Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-15
House of REPRESENTATIVES.

WASHINGTON, March 14-The house met in
continuance of Mondays business. The
speaker announced the unfinished business
was the consideration of the anti-polygamy
bill and the pending question to be on second.
ing the demand for the previous question on
the third reading of the bill. Mr.. Read ap
pealed TO Haskell to allow an opportunity for
offering amendments.
Mr.. Haskell said 1t was understood Oppon'
ents of the bill-those who desired no legisla
ton at all-were desirOuS OF lacking on some
slight amendment merely for the purpose of
hangingiup the bill between the two houses.
The emmisaries 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 Democrats
Mr. Cassidy replied--I am, at least, one
who would.
Mr.. Blackburn said many members wanted
an opportunity to amend the bill before ii
was voted upon.
Mr.. Haskell commended if the majority Of the
house wanted to amend the bill, 1t could vote
down the previous question.
Mr. B!ackburn--YOu wont get the previous
question under gag law.
For several moments there was great con-
fusion in the chamber. the voice
of those members who we're endeavor.
ing to arrive at some satisfactory
arrangement being drowned by sharp rappings
from the chair and loud cries for Irregular or.
der" At last Mr.. Burrows managed to make
himself heard. He thought the proposition
perfectly fair. He remembered the previous
congress, and in which the Democrats were in
the majority, when day after day the Republi.
can minority had fought for the simple right
of voting upon amendments. He believed
they were right then. He believed the gentle
men who were insisting on the same privilege
were right now. (Applause on the Demo-
cratic side).
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 present bill is disposed of;
that the bill be opened to amendment and de-
bate, under the five-minute rule, for one hour;
that at the end of that hour the previous ques-
ton shall be considered as ordered on the bill
and amendments then pending; that one hour
be allowed after the previous question is
ordered, which hour shall be equally divided
at the end of which hour the question shall be
taken on the pending amendments and passage
of the bill.
The first amendment offered was by Reagan
of Texas, to amend the section providing no
polygamist or bigamist shall vote at any cleo.
tion in Utah territory, by the Insertion of the
words "any person duly convicted Of being a
polygamist, ETC. Rejected.
Mr.. Mills OF Texas moved to strike out sec.
or bigamist from voting at any elections and
provide for the appointment of territorial
election officers by the president.
Mr.. Cassidy of Nevada held if these two sec.
lions were stricken out the bill would lie
worthless. The youth of the territory must
be taught to obey the law 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 az polygamists
he denounced the Mormon religion as pro-
mulgated by the lecherous element of Utah,
as lust, as prostitution carried on and pro.
mulgated by the leaders. apostles and chief
scribes of the Mormon church In Utah.
The first part of Mills amendment striking
ont section was rejected without division
and the latter portion striking out section 8 by
a vote of yeas SO, nays 1870. the following
Democrats voted in the negative with the
Republicans: Beltzhoover, Berry, Cassidy,
Colerick, Morse, Mosgrove, Phelps, Rice,
Missouri, Townshend, > Ills, and Wilson. The
vote by which the house refused to strike out
section was reconsidered and the roll call
consumed the remainder of the hour, and
when Hammond, (Ga.) desired to offer an
amendment the speaker ruled it was not in Or
der.
Mr.. Singleton, Ills, thereupon suggested
that Haskell had been very successful, proba-
bly, on account of his experience in trapping
wild animals, in trapping Democracy.
Mr.. Buckner, Mo-, said, great as the wrong
of polygamy was, this bill was greater
wrong on the constitution and rights of the
people. He believed-and was sorry to be-
iieve it-this measure was pushed through for
the purpose Of efecting the contested election
case OF Campbell against Connor
Mr.. Springer, H., Kenna, w. Va, and Her.