Our government and Gentile residents hoped that the franchise would be
productive of great good in opening the eyes of these women to the
knowledge of the power invested in them, to free themselves from the
superstitious obedience with which their vicegerent had enchained them;
but the folly of endowing them with our privilege so long as theocracy
exists, has been fully demonstrated. To ask for rights which are
cheerfully conceded to woman in every other section of the country,
would be utterly useless in Utah. The law of suffrage like all other
laws in Utah have been made for the sole protection of their divine
institution; so these Mormon women have only raised their voices to
uphold polygamy which they have been forced to do on all occasions when
it would benefit their church. They assembled in Mass-meeting and
petitioned Congress to propose an amendment to the constitution
sanctioning polygamy, and they have waved banners in the streets of Salt
Lake on which were inscribed "The women of Utah believe in polygamy.
Pages:
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118