The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-03-03
EDMuNDs, ANTr-PoLYoAMY BILL.
Provisions OF the dill as II Passed the SEN
ate, February 10th.

Be III enacted, eIc.-- nat sectioH oioo-s
Revised Statutes of the United States, be and
the same Is hereby amended so as TO read as
follows, namely: Every person who has a
husband or wife living, who, In Territory
or other place over which the United States
has exclusive jurisdiction, hereafter marries
another, whether married or single, and any
man who hereafter simultaneously or on the
same day.marries more than one woman in
a Territory or other place over which the
United States has exclusive jurisdiction Is
guilty Of polygamy, and shall be punished
by fine of not more than $500, and by inn
prisonment for term of not more than five
years.. but this section shall not extend to
any person by reason of any former mar
rIage, whose husband or wife by such mar
riage shall have been absent for five success
i've years, and Is not known to such person
TO be dead, nor to any person by reason OF
any former marriage which shall have been
dissolved by valid decree of competent
court nor to any person by reason Of any for
mer marriage which shall have been pro-
nounced void by valid decree of a competent
court, on the ground of nullity of marriage
contract.
Section 2. That the foregoing provisions
shall not affect the prosecution or punish
ment of any offence already committed against
the section amended by the first section Of
this act.
Sec. 3. That II any male person In Ter
ritory or other place over which the United
States have exclusive Jurisdiction, hereafter
cohabit with more than one woman, he shall
be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and, on
conviction thereof, shall be punished by a
fine of not more than $500 or by imprison-
ment for not more than six months, or by
both said punishments, In the discretion Of
the Courts.
Sec. 4. That the counts for any or all Of
the'ofIenses named In sections one and two
of this act may be joined In the same infor-
nation or Indictment.
Sec. 3. Thatin any prosecution for bigamy,
polygamy, or unlawful cohahitation, under
any statute of the United States, 1t shall be
sufficient cause of challenge to any person
drawn or summoned as a juryman or tales
man, first, that he is or has been living In the
practice of bigamy, polygamy, or unlawful
cohabitation with more than one woman;
that he Is or has been guilty Of an offence
punishable by either of the foregoing Sec
tions or by section 1852 of the Revised Stat
utes of the United States or the act Of July
lst, 1862, entitled "An act to punish and pre-
vent the practice of polygamy In the Terri
tories of the United States and other places,
and disappearing and annulling certain acts
of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory
of Utah." or second, that he believed ii right
for man to have more than one living and
undivorced wife Mt the same time, or live In
the practice of cohabiting with more than
one woman. Amy person appearing or offered
as a taiesman, and challenged on either of
: the foregoing grounds, may be questioned on
his oath as to the existence of any such cause
of challenges, and other evidence may be in
troduced bearing upon the question raisedb 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 If
he shall say upon his oath that he declined
on the ground that his answer may tend TO
criminate himself, and If he shall answer as
to said first ground his answer shall not be
given In evidence in any criminal prosecution
against him for any offence named In sec
tions one or three of this act, but If he de-
clines TO answer on any other ground he
shall be rejected as incompetent.
Sec. 0. That the President is hereby au-
thorized 10 grant amnesty 10 such classes of
offenders guilty Of bigamy, polygamy, or un-
lawful cohabitation before the passage of
this act, on such conditions and under such
limitations rs he shall think proper; but no
such amnesty shall have effect unless the
conditions thereof shall be complied with.
Sec. Z. That the issue of bigamous or po-
lygamous marriages known as Mormon mar
riages, In cases In which such marriages have
been solemnized according TO ceremonies of
the Mormon sect, In any Territory Of the
United States, and such issue shall have been
born before the first day of January, ammo
Domini 1883, are hereby legal.
Sec. 8. That no polygamist, bigamist, or
any person cohabiting with more than one
woman, and no woman cohabitlng with any
of the persons described as aforesaid In this
section, In any Territory or other place over
which the United States has exclusive juris-
diction, shall be entitled to vote at amy cleo
tion held In any such Territory or other
place, or shall be eligible for election or ap-
pointment to, or be entitled to hold any
!. Office or place of public trust, honor or EN-
olument In, under, or for any such Territory
or place, or under the United States.
Sec. 0. That all registration and elective
officers Of any description In the Territory
of Utah are hereby declared vacant, and
each and every duty relating to registration
Of voters, the conduct of elections, receiving
or rejection of votes, the canvassing and re-
turning Of the same, and issuing Of certifi-
Gates or other evidence OF election In said
Territory shall, until other provision be
made by the Legislative Assembly Of said
Territory as Is here enacted by this section
and provided, be performed under existing
laws of the United States and of said Ter
Iitory by proper persons, who shall be ap-
pointed 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 of whom than three shall be members
OF one political party, and majority Of
whom shall be quorum Of members OF said
board so appointed by the PRECEDENT; they
shall each receive salary Of 5000 per an
mum, and shall continue In Office until the
Legislative Assembly of the Territory shall
make provision as herein authorized. The
Secretary OF the Territory shall be Secretary
Of said board, and shall keep journal of
the proceedings and attestalions sf said
board under this section. The canvass and
return of all votes at elections In said Terri
Ema r. Al. r