The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-02-27
y Ths Case OF scnntor CInYlon.
xLrID CONGRESS.
SENATE.

DIN AL
WASHINGTON Feb 26
The House amendment to the Geneva award
bill was non-concurred in and the conference
committee ordered.
A resolution was adopte that the Committee
on transportation inquire the propriety of con-
structing first class double-track railroad from
the Atlantic sea board to the Mississippi OF Mis-
souri, river, to be operated and controlled by the
United States,
A bill was passed extending the time for the
completion of the ST. Paul & Pacific Railroad
Messrs Edmunds, Carpenter and Thurman
were appointed as the Geneva conference COM
mittee.
Ten thousand dollars were appropriated for
the Pomeroy investigation
The House bill making appropriations to pay
certain Southern claimants was reported by the
Claims Committee and placed on the calendar
The House bill carrying into effect the fishe-
~ clause of the Treaty of Washington was pass
ed
The bill to aid in the execution of the laws in
Utah was taken up.
Mi. Thurman moved to recommit it to the
Judiciary Committee with instructions to pro-
vide for an election by the Legislature or by the
qualified electors OF Utah, of three Jury Com
missioners, who shall act in conjunction with
the Judge Marshal and Clerk with equal power
in selecting persons from whom juries are con-
sttuted, and to provide for writ of error to the
Supreme Court of the United States in criminal
cases where the punishment is capital or inn
prisonment for six months or fine of $1,000
Mr.. Morton sad that while every one of course
disapproved of polygamy, it might be well to
inquire how far the United States government
was itself responsible for the institution in
Utah. In 1867 the Territorial Legislature had
passed an act in effect sanctioning polygamy.
That act had never been annulled by Congress
except constructively by act of 1862, and by the
organic act creating territorial government.
All the acts of the Legislature which were not
disapproved by Congress were declared valid.
There was question, therefore, whether the
effect of this had not been to legaze polyga-
my.
Mr.. Thurman withdrew his motion to recon-
NIT and offered his provision as an amendment.
Mr.. Wright, from the select committee to in
vestIgate the charges against Mr.. Clayton, made
report accompanied by resolution declaring
that the charges are not sustained. He also
announced that Mr. Norwood will soon submit
| a minority report
On motion of Mr.. Frelinghuysen Mr.. Thorn
| as amendment was amended to provide for two
| commissioners instead of three and was agreed
| to.
| Mr.. Trumbull moved to substitute the Sur
| veyor General of the territory for Judge. as an
officer to aid in selecting persons to serve as iu-
rors. Agreed to-
| Mr.: Sherman NOV ed TO strike out the section
| which provides that aliens living in bigamy or
polygamy will not be admitted to citizenship.
Mr.. EdmundS opposed the amendment
Mr.. Sherman argued against this section and
also against limiting the amount of property
| UHdJ Gill Dt uclu ny Tile MORMON clurCn and
| forbidding it to solemnize poygamous mar
| riages
| Mr.. Sherman's motion to strike out was lost.
| Mr.. Nye said the laws must of course be en-
forced, but the best way for Congress to deal
| with the woman problem would be to do as lit
| tie as possible. The public surrounding Nor
| mondOm was an influence that would destroy
| it, He deprecated direct interference with the
| religious scruples of the Mormons. He was
| himself O descendant of the round heads and
PrpshVtnrioO and ha vui11ipu 70
cede that the MOrmons held their faith with
| the same earnestness and zeal with which he
| adhered to his own (Laughter)
| At 5 O'Clock the Senate took recess till Z
| o'clock.
EVENING SESSION
| Mr.. Edmunds offered a resolution instruct
ing the Committee on Judiciary to Inquire
whether the Union Pacific Company or any
company authorized to build branch to con-
meet with that road, OR an assignee of said COM
pany will be entitled to lands or bonds for any
road which the company may hereafter con-
struct, and providing that until said company
| shall report, the executive officers of the gov
ernment are requested to issue no bonds, pa
tents or certificates that may be claimed for the
roads constructed after this date. Agreed to.
| The consideration of the Utah bill was re-
| sumed.
The Senate adjourned without taking any ac-
| ton.
| HOUSE.
AFTER readinS the Jou rnal, Mr. Poland sug-
| gested that there should be time fixed for
| closing the debate So far as the committee is
concerned it had no wish to hang up the debate
but was willing to let it run for the rest of the
session, if desired, but at the conference of the
committee this morning it was deemed best to
let the House have an opportunity of determin-
| ing THAI question, and therefore he would test
| The seuse of the House ON motion to close the
| debate at four p m. to-day.
| Mr.. Voorhees, took the floor, but yielded in
| order that Mr.. Richie of Md, might suggest a
substitute which he wished to offer to the pend
| ing resolution.
| The substitute was read 1t declares that
while there is no evidence of criminality in the
purchase and sale of Credit Mobilier stock by
Ames, Brooks and others, yet the circum-
stances showed case calling for emphatic
condemnation, and declaring as the seuse of the
House that the transaction was corrupting in
tendency, pernicious in example, and grossly
improper, and that the members concerned de-
served the censure of the House.
Mr.. Beck of kentucky, condemned the whole
Credit Mobilier scheme, and declared that those
members who were cognizant of it were grossly
derelct He named Messrs. Hooper of Massa-
chusetts, and Bingham of Ohio, who held that
stock and were not inculpated in the proceed
ing, and also Butler, who, according to his own
testimony before the Wilson Committee, was
the counsel who concocted the scheme. He
could see no difference between the culpability