THE UTAH CRISIS.
THE HAWKINS CASE AND ITS EFFECTS. THE DEFENDANT IN THE ROLE OF A MARTYR—HIS WIVES SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY—A CRITICISM ON TIIE PROSECUTION.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR : Thomas Hawking, the husband of three Mormon wives, by all of whom he has children, has been convicted of adultery by a jury of anti-Mormons, and is to sentenced on Saturday, the 28th instant. It is un-derstood, and has been for some weeks, that his punish-ment will cover imprisonment for several years and whatever line his property will supply. It is stated that the extreme term of imprisonment provided by the statute—20 years—is to be reserved for Brigham Young and the other Mormon leaders, who will also be mulcted in heavy fines, adultery ranking only second to murder in the Mormon codes of law and morals. Thomas Hawkins is, in the opinion of his brethren, a martyr to his faith. He has "lived his religion," and for this faithfulness he is to suffer. To the average Mormon mind there is nothing shocking in the unclean details of the practical workings of the many-wife system given with such minuteness by the prosecuting witness, Mrs. Hawkins "number one." This woman—formerly a de-voted Mormon, but, since her quarrel with her husband five years since, an apostate from the faith—manifested great shrewdness in her examination before the jury, and pleaded the cause of the prosecution with no little ingenu-ity. She testified to the general good conduct of her hus-band, the father of her seven living and five dead children, up to the period of her employment of a Mormon servant girl, for whom the man Hawkins speedily confessed an attachment, and to whom he was at length "sealed" by the ceremonial of the church. Against this proceed-ing the original Mrs. Hawkins felt inclined to protest, but she confesses to have been finally talked into it, The servant became Mrs. Hawkins No. 2 and the equal of Mrs. Hawkins No. 1.
"With eye unmoved and forehead unabashed
She dined from off the plate she lately washed."
This promotion was far from agreeable to the first wife. She found herself occupying a plane no higher than that of her late servant in the esteem and affection of her husband. Society, too, gave the servant an equal place with the wife. At the table the husband sat with the first wife on his right hand, the second on his left. Sad hours were passed by the wife and mother, especially during the many nights of watchful loneliness when the husband was missing from her side. Clearly she was deserted for the fresh young serving woman by whom this devoted "saint" must "raise up seed to Israel."
Evidently Mrs. Hawkins number one managed to make the life of the saintly Hawkins anything but pleasant from this time forth. To this fact she testified in open court. In the presence of learned judges and eminent barristers, this good and much-abused woman swore, not only in a technical sense, but in the sense ascribed to "our army in Flanders," that she lost her faith in the "dammed doctrine of plurality" from the moment when she found herself deserted by her husband for the superior charms of that youthful hewer of the domestic wood and drawer of the family dish-water, Elizabeth Mears. Still she held on, concealing her grief from all but the husband—whose life, it is believed, this amiable lady managed to make sufficiently miserable—until the terrible day when num-ber three—one Sarah Davis—succumbed to the charms of the irresistble Hawkins. This damsel was quite at tractive in appearance, and, although far from diminu-tive in stature, she yet proved to be the last feather in the polygamous cap of this bird of prey, Hawkins, as well as the last one required to break the back and heart of that not too patient camel, number one. For five years she lived on alone, supported by her much-wedded husband, but no longer sustaining toward him the wifely relation. All this time she lived in the hope and expectation that the man would yet abandon the recent fractions of himself and cleave once more unto that now forlorn segment with whom he had dwelt not unhappily for more than 15 years. When at last she had sufficiently realized the heart-sickness of a hope deferred, she sought at once the lawyers and the sweet revenge which courts and juries hold in store. Then followed the complaint, the indictment, and the conviction. Her husband's law-yers suggested a compromise, and pictured the desola-tion of the family when the property should all be wasted In defending the suit; to which came the spirited rejoin-der that she would prefer to enrich the lawyers rather than allow her husband to support his "outside women" on an equality with herself. In all the public proceed-ings she showed herself not only a match for Hawkins and an army of plural wives, but for bench and bar alike. Her triumph is complete. For her years of suffering she now has the satisfaction of seeing her husband incarce-rated and his substance seized to pay court expenses and lawyers' fees. She goes forth in poverty, to exist as best she may. Though she starve, her revenge at least is fed. Strange but true it is that in this community this first wife must live friendless and alone. She has dared to rebel against the sacred institution of plural marriage, and henceforth she meets "anathema !" If she has friends now, they must be of the "Gentile" faith. No true Mor-mon would give her food or shelter. Judging from her appearance in court, I do not think her presence would add materially to the happiness of any family. If her disposition was by nature sweet, the wondeful ferment-ive power of this patriarchal system is made apparent, for the "gall of bitterness" is as nothing compared with her present mental condition.
It would naturally be supposed that the two young women—with whom this man has been convicted of adulterous intercouse extending over a term of years—would be shunned as vile and immoral characters. Those readers of THE TRIBUNE who have little knowledge of things Mormon will be surprised to learn that these women are accepted as permanent pensioners by the Church; that they are practically treated as widows, having their wants supplied until such time as the hus-band secures his release and can again maintain them. To the Church they are his wives—not simply for this state of existence, but for all eternity. These marriages, solemnized by "the Priesthood," are not to be annulled by the Courts. To the devout Mormon, mar-riage is a sacrament of the holiest character, and the more of these sacraments he celebrates the more perfect will be his salvation. Hawkins is not an attractive man, though said to be as good a tinsmith as old England ordinarily sends forth; but it must be conceded that he "did his level best" toward securing his eternal salvation, so far as wives could contribute to that desirable consummation. To the unregenerate looker on this now prominent artificer in sheet-iron and kindred substances, is simply a low, vulgar fellow, honest enough no doubt in his strange faith, and a temperate, hard-working man, as all men say; to the Mormon he is a martyr to a glorious faith; noble above all others, be-cause the first to suffer in the discharge of this particular and binding duty.
Let it not be supposed that the women of Utah gen-erally share the feelings which appear to have animated this woman, who has thus endeavored to right a wrong from which she has suffered beyond the power, as she declares, of even her very voluble tongue to describe. The most earnest in their condemnation of her course are those of her own sex who are living in the polyg-amous relation. From day to day, during the progress of the trial. Mormon wives have sought admission to the court-room, and have evinced the utmost interest in the proceedings. That the female element here is thoroughly aroused no careful observer can doubt. That mis-chief is meant is clear. The sixteen wives of Brigham Young, who, by the terms of the indictment against that chieftain, are stigmatized as prostitutes, whose children are with much legal verbiage classified as bastards, are in a fever of mortification and rage.
The same is true of the five wives of Daniel H. Wells, and the three of George Q. Cannon. These women be-lieve in their husbands not less sincerely than in their religion. They are nearly all mothers of stawlart sons and beautiful daughters. They are, moreover, women whom adventurous lives among the mountains have in-ured to exposure and hardship. They are expert in the use of weapons and could do some desperate fighting if aroused. I have managed to draw forth from some of the leading spirits among them an expression of the pervading sentiment, and I discover in them the most dangerous element in the community. If these acts, which they view only in the light of persecution to be pursued even unto death, are not suspended, I antici-pate a women's uprising with "extermination for those who call us harlots and our children bastards," as its motto. Fully one-half, and I believe a larger proportion, of the non-Mormon residents here would secretly if not openly applaud the pluck of the Mormon women who should convey a portion of the officers of the existing Court beyond these inviting scenes. There is in the Western mind a sort of chivalry which will give and take the heaviest blows in defense of what is con-sidered "fair-play." In all the proceedings had in the courts here of late, there has been a semblance of unfairness, whether real or fancied, which has met with severe condemnation even from those who look upon polygamy as an ancient and un-clean barbarity. The bias of the courts has been utterly unconcealed. The deepest hatred of Brigham Young and his system has beeen uttered from the bench and by the prosecuting officers. The rulings of the court have been uniformly unfavorable to the Mormons, and juries have been packed to convict without disguise. Without this course, it would prove wholly impossi-ble to punish infractions of the law on the part of Mormons. But the careless outsider, here merely temporarily and for purposes of business, cares little for this. He sees a peaceful, well-ordered community, and, he troubles himself little about the belief of Brigham Young or any other man. His remark is very likely to be, "What care I how many wives Brigham has? He pays his bills like a man. If I want to borrow a few thousand dollars, the bank of which he is President will do better by me than any other. He is a good fellow, and if he is to be tried for any offense, let the trial be a fair one, and let the jury be made up from his peers, not picked to con-vict him!" The officer of the Government declares, how-ever that he is here, sworn to see the laws obeyed, and that this obedience can only be enforced by unusual and arbitrary measures. In the enforcement of an habitually violated law he is, accordingly, justified in extra-judicial acts. From the point of view of a disinterested observer, I could wish that the result aimed at could be attained without the taint of trickery which clearly attaches to the present proceedings. The law can be vindicated by fair means if its officers will but have patience. Far better would it be that a hundred juries should disagree than that one conviction should be secured through collusion and fraud. To this complexion will the good sense of the people of the country lead them at last.
A telegram reaches us from Washington, to-day, to the effect that a petition 60 feet long had been received at the Executive Mansion, signed by the women of Utah, protesting against polygamy and urging effective meas-ures to suppress the practice in this Territory. In view of the fact that there are probably not 200 women in the Territory who are not connected with the Mormon church, the announcement appeared somewhat startling, as indicating a heretofore unsuspected discontent on the part of the females of the flock. Diligent inquiry among the anti-Mormon ladies failed to establish the validity of the dispatch. Investigation, however, discovered the fact that about the middle of the present month a peti-tion signed by 2,500 Mormon women was forwarded to Mrs. President Grant, in which the oppressive acts of the courts were set forth, and an urgent appeal made that the wife of the President would intercede with her hus-band to "remove the malicious disturbers of the peace, or at least stop the disgraceful court proceedings, and send from Washington a committee of candid and intelli-gent men, who shall investigate matters which involve the right of property, perhaps of life, and, more than all, the constitutional liberties of more than 100,000 citizens." The facility with which these women argue in favor of their self-imposed claims, is marvelous. The gist of the petition is given in these words: "We believe in the Holy Bible, and that God did anciently institute the order of plurality of wives, and sanctioned and honored it in the advent of the Savior of the world, whose birth on the mother's side was in that polygamous line-age, as He testified to his servant, John, in the Isle of Patmos, saying 'I am the root and the offspring of David;' and we not only believe, but most assuredly know, that the Almighty has restored the fullness of the everlasting gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and with it the plurality of wives. This we accept as a purely divine institution. With us it is a matter of conscience, as we know that God commanded its practice."
Either the God in whom Brigham trusts so im-plicitly is hiding His face from the prophet and seer, now-a-days, or else the methods by which His friendship is displayed are somewhat unusual. A civil suit brought by a lady, a dissenting Mormon, and in-volving about $3,000, has been decided against him. The indictment for murder, supported by the testimony of Bill Hickman—of which I have heretofore spoken in these letters—is likely to be shortly presented, and under it Brigham will be arrested and placed in confinement; unless, indeed, the prediction which I have heretofore uttered, that the Mormons would not allow him to be incarcerated without a fight, proves correct. I do not believe a sane man could be found in this Territory who believes that Brigham ever killed anybody; nor do I presume it to be possible to fix upon him the crime of coun-seling or abetting any murderous act. He is, to say the least, one of the most cautious of men. I do not believe he would hesitate to stand trial on any charge which might be brought against him, even by the present Courts. But I suspect that some fanatical mad-cap may precipitate bloodshed in a moment of holy and mistaken zeal, and that the real trouble will then begin. I believe the Mormons would accept any reasonable proposition from respectable sources, to abandon polygamy forever, while still asserting their Divine authority to practice it. A few really wise men in power here at this juncture could avert the unnumbered miseries which bigotry and hatred on the one hand and fanaticism on the other are likely to inflict as well upon the innocent as the guilty. In any event, the great and crying error of polygamy is doomed. A genuine statesman, with broad views and a true sense of justice, who could act in the interest of humanity, "with charity for all, with malice toward none," could in a single week arrange a treaty of peace, which should provide that plural mar-riages should henceforth cease and that all past offenses of this nature should be forgiven—and this treaty would be sacredly kept by the Mormons. But there is at pres-ent no civil officer hero haying the high character de-manded to secure respect in such an undertaking. Gen. Henry A. Morrow, now in command of the troops here, a soldier, an able jurist, and a gentleman, could accom-plish the delicate task if empowered so to do. The great power of THE TRIBUNE might well be exerted to secure such an end. There is great need of some potent influ-ence in behalf of humanity at this critical period. The opposing elements are bitterly hostile and antagonistic. Fanaticism is being combated with trickery and the most vulgar threats and abuse on the part of high offi-cers of the Government. Surely this conduct is not tol-erated by the President of the United States and his constitutional advisers! F.
Salt Lake, Oct. 25, 1871.
THE PROSECUTION OF THE MORMONS DE-FENDED.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR: "Fair Dealing" has written you, pro-testing against any interference with the Mormons, and "Justice " indorses and reënforces him. Permit me a word with the latter. He says "all that 'Fair Dealing' says of their industry, thrift, temperance, gambling, and bawdy-houses, was true until the advent of the Gen-tiles." Subjoined is what Brigham Young said on this point in the Tabernacle on one occasion, according to the Mormon reporter:
"Some of the elders seemed to be tripped up in a moment if the wicked can find any fault with the mem-bers of this Church. I have many a time, in this stand, dared the world to produce as mean devils as we can—we can beat them at anything. We have the greatest and smoothest liars in the world, the cunningest and most adroit thieves, and any other shade of character you can mention. We can pick out elders in Israel right here, who can beat the world at gambling; who can handle the cards ; cut and shuffle them with the smartest rogue on the face of God's foot-stool. I can produce elders here who can shave their smartest shavers, and take their money from them. We can beat the world at any game."
"No similar community," says "Justice," "on the con-tinent has achieved in the same time and under similar conditions such material success." The fact is, that each of the surrounding States and Territories has achieved greater material success, according to the official assess-ment rolls, in less than half the time, and with less favorable conditions, the single case of Nevada excepted.
"There is no crime nor distress," says "Justice." On the contrary, there is more of both, and always has been, among the Mormons than among any equal num-ber of people in the United States. It is in proof that the leading spirits of the Mormon Church have time and again plotted the assassination of those who were ob-noxious to them for any cause, and executed the same in an unprecedentedly cold-blooded manner. Witness a string of assassinations as long as the history of Utah and as black as the annals of the worst old-fashioned pirates. They are no more industri-ous and temperate than other people of their generally destitute condition. The mass of them live wretchedly, far more so than the poorest American class elsewhere. To have enough wholesome food to eat is the exception, not the rule, while as to mental and spiritual distress, no one with an average knowledge of human nature need be told that no order of fanatics, Christian or Pagan, ever succeeded so well in banishing happiness from life and filling it with misery.
"One hundred and fifty thousand people made weal-thy." The United States census of 1870 gave Utah less than 90,000 population, all told, and of these not ten per cent are even comparatively comfortably situated, as to worldly possessions. The chiefs are pretty well' fixed, but it stands to reason that where every tenth man takes nine times his share, "by Divine right," the other nine must be left destitute, proportionally.
"The competent student of ethnological science will be compelled to admit that they are raising a better breed of children by their method than we produce from the same quality by our method." Why? How? Give us the proof. Nine-tenths of Utah' visitors come to pre-cisely the opposite conclusion. The Mormon women are confessedly unhappy. There is no love in their lives; nothing fine, æsthetical, is encouraged; on the contrary, it is systematically trampled out. How can they bear a better breed of children than happy women? The idea is absurd. The contrary, is the fact. History is full of it. Look at effete Turkey; at atheistical, level China; at the polygamous nations everywhere. Of what consequence is their existence to the improvement of the human race ?
"Justice" makes light of the idea that Mormonism "can ever seriously disturb our civil or social relations," while he says, "the inevitable fate of the whole system is so plainly decreed in the forces at work that a child may predict it." "Justice" is himself an exemplifica-tion of the fact that Mormonism not only can disturb our social and civil relations, but that it is doing it ; and how can "the forces at work" continue at work and thus de-stroy Mormonism, if "justice" and others of his mind interpose to prevent it ?
"Cupidity and bigotry, dishonesty and religions intole-rance, are at the bottom of this raid." There is no raid, nor are the men who are endeavoring to do their duty, as it is given them to see it, in Utah, actuated by base add selfish motives to any greater degree than the oppo-nents of Tammany in your city. Why should they be ? Look at the probabilities of it. Do men of common intelligence, in this age of the world, engage in religious crusades, hunt them up? Are the men of affairs at the present time to be bigoted and intolerant, religiously ? What are we doing, at all events, but endeavoring to establish the principles in Utah which prevail in the rest of the country—to carry out the policy of our age and nation, its declared in the Republican platform of 1856 and embodied in law by Congress in 1862 ? If we are re-ligious bigots, dishonest, and covetous of the posses-sions of the Mormons, were not the members of the Convention of Congress equally so ? "Dr. Newman is largely responsible for it," says "Justice." Why, it began about the time Dr. Newman was born. It has only taken definite form recently, from the fact that Utah has been opened to outside influences by the build-ing of the Pacific Railroad. It is as old as Utah, only hitherto our side has been constantly the under dog in the fight.
"They won't submit," says "Justice," as a tenth and clinching argument why we should stop. If it is true, it is but an additional reason for forcing the issue. It is too absurd to talk about. They have been, in a certain sense, recognized, tolerated in Congress for years past, without a legal protest, says "Justice." Is it a reason for continuing to do wrong that we have been doing it a long while ? And if it is, was not the law of 1862 inhibiting polygamy a legal protest against it. "When the Enabling act was passed was the time to have objected to polygamy," was it? "Well, when it was passed, there were no more fiery denouncers of polygamy and its kindred abomina-tions than these same Mormons. It was not till two years after the passage of the Enabling act that they adopted polygamy as a doctrine and practice.
No, the non-Mormons of Utah, in office and out, are acting only in self-defense. Mormonism is religious fanaticism devoted to a political end. It aims to spread all over and rule the world. It acknowledges no allegi-ance to our own or to any earthly government. It stops at no crimes to advance its purpose. It claims to practice polygamy as religion, and it claims the right to kill the body to save the soul as religion too. Admit the one, and you must the other. Both have been and are practiced. We have the proofs. We propose to show the world what manner of deeds the men are capable of who claim to practice polygamy, and refuse to acknowledge the su-premacy of our Government and laws, both and all in the name of religion. A more heartless, soulless, re-morseless, treacherous, murderous, cold-blooded, reck-less set of villains than the leading spirits of the Mormon sect doesn't exist, and I doubt if it ever did. People will do well to go slowly in admitting religion as a plea for the violation of our criminal laws. They will do well to wait for the inside history of Mormon murder and assassination in Utah, all in the name of religion, of course, before ad-mitting the constitutional right of the Mormons to prac-tice polygamy on the same flimsy pretext. O. J. H.
Salt Lake City, Oct. 28, 1871.
