The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-04-14
coxoREss Axp YorYoAMY

i A bill 10 now under discussion in the
4 House Of Representatives, having for it,
object the punishment and prevention Of
lpolygamy in tho Territories Of the United
States and other places. ueseis copy oil
the bill:
i WuEREAs, It is admitted that polygamy !.
permitted by the municipal regulations Of
one Of the Territories Of this Union, and
sought to be sustained on the gfound tina,
this abomination in u christian country Il
u religious rite, by the inhabitants Of said
Territory, and
/ WHEsEAs, No principle of self govern
ment for citizen sovereignty can require or
Justify the practice OF such moral pollution,
therefore
i ResolSed, That if any person or persons,
being married, and an lnhabitant Of any
Territory Of the United States, or any other
place over which tho United States posses
ses exclusive jurisdiction, shall intermarry
with any person or persons, or cohabIt with
any person, or live with any person. Or per-
sons in conjugal relations, the former hus
bind or wife being alive, he, she or they 30
offending, shall on conviction, pay fine
not exceeding $500, and be imprisoned not
less than two years, and not more than tive
| years, provided nevertheless that this see.
lion mar Anything thei Elm contained shall not
extend to any person or persons whose has
band or wife shall absent himself or hers II
one fir ON the other for the space Of five
years, either ono Of them not knowing the
other to be living within that time.
nor person or persons who shall be ut the
time Vt such marriage, divorced y cumpe
tent authority, or to any person or persons
whose former marriage, hy sentence Of
competent authority, shall have been de.
clared void.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted that the
following ordinance of the provisional gov.
ernment Of the State Of Deseret, 80 called,
vice an ordinance of the church Of Jesus
Christ of Later Day Saints passed Feb
ruary 9Th, 1871, and adopted, rs-eDactad
and moderated by the government and Leg
,slativs Assembly of the Territory Of Utah
by an act passed January 10Th, in the year
1856, entitled San act in relation to the
compilation and revision Of the laws and
resolutions in force in Utah Territory !;
their publication distribution, and all other
acts or parts of acts, heretofore passed by
the Legislative Assembly of the Territory
OF Utah, which establish, support, main
| tain, shield, or countenance polygamy, be
and the same hereby are disapproved and
aunulled. Provided that the net shall be
limited and construed so as not TO affect Or
interfere with the rights Of property legally
acquired under the ordinance heretofore
mentioned, nor with the right to worship
God according to tho dictates Of conscience,
but only to annuI all acts and laws which es.
tablilh, maintain, protect or cauntenance
the practice Of polygnmy, evasively called
spiritual marriage, however disguised by
legal or ecclesiastical solemnities, sacra
ments, ceremonies, CONSIDERATIONS or other
contrivances.
For this bill, Mr.. BRANCH offered the fol-
lowing substitute
SEC. /. Bs it enacted that the third and
fourth sections of the ACT entitled an act to
establish the territorial government of Utah,
approved Sept. 9th, 1850, be and the same
are hereby repealed.
Sec. 2. BE it further enacted, that here
after the legislative power as defined and
limited,in said act, shall be vested in Gov
ernor and thirteen of the mos, fit and dis
erect persons the territory, to be called
the Legislative Council. wno shall he up
pointed finally by the President of the Uni
ted States, by and with the advice and
con. sent Of the Senate, from ameDg the
citizens of the United States residing there.
in, without reference to any districts which
have heretofore been laid off by section Sec
ond and be it further enacted, that the
first appointments under this net shall be
made on or before the fourth of March, 49,
6l, on which day said appointments shall
have effect.
This substitute, by taking the Legislative
powers away from the people. and placing
the appointment Of a ''Legislative Coun-
clips in the hands Of the President and Sem
ate, strikes at the root Of the evil, as we'll rs
at the vitals of that exploded dogma" Squat.
ter Sovereignty" By repeolns the laws
nf the Territory sanctioning and sustaining
polygamy. and by taking away from the
people of Utah the power to make laws,
His substitute proposes to do away with the
crime Of rolygamy at once. Though tn
end sought to be attained is very desirable,
we doubt the practicability of the mrun-
proposed in the substitute. lfCongress Can
invent or eonjure up a measure, which will
have the effect Of removing from the soil of
the United States that ''relic Of barbarism,''
polygamy, the ''peacc and dignity" OF the
Government requires that the Supreme law
making power should lose no time in all
ministering such panacea. II it is thought
that the bill above, or the substitute, will
compass the end desired, let Congress stand
not ppon the order Of passing it, but vote il
through at once.
P. S. On the 5;h inst, the House resumed
the consideration Of tho Anti, polygamy
Bill, when tho following proceedings were
had:
Mr.. Nelson resumed his remarks in its
support, express ng the hope that the pas
sage would approach as near as possible to
unanlmity. He saw a manifest distinction
between interfering with the rights of prop
erty ana the ri ght to declare criminal the
act which is SO declared by the law Of God.
The existence of the institution Of polygamy
in Utah is an insult to the moral feelings Of
the whole population an insult to the v ives
and daughters of the gentlemen here and
their constituents. 1t was o reflection on
Jul Hltioibi SuuIdCtel luht IL sUOuIu cAlst
under the protection of American law.
Mr.. Hooper said at the proper time, which
would soon come, and when he could be
heard without prejudice, he would defend
the people Of Utah from the calumuies
which had been heaped upon them; in the
meantime he appealed to the dispassiouate
and unbas Judgment of the II use, to
think better Of the l00,0 900 of their fellow
creatures than they had been represented by
their enemies. 1t was not his intention to
discuss the peculiar features of the bill, but
he respectfully asked the gentlemen If they
were prepared to meet the consequences of
its passage. We were now emerging from
difficulties with the people at whom the bill
was lcvelled, he warned the gen,lem n that
the feelings of Utah will be easily aroused.
Tho suspicion of hostility against tnsm
has been allayed and he WAS glad to know
there was better feeling now than formerly.
If Its provisions be carried those angry pas.
slons viii revive and wither ut the core.
The fires which bazed SO fiercely While the
fuel Of persecution was heaped upon them
had Died out and he Appealed to the repre-