Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-16
The Senate.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Jackson
introduced the bill presented by Morgan at the
last congress, for the relief of book agents OF
the Methodist Episcopal church South. II
appropriates 100000 in compensation for
property connected with the publishing house
of said book agents in Nashville, which was
taken or destroyed by the United States IN
1864, or at any other time. The senate then
took up, and temporarily passed over, the
regular order, the anti-polygamy bill.
Senator Call, on leave, addressed the senate
in support of his proposed amendment to the
pension arrears resolution, declaring in favor
of pensions to survivors of Indian wars,
prior TO 1915.
Senator Miller gave notice Of his intention
to move to take in the bill restricting Chinese
immigration as soon as the polygamY bill
was disposed of.
After long debate the senate, by vote OF
SO to Is, passed the resolution to provide a
messenger for each of the committees on
finance, postoffces, pensions, claims, judici-
airy, District of Columbia, and engrossed bills.
The pay Is fixed at Sl,4c0 per year.
At 2:25 the anti-polygamy bill, Ito amend
section $3.50 of the revised statutes of the
United States, in reference to bigamy, and for
other purposes) was taken mp and the amend
ments proposed By the committee on Judiciary
read aud agreed to up to the fifth section, which
authorizes the president to grant amnesty to
classes of offenders, guilty before the passage
of the act, Of bigamy, polygamy.or unlawful
eohabitatiou, on such condition as he shall
think proper.
Senator Hoar suggested query whether,
under his exercise of the pardonlng power,
which was limited to pardons and reprieves In
Individual cases, the president could constitu-
fionally pardon whole classes OF offenders
against particular law, upon such conditions
IS he may prescribe. II he could do this
then he could exercise legislative function.
II the president made pardon conditional up.
on the payment of certain sum of money,
would his act be lawfuls
Senator Edmunds SAID the committee had
been in doubt whether any provision at that
point was necessary at all, and had inserted it
only because the question was an open one.
The object of it was to enable the government
TO say to the great body of the Utah people:
eff you stop this practice and sin no more,
you shall not be prosecuted for what you have
already DONE" By the general amnesty act of
July II, 1862, congress empowered the presi-
dent to grant amnesty on such conditions as
he might deem expedient for public welfare
It did not therefore follow that he could have
so acted without that legislation, but the act
made it safe that persons should receive par
don by classification, on condition, as distinct
from persons individually pardoned. Whereas,
as suggested by Hoar, If a president takes
money for a pardon, the remedy is by i'm
parchment.
The section as amended, and the removing
of co smittee amendments to the eighth Sec
ton were adopted. The eighth section pro.
vides for the conduct of elections, the regis.
tration and canvassing of voters, ETC., in the
territory, until the provisions for the same BY
the Legislative assembly, provided for in the
bill by the appointment of board of persons,
to be appointed by the president and con-
frmed by the senate, all of whom shall not be
members of one political party, etc
Senator Brown moved to amend so az to re-
Quire that not more than three of the board
shall be of the same political party.
Senator Call maintained that the power to
revise the acts of election officert was proper
ty of the courts. For board to say who
should constitute the legislature would be I'M
republican aud farcical.
Senator Edmunds replied that the board
would have no power to decide as to the
qualification of elections.
Senator Vest said the seventh section of the
bill, declaring polygamists ineligible to office
or suffrage, proposed to take away the rights
of citizens of states for past offenses, without
trial or conviction fthe offense. The senator
from Delaware (Bayard) had said that territori-
al reorganization WAS analogous to original Or
ganization where congress has the right to
impose such conditions as are now proposed.
But he Vest denied there was any analogy
The doctrine that right to vote and hold office
IN this country when once offered could be
taken away, was something he had never
known to be preached before, and he denounced
1t as an arbitrary, despotie and unconstitu-
tional declaration. He was opposed to po-
lygamy, but in his adherence of it he would
be careful not to strike down the safeguards
of personal liberty.
Senator Garland said 1t was complained the
provisions of the bill were severe and rough,
but he would say they were intended to be
severe and rough, and they were nevertheless .
sanctioned by precedent and organic laws.
The grant of power given to congress to make
all needful rules and regulations respecting
territories gave it unlimited control In terri
tories. Let 1t go to the world, he added, that
congress recognizes the organization of q ter
rftory founded on the theory that one man is
inspired by God for certain purpose, and we
may burn up the statute book. and give full
license to the inspiration of Guiteau's every.
where. So long as it retains its distinctive
features this government could net by any
possibility be Republican,.
The discussion continued sometime. A
motion for executive session was lost, ayes
Fl, noes 30, and after several efforts to secure
an arrangement for vote on the bill, inter.
spersed with motions to adjourn, it was I'm
ally arrearged that the measure should be
proceeded with Immediately after morning
business tomorrow, and the debate upon it
closed at $50 p. m. With this understand
ing Edmunds consented to an adjournment.