The Women of Mormondom

by Edward W. Tullidge

That these women will move wisely, and in the fear of God, is very evident; nor will they use the tremendous power which they are destined to hold to break up their church and destroy their faith in the revelation of the "new and everlasting covenant," given through the prophet Joseph Smith. Indeed, they will yet send their testimony through the world, with ten thousand voices, confirmed by the potency of the woman's vote, and flood the nation with their light.

Congress need not fear to trust the woman's supreme question into the safe keeping of fifty thousand God-fearing, self-sacrificing, reverent women. In vain will the anti-Mormons and pretentious "regenerators" look for these women to become revolutionary or impious. What they do will be done in the name and fear of the Lord; yet, mark the prophesy of one of their leaders: "The day is approaching when woman shall be redeemed from the curse of Eve; and I have often thought that our daughters who are in polygamy will be the first redeemed."

Here is the curse: "In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee!" Woman will be redeemed from that curse, as sure as the coming of to-morrow's sun. No more, after this generation, shall civilized man rule over his mate, but "they twain shall be one;" and the sisters are looking for that millennial day. These are the "wise virgins" of the church; and their lamps are trimmed.

CHAPTER LIII.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SEEK TO DISFRANCHISE THE WOMEN OF UTAH—CLAGGETT'S ASSAULT—THE WOMEN OF AMERICA COME TO THEIR AID—CHARLES SUMNER ABOUT TO ESPOUSE THEIR CAUSE—DEATH PREVENTS THE GREAT STATESMAN'S DESIGN.

But the enemies of the Mormons, at home and abroad, who have sought to break up their religious institutions and turn their sacred relations into unholy covenants, have, from the very hour of the grant of woman's charter, also sought to take away from them female suffrage. And perhaps they would have done so ere now, had not a million American women been on the side of the Mormons, in this. Claggett of Montana, in his attack upon the people of Utah, in the House of Representatives, January 29th, 1873, gave to Congress a touch of the anti-Mormon opposition to female suffrage in Utah. He said:

"My friend from Utah [Hooper] goes on to say that Utah is a long way in advance of the age in one respect; that female suffrage has been adopted there. What was the reason for adopting that measure? Was it because the peculiar institution of the territory recognizes in any degree whatever, the elevation, purity, and sanctity of women? No, sir. When the Union Pacific Railroad was completed, and when the influx of miners and other outsiders began to come into the territory, the chiefs of the Mormon hierarchy, fearing that power would pass from their hands by the gradual change of population, by adopting female suffrage trebled their voting power by a stroke of their pen; and I am credibly informed upon the authority of at least fifty men, that in practice in that territory any child or woman, from twelve years old and upwards, that can wear a yard of calico, exercises the prerogatives of a freeman, so far as voting is concerned."

The flippant remark of the delegate from Montana, that every Mormon woman could exercise the prerogative of a freeman, called forth a burst of laughter from the house; but it would have been more in keeping with the great theme of woman's rights, had a hearty "Thank God!" rang from the lips of those legislators who laughed in derision. Of course, the gentleman's statement was an exaggeration; but what a story he has unwittingly told of the power that has been committed to the hands of the Mormon women? What an epic prophesy he gave of woman's destiny, when he said, that from the age of twelve years they are trained in Utah to exercise the freeman's prerogative. If this be so—and it is near enough to the truth—and if the Mormon women have trebled the power of the men by the grant of female suffrage, then already do they hold not only their own destiny in their hands, but also the destiny of the men. Their very husbands are depending upon them for grace and salvation from their enemies, in spite of all their enemies' designs. Do legislators for a moment foolishly fear that the Mormon women will not discover this vast power which they hold, and discovering, wield it almost as a manifest destiny? They have discovered it; and their future movements will manifest it, to the astonishment of the whole civilized world. Fifty to a hundred thousand women, who are henceforth in one single State to be trained, from the age of twelve, to exercise the political power of "freemen," cannot but be free, and can have nothing less than a splendid future before them.

Mr. Claggett blasphemed against the truth, when he said that there was nothing in the Mormon religion that "recognized, in any degree whatever, the elevation, purity and sanctity of woman." This is a wicked outrage against the sisters, whose lives are stainless and matchless records of purity, devotion and heroism. That devotion of itself would elevate and enoble their characters; and, if Congress and the American people believe them to be martyrs to their religion, then their very martyrdom should sanctify them in the eyes of the nation.

Moreover, woman suffrage is a charter not incompatible with the genius of Mormonism, but in positive harmony therewith. The Mormon Church is originally based upon the woman as well as upon the man. She is with him a partner and priest, in all their religious institutions. The sisters have also exercised the vote in the church for the last forty-seven years, it being conferred with their membership. So female suffrage grows out of the very genius and institutions of their church.