The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-01-26
TELEGRAPHIC1
EDMUNDs' BILL,
Which, it Is Supposed. Will
Suppress PoIygamy.

! Washington, 4-The anti-polygamy
| bill reported by Edmunds from the Judi
ciary committee, to-day, provides thst
that part Of section $50 of the Revised
| Statutes, shall be amended so as to read
as follows: Every person who has
usbsnd or wife living. who in a territory
| or other place over which the United
S stes have exclusi'e jurisdiction here
after marries another, whether married
or single, AMI any man who hereafter
simultaneously or on the same cay mar
| ries more than one woman, in territory,
! or other place over which the United
States has exclusive jurisdiction, is guilty
| of polygsmy, ard shall be punished by q
fine of not more than $500 and imprison-
ment for term of not more than FIVE
years."
The remsinder of this section OF the
Revised Statutes excepis divorced per-
sons and such ss have married again,
believing that the former husband or
wife, after an absence of FIVE years, is
dead. The second and third sections of
| the bill are as follows:
Sec. 2-1bat if any male person in
| territory or other place over which the
United States have exclusive jurisdic-
ton, hereafter cohs bits with more than
one woman, he shall be deemed guilty
OF mistemesnor, and On conviction
thereof shall be punished by fine Of not
more than three hundred dollars or by
imprisonment for not more than six
moths, or by both said punishments in
the discretion of the court.
Sec. 3-That counts for any or all the
ofenses named 10 sections one and two of
this act, may be Joined in the same infor-
nation or Indictment.
Sec. provides in substance that in
any prosecution for bigamy, polygamy
or any unlawful cohabnstion under snv
statute of the United State., it shall be
sufficient cause of challenge to any per-
son drawn or summoned as juryman or
tslisman, that he has been living in such
practices or relations, or that he believes
it the right Of man to have more than
one living and undivorced wife at the
same time, or to live in the practice of
habiting with more than one woman.
The next three sections Of the bill are
as follows:
Sec. 5-That the President is hereby
authorized to grant amnesty 10 such
classes of offenders as were guilty before
the passage o: this act, Of bigamy, Boly-
gamy, or unlawful cohabitation, on such
conditions, and under such limitations MS
he shall think proper, bnt no such am
nesty shall have effect, unless the condl- |
tiIns thereof shall be complied with.
Sec. SHAT the issue of bigamous or
polygamous marriages, known as Nor
mon marriages, in cases in which such
marriages have been solemnized accord |
ing to the ceremonies of the Mormon
sect, in any territory of the United
States, wnere such issue shall have been
born before the first day of January,
AID, 1888, are hereby made legitimste
Sec 7.-Thst no polygsmist, bigamist
or any person cohabiting with more than
one woman, and 70 womsn cohabiting
with any of the persons described a.
aforesaid in this section, in any territory
or other place in which the United Ststes
have exclusive jurisdiction, shall be en-
titled to vote at any election held in any
such territory OF other place, or be ell
gible for election or appointment to or be
entitled 10 hold any Office or place Of
public trust, honor or emoiument under
or for any such territory or pace or
under the United States.
The eighth and last section Of the bill
vscates sll registration and election
officers of every description in the
Territory OF Utah, and devolves
upon board of five persons, to be ap-
pointed by the President aud confirmed |
Dy the Senate, each and every duty re-
lstIng TO The registration of voters, the |
conduct Of elections. the receiving of OBJ
jections to votes, the canvassing of the |
same ond the issuance of certificates of |
election until new territorial legis lature |
shall have been elected; and in conclu- |
sion. it is provided that at or after the |
first meeting OF said legislative assembly, |
whose mem bers shall have been elected |
and returned according TO the provisions
Of this act. said legislative assem- oily may |
make such laws conformsble to the or
ganic act of said territory, and not in
consistent with other laws of the United |
States. as it shall deem proper. concern
ing the filing CT the Offices in eaid terri
tory declared vacant by this act.