Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-02-08
THE MORMON QUESTION.
Tho Provisions of the Bill Reported TO tn
United States Senate by Senator Hoars
from the Jud ciary Committee for the
Suppression of Polygamy.

/ The Provisions of the Bill Reported TO tn
United States Senate by Senator Hoars
from the Jud ciary Committee for the
Suppression of Polygamy.
WASHINGTON, d. c.. Jan. p.
Senator Hoar 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
emit session, and adds other provisions orig
mating with the committee.
The first section provides, in any prose-
sutton for bigamy, polygamy or unlawful
sohabitation, 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
Tor any witness and his or her immediate
attendance compelled without previous
subpoena 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 bigamy, polygamy or unlawful CO.
naoitation may be commenced at any time
within five years after commi, sion of the
ohensc. This provision however, does not
apply to any offense already barred by the
statute of limitations,
Section provides for the certifcation 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 I've
! subject to inspection at all reasonable times
/, by any judge, magistrate or officer Of JUS
tice appointed under the authority of the
United States, under penalty not to exceed
| 81 900, and Imprisonment not to exceed two
years, or both such fine and imprisonment
| Section provides for the annulment OF
all laws providing for or allowing egistra,
ton or 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 8. 0 and 10 provide for the an.
nulment of al laws of the Territory of Utah
which provide for the identification Of vo
tiers at elections and for recognition of the
capacity of illegitimate children to inherit
and which confer jurisdiction on Probate
Courts, except in respect TO deceased pei.
sons and the guardianship of infants and
insane pei sons.
Section IL provides for the annulmcnt of
all laws which provide that such prosecu.
tons may hereafter be instituted in the
same way as prosecutions for other crimes.
Section II provides that all laws incor
porating. continuing or providing for the
corporation known as the Mormon Church
as far as the same may preclude the APP
pointment of certain trustees of said cor.
poration, as hereinafter provided, shall bs
annued. 1t also directs the President
with the consent OF the Senate, 10 appoint
fourteen trustees, who shall exercise the
functions prescribed for such corporations.
and shall hold office two years, and shall
report annually 10 the Secretary of the In.
terror as to the property, business affairs
and operations of said corporation.
Section 13 provides that it shall be the
duty of the Attorney General of the United
States to institute and prosecute proceed.
lngs, to forfeit and escheat to the United
States property of corporations obtained
or held in 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 use and benefit Of
the common schools in the Territory in
which such property may be.
Section II provides that in all proceed
tngs for the enforcement of the law against
corporation holding property in excess
III the amount limited by law the court
shall have power to compel tic productioE
Of books and papers from persons maEag
ing the property in which such corpora
tions have any rights or interests.
Section 10 provides for the annulment Of
all laws creating continuing the assoct
alton or corporation called the Perpetun
Emigrating Fund Company.
Section l6 directs the Accomplishment
the United States to take steps to dis
solve that corporation and provide that the
assets in excess of the debts shall escheat
to the United States and be invested by
the Secretary OF the Interior Tor the benefit
of the common schools of u an.
Section Il provides for the abolishmen
of the existing election districts and APP
portionment Of representation concerning
members OF the Legislative Assembly OF
the Territory of u, ah, and it shall be the
duty of the Governor, Territorial Secreta
~ and UDiteI States judges of said Ter
rtory to redistrict the Territory and ap
portion the representation so as to assure
equal representation to citizens OF the
United States according TO numbers in said
Legislative Assembly, such establishment
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 Utah shall upon the enact
ment Of the bill into law be declared va
cant; that all duties relating to registra
ton OF voters, conduct of elections, receiv
Ing or rejection OF votes, canvassing and
returning the same and issuing certificates
or other evidence of election in said Terri
tory shall for the present be performed un
der the existing law of the Tel ritory and
the United States by persons who shall be
selected to perform that duty by the board
specially provided for by this bill. 1t pro
vides this board shall consist OF five per
sons, to be appointed by the President with
the advica ana consent OF the Senate, moi
more than three of them to be members OF
one political party and each to receive
salary of 5000 per annum; that this board
shall continue in Office until the Legislative
Assembly of the Territory shall make o
provision for filling the registry and electior
offices in the Territory, and that the Score
tary of the Territory shall be Secretary oi
the board, keep journal of the proceed
ings and attest it's action. 1t provides for
canvass of all returns of elections by this
board and the issuance by it of all certif
Gates Of election of members of the Assem-
bly,. such certificate 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 on
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.
a