The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-23
THE ANTI-PoLYGAMY BILL.


Full rext OF the Rill ~ Adopted by |
Congress.
Be It enacted, etc., That Section $3.50 of the
Revised Statutes of the United States be, and
the same is hereby, amended SO as to read as
follows, namely:
Every person who has husband or wife liy
ing who, in . Territory or other place over
which the United States have exclusive 1uris-
married or SINGLE and any man who hereafter
or ON the same day, marries
more than one woman, in Territory or other
place over which the United States has exclu-
shall Be punished by fine of not more than
$500 and by imprisonment for q term OF not
more than fve years, but this section shall not
extend to any person by reason OF any former
riage shall have been absent for five successive /
years, and is not known to such person to be
living, and Is believed by such person to be |
dead, nor to any person by reason OF any |
former marriage which shall have been dis |
solved by valid decree Of Q competent court, |
nor to any person by reason OF any former
marriage which shall have been pronounced |
void by valid decree of . competent court, on !
the ground of nullity of the marriage con-
tracts.
SEQ. q. That the foregoing provisions shall
not affect the prosecution or punishment OF
any offense already committed against the
section amended by the first section Of this act.
SEQ. 8. That II any male person, in Ter,
States have exclusive jurisdiction, hereafter
cohabita with more than one woman, he shall
be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and on
conviction thereof shall be punished by q fine
Of not more than $500, or by imprisonment for
not more than six months, or by both said
punishments, in the discretion Of the court.
SEQ. l. That counts for any or all OF the
offenses named in sections and of this act
may be Joined in the same information or
indictment.
SEQ. s. That IN any prosecution for big
amy, polygsmy, or unlawful cohabitation under
any statute Of the United States, it shall be
sufficient cause Of challenge to any person
drawn or summoned as juryman or talesman,
first, that he is or has been living in the prac-
tice of bigamy, polygamy, or unlawful cohabi-
tation with more than one woman, or that he
is or has been guilty Of an offense punishable
by either Of the foregoing sections or BY see
ton $3.50 Of the revised statutes Of the United
States, or Of the act Of July 1, 1862. entitled
can act to punish and prevent the practice OF
polygamy in the Territories of the United
States and other places, and disapproving and
bly, Of the Territory of Utah !" or, second, that
he believes it right for . man to have more
than one living and undivorced wife at the
same time, or to live in the practice of cohabit-
ing with more than one woman and any per-
son appearing or offered as juror or talesman,
and challenged ON either Of the foregoing
grounds, may be questioned on his oath as to
the existence Of any such cause OF challenge,
and other evidence may be introduced bearing
upon the question raised by such challenge;
| and this question shall be tried by the court.
| But as to the first ground of challenge before
mentioned, the person challenged shall not be
| bound to answer II he shall say upon his oath
| that he declines on the ground that his answer
may tend to criminate himself and if he shall
answer as to the first ground, his answer shall
not be given in evidence in any criminal prose-
| cution against him for any offense named in
sections or Of this act ; but If he declines to
answer on any ground he shall be rejected as
| incompetent.
Sxo. 8. That the President is hereby author
ized to grant amnesty to such classes Of offend
ers guilty before the passage Of this act of
bigan1y, polygamy, or unlawful cohabitatioR
I before the passage OF this act, on such condi-
| tions and under such limitations as he shall
think proper but no such amnesty shall have
effect unless the conditions thereof shall be
complied with.
SEQ. 2. That the issue Of bigamous or polyg-
| amous marriages known as Mormon marriages,
in cases in which such marriages have been
| solemnized according to the ceremonies of the
| Mormon sect, in any Territory of the United
States, and such issue shall have been born be-
fore the LIST Of January A. D. 1888, are hereby
| legitimated.
SEQ. 8. That no polygamist, bigamist, or any
| person cohabiting with more than one woman,
and no woman cohabiting with any Of the per-
sons described as aforesaid in this section, In
any Territory or other place over which the
be entitled to vote at any election held in any
such Territory or other place, or be eligible for
election or appointment to or be entitled to
hold any Office or place Of public trust, honor,
ritory or place, or under the United States.
SEQ. .. That all the registration and election
Offices Of every description in the Territory Of
Utah are hereby declared vacant, and each and
every duty relating to the registration Of voters
the conduct Of elections, the receiving or rejec-
ton Of votes, and the canvassing and returning
Of the same, and the issuing Of certificates, or
ether evidence of election in said Territory,
shall, until other provisions be made by the
Legislative Assembly of said Territory, as is
hereinafter by this section provided, be per-
formed under the existing laws of the United
States and of said Territory by proper persons,
who shall be appointed to execute such Offices
and perform such duties by board Of five
persons, to be appointed by the President, by
and with the advice and consent Of the Senate,
not more than three Of whom shall be members
Of one political party, and majority of whom
shall be quorum. Tho members Of said
receive salary at the rate of 5000 per an
mum, and shall continue in office until the
Legislative Assembly of said Territory shall
make provision for filing said Offices as herein
shall be the secretary Of said board, and keep q
journal of its proceedings, and attest the action
Of said board under this section. The canvass
and return Of all the votes at elections in said
Territory for members OF the Legislative
Assembly thereof shall be returned to said
board, which shall CANVASS all such returns and
issue certificates Of election to those persons
I who, being eligible for such election, shall
appear to have been lawfully elected, which
certificate shall be the only evidence of tn.
right Of such persons to sit in such assembly
Provided, That said board of five persons shall
not exclude any person otherwise eligible to
vote from the polls on account of any opinion
such person may entertain on the subject OF
bigamy or polygamy, nor shall they refuse to
count any such vote on account Of the opinion
Of the person casting it on the subject OF bigamy
or polygamy but each house Of such Assembly
after its organization, shall have power te
decide upon the elections and qualifications OF
its members. And at or after the first meeting
Of said Legislstive Assembly whose members
shall have been elected and returned according
to the provisions of this act, said Legislative
Assembly may make such laws, oonformable to
the organic act of said Territory and not incon.
3 sstent with other laws of the United States. as
| 1t shall deem proper concerning the filling OF
, the Offices in said Territory declared vacant by
this act.