The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-03-07
Review of Congressional
Labors.
Foreign Intelligence.
ANN ELIZA TO MRS. HAYES.

n fiatn ana lrutnful statement IN regard
to Polygamy.
Ann Eliza Young has written from
Appleton, Wis, letter to Mrs. r. B.
Hayes, in which she alludes to the re-
cent call on Mrs. Hayes by two Nor
mon women, rs being entangled in the
tolls Of system which is the destroyer
Of home. She urges that Mrs. Hayes
use her entire influence to bring to an
end that system. She says: '.Emeline
Wells and Zina Williams came with
pathetic pleadings to touch your heart
with the picture of what would be the
cruel condition of Mormon women and
children IL the law against polygamy
should be enforced. recognize the
injustice of the law as it now stands,
and admit that to enforce 1t would be
inequitable and produce great suffer-
ing. But these two women came to
you with falsehoods in their mouths.
Polygamy has no Brightness such as
they described, no excellencies such as
they claimed. could show you pic
ture out of the polygamous lives Of
these very women which would make
you shudder and turn heart sick. /
knew both of them intimately for
years, and know that they both have
experienced their share Of the evils
peculiar to polygamy; the envy, jeal-
ousy and heart burning which are in
separable from that system.
Your late visitors, and George Q.
Cannon, (the husband Of six living
wives) assert that there is entire har-
mony in polygamous families. The
assertion is absolutely false. There is
not polygamous husband in all Utah
who does not have a favorite among
his wives, whom he favors far above
all the rest. His time, means, and
affection arc expended upon her, while
the other poor souls are left in loneli-
ness, and usually in destituticn. This
fact alone furnishes one of the strong
est arguments against the system.
She draws a pitiful picture of the
desolation and unhappiness Of the two
women above named, and continues:
Nor did these women speak the truth
when they said polygamy gives all
children fathers and all women hus-
bands. AS rule the men care only
for the children of the favorite, and
those of the other wives look wistfully
or jealousy on, seeing all favors and
caresses bestowed upon the others.
This partiality awakens most bitter
and evil feelings in the hearts of the
slighted mother and children, and fos.
tiers a feeling of superiority and arro-
gance in those who are favored. Can
it be holy system which fosters such
vile feelings as this system of polyga.
my doesr If propriety permitted
tales could be told that would turn
every pure minded person sick with
horror, and Oil them with pain, to
think that 10000 people were SO de.
luded and demoralized. Has this sys-
tenn kept women from the insane
asylum and the suicides grayeP Has
it made women cheerful, happy. health
full wives, and mothers, and kept de
spair and utter hopelessness from creep
ing into their hearts and faces? Tc
these questions l can say, no, thous
and times, and know that what say Is
true, in Gods sight. 1t has utterly
crushed the lives and broken the hearts
of thousands of women; as can speai
from personal knowledge, having bare
ly escaped being one in the genera
ruin.
She declares that the right of suf
frage only rivets their chains, by caus
ing them to vote as their master die
tates. She concludes: Polygamy des
|, olates every home which it enters
Surely it will be neither improper mo-
unwise for you to exert your influences
. against that vast and increasing crime
1t is opposed to all that you prize il
domestic and social life; 1t makes thu
civilized, Christian home, impossible
Even If you can only do but little
though you can only speak words O
, sympathy, such words will speedily b'
, waited westward to thousands Of ach
ing hearts, and will be refreshing as th'