Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-10

Fhe report.
l SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, Angst 81, 1882
/ The, Hon. H N. Teller Secretary of ne Interior:
DEAE sEEwIhe Commission aPponied, by ot tpS I
nsas asnd 7sstae sse q The RsFseq lss q ls se
fiiIy report thst f', al Il the 'I nensr Of the
SoInission met by Ieqnest of the sha,f,aa.a q
mained IN session several days James R.
Pettterew, of Arkansas, q mem Der o. the COM
Aver consultation and examination otn1e Jaws OF
the United States and of the Territory Of tan per
ainiIng nntIHg to our duties il was dets7,neu t9st
tEHtion OF voters and the cpndbct %
ANY ELECTION IN UTAH
rndi the necessary appropriation bills hen pend
ing In Congress, should be passed Aeco5dingly
Neb., on the 18th of August, where Re commits,
sioners met aud on the following day sDrmeneSsd e
evening OF the 18th instaft "a he al folloNihs
session was held for the transaction q business,
Arthur L. Thomas, secretary OF the Territory, and
have been held each day since A stIOng disposi,
preparing for the election. of delegxss in Con-
gress aIifested itself before the work II prepaf
ton as to the condition of affairs an examination
as to the state Of the law and duty OF tbe commits
luton was adopted n
The RESOLUTION
Whereas, 1t is provided by the Revissd Statutes
of the United States section 1862 that every Terri
House of Representatives Of the United suates and
as 1t Is further provided in section that such
United States on Tuesday after the frst Monday In
November, 1852. therefore be Il
ResoUed, That in order to prepare ior such
electlon IN the Territory of Utah the day so es-
tabiished, the commission will proceed iorthwith
70 APPOINT registration officers TO revise the regis
trason lists now file in the Office of the clerks
OF each OF the several counties in the manner re-
quired by law.
PROGRESS or THE Commission.
In pursuance OF this resolution, the commission
proceeded WITH great care and deiiOeration to pre-.
pare t,les and regulations for the guidance Of
registration and election OF officers to be ap-
caTs dnTea ms was difficuit and deliesle task,
rules and regulations covering the REGISTRATION OF
voters and the conduct of the election to,eenform
Congress, as wei as the lswsof the Territory. We
!heipse printed copy of the same, together with
mission The matter of the appointment Of
REGISTRATION OFFICERS
for several counties in the Territory was then
taken up, and one for each county has been duly
appointed ana commissioned. In addition 70 these
aepuy or assistant in each voting precinct in the
Ierrltory Will be Immediately appointed. Our
Sae Sedee tons have and must necessatils have
gree by the suggestions ahd ssgi recommendations ms
OF leading citizens here. The embarrasments in
sion have endeavored to secure the very best
available men, rejecting, of course, all persDns
who are Ineligible under the law. From present
indications it appears that that rlass Of persons
who are
DEPRIVED OF THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE
by the act of Congress will not attempt register
or vote. These will number. male and female,
probably 1900 voters Many Of the non -Mormons
have hitherto refrained from voting, but 1t
is believed that at the November election
at hns,ny any time heretofore However. The
thArpnf ral q not IN rrIn
parties nor candidates. but to securing. as far as
possible, fair registration and an impartially
conducted election under the law. As before sug-
sested, the commission have encountered many
EMBARAsSMENTs AND COMPLICATIONS.
r rrs opposition made ~ sne UatsEE ny sone
against no ding a regular election for deIegs tes
ior Congress as required by law in November
next was an unpleasant iea ure of the situation of
g fairs, but there does not appear, under the law
any discretion whatever for the commission
the law demanded on election. The people OF
tion in Congress if the same could be dons
through due oh, b,ervance of the restrictions i'm
BIGAMY AND PoLYGAMY.
We did not see how we could excuse the omis.
sion If, being present and prepared to proceed
with the work assigned u.s. we should not even at
tempt to perform this manifest duty, and so il was
decided to proceed. 1t was not deemed advisable
even If power was ia the commission. concerning
which there is some doubt, to commence de moro
registration of the voters of the Territory. But
after very careful consideration, it was decided
order revision of the existing registration lists
in September as required by the territorial law
applying to the same the governing principles OF
the Edmunds act.
We think the regularity of this proceeding can
not be questioned. Its effectiveness will be equal
to an entirely new registration, and we believe the
result of the election will demonstrate. In the
preparation of the rules and regulations to govern
the registration and Esnduct of the election, a.
before stated the labofof assimiating the acts Of
Congress and the local election law tedious
and perplexing, involving much greater RESPONSE
bility than was agreeable to the commission to as
sumo, but to accomplish the results required by
the provisions of section of the Edmunds act, IL
became necessary to use
ALL THE POWERS CONF ERRED.
A later embarrassment came in in the form of a
demand on the part of certain Mormon citizens Of
high character that the commission should as,
sumo jurisdiction and decide 10 locate the statute
We concluded that it was not competent for the
to repeal or modify that statute in the
manner suggested; that the principle of female
suffrage is in no respect in conflict with
Of that commission has nothing g>1whateVer to do
with the subject. Moreover, found on investi-
CATION that this statute had been in force fer
twelve years without being adjudged in the
courts of the Territory OF disturbed Dy Congress.
III conclusion, permit to say we believe the re-
suits to be reached through the careful registration
already insured, and the impartial election
which can hardly fail to follow will be
TO the government and the country
In closing this report 1t is due to the Territorial
who is eI-oticiO secretary of the COM
mission, Arthur L. Thomas, to say that the COM
mission has received from him valuable assistance
In its work. particularly in the matter OF the Sc
lection of registration and other officers. Very
your obedient servants
ALEX RAMSEY,
A. 8. PADDOCK,
G. L. GODFREY,
A. B. CARLTON,
]. Z. PETTIGREW,