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Show 212 WOU 'A N S EXPONENT - From the "PblladelphiA Times," Jan. 19, 1879 MORMON LADIES CALLING AT 3 THE WHITE HOUSE. On Saturday, when Mrs Hayes bad her first reception, the two Mormon ladles, Mrs. B. Wells and Mrs. Zlna Young WilMiss liams, Anthony, Mrs. Spencer, of this and others city called, and the President, when they asked a hearing from him, Appointed Monday at 10 a. m. The two Mormon wives named,' oce of whom, Mrs. Williams, is the daughter of Brig-haYoung,and the other the wife of Wells, of Salt Lake went to the White House Em-meli- ne m Ex-May- or promptly at the appointed hour, accompanied by Mrs. Matilda Joslyn Gage and Mrs. Spencer. These two ladies and Mrs. Wells, of Utah, were of the committee appointed by tho Suffrage Association. Miss Rachel C. Foster and Mies Julia T. Foster, of Philadelphia, Mifs Woodbury of this city, and mytelt were the only others present during the interview with the .Piesident, whjch began at the hour named. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are punctual in keeping appointments, although they frequently make them for half-pa- st 9 a. m. Their house is always in order, too, by that time. Tho into which Mrs. Hayes has sometimes taken me as early as 10 o'clock, look as if no one had used them the previous night, though all are occupied every night. The President invited the ladies named into the library, as being more secure from interruption than his office. The resolutions of the Suffrage Associations were first read to him by Mrs. Spencer and he listened with interest, though he sometimes wore an amused smile as he was reproached for his neglect in failing to mention the political, civil, or social rights of women. He occasionally asked questions courteously, and I was amazed, having seldom witnessed a similar Interview, at the direct, concise, forcible and yet invariably respectful replies given by the ladles. They had evidently carefully considered what they wished to say, and said it as briefly as possible, determined to lose nothing by boring their auditor (the only man in the room), who was, on his part, doing the polite thing in every not this way.Is progress when the chief of a great nation is willing to receive from a band of women, appointed by women, suggestions as to affairs of state and a reproach for past omissions? -- bed-chambe- rs PLEA OF THE MORMON "WIVES. But the beauty of the interview to me was when the two Mormon ladies laid their cane before the President and he showed such kindly sympathy with them when they proved what misery would follow in Utah the enforcement of the act of 1862 against polygamy. He told them he would not trust to a matter to his memory of a verbalimportant but wished them to put their case interview, in writing and lay it before him. He seemed pained, evidently, reflecting how little he could do to help them since the United States Supreme Court has rendered a decision Within a month against polygamy in Utab. How favorable an impression the party produced on Mr. Hayes is best proved his offer to bring his wife in to xee them, a by proportion gratefully accepted. I must not omit to mention Just here that while the ladles of the Suffrage Association showed a decided sympathy with the Mormen ladies, who had stated that by the enforcement of the act of 18S2 many thousand women, would be made outcasts and their children ill legitimate before the world, Mrs. Gage and Mrs Spencer were careful to explain to the President exactly on "what ground tho National . : . Woman's Suffrage Association had received the Utah delegates. They said the Association must not be construed as taking part in any other branch of the Mormon question except that of female suffrage." The women of Utah have enjoyed the right of suffrage and now Congress proposes to take It from them, and the Association which met here last week contends that as Congress has repeatedly refused to interfere with State or Territorial governments to grant suffrage to women, it should not interfere to take it away when local authorities have conferred it. Mrs. Hayes heard the Mormon wives with such earnest sympathy as to completely win their hearts. She listened and spoke to them in a sisterly manner that aroused in all present 3 feeling of reverence for her noble, womanly nature. She invited the party to visit all the private apartments, aud, when they left, sent tbem through the conservatories. Mis3 to-cli- Grundy. The Women of Utah. Mrs. Blake'3 Analysis of Their Plea for Po' lygamy. - At the lecent National Woman Suffrage Convention in Washington there were present two delegates from the Territory of Utah. They were Mrs. Emmeline B. We Is, editor of the Woman's Exponent of Salt-- 1 ake City, and Mrs. Zina Young Williams, a daughter of Brig-haYoung. They were both of them women of culture, well, dressed and well appearing. Mrs. Wells was a lady of perhaps fifty, with a pleasing, intellectual face. Mrs. Williams was young and very good looking. They were both Mormons, apparently from devout, religious belief, and had come East principally to urge Congress not to pres3 tho bill abolishing ,Jplu.al marriages," as they preferred to call their social institutions. In pursuance of this wish they havo within the last few weeks had several hearings before the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, on which they havepresented their views with force and clearness. It was quite evident that loth these ladies were by conviction firm believers in the divine origin of their faith, and that they had in a large degree the temperament that may perhaps be described as eminently pious, or spiritual, in the best sense of tho worda temperament which causes its possessors to cling closely to their faith, and, if necessary, to tuffer martyrdom for it. in speaking of their peculiar institution they both admitted that there were elements in it which were painful to a woman's heart, but added that they were doing what was ordained by tbeir religion, which commanded as a sacred duty that they should thare those attentions which a selfish human instinct would cause them to wish to retain undivided. J m Ljxlie Devereux Blake. The Evening Telegram, N. Y., Feb. 11, 1879. The extracts published nbove were written by ladies whom wo met while in Washington. Miss Grundy (a fictitious name by the way) boarded at the same hotel, consequently ve saw her often. She is a pleaslng and popular 5 Mrs. Wells was careful to say that they did not considerall men fitted, either by nature or outward circumstances, for plural marriage. It was only men of principle, of large, kindly hearts, who weie proper persons to have more than ono wife. sTor did she feet that this portion of their system was adapted to all communities, but thought it would be especially desirable for lural regions where women are in excess in the population, and urged that in New England, for instance, the army of celibate women would be better off as wives of good men, even shared though the houors, than passing to their they in the graves childless coldness of single life. We can fancy that the dignified o!d malda cf Massachusetts W0UMiMignsntIy icBcnt so base n suggestion, ng insti-tutio- n . ' but we give it in justice" to a really conscien tious thinker." The women ef Utah have enjoyed the of suffrage for eight years, and it was at uht first supposed that political freedom would at once cause them to tear off the yoke of polygamy-ye- t this was surely a hasty conclusion, since there was no more rea?pn to think that giving them the ballot would move them to disbelieve in their religion, than to imagine that men, on reaching manhood and being able to vote would change their religious convictions. We do believe that political freedom cannot, fail with the increased facilities for educationand freedom of thought which will accompany it to lead women gradually to throw off the shackles of superstition, while their more spiritual nature will still cause them to all tnat is true and pure in religion; but it is not to be expected that sue') a result will follow t onee, or that Mormon omen, with their most fcacred affections twined about the of plural marriage would violently repudiate it. Yet the right of suffrage has already had for these women the most beneficial results. It has led to the formation amon them of societies for mutual education and improvement. These associations meet throughout the whole Territory, and women are constantly employed in visiting the different societies to inform their members upon topics of interest and importance. Already the influ. ence of the women as a power is felt in the body politic, while it is quite evident that free thought on all topics is deing its work among them. Of course it could not be expected that they would make the first use of their liberties by tearing down their homes, and the fact that these Mormon women cling to thege homes, poor as they are, ought to silence forever those objectors who maintain that enfranchising women would destroy the home. writer, a regular correspondent of the "Philadelphia Times" and "Boston Herald' and alluded to us in both, In a way which was very kind-anthoughtful, and which we appreciated. She writes also for Washington papers, aud indeed I think her letters upon society are worthy a place in any journal or magazine. She mingles in the beat society, and is therefore competent to write of it, and she is on intimate terni3 with Mrs. Hayes. She is youDg, and in every respect a very f ensible girl, not riunt;u wim iiHuery lit, an. cue 10 a geutim favorite with the ladies at the hotel, and to us she was extremely kind. Mm, Lillie Devereux Blake is very witty and very sarcastic; our readers will remember we have republished many of her scathing articles. Mrs. Blake is uncommonly gifted, and as shrewd a woman as we ever me She dressei well, and contrary to the geueral argument used by men in regard to women who defend the woman question on tho public platform, has a nice home and no doubt a happy one, beautiful daughters, and a husband all her own. She speaks for women everywhere boldly, defiantly perhaps, but certainly positively. She has written us fairly as cne could who stands outside and kuows nothing of thd spirit of the latter-dawork. She says the women's organizations hero have originated from our to having the Ballot. This Is an error we wish correct, but ono that strangers who do not understand Mormon' women V d I y home-missiona- ry |