The Wasp — 1879 — page 79: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from *The Wasp* depicts a "Polygamy House" scene with two prominent figures wielding clubs labeled with what appears to be "Congress Powder" (a barrel sits below). The caricatured figures represent political antagonists engaged in violent conflict over polygamy policy. The cartoon likely references late 19th-century debates over Mormon polygamy in Utah Territory. The "Polygamy House" banner and "Congress Powder" suggest Congressional attempts to legislatively suppress the practice. The exaggerated, grotesque facial features and violent imagery are typical of period satirical cartooning. The crowded, chaotic composition with observers in the background emphasizes the public nature of this contentious political debate. Without seeing the article text or publication date, the specific politicians involved remain unclear, though the cartoon unmistakably critiques the explosive nature of anti-polygamy politics.