Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-01-16
From w ashington.

George Reynolds, plaintiff in error, vs the
United States in error, to the Supreme
Court Of the Territory of Utah, brought
up by appeal from the Supreme Court of
the Territory of Utah, to test the constitu-
tionality of the acts Of Congress prohibit
ing poIygamy, was decided to day. Rcy-
nolds, tho plaintiff IN error, was tried in
the third Judicial Court of Utah for
bcguuy and found guilty, ana tho
Supreme Court of tho Territory
affirmed tho judgment. Tho case comes
here on writ Of error, the plaintiff pleaded
nnconsttutioualty of the law prohibiting
bigamous marriages, the justification of
religious belief and various unimportant
tcchuicalitics. This court, 10 long and
carefully prepared opiuion, delivered by
the Chief Justice, holds that polygamy is
not under the protection of the cuuso of
the Federal constitution which prohibits
interference with religious belief; that the
plca of religious conviction is not valid
defense; that Congress did not step outside
OF the limits of its constitutional powers
in passing luws for the suppression of poly.
gamy iu Utah, aud that the judgment of
the Supreme Court of that Territory must
DO affirmed Justice Fields dissentcd as far
us related to the admissibility of certain
evidence introduced iu the lower court, but
upon the main question, the constitutional
lty of the act of Congress prohibiting poly
gamous marriages, there was perfect una
nimity.
Justice Hunt, Of the Unitcd States Su-
prcmo Court, has been stricken with paral-
ysls at his residence in this city, and his
taiends despair of his recovery. One side
is entirely paralyzed, and he is tonight
unable to talk. 1t is attributed to long
continued entccblcment of system in assim.
ilatory nutrition, from which he has suffered
more or less during the past year or two.
WAsHlNoToN, January Tn the SEN
ate, large number of petitions were pre-
sented during the morning hour, among
them many from women in various parts
of the country asking Congress to enact
such legislation as will mako effective the
-polygamy law of 1862; also, from va
rlous citizens protesting against the passage
of tho pending bill to revive, amend and
consolidate tho law relating to patents and
against the transfer Of the Indian Bureau
to the War Department; al referred 10
appropriate committees.
Iidmonds, of Vermont, said: "In this
glad morning of the new year, when there
was peace, and joy, and hope everywhere,
he thought it best to offer resoln.ion tend
Ing to cement more perfectly the good will
aud harmony now existing all over tho
country. He, therefore, submitted rcso-
luton declaring that in the judgment of
the Senate, the thirteenth fourteenth, and
fifteenth amendments to tho constitution of
the United States have been legally ratified
and are as valid as the other parts of tic
constitution; that it is the right and duty
OF Congress to enforce such amendments
by appropriate legislation, and the duty Of
the Executive Department of the Govern
ment faithfully and with diligence to Impair.
TALLY execute suoh laws; that it is the duty
OF Congress to appropriate money to that
end, aud instructiug the judiciary Com
mttee to report bill for the protection of
the rights of citizens ond tho punishment
of infractions thereof Laid on the table
at the request of Edmonds, to be called up
hereafter.
Vvorhces, of Indiana, duriog the morn
ing hour, called up the resolution submitted
by him early in the session instructing the
j judiciary Committee to inquire into the
expcdicnoy Of making tho trade dollar
legal tender, and providing for its coinage
into the standard silver dollar. lie nd
dressed the Senate ut length in favor of the
resolution, denouncing the trade dollar as
fraudulent money, which having failed in
its mission abroad, had returned home to
chent the honest people of this country.
'hn nj nf 4, In,
(S35 ,000,0O0) larger than the people had
any idea Of He reviewed the course of
Secretary Sherman, and said there was
dcep-seatcd hostility to silver money of
every kind on his part. Silver as money
was not receiving fair play at tho hands
of the present administration, and those
who draw their Inspirations from it. lie
referred to the silver bill rassc at the last
session, and said the execution OF this pop
ular law was in the hands of its most con
spicuous aud pronounced enemy. lie re-
ferrcd to the action of the New York and
Boston banks in November last in regard
to the specie resumption and the silver
dollar, and denounced it as rebellious
aguinst the lawfully constituted authorities
of tho government. He predicted the final
triumph Of the silver dollar, and said the
people insisted that specie resumption
should not rest on gold alone, but it should
be as strong as the unlimited coinage of
silver as we'll as gold could make it. At
the conclusion of Mr.. Voorhees, remarks,
tho resolution was laid over without action
being taken thereof. ~.
Beck, of kentucky, submitted the fol.
lowing: &.M t.r v
Resolued, That tho communication from
tho Secretary of the Treasury 10 answer to
the resolution of the Senate, passed De.
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