laws of nature. Man's passions are not. Taking this charge of beastliness as it is meant, the polyg- amist is less beastly than the monogamist, who in the majority of cases is more beastly in his sexual intercourse than the beast, being less obedient to the laws of nature, less considerate for the health and strength of his one only wife. Millions of gentle, un- complaining women have been killed by beastly hus- bands putting upon them more children than they should bear, not to mention innumerable cruelties of other kinds. In so far as any system is not in accord- ance with the laws of nature, nature will in due time assert her rights and put it down. It is said that the Mormon women are martyrs: so are other women; part of them because they are married, and part be- cause they are not.
The readers must bear in mind that these are the assertions and arguments of polygamy, and must be prepared to take them for what they are worth, and answer them each according to the light of his own reason. I have already presented the current argu- ments against polygamy; these are the opinions and dogmas of the Mormons themselves, the doctrines they everywhere preach and print, teaching them to their children, inculcating them into the minds of young men and women, until they have fully imbibed them.
And thus they continue. How many husbandless wo- men there are who drag out a miserable existence in the effort to sustain themselves without sin ! how many fall into shame under the effort! Society lays no heavier burden on any of its members than on its poverty-stricken single women, reared in luxury, and unable to support themselves by work.
If you are so tender of woman, her position and morals, why not turn your batteries against the ten thousand of your own people of all classes, including preachers and legislators, who tamper with other men's wives, seduce and abandon innocent girls, keep mis- tresses, and frequent the haunts of prostitution?
