Transcriber's Notes: Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been
left as in the original. Words in italics in the original are
surrounded by _underscores_. A row of asterisks represents a thought
break. Ellipses match the original. A complete list of corrections
follows the text.
THE MORMON PROPHET
AND
HIS HAREM;
OR,
AN AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF BRIGHAM YOUNG,
HIS
NUMEROUS WIVES AND CHILDREN.
BY
MRS. C. V. WAITE.
----"And with a piece of scripture,
Tell them,--that God bids us do good for evil.
And thus I clothe my naked villainy
With old odd ends, stol'n forth of Holy Writ,
And _seem_ a saint, when most I play the devil."
FOURTH EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED.
CAMBRIDGE:
Printed for the Author; and Sold by Subscription.
J. S. GOODMAN AND COMPANY,
5 CUSTOM HOUSE PLACE, CHICAGO.
1867.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by
CATHARINE V. WAITE,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Second
Judicial District of the Territory of Idaho.
RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:
STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY
H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.
PREFACE.
No apology is offered for presenting to the public the only authentic
account of Brigham Young, of his polygamous family, and of that
complicated and incongruous system of social and political machinery,
called Mormonism.
The only form of religion in this country which refuses to conform
either to the spirit of progress and improvement and enlightened
humanity which characterizes the age in which we live, or to our laws
and the genius of our free institutions,--drawing constantly from
foreign countries hosts of votaries, impelled hither _not_ by a love of
republicanism, but rather by a desire to exchange a political for a
religious monarchy,--is Mormonism, which presents an antagonism to our
Government, and can scarcely fail to result in national trouble.
The elements of a second rebellion are in active progress in Utah, and,
as in the case of the slavery rebellion, the great danger lies in
failing to place a proper estimate upon the power of those elements for
mischief, and to take the proper precautions in time. Religious
fanaticism is more active, and, when hostile, more dangerous, than
political ambition; hence the arrogant and intolerant spirit, and the
bitter hostility of the Mormons, are more worthy the serious attention
of our statesmen than would be the opposition of so many mere political
traitors.
Again; their power for mischief is much increased by the position they
occupy upon the great thoroughfare between the eastern and western
portions of our country.
It is with the view of calling the attention of the Government and of
the people of the country to the dangerous character of this monarchy
growing up in the midst of the Republic, that the political history of
Utah has been written.
The chief interest of the work, however, with a large class of readers,
will doubtless consist in the information it contains, relative to the
family and social relations of the celebrated Mormon leader. These, and
all other facts contained in this volume, may be relied upon as true,
and many of them are now published for the first time.
The subject of polygamy is treated thoroughly, and as dispassionately as
the writer's utter abhorrence of the system will permit. A residence of
two years in the midst of this state of society, could not fail to
afford me a tolerably good view of its inside workings, and this view I
have presented to my readers.
Some of the facts narrated in this volume have been furnished by persons
in Salt Lake, who are thoroughly conversant with them; in some cases, by
persons who have long been in the service of Young, and know whereof
they relate. While I am not at liberty to mention their names, I take
this opportunity to return them my thanks for such valuable information.
This book is believed to be a desideratum demanded by the social and
political well-being of the country, and as such it is presented to the
consideration of the people of this country, and especially to my own
sex, who are deeply interested in preventing the framework of our social
system from being broken up and superseded by the customs and maxims of
the worst ages of barbarism.
To the suffering women of Utah, I especially dedicate this result of my
labors in their behalf; and I am not without hope that many of them may,
upon a perusal of its pages, be induced to retrace their steps, and
rescue themselves from the snares of the religious impostors now seeking
their destruction.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY HISTORY OF BRIGHAM YOUNG.
PAGE
The Birth and Parentage of Brigham Young.--His Brothers and
Sisters.--He embraces Mormonism, and becomes a Leader.--Is
appointed President of the Twelve, and finally placed at the
Head of the Church, to succeed Joseph Smith.--Establishes the
Mormons in Salt-Lake. 1