, "Will Brigham Young fight?"

Congress and the nation thought that now the doom of Mormon polygamy had come.

Suddenly, like a wall of salvation, fifty thousand women of Mormondom threw themselves around their patriarchs and their institutions! A wonderful people, these Mormons! More wonderful these women!

CHAPTER XLIII.

GRAND MASS MEETING OF THE WOMEN OF UTAH ON POLYGAMY AND THE CULLOM BILL—THEIR NOBLE REMONSTRANCE—SPEECHES OF APOSTOLIC WOMEN—THEIR RESOLUTIONS—WOMAN'S RIGHTS OR WOMAN'S REVOLUTION.