, 1879-01-21

Iformou Women rfendtnR for ths Wives and
Children nf Etnst. .....
Tho House judiciary Committee. at Washing
ton, on Friday, granted hearlnR tu Mrs.
Etnctno u. Willis anI Mrs. Yostn. Williams, af
aalt Lake CITY, Utah, upon tue various petitions
now before the Cotun,ttcc relating to thu laws
affecting pa'ygamy.
Mrs. sara E. Spencer, Of this city, introduced
tho indies, sayin9: "fon have given hearings
to largo numbcrs OF gentlemen nnoM THIS gues-
lion, asking you FOR legislation which Will wosk
tcrrfblu lsardships upu1l women and children.
VIII you not l,car the women In tt'elr own b.
hnlff 1t istn your powcr tn euaet new icgfsls-
tfon, working still greater hardshtps, Or to
Hmcnu ur repeal existing laws 70 that tlle cnicf
suIferers, conscientious In their religious c311-
ftctiuns, may not be hunted uuwIi ~ outlaws
anu uutCasts: or It Ia IN Tt'llr puwcr TO do Us
YOU have with our larger Qncasion-a'l the rights
sirs. Wells, who iIrst addressed tho I Commit.
tee, satd: "1Ye l,are been driven Westward
from etuto to State, utI1 at last took refuge OIL
soil not belonging 10 tho United States, but to
Mexiea. We wefs thought uuat to I've un,!es
tic FREQ Anericzli, flag, atd VIC took the wilder
ness in which to buiI up u ctslllxatiou Of our
own, and to worship Uo4l according to our cnn-
ssset,ces. When tho United states took posses.
sion Ut our territory We wrFa a@nn hunted down
by ticutiles who followed lis tficre, and WHO saw
md weso rearing children In our fa!tl-4utAl
ehiltlrcn-owned and blessed BY their Kind
fatl.ers. Tlcsu 1nea have stirred up the Chris
tian wun.eu Of oAs cunntty, Who III apncallng to
yot to further atlict us know not wl,at they DO.
IN have NJ ttramshops, no paupsrs, no u1icast
women, tlu ll1caitinnir children. Enforco this
cruel l4w, lot thu ticnsslcs ruin sfnt Territory,
anil you must build prtaone for CUR husbands
and alLls.tOuses for olr chl!lrcn, aud then what
st,ntl We DO Uefuru your 1awl'
Hrs. Williams said: "My father, Brigham
Younu, lnycd his children, and provided fol
wutuen outsasts who arc now honorcd wives md
moi hers, grown gray In seartny sons ~ g.~Nl
citizens Of thu United Statcsl Wu thougstt the
Constitution Ut tho United Stntas would protscl
III in tic free exerclsc nf religion and that the
law would be pronounced unconstitutional
Now ttut the Supreme Court hns decided other.
Wtsc, wc cGino to You Tor protection. We nrc
Un1tcd States citizens, born un American BUt
W. are strength 10 Ibis nation. Nowhere will
you till1 hraYca, trner nIcn tftnu our husbands
and the sUua wa nrc rearlng. We nsk 1nstlcc al
your hands. We ask del!hcgat!on, thas voW mag
knuw eycrY phAso 0t Tits question beloFe you
du US any K1catef WronK."
slr. Con.er inquired Of Mrs epeDcrr what
definite action the COMMITTEES WINS requested Il
take.
Mrs. Spanccr said: "You arc requested to
frame battcr bill than that now on tito ca!ca'
dar trutn the CosnHIlteeo on Territories, which
Dinisfes all MprniuD Wunlen for no cr1FhG the,
linys not married several husbaB'fsN and wlIIct
Furnishes all Alortuon men Tor thcouly rcdeenlnl
fratl1ru III their peculiar MISUNDERSTANDING
aud recognizing these women as wlses. Tint Ii
the eFlnIg men sec III Utah, not living with scy
eral women, but lion0ring then1 and claiming
them a. wlscs. Enact II 1nw. It Mt all. whlrl
will ilayu r,owcr tu protect thesu wollten aud
their cnitdren. and repcnl whatever does thciG
WFuug,h