In Support of Polygamy

A Talk Given in Support of Polygamy by Christianna Peel - 1870


Dear Sisters!

We have come together today to express our views in regard to the Bill now before Congress known as the Cullom Bill. I shall try to offer a few remarks if the spirit of God will assist me. We have embraced the Gospel of Christ, not because we were compelled to do so, but because the spirit of God moved us and bore testimony to the truth of its principle; which principles we know are for salvation to all who obey them. We have left our native lands and traveled thousands of miles for the sake of having the liberty to live up to these principles; we left our relatives, the friends of our youth and the places which were dear to us for the sake of this Liberty. We imagined that when we should come to this country we would have the liberty to live in peace and especially to enjoy that liberty which every woman would seek, namely to be free to choose for herself a companion, not only for life but for eternity also. We had heard about the glorious document, the Constitution of the United States, bequeathed to the citizens of this great Republic which citizenship we claim to hold; if not all of us by birth then by adoption, as our husbands either born or naturalized citizens of this country. I said we had heard about this glorious document, which gives freedom to all to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their conscience. But, how do we find it? By reading this document which goes under the name of the Cullom Bill, we find that either must we have been greatly mistaken about this great liberty that we expected to find here, or else there must be men entirely void of all righteousness who are willing to take away from us this liberty which they so gloriously hold forth to every nation. I said, “entirely void of all righteousness.” For it would be impossible for a man with the least sense of righteousness to try to rob a peaceful and honest people of this heavenly boon which is highly appreciated by all nations, the liberty to worship God as their hearts may dictate. They say that they have such kind feelings for the women of Utah; they want to liberate us. I will ask: from what? Their wish is to liberate us from being chaste and true to our husbands and bring us to destruction if it be in their power. They say they will imprison our husbands. For what? For nothing but obeying the Laws of the Almighty which are not only revealed in these days but also in days of old which we can see through the bible. I wonder if that man, if he can have the honor of being called a man, who framed this bill, ever saw a bible. For I think if ever he saw a bible he had seen something about this principle: Plural Marriage, which he pronounces to be a crime. But, my dear sisters, we verily find that such wicked men are found who will rob us of our liberty. Therefore, let us stand by our husbands and live humble before God and pray to Him for deliverance and He who has all Power in His Hands will smite these wicked men with a sore affliction and he will deliver his saints.

Christianna Peel