The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-02-23
appOrtiOnment is as follows,

The States that gain are: Arkansas,
1; California, 2; Georgia, 1; Illinois, /;
Iowa, 2; Kansas, 4; Kentucky, 1; Massa-
chusetts, 1; Michigan, ,; Minnesota, ?;
Mississippi, l; Missouri, l; Nebraska, ,;
New York, |; North Carolina, /; Ohio, | (;
Pennsylvania, /; South Carolina, 2;
Texas, 8; Virginia, |; West Virginia, l !;
Wisconsin, l. Maine, New Hampshire,
and Vermont lose one each.
An effort will be made to hurry the
bill through the Senate, so that the Leg
islatuTes which are now sitting can re-
district their States.
The Senate passed the Anti-POlygamy
bill by viva VOce vote, no n gative be-
ing heard, although during the debate
its provisions were severely criticised
by Messrs. Morgan of Alabama, Vest of
Missouri, Brown of Georgia, and Lamar
of Mississippi. The disfranchisement
and exclusion from Office of all pOlyga-
miSts, and the appointment of a Board
to supervise the election of territorial
Legislature were features attacked.
Mr.. Vest denounced the measure bill
of attainder, intlicting punishment
without judicial trial, and hence un-
constitutional.
Mr.. Brown said he deprecated the DO
lygamOus institution, and was willing
to do what he could legally and cOnsti-
tutiOnally to eXteTminate it where Con-
greSS had the power. We could not
shut our eyes to the facts that the Eng
lish Government, through her PaTlia-
m"nt and courts, had recognized pOlyg-
amy in India, and recognizes it to-day,
and that it exists among three-fOurths
of the population of the globe. The
Christian missionaries in India also
recognized and did not attempt to over
throw 1T where a marriage had been
sOlemnized. He deprecated the measure
as applying a religious test as dis
qualification for Office and the suffrage.
MIR. SheI man said he would vote for
the bill, but doubted his effectiveness.
He believed the time would come, and
that it was not far distant, when some
of the saints in authority in Utah would
have new revelation from a source
that all would recognize, and that in
this way he would get rid of pOlygamy
by the voluntary action of its support
erS.
MIR. Lamar regarded the bill as a
harsh and cruel measure, as one that
could inflict injury upon masses of peO-
pie.
In closing the debate Mr.. Edwards
said the theOcracy might continue to
control the government of Utah not
withstanding this legislation, but that
they were trying the mildest measures
effect, if it had no other, of displacing
from authority in Utah the pOlOyga-
mists, who constituted majority of the
Territorial Assembly, entirely the COun-
Gil and largely the executive officers of
the Territory. He assumed that the five
Commissioners appointed under the bill
would be men wise and able enough to
enforce the laws. If there is, as was
believed, in the Mormon Church, body
of people who have no faith in pOlyga-
my, and who wish to emancipate them
selves from the tyranny of the hierarchy
that has its foot upon their necks, they
would now have a chance to assert
themselves. No Senator had denied
that polygamyiwas inimical to republi-
can gOVt rnment. 1t was admitted that
we desired to get rid of it, but when
practical measure to that end was pre-
sented, preference was always indi-
Gated for some other measure. In re-
ply to objections against the bill, Mr..
Edmunds drew the distinction between
State and a Territorial Government,
to show that the latter depends for its
vitality upon a Congressional statute
which may subsequently be revised or
repealed. As to the matter of the jury
qualification, the proposition here was
merely that every juror must believe in
the laws which it was his duty to sus-
tain. The only question for Congress
now was whether 1t would say that in a