, 1875-01-23

PoLYGAMOUB

l
| AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF THE roEYaAaiou1
] DELEGATE.
Specia! DISPATCH to The Chtcaoo Tribune.
! WASHINGTON, D. C., Jau. 22.-Su Ii e1cuses OIL
the constitutional lawyers can find or permitting
the Mormon Elder, Cannon, to IT tain his seat,
set forth in the report of the n inority of the
Elections Committee, an analysis Of which fol
lows. It is not as able or Us con prehensiye as
the minority report Of Inst year in this case. 1t
is presumed TO. coEtain more t. snable points,
Tho majority of the Committee u . earnestly in
favor Of expulsion. Cannon hith .1to has been
able to secure the support Of the ablest lawyers
on the Democratic side. an ID Of some
on the Republican. There ia not as much
enthusiasm upon the subject denouncine
polygamy by ejectins Cannon, as hero would be
ii he WAS not
ALREADY RE-ELEcrE /,
to the next House, whore the Dem o:ratic major
ity will be very certain to let him remain, The
report recommends that the Cor a1nittee be dis
charged from the 1urther conHif or1tion Of the
subject The paper goes at leng tt, into state-
ment Of the relations Of the D eleeate to the
House, and argues that he Aas all the rights and
privileges OF member. Neither ;: Il member nor
> Delegate should ba o1peNe d except for
good cause, and then by q wo-thirds vote
Of the House. It is contended that he should
not De expelled Tor political re aAons, or on ac-
count OF the existence OF certain practces in the
Territory he represents. Nor sb ,p;lld he be- MN
ished for alleged indulgences in such practices,
except after train court OF ju 5tice. Mormon
ism had ita seat in Utah Ter1it {ory when it was
organized as territory. The United States ac-
cepted it Wltb tts Mormonlsm and polygamous
practices. Governors aud 9th. ar temporal OIL
cers had been appointed by the Pres1-
dens, and confirmed by tt 10 Senate and
Delegates to represent thf it people had
been successfully admitted to Congress.
But it Is charged against Mr. Cannon that he is
tue first Delegate who has bee,
ACTUALLY GUILTY Or PoLYaAs tous PRACTICES.
Admitting this to be fact, i it is intended to
strike blow at Mormonlsn l. it is not good
policy to strike the blow in this way, and BY
expeuing Delegate. The It 'ct that the House
has repeatedly admitted Delet atea representing
Mormonism sho1ld relieve MI !. Cannon from ex-
pulsion. As to the charge that Mr. Cannon
had married his fourth wife subsequent |
to the passage Of thts act OF July, |
1872, which declared pol Egamy felony, |
the minority say it goes for ought, because Mr.
Cannon has not becn convicte I'd either under that
act OF under what is known . the Poland law OF |
last session. The House sho uld not convict him |
in advance Of the action Of the courts. The
House doubtless has !
THE POWER TO E1pEL ARBITRARILY,
but it would be safer to folio n the English pre-
ccdent and await trial befo rn expulsion.
Ihe report also sets forth the fact that Mr..
Cannon s now under indtct !nent in the courts
Of Utah for polygam y, and contends
that it would be arl act Of great
injustice to prejudice the c use. Besides, it is
serious question whether |, ,,he subject Of e1pul-
sion On moral OF immoral g ;punds should be en-
tertained. Mr. Harrison p1 Its the very pertinent
question. If the House ia Ito inquire into the
moral fitness ct members, 'shere viii the inquiry
stop2 This report is arg!aed only By Mr. Har- |
rison. -Four other membe|| ||rs OF the Committee,
MesBrs. 6peer. Lamar, Gro! island, and Thomas,
concur in the recommended ion that the Commit
tee be discharged from fu|ther consideration Of
the subject in thai fulls' .ndorsing ali Of Mr.
"a