History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

396
MORMONISM AND POLYGAMY.
been numerous convictions under this law, bringing serious
injury upon individuals, and greatly alarming
the entire brotherhood. Many other schemes have
been urged. Cut up the territory and divide it among
the adjacent states; permit the wife to testify against
her husband; compel marriages to be registered; throw
in more gentile population, establishing milliners' shops
for the women and whiskey-shops for the men, so that
the full force of civilization may be brought to bear
upon them. A proposed remedy is for congress to assume
the political powers, and govern the country by
a commission of nine or thirteen members appointed
for that purpose, and which, the majority being always
gentiles, would adopt the necessary laws for the government
of the territory, instead of congress or a legis-
lature. Executive and judicial affairs would go on in
the usual way ; and as for the municipal, the commission
as a legislature could make such regulations as
they pleased, providing for the appointment of mayors
by the governor if necessary. In such an event there
would not be held any elections of any kind. A board
of five commissioners was appointed under act of congress
of March 22, 1882, but nothing extraordinary
came of it.
In conclusion, it is scarcely necessary to say that
an intelligent and well-balanced mind, free from the
bias of religion, and regarding the well-being and refinement
of the race as most greatly to be desired,
cannot look upon polygamy as conducive to the high-
est culture. On the other hand, it may as truthfully
be said that coercion is not consistent with the high-
est type of morality, and that a social despotism, in
the name of freedom and pure republicanism, can
become the severest of tyrannies.