Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-02-02
THE MORMON QUESTION.

United States Senate by Senator Hoar'
from the Judiciary Committee Tor the
| Suppression of Polygamy.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Jan. %.
| Senator Uoar reported to-day from the
| Committee on Judiciary an anti-polygamy
bill, which embraces the principal features
| of the Edmunds bill introduced at the pres
| ent session, and adds other provisions orig
mating with the committee.
| The first section provides, in any prose-
| cution for bigamy, polygamy or unlawful
cohabtation, under any statute of the United
| States, the lawful husband or wife of the
| person accused shall be competent wit
| ness, and may be called and compelled to
| testify in such proceedings.
| The second section provides in any such
| prosecution an attachment may be issued
| for any witness aud his or her immediate
attendance compelled without previous
pGna when there is reasonable ground
| for believing he or she will unlawfully fail
| to obey the subpoena issued in the usual
| course.
! The third section provides that prosecu-
| ton for liganly, poly gamy or unlawful CO.
| habtation may be commenced at any time
within five years after commits sion of the
| offense. This provision however, does not
| apply to any oifense already barred by the
statute OF limitations,
| Section provides for the certification of
| marriages in the Territories and penalties
| for the violation Of its provisions.
| Section ) provides that the records OF
| marriages or anything in the nature of
| marriage 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 inspection at all reasonable times
| by any Judge, magistrate or officer of JUS
tad mn or. he NTH nf ho
| United States, under penalty not to exceed
| 81 900, and imprisonment not to exceed two
| years, or both such fine and impris Cnment.
Section provides for the annulment of
| all laws providing for or allowing registra-
| tion voting by females in the Territory
| of Utah, and makes it unlawful for any fe-
male TO vote at any election hereafter held
in the Territory of Utah for any public pur-
pose whatever
Sections s. . and 10 provide for the an.
nufnent of all laws of the Territory of VI ah
which provide for the identification of vo-
terS at elect ions and for recognition of the
capacity OF iilegitinate children to inherit
and which confer jurisd ctiOn on Probate
Courts, except in respect to deceased per,
sons and the guardianship of infants and
insane persons.
Section II provides Tor the annulment of
all laws which provi lie that such proSecu-
tions may hereafter be instituted in tie
same way prosecutions for other crimes.
Sect ion l. provides that all laws incor-
poratinr, continuing or providing for the
corporation known the Mormon Church
far the same may preclude the APP
poittnent of certain trustees of said cor
poration, as hereinafter provided, shall be
annuled. 1t also directs the President,
with the consent OF the Senate, TO appoint
fourteen trustees, who SHALL exercise the
functions prescribed for such corporations,
and Shall hold Office two years, and shall
report annually to the Secretary of the In
terror as TO the property, business affairs
and operat ions Of said corporation.
Section l. proEides that it shall he the
duty Of the Attorney General of the United
States to Institute and prosecute proceed
ings, to forfeit and eschcat to the United
States property of corporations obtained
or held i'll violation OF section 3 of the act
of Congress, approved the 1st of July, 1882.
All property so forfeited to be disposed Of
by the Secretary of the Interior, and the
proceeds applied to the usc and benefit of
the common schools in the Territory in
which such property may be.
Section If provides that in all proceed
iurs for the enforcement. of the law against
a corporation hoItIng property IN excess
of the amount limited by law the court
shall have 10 ~er TO compel tie production
of books ana papers from persons manag-
ing the property in which such corpora
tions have any ri ghtS or interests.
s c5;on 10 provides for the annllment or
all laws creating or continuing tsle nSsoci-
alton or corporation called the Perpetual
Emgrating Fund Company.
Section lG directs the Attorney General
of the United States TO take steps t" DIS
solve Chat corporation and provide that Inc
assets in excess of tho debts shall escheat
to the United States and be invested ny
the Secretary OF the interior for the beneht
of the common schools of t&ah.
Section II provil for the afoliShment
of the existing election districts and APP
portionment of representation conceTninis
members of the Legislative Assembly or
the Territory of Utah, and it shall be the
duty OF the Governor, Territorial Secreta-
ry and Unitc;l States Judges of said Ter
ritory to rediS' rict the Territory and APP
port on the representation so as TO assure
equal representation to citizens OF the
United States according to numbers in sad
Legislative Assembly, such eStahllShinenL
of districts and representation to continue
until Congress shall Otherwise provide.
Section Is provides that all registration
and election offices of every description IN
the Territory of U,ah shall upon the enact
ment of the bill into a law be declared va
cant; that ali duties relating to reglstra-
tion of voters, conduct of elections, receiv-
ing or rejection OF votes, canvaNSlng and
returning the same and issuing certificates
or othcrevidence OF election i'll said Terri
tory shall tor the present be performed un,
der the existing law of the Tcl ritory and
the United States by persons who shall be
sele tied to perform that duty by the board
specially provided for-by this bill. 1t pro-
yides this b ,ard shall consist of five per-
sons. to be III pointed by the Pre- eSident with
the advic AMI consent OF the Senate, not
more than three of hem to be members OF
one political party and each to receive a
salary of >:i,OJJ per annum; that this board
shall continue in office until the Legislative
Assembly of the Territory shall make
provision for filing the eeistry and election
offices in the Territory, and that the Secre-
tary of the Territory shall be Secretary Of
the board, keep n journal of the proceed
ings ami attest its action. IL provides for
a canvass of ali returns of elections by this
board and the issuance by it of all ccrtif-
Gates of election of members of the Assem-
blv, such ceri iticate to be the only evidence
of the right of such persons TO sit in such
Assembly. 1t provides, however, that the
board shall not exclude from the polls or
refuse to count the vote of any person 9TH
erwise eligible to vote on account of any
opinion such person may entertain on the
subject of bigamy or polygamy.
The New Code of Senate Rules.