Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-15
HOUSE.

hOUSE.
The House met in continuance OF Mon
| days session.
The Speaker announced as unfinished
business the consideration of the anti-polyg
amy bill, and the pending question to be or
a second in the demand for the previou;
question on the third reading of the bill.
Mr.. Reagan appealed to Mr.. Haskell to
allow an opportunity for offering an amend
ment.
Mr.. Haskell said it was well understood
that the opponents OF the bill, those who de-
sired no legislation at all, were DESTROYS OF
lacking on some slight amendment, merely
! for the purpose of hanging up the bill be-
tween the two houses. The emissaries OF
the Mormon Church were here to defeat the
| bill.
| Mr.. Cassidy said there were a number OF
members on the Democratic side who would
! vote for the bill without amendment.
Mr.. Haskell inquired how many Demo-
Gratis would do so.
Mr.. Cassidy replied that there was at least
| one who would.
| Mr.. Blackburn said many members wanted
an opportunity to amend the bill before it
was voted upon.
Mr.. Haskell contended that ii the major
ity of the House wanted to amend the bill it
could vote down the previous question.
Mr.. Blackburn-You want to get the pre-
vious question under the gag law.
For several moments there was great con-
fusion in the chamber, the voices of mem
beers who were endeavoring to arrive at
some satisfactory arrangement being drowned
oy the sharp rapping or the speakers gaveI
and loud cries for regular order" AT last
Mr.. Burrows managed to make himself
hesrd. He thought the proposition coming
from the gentleman on the other side was
perfectly fair. He remem bered the previous
Congress, in which the Democrats were in
the majority, when day after day the Re-
publican minority had fought for the simple
right OF voting on amendments. He be-
lieved they were right then; he believed the
gentlemen who were insisting on the same
privilege were right now. Applause on the
of the bill just as it was. Though it might
not be perfect, he woJlI vote against every
amendment, but the majority had no right to
say the minority should not offer amendments
After some further noisy discussion Mr..
Haskell offered the following, and it was
agreed to by unanimous consent:
Ordered, That the present legislative day
continue until the pending bill is disposed
of; that it be open TO amendment and debate
under the fve-minute rule for one hour;
that at the end of that hour the previous
question shall be considered as ordered on
the bill and amendments then pending; that
one hour be allowed after the previous ques-
ton is ordered, which hour shall be equally
divided between the friends and opponents
of the bill, and at the end of which hour the
question shall be taken on the pending
amendments and the passage OF the bill.
The first amendment offered was by Mr..
Reagan Tex. to amend the section provid-
ing that mo polygamist or bigamist shall
vote at any election in Utah Territory" by
the insertion OF the words, "ahy person duly
convicted OF being polygamist," etc. Re
jected.
Mr.. Mills Tex. moved TO strike out Sec
tions and 8, which prohibits any polygamist
or bigamist from voting at elect ons, and pro-
vides for the appointment OF Territorial
elective officers by the President.
Mr.. Cassidy [Nev.l held that if these two
sections were stricken out the bill would be
worthless. The youth of the Territory must
be taught to obey the laws of the land as
well as other people. Polygamy must be
made disreputable among the people of
Utah, and this could not be done as long as
the polygamists occupied all the elective off
ces in the Territory. He denounced the
Mormon religion as promulgated BY the
lecherous element in Utah, as lust, as pros
titution carried on and promulgated by the
leaders and chief scribes OF the Mormon
Church in Utah.
The fret part OF Mr. Millss amendment,
striking out section 8, was rejected without
division, and the latter portion, striking out
section 9, by a vote of yeas SO, nays 139 The
following Democrats voted in the negative
with the Republicans: Messrs. Beltshoover
Berry, Cassidy, Colerick, Morse, Mosgrove,
Phelps, Rice Mol, Townshend mi and
Wilson.
The vote by which the House refused TO
strike out section was reconsidered. The
roll-call consumed the remainder OF the hour,
aud when Mr.. Hammond [Ga.l desired to
offer an amendment the Speaker ruled it was
not in order.
Mr.. Singleton I'LL thereupon intimated
that Mr.. Haskell had been very successful
(probably on account OF his experience in
trapping wild animalsl in trapping the De-
nocrscy.
Mr. Bueknsr he. said: "Great as the |
wrong OF polygarhy was, this bill was
q greater wrong on the constitution ana |
rights of the people. He believed, and he
was sorry TO believe it, this measure was !