The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-05-31
THE DEBATE.
Continuation of the Cam u
Campbell Contest in {.
House.
OannOu's Argument
Continued from Mo,adoy,s Dali

Every lawyer knows that in pleading
foI the purposes of the action in contro-
We So, allegations are denied and proofs
are called for, or defendant might viO-
late the old Common law rule that man
is not bound 10 accuse himself, but 10
leave the burden of proof to rest upon
his opponent. But 10 show that the mem
bers of the committee in the Forty-third
Congress understood exactly my posi-
ton, for | ant TO make it so clear that 1t
cannot be disputed, that that issue was
raised and WIS accepted and Wa recog-
nized as the true issue, will read from
their report. Before doing so | may say
that the full com mittee decided, notwlth-
standing the accusation that had been
made that l was not entitled to my seat
because Of marital relations, that these
relations we're not disqualification for q
seat upon this floor, and the majority re-
ported these resolutions.
1-Re8olved, That George R. Maxwell
was not elected, and Is not entitled, to q
seat in the House of Representatives of
the Forty-tbird Congress Sc delegate from
the Territory of Utah.
2-ReSoLved, That George Q. Cannon
was elected and returned as a delegate
from the Territory of Utah TO the seat ia
the Forty-third Congress.
There the majority of the committee
| stopped. Bal minority of the commit
tee reported the following resolution:
ReSoIved, That George @. Cannon was
duly elected and returned ss delegate
from the Territory Of Utah, and is enti-
tied to a seat as delegate in the Forty
third Congress.
The issue in controversy, and upon
which the contest was based, was brought
plainly before the House. and the House
By about two-thirds vote, adopted the
msjo rity report and the supplemental
minority report. In the report which was
made by the minority Of the committee
it was stated that:
The majority of the committee have
failed and decline to report a resolution to
the effect that George Q. Cannon was en-
| titled to the seat upoh the ground that ne
was disqualified by reason of the fact that
he was the husband Of more than one
wife, and, as is assumed, is guilty Of q
violation of the act of Congress, etc.
You will see by this that the issue was
fairly brought before the committee on
elections; it was not only brought fairly
before the committee on elections, but il
WAS brought fairly before this House.
| And this House, with the full knowledge
Of all the facts, thoroughly conversant
| with the statement made concerning nae
upon this point, and which neither dis
/ puted nor denied, this House of repub-
iican Congress, by g vote of about two
thirds of the members present, confirmed
me in my seat.
In the Forty-fourth Congress the same
issue was made and the same resolutions
were adopted. The House being pressed
for time on account of business, the sub
committee did not report to the House,
thinking it unnecessary to do so, sc al
ready had my seat.
| (Here the hammer fell
The Spesker-The time of the gentle
| man has expired.
Mr.. Cannon, of Utah. would like
the indulgence Of the HouFe merely to
clear up one other point.
There was no objection, and the time
of Mr.. Cannon, Of Utah, was extended.
Mr. Cannon, of Utah-After I had
been confirmed to my right to seat in
the Ferty-third Congress, q resolution
was introduced by q member Of the COM
mittee on elections, making charges
against me concerning marriages, aud
the committee was authorized TO IL
vestigate the matter. The committee. in
submitting their report, made this state,
ment:
Your committee think the evidence
unchallenge as it is by the delegate
establishes, etc.
That is, that I was living with more
wives than one. The committee theI
reported resolution that George Q. Car
non, delegate from Utah, being found
upon due consideration of the evidence
submitted and not contrOverted by said
Cannon, to be an actual polygamist, etc
The committee was authorized to re-
port to the House, but when it did report
the House refused to consider the report
aud the case was dismissed.
That was in the republican Forty
third Congress.
/ Mr.. Speaker, I find myself in THU
position; am here as the Delegate from
UtahTerritory regularly elected, properly
qualified, fully entitled to the seat. My
constituents, as we'll as myself, believed
at the time Of my election that there wa
no barrier to prevent me from taking MI
seat. Nothing has occurred since my
election to interpose any such barrier
All these charges which are made
against my constituency, which / have
not time to allude to in detail or disprove
but which I do state are false, all these
charges were in existence years anC
years ago. They were in existence il
the Forty-sixth Congress, in the Forty
fifth, in the Forty-fourth, in the Forty
third Congress. I Lave sat here during
those Congresses. Ny right to my sea
has been fully vindicated by the House
came here under precisely the ssmt
circumstances then that l come now
But it is now said that law of Congress
has been enacted which prevents MI
from taking my seat; that by the opera
ton of this law I am excluded, and TIT
seat is to be declared vacant. If thi
proposed resolution be sustained, then
say fraud will be supplemented by thi
method of strangling, of numbering tn
representation of Utah Territory on thi
floor.
If the report of the majority of thi
committee shall be sustained, shall
leave this Hall of Representatives with
feeling and conscience which will Civ
me more satisfaction in the days to COM
than if I we're a member of this Hous
and voted in favor Of the adoption of tn
report of The majority declaring this ses
vacant I am a resident Of Utah Terri
tory and one of those people who ar
everywhere spoken against and agAins