The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-23
THE CANNON -CAnPDELL CONTEST.
The Committee Will Probably Decide
in Favor OF the PoIygamISt.

The Committee Will Probably Decide
In Favor of the POIyENmIst.
Special Dispatch to the IntellIgcncer
WASHINGTON, January 22.-One Of the
first, il not the first, contested election
case to be reported to the House from the
Committee on Elections, is that OF Camp
bell VS.. Cannon for admission as delegate
from Utah. The case was referred to sub
committee, which has held ono meeting,
and there is every indication that there
will be unanimous report to the full com.
mittee in favor Of Cannon. The Mormon
candidate received $4,000 votes TO $4,000 in
round numbers cast for Campbell. One OF
the most eminent lawyers in the House, n
Republican, who is n member OF the SUBJ
committee appointed to investigate the
Utah case, said tonight: $50 far as can
see, after q careful investigation OF the
case, the committee cannot do otherwise
than report in favor of seating Cannon.
He received very large majority Of the
votes cast. 1t is true that women
have the right Of suffrage in Utah, but l
don't see that Congress can go into that
question. As to the charge tRst Cannon is
not citizen Of the United States, previ-
GUS Congress thoroughly investigated that
subject and reported that he was duly
naturalized and is citizen. 1t is some
what singular that the law Of Washington,
Idaho and Montana. territories provides
that no person shall be elected delegate
to Congress from those territories, who is
not citizen Of the United States, but there
is no such provision in the law relating to
Utah. Cannon is polygamist. He avows
the fact and admits that he is daily viola
ting the law OF the land, having four
wives, but the fact that man is
n Legitimate polygamist forms no con.
stitutional or legal disqualification for
him to sill in Congress as Representative
or delegate. The House is the sole judge
Of the election and qualification OF its own
members. The action OF Governor Murray
in giving Campbell the certificate, I'm.
usual rs it was in form, seems entirely un.
warranted 1t is for the House to deter
mine, however, whether it is prejudicial tc
the dignity and order Of that body to admit
to seat on the floor man who avows he
is living in defiance Of the law. The
committee can only report the fact thai
Cannon was elected and is not dis
qualified from holding his seat, ant
the House must settle the othel
incidental questions. To violate the law
forbidding adultery is as much crime n!
the violation Of the law iorbidding biGamy
Mr.. Cannon has been a Delegate for cigh
years, during which time he has violated
the act Of 1862 prohibiting polygamy, ant
no question has been raised as to his quail
flcation as a Delegate.
Mr.. Cannon said tonight: ~ did mo-
avow the fact that l am living contrar!
to the law Of the land in any
spirit Of defiance, but on the con
tary, since the recent decision o
the Supreme court, 1 have not advocat
ed Polygamy. l have defended it whel
called upon to do so, for the reason that
believe that it is divinely ordained. If
had not taken the position 1 did innocen
women would have been called before tn
committee te prove what l preferred to ad
nit. The most outrageous falsehoods hav
been published about me and my iamil.
since this contest began, and l prefer t,
await the decision Of the House before say
ing anything in reply to them.