DOINGS OF THE MORMONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 91, 2 October 1852, Page 5

DOINGS OF THE MORMONS.

£ From the " Sacramento Union."]

The territory of Utah now presents an anomaly in American history, both in its social and political aspect. Last fall the ofßcers sent by the General Government to preside over its destinies left there in a body, with the exception of a Mormon judge, because of the general enmity existing against the United States, and the deeply corrupt social system prevailing among the Mormon population. Nevertheless, Governor Young, although declared illegally elected, called the Legislature together after his own fashion, and went on in his career through the winter unchecked. The Secretary of State having left, he appointed a new one without troubling Congress in the matter, and carried on law-making in a manner peculiar to himself. If the august Legislature was in doubt upon any subject, he walked in without ceremony, and after giving them a general " blowing up," they followed his dictation upon the instant, and decided for or against the law instanter. They soon dispensed with the Council and Lower House, and left legislation to about a dozen who gathered around the Governor, and signed at his beck any required bill. These are mostly mutilated statutes of other States altered to suit the views of the dictator, showing a woeful lack of legislative mechanism. They have legalized polygamy, incest, and many other matters usually considered crimes among Christian communities. Under the foregoing legislation they have collected enormous taxes during the present spring from the " gentiles" who wintered at the Lake. The latter have been compelled to pay taxes twice in eight months, and that to an extent of 5 to 6 per cent, on each assessment. These funds were divided among the leaders without any secresy or ceremony. Dry goods dealers were required to contribute, and the amount paid in finery to women of the various harems of those who conduct public affairs in Utah. Receipts are then given for the same by a quondam tax collector for the " State of Deseret," irrespective of the organic act creating a territorial government.

At the general conference of the Mormons held in Salt Lake City in April, they decided to continue Brighaxa Young as their Governor, even if the General Government should remove him. As the people are occupying the great half-way station on the main inland route across the continent, their infatuated movement must demand the attention of the western portion of the United States, as the great bulk of travel must pass directly through the Mormon country. " Polygamy prevails there to an extent equal to many of the tales of Eastern romance. Governor Young has a seraglio of ahout thirty women, and another named Kirnball has above that number. The " twelve apostles" among them have from half a dozen to a dozen females each ; and all of the principal ones among them are vicing in the same object. This was not originally a part of their system, but has sprung up within the last few years—since their expulsion from Nauvoo. This practice bas been established at the lake by a most dreadful system of force and espionage Many of the earliest of the sect are leaving, because of these disgusting proceedings, whenever they dare to do so ; but until lately Governor Young forbade any to leave the valley except with his consent; and the present season he has denounced with spiritual vengeance all who should depart without his knowledge. If he had not done so, more than half the population would have left this spring.

Lady Charlotte Guest. — Lady Charlotte Guest piques herself more on being the wife of the great ironmaster, thaii the (laughter of the Scotch Earl. Indeed, it is a question with many, whether her ladyship d66s not ride this, and other of her hobbies, a little too hard, though, after all, it would be better for people who take exception to her energy to imitate her bustling and benevolent activity, than to give way to their criticism. Though a fine, handsome, and fashionable woman, with eight children to claim her care, her ladyship takes an interest even in the minutiae of the works, and has so keen an eye to the ftlain point, that though she may possibly startle at the question, "What is the price of pigs," she knows what the price should be. Upon one occasion, I am told, she astonished the wild Cymbri by rolling out a rail bar herself. A circumstance was narrated to me which, if true, indicates her character aptly enough. Her ladyship was generally observed to be in a somewhat vivid state of excitement about the time the balance sheet of the works (when Sir John had partners) was being made up, and as soon as the account was finished, so eager was she to seethe amount of profits, that she had a copy of it sent to her wherever she might bel On one occasion (it was, if I mistake not, the great railway year) she had a grand party at her London residence, probably brought together to give eclat to the project she had in mind. When the festivity was at its height, a courier arrived from Dowlais, booted and spurred,' with a tin box containing the expected document. Lady Charlotte ordered it to be brought to her in the brilliantly lighted saloon, where she was s'lirrounded by a circle of her aristocratic friends and relations, who were probably occasionally, like her mother, in the habit of having a sneer at the cinder-hole. " What's that, Lady Charlotte," exclaimed they, all crowding round the apparition of the tin box. "'Tis our balancesheet," answered her ladyship. "Balancesheet!" exclaimed the fair Aristai, " what's a balance-sheet?" "It is an account made up, and shewing the profits down at the works for the last twelve months." The company laughed, for they thought with Lady Lindsay of the cinder-hole, but the Welsh ironmaster's wife bided her time, for she knew the laugh would be with her, as she opened the tin case and drew out the document. " And so that's a ba-lance-sheet," exclaimed her friends, crowding round the paper with the double entries and the red lines, and they looked on it as on a phenomenon ; they had never seen one before, and if they had heard of one, they thought it was something belonging to a ship. " But what are the profits ?" cried they, as Lady Charlotte scanned her eye over the paper. Lady Charlotte, not seeming to heed them, said, as though she spoke to herself, " Three hundred thousand pounds a very fair year," and she recommitted the balance-sheet to its tin case, while peeresses looked as Lot's wife might have looked as she was being changed into salt. "Threehundred thousand pounds profit? What, you don't mean that in one year?" "In one year," was the reply, as if there was nothing at all.remarkable in the matter. " I'd be a Cinderella myself," said a Border countess, " to a husband with such a business. Three hundred thousand pounds, only think, and all from that nasty cold iron ; it beats the glass slipper." Lady Charlotte had her revenge. None of them sneered at the cinder-hole after that—the balance-sheet cured them. — Roebuck's history of the Whigs.

A Valuable Relic. —A governess at Wilton house, happening to read the Arcadia, had discovered between two of the leaves, folded in paper as yellow from age as the printed pages between which it reposed, a lock of hair, and on the envelope enclosing- the lock was written, in Sir Philip Sydney's well-known autograph, an inscription purporting that the hair was that of her Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth. None of the family had ever heard of the treasure. So this identical volume, not only dedicated to his beloved sister, but entitled by himself The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, has remained for two centuries in the library of her descendants, without any one of them taking the trouble to open the "book! The governess only, no Sydney, no Herbert, had taste enough, or curiosity enough, to take down the prose poem. I have not the honour to know the present master of Wilton ; but, judging by reputation, I do not think that such a neglect could happen now. — Recollections of a Literary Life