Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-24
TaURsDAY. JANUARY %. 1852.

Mr. BRIGGS asked leave take up from the Speakers
table the following resolution of inquiry concerning the
Legality Of the election Of the Delegate from Utah, Mr.
BERNHIsEL:)
Resor That the Elections be instructed
inquire into the election of JOHN NJ BERsHIsEL the present
Delegate from the Territory of Utah whether said election
held according to law and whether any bribery corrup
ton other illegal means made of by the said
BERsaIsEL with Brigham Young any other persons
the said election and RETURN with to send for
sons and papers.
Mr. HOUSTON suggested that if the resolution should
now be called up for action the presumption was that it
would give rise debate in which he had doubt
the House would hear the Delegate from Utah the sub
ject He submitted to the House whether it would not
be well to allow this resolution to pass for the pre-
sent and take up for consideration the Mexican in
demnity bill.
Mr. DEAN desired inform his colleague that if this
subject should be taken up, it would be debated
There several gentlemen who desired to be heard
this subject
Mr.. BRIGGS said that considering there had been a
posponement of this subject day, he did not think
that by pressing this resolution he would entrench
upon the privileges of members, but would give them
ample discuss the Mexican indemnity bill their
entire satisfaction He therefore declined to withdraw
Mr.. STANTON of Tennessee, thought that the wishes
of the Delegate from Utah should be consulted.
Mr.. RICHARDSON desired to call attention to the fact
that the resolution seemed to reflect the mode by
which the Delegate from Utah obtained his seat and it
was than due that that gentleman should be
heard in explanation 1t was important that al these
questions should be discussed and he in favor of the
| Delegate from Utah having fair fight.
Mr.. BERNIIISEL begged leave to state for the nfor
nation of the House. that he received the of his
nomination his way home last year; that he had
competitor at the election and received every
for Delegate to Congress- and the election did
him dollar in money had been enormously report
ed and circulated here The certificate of his election
giving the number of votes and signed by the Governor
and counersgned by the Secretary of the Territory and
having affixed to it the broad seal Of the Territory of
Utah. he asked leave to send to the Clerks table to be
read for the information of the House He felt nc
| q resolution offered
evidence to sustain it, but would cheerfuly leave it
| to the disposition of the House
THE certificate of election read, which declared
that election held the first Monday August 1851
in pursuance of proclamation, 1889 votes cast,
when John M. Bernhisel received the whole number
appeared by the of the election filed in the Exc
cutye Department Mr. Bernhsel is therefore declared
the duly elected delegate for the Territory Of Utah for the
sd Congress This certificate is signed by Gov. Brig
ham Young and countersigned by D Harris Secretary
of the Territory of Utah.
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia, stated that he would vote
to lay the resolution the table and would give his
reasons for doing He deemed it important fact
that, although the gentleman from New York offered
this resolution yet he did understand him to endorse
it. That gentleman did not say that he entertained
suspicion of fraud in the election of the delegate from
Utah butt the contrary he said that he knew nothing
about the matter He therefore utterly opposed to
entertaining for moment this resolution unless
member should present memorial from stat
ing facts unless member should aege that there
for action to the legality Of the election of
| the delegate from Utah.
| Mr.. BRIGGS said that the gentleman from Georgia
misunderstood him when he said that he Mr.. B. had
asserted that he did believe there corruption in
the election of the delegate from Utah for he did be-
| lieve there corruption He would say few words
in relation the certificate of election which had been
read to the House II referred to election which
held in direct violation of the law organizing that Terri
tory-an election held in pursuance of old laws which
existed in that Territory previous to its organization by
Congress 1t had been told him, by gentleman cogn
of the matter that the signature Of the Secretary Of
the Territory attached to the certificate was forced from
Mr. Harris the secretary by order Of Gov Young under
direct protest from him against signing the document
The secrearys attached to the certificate be-
fore the returns of the election had been received under
the dctaon of Gov. Brigham Young AS he stated when
he introduced the resolution he averse to discussing
these matters before the House. and wished the whole
subject go the Committee Of Elections, that they
could summon witnesses and obtain all the facts connect
ed with it.
i Mr. STEPHENS, Of Georgia thought that the gentle
mans explanation amounted TO this: that he believed
that the delegate from Utah had been returned here in
violation of the organic law of that Territory The gem
temans resolution, however made inquiries to whe
Their the delegate had not been rauduenty eected and
contained direct imputaton against him, directing the
Committee Elections to inquire whether bribery and
corruption had not been used by him to obtain the seat
which he now occupied resolution might just well
be formed touching himself Mr. S. any other mem
Der of the House He opposed to the resolution.
Mr. BRIGGS was unwilling at all times to endorse ru-
mors in regard to the conduct any gentleman especially
who occupied seat here If here, he recognised him
as gentleman until the contrary should be proved 1t
/
money paid to Gov Young by the delegate from Utah
to secure his election He could not say whether 1t
true, but desired the matter to be investigated.
Mr. STEPHENS said that the gentleman did not make
the charges himself had any one appeared to make
these allegations He utterly opposed to the House
acting upon outside rumors In relation to the charge
that the delegate from Utah had been elected contrary
the organic law Of that Territory the rules Of the House
required the Committee Elections to inquire into such
matters If any person desired TO make complaint as
to the legality Of the election Of the delegate from Utah.
they should petition the House on the subject and the
Committee Elections could investigate the subject In
conclusion, he renewed the motion to lay the resolution
on the table. He withdrew the notion however, at the
request Of
4 Mr.. CARTIER who remarked that the resolution of
the gentleman from New York proposed refer the sub
jec of the right of the delegate from Utah to seat in
the House to standing committee of the House. cons
tued for the purpose of investigating and determining
these questions There nothing in the resolution
cept matter which necessary direct the attention
of that committee to the investigation. He much
In favor of deliberate and impartial Investigation Of this
subject the gentleman from Georgia though he did
concur with him in this that they should close their eyes
to the question of investigation The gentleman said that
this subject came here without authority They had
already hadaid upon the table Of the House report from
all OF the officers of the Territory of Utah with the excep
ton OF one, duplicating the conduct Of Governor Young
and audng to the mode of the election Of the delegate
from that Territory We're they disregard these init
/ nations that there was something wrong in UtahY Ii
appeared to him they letting this people wild in
their relations to this Government the time that
II had control over IL. He would not PREJUDICE this
case but before the resolution should be finally submitted
Al.