The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and ChildrenWaite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
History
The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children
Waite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
Latter Day Saint churches; Young, Brigham, 1801-1877
The thanks of the public are due to Mr. Campbell, for bringing to light
facts having so important a bearing on this subject.
Thus it will be seen that in this Territory, as well as in all other
parts of the country, has nature failed to make any provision for the
practice of polygamy. On the contrary, ever true to herself, even now,
after polygamy has been practised over ten years, during which time it
has been openly encouraged, nature is reëstablishing her own laws, and
maintaining the substantial equality in the numbers of the sexes; thus
placing the seal of condemnation on this practice, and saying, in the
plainest language, "Let every man have his own wife, and let every woman
have her own husband."
In considering whether polygamy is reasonable or natural, other
arguments present themselves.
This practice tends necessarily to the degradation of woman. Instead of
being a companion of man, socially his equal, sympathizing with his
moral and intellectual nature, and sharing in all his pursuits and
enjoyments, she becomes, under this system, merely the minister to his
passions and physical comfort, or the servant to assist in the increase
of his worldly store.
It is impossible that several women should live on terms of such
intimacy with the same man, all at the same time on a social equality
with him and with each other. The idea of plurality necessitates that of
subordination and inferiority. Rules must be established and observed,
to insure even the appearance of harmony. But this necessary assumption
of superiority and power, on the part of the man, at once mars, if it
does not destroy, all the finer and holier of the marriage relations.
The husband loses respect for her who sits at his feet, rather than by
his side. A full and perfect communion of thought and feeling ceases to
exist. A sense of inferiority on the part of the wife blunts her pride
and ambition, and renders her careless of intellectual and moral
progress, and insensible to many of the highest and noblest duties of
her sex. She gradually conforms herself to her position, however hard it
may be at first to do so, and thus her place in the social scale is
lowered.
It need scarcely be asked whether this is an evil. Both reason and
history answer the question plainly in the affirmative. In all ages of
the world, the most enlightened and prosperous nations have been those
who sought to refine and elevate woman by the practice of monogamy, or
the one-wife system. Witness Egypt, Greece, and Rome, among the ancient
nations; and among the moderns, the United States, Great Britain,
France, and other European countries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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