New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-07
Neb 0rltans 9aiIp Grsstsut.
Thirty-sixth Con9re.s--Frrst se. 90

9lRW WIlRdHs 9allp Urfsfeilt.
Thirty-sixth Congre+s--First session.
ter reported back the Indian Appropriation Bin
with amendments. and gave notice that he shonid
call 1t up on tomorrow morning.
On motion Of Mr.. Benjamin, the Senate pro
ceeded to the consideration of the bill for the na
adjustment of private land claims in the States o.
Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri, and fol
other purposes. The bill was explained and advo
Gated by Messrs. BENJAMIN and Polk, and having
been amended in conformity, with suggestion d
Mr.. King, It was read third time and passed.
The bill to authorize the location Of certain war
rants for bounty lands heretofore issued was con
sidered and passed.
The special order was then taken up, being the
resolutions Of Mr. Davis the subject Of Terrific
rial rights, ETC.
MI salisbury, who had the floor on the subject,
sald tnat these resolutions the occasion rather
man tnc text OF his discourse. He should advert
20 tne present condition OF the Union, the evils
winch menace il, and the remedy for these evils.
10 discussing this subject, he proceeded to aliude
e the past history Of this Government, holding the
al aocsrnes ~ enumerated BY Mr. Seward
ana other members Of that party, to be the cause.
OF slavery agitation, and urging that the onIy
means OF restoring harmony and insurinq reace
prosperity and happiness, was for all conservative
Union matters and rally to the support Of liz
Democratic party-the only Union and eonstitu-
fional party. - 80
Mr.. Ten Eyck indicated the character Of New
Jersey as o Union-lovfng and Constitution abiding
State, and stated that she had passed laws Of her
own to carry out the provision Of the Constitution
for the return Of fugitiyes from labor.
MIR. Brown defended himself from the charge Of
having departed from the ancient landmarks in in
voking the action of Congress for the protection Of
slave property in the Territories.
Mr.. Wigfail said that so far from the doctrine
being true that man cannot hold property id man,
the very first property that man ever did hold I'M
der government instituted by God himself amid
the muttering thunders and flashing Iightnings of
Sinai, was in his fellow-man. In these latter DAYS
Of progress, tina Latter Day Saints assume tosbe
wise above what is written, and hold that it is i'm
moral to do what God commanded and authorized.
The resolutions were laid on the table and tile
Senate adjourned. s'iTt
Mr.. Hickman, from the Committee on the Judi
elary reported bill to extend the right Of appeal
from the decisions of the Circuit Courts to tile Su.
preme Court of the United States.
The House proceeded to the consideration Of the
bill to punish and prevent the practice Of polygamy
IN the Territories Of the United States, and other
places, and disappearing and annuIling certain
acts of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory
of Utah.
Mr.. MilIson remarked that this bill should be
passed with as much unanimity as it is possible to
secure. He said that the crime of polygamy was
not only extensively praeticed, but was attempted
to be egalzed by statute in the Territory of Utah.
He commended that Congress has the power, under
the constitution, to punish crimes arson,
forgery and others and said that in the very frst
year after the adoption of the Federal Constitution
law was passed for these purposes.
Mr.. McCiernand remarked that there was no in
stance in which Congress had directly operated for
the punishment of crime in the organized Terri
tories. 58 4 ~ IA
Mr.. Millson replied, referring to the statutes
heretofore passed, to show that Congress has ex-
tended penal laws wherever the Government has
jurisdiction. iss59rASf ia
: Mr. PRYOR, commanded II, OF +J,o ,,.s+;rr ~ ,.;
tutional power is sustained by the uniform policy
of this government. Congress may supervise and
annul the organic law of any incipient State. The
Republican party may associate polygamy and
slavery as twin relics of barbarsm but he disputed
the philosophy of the classification. He denied
that they stand on the same ground, and would
fall together when driven from the shelter of a
common security. He repudiated the sugges-
the Territories for the punishment Of crime, and
the suppression of polygamy may be perverted for
the destruction Of the rights and interests of per-
sons holding slaves. sg s
the gentleman that polygamy is Q part of Mormon
religious faith ls = $sg7 $ %
Mr.. Pryor, resuming, said he had examined the
Mormon Bible and had not therein discovered that
tpolygamy is part Of their religion. He did not,
however, pretend to be acquainted with all the
polemics of the Salt Lake Saints The results of
polygamy were seen in the bitter fruits of sedtion
and crime. This scandalous crime should be ex-
bupultu. ieMdS 0hcHslVe III Tile eyes OF nHLfOnS,
and reproach to civil liberty.
Mr.. Etheridge said he should go for this bill or
any other and this to be attributed to his early
piety. [Laughter.l He found the Democrats and
Republicans both harmonizing as to the power Of
Congress over the Territories. This question, he
repeated, brought up the whole question as to the
power Of Congress to govern the Territories. He
referred to the conduct of the Democrats to show
how often they have changed their catechism on
this subject. The Mormons, by the organic act
were left to manage their domestic institutions in
their own way, and they chose to establish polyg-
amy. If Congress can prohibit polygamy, they
could prohibit the kindred crimes of incest and
adultery, and also extirpate slavery by unfriendly
legislation In reply to question, he said that as
to the latter, the only guarantee he had was the
liberality and good sense of Congress.
Mr.. Taylor gave the reasons why he could not
vote for the bill, which, he thought, would be a
dead letter on the statute book, He advocated
the amendment of Mr.. Branch, Ito deprive the
people Of Utah Of their present form Of govern
mentl which would more effectually extirpate po-
lygamy. He denied the constitutional power to
legislate over Territories in the manner proposed.
Without taking any vote on the subject, the
House, at nearly O'Clock, adjourned.