Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-01-29
ANTI.POLYGAMY.
A Bill Introduced in the Senate, Which,
il is Believed, viii Cover
the Case.
The Main Points of the Measure-Radical
Changes Proposed in the Laws
of Utah.

WASHINGTON, January Ex-senator Hoar
reported to-day from the Committee on
Judiciary an anti-polygamy bill which
embraces the principal features of the Ed
munds bill, introduced the present session,
and adds other provisions originating with
the committee.
The first section provides that in any
prosecution for bigamy, polygamy or un-
lawful cohabitation under any statute of
the United States, the lawful husband or
wife OF the person accused shall be COM
petent witness, and may be called and
compelled to testify in such proceedings.
The second section provides that in any
such prosecution an attachment may be
issued for any witness, and his or her i'm
mediate attendance compelled without
previous subpoena, when there is reason
able ground for believing that he or she
will unlawfully fail to obey the subpoena
issued in the usual course.
The third section provides that prose-
cution for bigamy, polygamy or unlawful
cohabitation may be commenced at any
time within five years after the commits
sion oh the offense. This provision, how
ever, is not to apply to any offense already
barred by the statute of limitation.
The fourth section provides for the GER
tification of marriages in the Territories
and penalties for violations of its provis-
ions.
Section provides that records of mar
riages, or anything in the nature of mar
,iage ceremony OF any kind, made or kept
by any officer, clergyman, priest or person
performing civil or ecclesiastical functions,
whether lawful or not, in any Territory of
the United States, shall be subject to in
spection at all reasonable times by any
judge, magistrate or officer of justice APP
pointed under the authority OF the United
States, under penalty not to exceed
$1,000 fine and imprisonment not to exceed
two years, or both such fine and impris-
onment.
Section provides for the annulment of
all laws providing for or allowing registra-
ton or voting by females in the Territory
of Utah, and makes it unlawful for any
female to vote at any election hereafter
held in the Territory OF Utah for any pub
lie purpose whatever.
Sections s, 9and 10 provide for the annul-
ment of all laws of the Territory of Utah
which provide for the Identification of
of the capacity of illegitimate children to
inherit any rights which are conferred in
the jurisdiction of the Probate Court ex-
cept with respect to deceased persons and
the guardianship of infants and insane
persons.
Section II provides for the annulment
of all laws which provide that such pro-
ceedings may not hereafter be instituted
in the same way as prosecutions for other
crimes.
Section II provides that all laws incor-
porating and continuing to provide for the
corporation known as the Mormon
Church, so far as the same may preclude
the appointment OF certain trustees OF
said corporation, as hereinafter provided,
shall be annulled. 1t also directs that
the President, with the consent of the
Senate, appoint fourteen trustees, who
shall exercise the functions prescribed for
the trustees of such corporations, and
shall hold Office two years, and shall re-
port annually to the Secretary of the In
terror as to property, business affairs and
operations OF said corporation.
Section Is provides that it shall be the
duty of the AttorneyGeneral of the
United States to institute and prosecute
proceedings to forfeit and escheat to the
United States the property OF corporations
obtained or held in violation of section 3
of the act OF Congress approved the lst of
July, 1882. All property so forfeited to be
disposed of by the Secretary of the In
terror and the proceeds applied to the use
ritory in which such property may be.
Section II provides that in all proceed
ings for the enforcement of the law against
corporations holding property in excess OF
the amount limited by law, the court shall
have power to compel the production of
books and papers from the persons man.
aging the property in which such corpora
tions may have any rights or interests
Section 10 provides for the annulment of
all laws creating or continuing the associa-
ton or corporation called the Perpetual
Emigrating Fund Company.
Section l6 directs the Attorney-General
of the United States to take steps to dis
solve that corporation, and provides that
the assets in excess of the debts shall es-
cheat to the United States, and be invest.
ed by the Secretary of the Interior for the
benefit Of the common schools of Utah.
Section / provides for the abolition of
existing election districts and the apporton-
ments of representation concerning men,
bers of the Legislative Assembly of the
Territory of Utah, and it shall be the duty
of the Governor, Territorial Secretary and
United States judges OF said Territory to
redistrict the Territory and apportion the
representation so as to secure an equal
representation of citizens of the United
States, according to the numbers in said
Legislative Assembly, such establishment
of districts and representation to continue
until Congress otherwise provides.
Section Is provides that all registration
and election officers of every description
in the Territory of Utah shall, upon the
enactment of the bill into a law, be de-
clared vacant; that all duties relating to
the registration of voters, conduct OF cleo
tions, receiving or rejection OF votes, can
vassing and returning the same, and issu-
ing certificates or other evidence of cleo
ton in said Territory, shall for the present
be performed under the existing law of
the Territory and United States by per-
sons who shall be selected to perform that
duty by board specially provided for by
this bill. 1t provides that this board shall
consist of five persons, to be appointed by
the President, with the advice and by the
consent of the Senate, not more than three
of them to be members of one political
party, and each to receive salary of $4,000
per annum; that this board shall continue
in office until the Legislative Assembly of
the Territory shall make provision for fill
ing the registry and election officers in
the Territory, and that the Secretary of
the Treasury shall be secretary of the
board, keep journal of the proceedings
and attest its action. 1t provides for the
canvass of all returns of elections by this
board and the issuance by it of all certifi-
Gates of the election of members of the
Assembly, such certificates to be the only
evidence of the right of such persons to
sit in such Assembly. 1t provides, how
ever, that the board shall not exclude
from the polls or refuse TO count the vote
of any person otherwise eligible to vote
on account of any opinion such person
may entertain on the subject of bigamy or
polygamy.
DUrpNCn ~ 'CpCIGv