AT SALT LAKE CITY.
Our first day in Salt Lake city (Oct. 14) was Sunday, and of course
we rose late--I to find myself stiff and ill. A package of letters
from the east, and a bath near noon, set me up somewhat, and when
the gong sounded at 1, P. M. we went down to dinner. Here everything
was profuse and excellent, the vegetables and fruits especially.
But apart from the table, the Salt Lake House proved indifferent,
though the only hotel in the city. Its rooms were small and dingy,
and its appointments of the plainest, though its rates for every
thing were all-sufficient. The policy of the saints had been opposed
to Gentile travel, and hence no hotels at all were allowed at first.
But subsequently Brigham Young built the Salt Lake House, and leased
it to a Mr. Little--our three-wived landlord--and that paid so well,
he was about erecting a new and enlarged one, commensurate with the
wants and business of the city.
After dinner, as the sun was out brilliantly and the air bracing,
we concluded to take a short stroll. Our snow-storm of the day
before in the mountains had been only an affair of an inch or two
here, and what had fallen was already fast disappearing. A walk of a
square or two soon revealed the unique and wonderful beauty of this
far-famed town. Its streets, eight rods wide with broad foot-walks,
cross each other at right angles, and down each side course clear
and rippling streams, fresh from the neighboring mountains. These
spacious streets divide the city into squares or blocks of ten acres
each, which are in turn subdivided into homestead lots of an acre
and a quarter each, except in the heart of the city, where of course
it is built up pretty solidly for several blocks. Standing back from
the street in these goodly lots are their houses, built of frame or
adobe, usually only one story high but sometimes two, and with as
many doors ordinarily as the owner has wives. These were literally
embowered in shrubbery and fruit trees, the grounds having been made
wondrously fertile by irrigation, and as we walked along we could
see the apple, peach, plum, pear, and apricot trees loaded down with
their ripening fruit. The snow of the day before did not seem to have
injured any of them materially, it was so unseasonable and soon gone.
So, too, roses and flowers in rich profusion crowned the door-yards,
while the gardens beyond seemed heaped with vegetables exquisite in
their perfection and development. Lofty mountains, their snow-capped
summits glittering in the sun-light, rimmed the valley in, whichever
way you turned; while in the distance, tranquil as a sapphire,
flashed the expanse of Great Salt Lake. To the traveller worn with
stage-coaching, or weary from Bitter Creek, no wonder Salt Lake
seems like Rasselas's Happy Valley, or Paradise Regained. Imagine to
yourself a valley say fifty miles north and south, by thirty east and
west, crowned above with snow-clad peaks, thick below with clustering
farms, its interlacing streams flashing in the sun-light, with a fair
city of fifteen or twenty thousand people gleaming in the midst,
embowered in fruit and shade-trees, and you may form some conception
of the prospect that greets you, as you rattle down the Wahsatch
range, and out into the valley of Great Salt Lake. I doubt if there
is a more picturesque or charming scene anywhere, not excepting the
descent from the Alps into Italy. You involuntarily thank heaven,
that "Bitter Creek" is over and past, and congratulate yourself on
having struck civilization once more, Mormon though it be.
We took in much of this scene, as we strolled along, with senses
keenly alive to its beauties and felicities. Flowers never seemed
more fragrant; fruits never so luscious. In the clear atmosphere how
the mountains glowed and towered! How crisp and elastic was the air!
How the blood went coursing through one's veins! The streets seemed
alive with people, and as they were moving mainly in one direction we
followed on, and presently found ourselves at the Mormon Tabernacle.
This was an odd-looking, oblong structure, built of adobe, and with
no pretence evidently to any of the known orders of architecture. Its
side-walls were low, and between these sprang the roof in a great
semi-circle, with narrow prison-like windows near the line where the
walls and roof came together. Outside, the walls were of the usual
dun adobe color; inside, plain white--the whole utterly devoid of
ornamentation whatever. The organ and choir occupied the end near the
street; opposite was a raised platform, extending entirely across the
audience-room, and on this sat fifty or more plain-looking men--the
priests and chief dignitaries of "the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints." The audience consisted of perhaps two thousand
people--men, women, and children--all dressed respectably, and though
the average of intelligence was not high, yet as a whole they were a
better appearing people than we had been led to expect. This edifice
was their old tabernacle; the new tabernacle, an enormous structure
on much the same plan, but with a capacity of ten or twelve thousand
souls, was not yet completed, though well under way. Their great
Temple had not yet progressed beyond the foundation stones, and there
seemed to be much doubt whether it ever would. Its plan, however, is
on a magnificent scale, and if ever completed, it will doubtless be
one of the greatest edifices on the continent.
Religious services had already begun, and we found a Mr. Nicholson, a
returned missionary from England, expatiating at the desk with much
fervor. We were too late for his text, but found him discussing at
length the evidences and undeniability of their peculiar doctrines.
He was a fluent, but vapid speaker, and, with all our curiosity
to hear him, soon became very tiresome. The gist of his argument
was, that the saints knew for themselves, in their own hearts, that
Mormonism was true, and, therefore, that no Gentile (or outside
unbeliever) could possibly disprove it. He said, "My brethren, we
_know_ our doctrines to be true, yea and amen, forever. They have
come to us by express revelation from heaven, and we have tested
them in our own experience; and, therefore, to argue against them is
the same as to argue against the multiplication-table, or to doubt
logic itself. Yes, our priesthood, from Brother Brigham down, is
God's own appointed succession, and whoever rejects its teachings
will be damned for time and eternity." He iterated and reiterated
these crude and common-place ideas for an hour or more _ad nauseam_,
until finally Brigham Young (who presided) stopped him, and ordered
the sacrament administered. This consisted only of bread and water,
passed through the audience, everybody partaking of the elements.
This over, singing followed, in which all participated, the chief
functionaries leading. Now came another "returned missionary," whose
name we missed. He talked for twenty minutes or more, in a very loose
and rambling way, about the work in England and Wales, and evidently
was regarded as a rather "weak brother," to say the least of him.
The next speaker was George Q. Cannon, a leading dignitary of the
church, and a man of decided parts in many ways. He is an Englishman
by birth, and for awhile after arriving here served Brigham Young as
secretary. Now he was a stout, hearty looking man, in his prime, with
good frontal developments, and impressed us as the smartest Mormon
on the platform--Brigham, perhaps, excepted. He spoke for nearly an
hour, delivering a calm, connected, methodical address, and evidently
moved his audience deeply. The substance of his discourse was, that
they as a church were blessed beyond and above all other churches,
because they had a genuine priesthood, appointed by God himself,
and in constant communication with Him. "Other churches," he said,
"in their decadence had dropped this doctrine, and accordingly had
lost their spirituality and power. But Joseph Smith, in the fulness
of time, found the Book of Mormon, where God had concealed it, and
so became His vice-gerent on earth. Brother Joseph selected Brigham
Young, Heber Kimball, and Orson Pratt, as his co-workers, and through
these and others Jehovah now communicates his unchanging will to the
children of men. These great and good men speak not themselves, but
the Holy Ghost in and through them. What we shall speak, we know
not, nor how we shall speak it; but God inspires our hearts and
tongues. Ofttimes we are moved to declare things, that are seemingly
incredible. If left to ourselves, we would prefer _not_ to declare
them. But Jehovah speaks through us--we are but his mouth-pieces--and
what are we to do? We _must_ proclaim His solemn revelations, and
to-day I tell you, brothers, what Brother Brigham has often said
before, that the time is not distant--nay, is near at hand--when
the North and South will both call upon Brigham Young and his holy
priesthood to come and help them re-establish free constitutional
government there. We, here in Utah, have the only free and Christian
government upon the earth, and God has revealed it to us, that His
holy church shall yet occupy and possess the continent. Some of you
may doubt this, and Gentiles especially may mock at and deride it.
But Jehovah has so spoken it, to Brother Brigham and others, and many
now here will yet live to see this fulfilled. Heaven and earth may
pass away, but my words shall not fail, saith the Lord!" All this,
and much more of the same purport, he uttered with the greatest
solemnity, as if devoutly believing it, and his audience received it
with a hearty chorus of "amens." There was more singing, and then
Brigham, who had presided over the meeting as a sort of moderator,
dismissed the congregation with the usual benediction. We had hoped
to hear him speak also, as their great chief and leader; but he was
ailing that day, and so disappointed us.
The speaking, as a whole, scarcely rose above mediocrity, except
perhaps Mr. Cannon's. It was noisy and common-place, without logic or
symmetry, and would have provoked most eastern audiences to ridicule,
rather than led to conviction. Mr. Cannon evinced much natural
ability; but all seemed quite illiterate, their rhetoric limping
badly, and their pronouns and verbs marrying very miscellaneously.
But little was said about their "peculiar institution" of polygamy,
though it was alluded to once or twice, and its sacredness assumed.
The singing was strong and emotional, and swept through the
tabernacle a mighty wave of praise. Of course, it lacked culture; but
then there were passionate and glowing hearts back of it, for all
sang "with the spirit," if not "with the understanding also." Their
fine organ we missed hearing, as it was then out of order. A new
and much larger one was building for the new tabernacle, by workmen
from abroad, and this it was claimed was going to be bigger, if not
better, than the great one at Boston. Let the Hub look to her laurels!
The next morning I found myself down, with what is termed out there the
Mountain Fever. And so this was the explanation of what had troubled me
occasionally, even before leaving Denver. I had struggled desperately
against it for a fortnight, but now surrendered at discretion, and was
taken to Camp Douglas--the military post north of the city--where I
found sympathizing comrades and a hearty welcome. This Mountain Fever
seems to be an ugly combination of the bilious and typhoid, with the
ague thrown in, and often pays its respects to overland travellers,
unless they are very careful. In my own case it yielded readily to
calomel and quinine, but only after liberal and repeated doses of each.
For over a fortnight I wrestled with it there, sometimes hardly knowing
which would conquer; but a resolute determination _not_ "to shuffle off
this mortal coil" in Utah, if I could help it, and a kind providence at
last brought me safely through. At first, this loss of time was greatly
regretted, as I was eager to complete my duties at Salt Lake, and push
on; but ultimately, I was not sorry, as it afforded an opportunity
to observe and study the Utah problem, much more fully than I should
otherwise have done.
My first day out again, a beautiful October day and perfect of its
kind, the Post-Surgeon advised a ride in the open air. Accordingly
Major Grimes, the Post-Quartermaster, brought round his buggy, and
together we drove down to the city, and thence out to the hot Sulphur
Springs. These are on the Bear River road, some two or three miles
north of the city. The water here bursts out of the ground at the foot
of a bluff or mountain, as thick as a man's leg, and runs thence in a
considerable stream to Great Salt Lake. It has a strong sulphur color
and taste, and a temperature sufficient for a warm bath. Some miles
farther north there are other Springs--we were told--hot enough to boil
an egg. In the bath-house adjoining, we found a number of men and boys
enjoying the luxury of a sulphur plunge, and the place appeared to be
a considerable resort already, especially on Sundays. Most passing
travellers and miners endeavor here to get rid of the accumulated
dirt of their journey hitherward, and to depart cleaner if not better
men. A refreshment-saloon near by furnished superb apples and peaches
fresh from the trees, and most other American edibles, including our
inevitable "pies;" but no drinkables, except tea and coffee. The
patrons of the springs, it was said, complained bitterly of Brigham's
stern, prohibitory liquor laws, but with little result. Even in Salt
Lake City itself, a town of fifteen or twenty thousand souls, (1866),
there were but two or three drinking-saloons, and these, we were told,
were either owned or strictly regulated by the church _i. e._ Brigham
Young. Whatever else the saints may be, Brigham intends that they shall
at least not be drunkards, if he can help it.
Returning we drove by the ruins of the old city-wall, erected by
the Mormons soon after they settled here, of concrete and adobe,
as a defence against the Indians. The growth of the town and the
disappearance of the Indians, rendered it useless years ago, and it
was now fast falling to pieces, though no doubt of service in its
day. It was one of Mr. Buchanan's Salt Lake scarecrows in 1857, but
would not have stood a half-dozen shots from an ordinary field-piece,
or even mountain-howitzer. The labor of erecting it, however, must
have been prodigious, as it enclosed originally several square miles,
and its remains even now speak well for the industry and enterprise
of the saints in those early times.
Thursday, Nov. 1st, was a great gala-day at Salt Lake, and we were
fortunate to be there still. It was the chief day of their annual
militia muster, and the whole country-side apparently turned out.
The place selected was a plateau west of the Jordan, some three
miles from Salt Lake city. Proceeding thither, we found a rather
heterogenous encampment, with not much of the military about it,
except in name. The officers were mainly in uniform, but the men
generally in civilian dress, and many without either arms or
accoutrements. As we passed through the encampment, they were all out
at company drill. Of course, there were many awkward squads, but the
so-called officers were the awkwardest of all. In many instances,
they were unable to drill their men in the simplest evolutions;
but stood stupidly by, in brand-new coats, resplendent with
brass-buttons, while some corporal or private, in civilian dress,
"put the company through!"
Soon after noon, a cloud of dust and a large accompanying concourse
of people heralded the approach of the chief Mormon dignitaries--in
carriages. The flag of the "State of Deseret" floated in the
advance; then came the standard of the old Nauvoo Legion; and as
the procession neared the parade-ground, the "Lieutenant-General
Commanding the Militia of Utah" and a brilliant staff (chiefly of
Brigadier-Generals) moved out to meet and escort the hierarchs in.
In the carriages, were most of the leading Mormons then at Salt
Lake. Brigham himself was reported absent sick, but he sent his
state-carriage instead, with Bishops Kimball and Cannon in it. The
Lieutenant-General and staff, with the carriages following, now rode
by in review, after which the troops formed column and marched by in
review. They moved by company front, and being near the reviewing
station, we made a rough count as they straggled by, and estimated
the total force at about a thousand infantry, five hundred cavalry,
and a battery of artillery. The cavalry was tolerably mounted;
but the artillery was "horsed" with mules, and consisted of mere
howitzers, no two of like calibre. The personnel of the force was
certainly good; but everything betrayed an utter lack of discipline
and drill. Nevertheless the Mormon officials seemed greatly elated
by the martial array, and much disposed to exaggerate its numbers.
Having been introduced to his excellency the Commander-in-chief,
"Lieutenant-General etc.," I took occasion incidentally to ask him
how many troops were on the field. He replied, he could not exactly
tell, but he "reckoned" about three thousand! Afterwards, in reply
to a similar question, his Adjutant-General--a son-in-law of Brigham
Young's, and, of course, a Brigadier-General--answered, he guessed
about four thousand! Other Mormon dignitaries computed them at
from five to six thousand, even. I said nothing, of course, about
my own passing "count;" but on returning to Camp Douglas, found it
substantially confirmed by a very accurate count, made by another U.
S. officer present, who had a better opportunity.
The true _status_ of this Salt Lake militia appears pretty
clearly, I judge, from the following conversation with the said
Lieutenant-General. We were still "on the field," and I had casually
asked him, whether this was the militia of the Church or of the
Territory?
"O, of the Territory, of course!" he replied, with a smile that was
child-like and bland.
"But its officers are all Mormons, and its men mostly so, I believe?"
"Why, yes, sir!" sobering down.
"Its chief officers, especially, I observe, are men high in the
church, like yourself, Generals C---- and Y----, and others I see
here; are they not?"
"Well, yes sir!" becoming more grave.
"Are these troops, then, the quota of Utah, or only of a single county?"
"Only of Salt Lake County. The other counties have similar
organizations, but smaller; and all are required to spend at least
three days per year in camp, for drill and review."
"To whom, however, does your militia report?"
"To myself only. By act of the Territorial Legislature, I am
Commander-in-Chief of the Utah Militia, and of course they take
orders only from me."
"Then his excellency, the governor of the Territory, though its chief
executive, has no power to call out the territorial militia, or in
any way to control it?"
"Why, no--no--sir! I believe--not!" very hesitatingly, and as if a
good deal confused.
By this time, he began to see the drift of things somewhat, and
suddenly remembered he had important business elsewhere. This was
not surprising; for had he not already virtually acknowledged, that
this whole militia force--such as it is--was nothing more nor less,
than an auxiliary of the Mormon church, organized and held well in
hand to do her bidding? Gov. Durkee, the territorial governor, a
few days afterwards confirmed this view of the subject, and added,
that in his judgment this militia was a standing menace to our
authority in Utah, and would make us trouble there yet. He said,
in his last Annual Message, he had called the attention of the
Legislature to its anomalous character, and recommended that the
militia laws be amended, so that the troops should report to him,
and that he be provided with the usual staff--Adjutant-General,
Quartermaster-General, Inspector-General, etc.--the same as in all
our other Territories. The Legislature, however, being wholly Mormon,
paid no attention to his recommendations, and he did not suppose it
would very soon. No doubt this militia from its Lieutenant-General
commanding, down, is a mere creature of Brigham Young's--Mormon in
composition and organization--Mormon in spirit and purpose--Mormon
in body, brain, and soul--and what Brother Brigham proposes to _do_
with it, it remains for our good-natured Uncle Samuel yet to see. In
case of a future collision in Utah, between United States and Mormon
authority, we shall probably soon learn.
Two days afterwards the encampment broke up, and the troops marched
into Salt Lake City, and so past the Bee-Hive House, for Brigham's
inspection in person. Having business with his excellency or
reverence (whichever you choose to call him), accompanied by Major
Grimes, I called that morning, and thus chanced upon quite an
assemblage of their chiefs and dignitaries. Among them, were Heber C.
Kimball, George Q. Cannon, Bishop West, Lieut.-Gen. Wells, Brig.-Gen.
Clawson, Brig.-Gen. Young, (Brigham, Jr.), Col. Young--another
son--and others, whose names were not noted. Brigham himself met us
at the door, with an ease and dignity that well became him, and after
shaking hands very cordially, introduced us all around. Our object
was to obtain certain information for the War Department, about the
region between Salt Lake and the Rio Colorado (then little known),
with a view to supplying Camp Douglas, and possibly Fort Bridger
also, by that route hereafter, if practicable, _via_ the Gulf of
California. The Salt Lake merchants and others had given us a mass of
facts, or supposed facts, concerning it; but we had been told, that
the Church had made surveys and maps of all the country between, and
that Brigham Young knew more about the region there, than any other
white man living. The problem was to extract his information, for the
public benefit, if possible. I began by congratulating him on the
general appearance of industry and thrift in Utah--the wide-spread
evidences of their prosperity--(which one might safely do)--and
then, having thus paved the way, casually asked him why it was, that
with all their shrewdness and intelligence, they still persisted in
wagoning their goods and merchandise twelve hundred miles from the
Missouri, across the Plains and Mountains, when they might strike
navigation--it was alleged--on the Colorado at less than half that
distance? He answered instantly, with perfect frankness, as if
delighted with the question:
"It _is_ extraordinary, surely! For ten year now, and more, I've
bin tryin' to talk it into our people, that the Colorado is our
true route. But Californy has done nuthin to open it, or _draw_ us
toward her, while New York keeps tight hold of us; and it is mighty
hard to change the course of trade and travel." And then he added,
by way of comment, "When things git _set_, it takes a heap to alter
'em, you bet!" which was certainly excellent "horse-sense," to say
the least of it. A philosopher--not even the elder Weller--could
have said it better. We discussed the subject very generally for
some minutes, he appearing full of interest; but presently, when
I began to inquire more minutely about the intervening country,
its roads, resources, distances, etc., suddenly, with a flash of
intelligence, he seemed to divine some sinister object, and at once
began to "disremember" (his own word) nearly everything asked him.
He was positive there were no maps or surveys of that region in the
Record Office of the Church, though subsequently I received copies of
several there; and drew back into his shell on the subject generally,
as far as possible. One of the Bishops present, not perceiving the
studied ignorance of his chief, answered several of the questions,
which Brigham "disremembered," but presently caught his cue and
relapsed into silence. On most other topics, Brigham talked with
much fluency and politeness; but as to Southern Utah, we soon found
he had no idea of giving any information he could suppress, and
so changed the conversation. We talked for perhaps an hour, on a
variety of subjects, and he impressed me as anything but an ignorant
man, though slimly educated. He believed their religion to be the
latest revelation of God's will to man, and that it would yet reform
or supplant all others. He thought "plurality of wives" a Divine
arrangement, and essential to Utah, whatever it might be elsewhere.
It had given them the most frugal and thrifty, the most honest and
moral population on the earth; and what more could be desired? If
Congress didn't like it, they could lump it. God Almighty would stand
by them. He said, Utah now numbered about a hundred thousand souls,
and they were rapidly increasing. They had gained three thousand that
year (1866), by immigration alone, mostly English and Welsh; some
years they got more, seldom less. He said their soil and climate were
all that could be desired, and claimed that by judicious irrigation
they could beat the world, especially in fruits and vegetables. He
thought they had coal, iron, and salt in abundance; but did not
believe their gold and silver amounted to much, and hoped to Heaven
they never would. Subsequently, I learned from other sources, that
silver and copper had been discovered in considerable richness, at
Rush Valley and elsewhere; but mining operations in Utah, as yet,
had been feeble. The Church was averse to an influx of Gentile
miners, for obvious reasons; and, accordingly, did all she could to
discourage mining, as a business.
This conversation, though lacking in the results desired, yet afforded
an opportunity for observing Brigham pretty well. Though then about
sixty-five, he looked at least ten years younger, and evidently had
many years hard work in him yet. He was of medium height, stoutly
built every way, and of late years inclining to corpulency. His hair
was a sandy red, now well sprinkled with gray, and somewhat disposed
to curl. His eyes, a pale blue, were resolute and sagacious; but
had a steely look in them at times, that might mean any depth of
cruelty or tyranny. His nose, though not so pronounced as his career
would indicate, was nevertheless very characteristic; while his
mouth, though large and firm, had less of the animal about it, than
would naturally be expected. His under-jaw would, perhaps, strike
you more than any other one feature. Heavy and strong, full and
massive, it looked like cast-iron, and at times, when he talked of
Congress or of his enemies, it would shut with a snap like a gigantic
nut-cracker. His dress was plain black, and his manners altogether
unexceptionable. His position as head of the Mormon people has bred
the habit of power, while his contact with representative men from
abroad has imparted much of the elegance and _suaviter in modo_ of
the man of the world; so that he would pass for a pretty good diplomat
almost anywhere. To take Brigham Young for a fool, or a mere fanatic,
it was plain to be seen, would be a great mistake. It is true, he
knows nothing about grammar or rhetoric, and but little about the
dictionary; but his knowledge of all the country there, and of human
nature, we found to be full and exact, and no man west of the Rocky
Mountains knows better how make a good bargain, or fill a paying
contract. However illiterate, he has patience, shrewdness, cunning,
and abundance of hard common-sense--"horse-sense," as we used to say
of Grant in the army--and doubtless would have made his way in the
world, in whatever sphere he happened to drop. If he had not become
"Brother Brigham," great hierarch of the Mormon Church and autocrat
of all Utah, worth $25,000,000 in his own right, (as reported),
owning countless lands and herds, no doubt he would have gravitated
into a first-class hotel-keeper, or a money king on Wall Street, or
a great railroad-contractor, or something of that sort, requiring
keen perceptions and fine executive abilities. To deny him some such
qualities, is evidently preposterous. Discredit him in every way; call
him charlatan and humbug, if you please; the fact still remains, that
he has changed an isolated desert into a land flowing with milk and
honey, and created a community of a hundred thousand souls devoted
to his will, holding their lives and fortunes absolutely at his
bidding--and surely no mere imbecile, or blunderer, could have achieved
such results.
[Illustration: BRIGHAM YOUNG.]
We saw Brigham again, a few days afterwards, one night at the
theatre. The Salt Lake Theatre is really a fine building, and very
creditable to the city. Its scenery, and appointments generally,
are unsurpassed in this country, outside of a few of our great cities
East, and but few of our play-houses indeed equal it even there.
Nearly everything about it has been imported from England, at large
expense, and Englishmen in the main manage it now. The play the night
we were there was of the kind yclept Moral Drama, but it was put on
the stage with considerable ability. Two "stars" from San Francisco
took the leading characters; the minor ones were sustained by the
stock-company, most of whom were Mormon residents of Salt Lake.
Among these a sprightly looking girl of seventeen was pointed out
to us, as a daughter of Brigham Young's, though on the bills she
bore a high-sounding theatrical name. What corresponds to the "pit"
in most theatres, is their dress-circle, and this was well-filled
with families--chiefly women and children. The rest of the theatre
was occupied mostly by Gentiles and soldiers. What impressed one
particularly, was the domestic or family character of the whole
thing. Men, women, and children, were all there, down to the last
baby, and young misses came and went at will, quite unattended, as
at church East. Between the acts, paterfamilias and all munched
their apples and nuts, and promenaded about quite _ad libitum_; but
during the performance everything was very decorous. In the very
centre of the house were four long seats, handsomely upholstered,
and "reserved" for Mrs. Brigham Young. There were "sixteen of her,"
as poor Artemus Ward used to say, there that night, all ordinary
looking women, apparently from thirty-five to fifty years of age, and
dressed rather plainly. A fine large rocking-chair, abreast of the
seats, was pointed out to us as Brigham's place when he sits with
them. Ordinarily he occupies a private box, with his favorite wife,
and did so that evening with his dear Amelia. He paid but little
attention to the play, but most of the time was sweeping the audience
with an opera-glass, or conversing with a gentleman by his side. Mrs.
Amelia was well-dressed, but not richly, and was scarcely better
looking than the other sixteen, whom she had displaced in Brigham's
affections. Evidently the Prophet has no taste for female beauty, or
else is indifferent to it. Sometimes, between the acts, he comes down
and chats a little with his domestic flock below, but retires to his
box again when the play resumes. That evening, however, he continued
faithful throughout to Mrs. Amelia.
Flanking the stage were two long seats, upholstered somewhat better
than the rest, and here sat some twenty or more of Brigham's
children--of all sizes and both sexes. They were mostly maidens from
ten to fifteen years of age, though some were only prattling infants
on their mothers' knees. They were better dressed and brighter
looking, than most of the young people present; but the sight was a
singular one for the nineteenth century, and in Christian America.
Altogether, Brigham was said to have over fifty children--mostly
girls. Heber Kimball was credited with about the same number, but his
were chiefly boys--whereat he was inclined to joke Brigham. Their
wives so-called, were reported at the same number, about twenty-five
each. Recently Brigham had said, that he had "about a dozen or
twenty, he was not certain which--it was nobody's business but his
own." But public opinion at Salt Lake credited him with twenty-five
or more, regular and "brevet" together, when we were there; and he
has probably increased the number one or two per year, ever since.
Our main object, however, in going to the Theatre, was to get a good
look at the general audience. On the surface, I must say, this
was genteel and respectable. There was no fashion or "style" about
it, of course; but the people as a whole were well-dressed--always
comfortably--and in the main looked contented and well-to-do. Here
and there a woman's face however, showed, unmistakable signs of grief
and anguish; but there were not nearly so many of these, as might
be expected. What the women's faces chiefly lacked, was that air of
sprightliness and grace, of culture and refinement, that characterizes
the majority of theatre-going ladies East and elsewhere. There was
an ugly subdued look about many of them, as if they felt themselves
trodden down and inferior to the men--much such as we used to see in
the negro's face down South--and too little of that calm, masterful,
rounded equipoise of self-respect, which is the true glory of either
man or woman. Prolong polygamy for a century, with all such downward
forces constantly at work, and what may not our Utah dames and damsels
become? The men, on the other hand, looked heavy and coarse, and while
there were keen sharp faces among them, here and there, that could have
belonged only to men of character anywhere, yet in too many instances
the animal was evidently creeping over them, and in the end would
surely predominate. It was pitiful to think how inexorably their higher
nature must suffer, if polygamy continued, unless all history is false,
and physiology a lie. But there are some things, that need not be said;
it is enough to intimate them.