The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-06-06
MISCELLANEOUS.


Speech of Mr.. 7Hdyer, Of Massachusetts,, in
the House of Representatives., on tue bill
to Abolish Slace,y in the Territories.
Mr.. SpEAKEa-It has become apparent in
the progress of this debate, that there is at
least one question OH which the Represent
atives of all portions of the country may
agree. Every member from every section
of the Union is ready to assert the odious
crilninality. 1t is encouraging, it is re-
freshing, to know that there is at least one
subject on which there is no scctionalism,
in relation to which we have not heard the
Representatives of North Carolina boasting
that their people are much better than those
of Mass, nor the Representatives of n. Y.
boasting that their people arc better than
those of Miss.
| There is really now one practical question
before US for our decision; and, sir, in my
remarks upon it shall not treat it as an
abstraction l shall not treat it as a figure
Of speech, nor as a legal technicality. Pc.
lygamy is an existing fact, while agree
with members from every part Of the coun-
try in denour cling it, will so act as to in
sure its most speedy determination. Is
this fact, sir, which began to-day, or yes
terday, or last week? | should suppose
from the zeal which is manifested here that
it never was heard of until the beginning OF
this session of Congress.
But, sir, some thirteen years ago, one
Brigham Young, a shrewd, selfish and un-
scrupulous adventurer, led certain Mormons
from Illinois, or Missouri, across what was
then called the Great American Desert, a
long and wearisome journey, to the basin
of the Great Salt Lake. Poor, dcluded, ig-
norant fanatics were his followers, who,
from having no religion at all, had been cap
tivated by the theories of Joe Smith, and
had Joined the ranks of the Latter Day
Saints. From time to time there have been
accessions to their number. Year after year
they have come from Wales and Scotland,
from England and Germany, and few
from the States; and there they have gath
cred, until think they attained their high
est number some two years since, and now
have begun to decline in strength, consoli-
dation and numbers. During these thir-
teen years, we have had Whig Admins
tration; we have had two Democratic Ad-
ministrations, and at one time, for one Con-
gress, the Republicans had the organization
Of this House; and, sir, there never has
been an act passed against this crime to
make it a penal offence. There it was be-
fore the eyes of the country, before the
world, and before Congress, but still no
party, until this day, has taken the respon-
! sibility of proposing that it should be abol-
ishcd by penal statute and force of arms
Now, there seems, as said before, to be a
feeling in this House, not known i the
community at all, which could be accounted
for only on the supposition that polygamy
never was heard of till to-day. There is a
spasm, sir, Of morality, or a paroxysm, OF
panic, or something that seems to impel
certain men to sec the necessity of voting
and of voting noac, against polygamy at all
hazards
| Mr. REAGAN#-I desire to correct the
gentleman on point of fact He is mis-
taken in supposing that nothing has ever
been done upon this subject. introduced
a resolution during the last Congress, which
was adopted by the House, referring the
subject to the Judiciary Committee for in
quiry.
Mr.. THAYER-I said no act had beer
passed That was my assertion. And now
sir, there is most intense zeal manifested
that something shall be voted roted, mo-
done-to exterminate polygamy in Utah.
w WOrst of all, it appears that this act Of vot
| ing would satisfy some conscences, ever
though this very vote should prolong tht
existence of that iniquitous institution L
would seem to satisfy some consciences-l
will not call them stupid, or sluggish, OF
dead-that they uoted against poly lygamy.-
Sir, if the ability of these gentlemen to ex
ecute were equal to thoir zeal to enact, W,
| ~, hot
be one of their weaknesses. But it is pro
posed to execute; and there is no party il
this country to-day, and there has been M
party in the country for the last thirtecl
years, that would dare to vote bayoncts OF
revolvers to shoot or stab polyganly out o
Brigham Young and his followers. What
sir, do the iciary Committee ask us t.
do? What claim do they present for oul
votes in favor of this bill? What is claim
ed? Why, that the Congress of the U. S
should make an expression of opinion, 81
that the world may know that the United
States Of America are really opposed to po
lygamy! Really opposed to polygamy =
How much better, Mr.. Speaker, we shall
stand. before the nations of the earth, wher
we shall have shown thcm-what they may
now be in doubt about--that we are actu
ally opposed to polygamy! When we shall
have shown it, not by doing anything
against the iniquity, but by solemn vote
recorded upon the Journals Of this House
Now, sir, say that any such expression
of sentiment is superhuous. There is nj
State in the Union that has not made po
lygamy penal offensc already; and wha
is the combined expression of the Repre-
sentatives of those States more than th'
individual expression of each of the State.
acting in its individual capacity? Do W,
by this combined action add anything to tn
force of all that separate actions Certainl,
not The world understands now wei
enough that this country is opposed to po
lygamy, aud it never will understand it an,
better by a vote Of Congress, the whole ei