Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-05-06

gentlemen Georgia
PHEss and Alabama mr. PHILLIPs) that Congress had
right to concern themselves with the of the people
He denied that it legitimate for civil governments to
promote morals to aid protect the morals Of the
people eyen holding that the sole legitimate Office of Go
| vernment was to protect persons and property.
But the question as to whether this feature OF
Mormonism did not invade natural rights He held the
right of man to wife and Of a woman to hus-
band. In the language of Holy Writ, God made " male
and female" not male and females males and female
Those who did not subscribe to that Writ authority he
would refer the censuses which showed the the
world to be equally divided, one for woman
and one woman for He contended that as they
were charged with the province of maintaining the natu
raj rights of their subjects they bound suppress
polygamy and claimed for the Government the same
rights its subjects in the Territories State Gov
ernment had over its subjects
:. Mr. DISNEY explained why the clause had been in
serted in the BILL and in the of his remarks stated
that there statute of the Territory of Utah
pressy allowing poygamy such but that the statutes
Of Utah recognised its existence by declaring that wives
and children shall be heirs at law, sc.
Mr. SIMMONS opposed the motion to strike the
provso and said that it would look very singular indeed
the House of Representatives to 60 before the world
having passed law to encourage institution which
was with true republican institutions and which
had basis unless all old Congresses were mis-
taken.
Mr. AILLSON in favor of striking out the p-oviso
being unwilling that the statutes of this Confederacy
should contain the admission that any where within the
reach Of our laws any institution existed whereby
wife, The proviso confession Of the weakness
and poweressness of Congress
Mr. PARKER was in favor Of retaining the chuse for
the purpose of discounenancing polygawy.
Mr. BENSON said: wish to call the attention of the
committee the law organizing the Territory Of Utah.
If understand the subject before the committee
acting upon bill relating entirely to the Territory Of
Utah. We not talking about Territory where the
laws different from what they in Utah. We have
been told here repeatedly to-daywe have been told by
the gentleman from Ohio Mr DsNEY) who says that he
has examined the laws Of Utahtat those laws do recog
Mise the right to have than wife, Now, want
the committee to look for single moment at the act
organizing the Territory of Utah. and how the law
stands this subject Gentlemen who will look at the
sixth section of the act will find how and where the
Legislative power is exercised l will read it:
That the legislative power said Territory shall extend
the rghtu subjects of legislation consistent with the
Constitution Of the United States and the provisions of this
but law shall be passed interfering with the primary
disposal Of the soil shall be imposed upon the pro-
pey of the United States shall the lands other pro-
pey be taxed higher than the lands other
property of'resdents."
And now the clause TO which ask particular at
tention
"An the laws passed by the Legislative Assembly and
shall be submitted to the Congress of the United
States, ond II Visapprorea shall be null and Of no eGec
Now ask the lawyers of this House whether when
law has gone through the regular Of in
the Territory of Utah. it is not the law Of the land in Utah
until it is disapproved by Congress?
I Several MEMBERS. Certainly.
Mr. BENSON. Then, if such is the fact ask if it is
legal in the Territory of Utah for have
than wife ask if you going to shut your eyes
to the fact that there are such laws existing in the Terri
tory of Utah. and strike out this provso because you
not willing to acknowledge by implication, that there
any such laws in existence Sir know the fact the
world knows it; the Congress Of the United States knows
it, for it has been proclaimed upon this floor again and
again that there such laws in Utah And with your
eyes wide open to this fact you going to strike out
this provso and to the people of Utah. Of every other
Territory and to the world especially with this doc
in some quarters-though desire to be thankful in
othersthat you regard such laws and such practice in
this Republic of sort of consequence hold it to be
the duty of Congress to put their hands upon crime of
this kind wherever they find and way in which
they can do this is by withholding its donations.
The Congress of the United States about confer
donation upon these people and can they not withhold
this donation if sound morality requires it They should
administer this Government according to those principles
which shall promote the morals Of the country Now,
ask where there thirty States Of this Union that
punish this multiplicity of wives crime, will you
who practice this In Utah tendery and do
them your public lands? Let them first conform
the laws upon this subject important to the
welfare, which prevail in every State in the Union
and then it will be time to confer them the gift OF
your public domain.
We have not officially informed Of it, but it is uni
versay conceded that poygamy exists citizens
of Utah. Now, then, ask again, are to shut
eyes this fact and make donation to those who live
in violation not Ct the law of Utah. but of the law every
State of the Union, and may add, of the law Of God
would make no such donation that am willing
to close my eyes to the fact which exists while know
that it does exist; and therefore opposed to the
striking out of this proposition.
Mr. WALSH thought that the most efectual method
of preventing poygamy for every young man. at the
earliest opportunity, when he found he could support
wife, procure There several gentlemen here
who reminded him of hurdy gurdy, set to single tune
No solitary question could be brought up in this House
but what these gentlemen heard repeating their
song abolitionism. He against striking out the
clause and urged the committee to do nothing to preu
dice people already goaded to madness BY the wrongs
and oppression they had suffered.
The House then again went into committee
The debate then continued under the five minutes
rule at great length, during which
On motion of Mr.. READY, the following was subst-
tuted place of the provso proposed to be stricken out
"And that any person who shall any time have
than living wife shall forfeit all rights lands
quired under this act"
In the course Of the debate Mr.. BERNHISEL stated
that there legal enactment of the Territory of Utah
which authorized poygamy it was the ecclesiastical law
which authorized it.
Without dposing of this subject and pending several
amendments to the immediate clause under consdera
ton, the committee rose.
And the House adjourned.
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1854.
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