New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-13
A MORMON BISHOP IN CONGRESS.

FAILURE OF TIE ATTEMPT TO UNsEAT DELEGATE
CANNON OF UTAu-GRoUNDs UPON WHICH TIE
ATTEMPT WAS MADE-THE HOUSE ORDERS AN
INVESTIGATION AS TO TIE DELEGATES ALLEGED
POLYGAMY
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, May 12.-Thc attempt to unseat
Delegate Cannon of Utah, on account of his
polygamous belief and practice, unsuccessful,
to-day. Nominally. however, the question was left
open by the adoption of resolution directing the
Elections Committee to investigate the charges
against him. but that his right to the seat has
been affirmed il is not probable that he will be dis
tuTbed.
Mr.. Cannon is Bishop of the Mormon Church,
was for a long time the editor Of the central news
paper organ Of the Church. and is the husband it is
said of four wives. Whether the Saints desired to
test the question of the right of pOlygamist TO sit
in Congress- or whether they selected Cannon on ac-
count of his ability and prominence, Is not known
here. His predecessor, Mr.. Hooper, who represented
the Territory for many successive terms, had but
one wife, although an ardent disciple of Brigham
Young in all matters Of faith So long as
he held the seat the members who believed 1T to be
the duty of the Government TO make crusade
against the peculiar institution of Utah had no OPP
portnnity to begin the war by attacking the Nor
mon delegate. Cannon's competitor at the election
votes in the Gentle settlements along the Pacific
Railroad and in the mining districts. He made
contest on the ground that Cannon was disqualified,
because he was living in violation OF the Anti
Polygamy statute of 1850; aud because it was al
legged that he had taken oaths of reasonable ma
ture. AS far as any gain resulted to himself, Max
well had only his trouble for his pains. Whatever
Cannon's disqualfeatiOns might be, the Elections
Committee saw that ii would be absurd to consider
MaXwells handful of votes as constituting proper
basis for a claim to the seat. They reported that
Cannon was Only elected. and Maxwell was not,
and one of their members. Mr.. Hazeton added
resolution for an investigation of the charges against
the former.
There was an hours debate on the subject this
morning, i'll which it was argued, on side, that
the House had no right TO go outside of the con-
sttutional qualifications prescribed for members,
but that if a member is charged with criminal
oenses the proper way to proceed against him is to
have him indicted and tried, when q conviction
would work his expulsion and that to set up tests of
morality or to expel members on mere allegations
of crime OF immortality. would impair the rights of
constituencies to be represented by the men of their
choice. 1t was hinted too, that an nquisition into
the morals Of some Of the members who wanted to
turn Cannon out. would produce results unpleasant
to them. On the other side, it said that the
polygamous practices of the Utah Delegate were
notorious that the last Congress had affirmed the
right to investigate the moral conduct of its men,
bers and that the House ought to express its con-
demnation of the Mormon abominatlon, By Kidding
itself of one Of its conspicuous advocates.
On this statement of the case, pro and con- the
disposition of the question was effected by the adop
ton of four resolutions. The first two, reported by
the Committee, declared Maxwell not elected and
4, ,l,,I, OIL a,,1 bivl If
fered by Mr. Harrison, went further than the sec
ond and declared Cannon duly elected and returned,
and entitled to the seat. This was agreed 10 by a
Yea and Nay vote of Ill to 10 The fourth was
HazetOn's resolution, reciting in preamble the
charges Of polygamy and taking reasonable oath,
and directing an investigation The Yeas and Nays
were called on this to give some members who voted
for Iarrison's resolution opportunity of showing
their constituents that they did not mean in SO
doing to favor poygamy. and it was adopted by
vote of 1921 to IL.