The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1882-02-04
WEEKLY CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
Corvallis Feb. A. 1882.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
IFrom our Regular Correspondent ]


attention of that body by the con-
test for the seat of Delegate from
Utah. There is no politics in the
contest as both claimants are Dem
ocrats; but the Territory, like some
other Democratic localities, needs
reorgsnizlng. The proposition
which has been made to divide it up
and attach the parts to adjoining
States sad Territories is a good one
and one that would break the power
of Mormondonl, for they would then
be in a minority in each Of the States
and amenable to their laws. Con
gress has been slow to take notice OF
the Institution of polygamy, but now
that the question is brought where
it must he met, and now that the
Republican party is in control, there
is reason to hope that MormoniSm is
doomed. 1t was one of the original
pied yes of the party to uproot this
"twin-re!iC' with that of slavery.
The points at issue in the election
contest deserve to be clearly under
stood: Cannon, confessed polys-
amist, undoubtedly received Il ma
jority at the election. Campbell,
who contests the seat, received a
small minority only. Campbcll's
friends claimed the seat for him on
the ground that he was the only
person voted for who was capable
of sitting. Governor Murray's GER
tiiicate was so wordel as to give
color to that claim. But the House
sensibIy decided that both the cases
of Campbell ami Cannon must be
referred to the Committee on EIec.
tions, which will report all the facts
to the House.
1t is evident from the tone of the
debate so far, that the House does
not mean to admit Cannon; but to
refuse the seat to him will fnot nee
essarlly entitle Campbell to it, and
sound lawyers on both sides doubt
the right.,or the propriety of Congress
seating a man who received only a
small minority of votes. They b.
heve that this would be to set mis-
ehievous precedent; that so long as
, sae people of Utah are allowed to
vote for Delegate in Congress only
athat person who receives majority
* of the votes is entitled to- claim a
seat, but that the House, as the
judge of the election AMI qualifca-
tions of its members, may refuse for
cause to admit the claimant, an
thus say to the voters Of UTAH. that
they have sent an unfit person and
:: must try again. For a number of
years they sent as their Delegate
Mr. Hooper, who was not rolyga-
mist. The fanatlcal part of the Nor
mon priesthood on several occasions
urged Brigham Young to either
oblige Hooper to become a polyga-
mist or allow them to send a Dele
gate who had several wives. Young
f,r years resisted these demands,
saying: .-"Leave brother Hooper
alone. He serves us very well.rin
Washington, and if he does not want
more wives than one that is his
business But the fanatics at last
succeeded, and Hooper retired to
make way for Cannon. The latter
has already served, in three Con-
crosses, nearly always having from
one to three wives here witk him,
and he probably thinks it is rather
late to raise that objection. Another
point is that there is serious doubt
whether is citizen ofthe- United
States. --:
It is Hoped that by the time this
letter is in print the Guiteau trial
will be ended and the assassin under
sentence of death. The closing argu-
rn, nts are now in progress, and Guit-
eau himself has prepared speech
which he proposes to deliver to tie
jury.< He wants the last say and
pretends to believe that his address
will settle the matter in his favor.
Grave doubts are expressed. however,
whether he viii. deliver it after all,
even if permitted by the Court.
Heretofore he has prepared various
speeches, and when the time came,
and he was told to stand up and de-
liver what he had to say; he declared
that he had nothing to offer.t 1t is
doubted whether he has the moral
courage to face the jury He is a
very timid and .cowardly fellow,
in spite of his buster when he is in
his seat, and he never rises, but drops
into his chair as he is brought. in,
and stays there till he goes out again.
He has never Voluntarily risen in