Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-28
TPUBLIC-No. I04.1

AN ACT to punish and prevent the practice
ofpolygamy in the territories of the United
States and other places, and disappearing
and annulling certain acts of the Legislative
assembly of the territory of Utah.
Be it enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States of Amer
lea in congress assembled, that every person
having a husband or wife living, who shall
marry any other person, whether married or
single, in territory of the United States, or
other place over which the United States have
exclusive jurisdiction, shall, except in the
cases specified in the proviso to this
section, be adjudged guilty of bigamy,
and upon conviction thereof, shall be punish
ed by fine not exceeding five hundred dol
lars, and by imprisonment for term not ex-
ceeding five years Provided, nevertheless,
| that this section shall not extend to any per-
son by reason of any former marriage whose
husband or wife by such marriage shall have
been absent for five successive years without
being known to such person within that time
to be living; nor to any person by reason of
any former marriage which shall have been
| dissolved by the decree of competent court !;
nor to any person by reason of any former
marriage which shall have been annulled or
| pronounced void by the sentence or decree of
a competent court on the ground of the nudity
of the marriage contract
Sec. =. And be it further enacted, That the
following ordinance of the provisional govern
ment of the state of Deseret, so-called, name
ly: Gan ordinance incorporating the church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints pass
ed February eight in the year eighteen hun
bred and fitty-one, and adopted, re-enacted,
and made valid by the governor and legisla-
tive assembly of the territory of Utah by an
act passed January nineteen, in the year
eighteen hundred and fifty-fivo, entitled ''an
act in relation to the compilation and revision
of the laws and resolutions in force in Utaht ter
ritory, their publication and distribution, and
all other acts and parts of acts heretofore passed
blythe said legislative assembly of the territory
of Utah which establish, support, maintain,
shield, or countenance polygamy, be and the
same hereby are disapproved and annulled
Provided, that this act shall be so limited and
construed as not to affect or interfere withthe
right of property legally acquired under the
ordinance heretofore mentioned, nor with the
right ''to worship God according to the die
tates Of conscience" but only to annul all acts
and laws which establish, maintain, protect, or
countenance the practice of polygamy, evas-
lively called spiritual marriage, however dis
guised by legal or ecclesiastical sOlemnities,
sacraments, ceremonies, conscientious, or
other cOntrivances.
Sect. 3. And be it further enacted, that it
shall not be lawful for any corporation or as
sociation for religious or charitable purposes,
to acquire or hold real estate in any territory
OF the United States during the existence of
the territorial government, of greater value
than fifty thousand dollars and all real estate
acquired or held by any such corporation or
association contrary to the provisions of this
act, shall be forfeited and escheat to the
United States: Provided, that existing vested
rights in real estate shall not be impaired by
the provisions of this section.
Approved, July l, 1862.