Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-05
Grening Slemotrat,
THE "EDMUNDS ACT"

better "obey the law" the particular law
being the Edmunds act. For general in
formation we reprint it in full.
an ACT to amend section ftty-three hun-
dred and .ftty-tW0 Of the ReCised Statutes
Of the United States, IN reference to b.
gG'ny, AID for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representative of the United States OF
America in Congress assembled, That
section fifty-three hundred and ffty-two
OF the Revised Statutes OF the United
States be, and the same is hereby,
amended so as 10 read as follows, namely
Every person who has husband OF
wife living who, in a Territory or other
place over which the United States have
exclusive jurisdiction, hereafter marres
another, whether married or single, and
any man who hereafte~ simultaneously
or on the same day, marries more than
one woman, in Territory or other place
over which the United States have ex-
elusive jurisdiction, is guilty of polygamy,
and shall be punished by fine OF not
more than five hundred dollars and by
imprisonment for term OF not more than
five years; but this section shall not eX-
tend to any person by reason of any
former marriage whose husband or vie
by such marriage shall have been absent
for five successive years, and is not known
to such person to be living, and is be-
ieved by such person to be dead, nor to
any person by reason Of any former mar
riage which shall have been dissolved by
a valid decree of a competent court, nor
TO any person by reason of any former
marriage which shall have been pro-
ID. need void by valid decree of a com
.o..nt court, on the ground OF nullity of
the marriage contract"
SEC. 2. That the foregoing provisions
shal not affect the prosecution or pun
ishme of any offense already committed
arsius 5he section amended by the first
,ectiol this act.
SEC 3. That if any male person, in q
Territory ~ other place over which the
Lul.-u ~.a. have exclusive jurisdiction,
heugue uohabits with more than one
woman, stall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanpT, and on conviction thereof
shall be punished by Il fine OF not more
than $500, OF by imprisonment of not
more than SIX months, or by both said
punishment, in the discretion OF the
court.
SEC. 4. That counts for any and all of
the offensos named in sections one and
three OF this act may be joined in the
same information or Indictment.
SEC. ). That in any prosecution for
bigamy, p0lygdmy, or unlawful cohabita-
ton, under any statute OF the United
States, it shall he sufficient cause Of chal-
Ienge to any person drawn or summoned
Al, -. L.
is or has been living in the practice OF po-
lygamy, bigamy, or unlawful cohabitation
with more than one woman, or that he is
or has been guilty of an offense punisha-
bic by either OF the foregoing sections, or
by section fifty-three hundred and fifty
two of the Revised Statutes OF the United
States, or the act of July first, eighteen
hundred and siXty-tWo, entitled Gan act
to punish and prevent the practice of po-
lygamy in the Territories of the United
States and other places, and disappearing
and annulling certain acts OF the legisla-
tive assembly of the Territory of Utah."
or, second, that he believes it right for a
man to have more than one living and
undivorced wife at thessame time, or to
live in the practice OF cohabiting with
more than one woman; and any person
appearing or offered as a juror or tales
man, and challenged on either of the fore
going grounds, may be questioned on his
oath as to the existence of any such cause
of challenge, and other evidence may be
introduced bearing upon the question
raised by such challenge; and this ques-
ton shall be tried by the court But as
to the first ground OF challenge as before
mentioned, the person challenged shall
not be bound to answer if he shall say
upon his oath that he declines on the
ground that his answer may tend to Grim
mate 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 offense
named in sections one, two and three of
this act; but ii he declines to answer on
any ground, he shall be rejected as in
competent
SEC. 6. That the President is hereby
authorized to grant amnesty to such
classes of offenders guilty OF bigamv,
polygamy, or unlawful cOhabitation, be-
fore the passage of this act, on such CON
ditions and under such limitations as he
shall think proper; but no such amnesty
shall have effect unless the conditions
Sec. Z. That the issue of bigamous or
polygamous marriages, known as Nor
mon marriages, in cases in which such
have been solemnized accord
in ? to the 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, AID. 1888, are
hereby legitimated.
or any person cohabiting with more than
one woman, and no woman cohabiting !
with any of the persons described as
in this section, in any Territory |
or other place over which the United |
States have exclusive jurisdiction, shall /
be entitled to vote at any election held in
any such Territory or other place, or be .
eligible for election or appointment to or
be entitled to hold any Office or place of
public trust, honor, or emolument in,
under, or for any such Territory or place.
or under the United States.
Sec. 9. That all the registration and
election offices of every description in the
Territory of Utah are hereby declared
vacant, and each and every duty relating
% the registration OF voters, the conduct
IF elections, the receiving Or rejection of
7otes, and the canyassing and returning
If the same, and the issuing of certifi-
,ates or other evidence of election in said
Territory, shall, until other provisions be
made by the legislative assembly of said
Territory as is hereinafter by this section
be performed under the exist
ng laws of the United States and said
Territory by proper persons, who shall
oe appointed to execute such offices and
perform such duties by a board of five
PERSONS, to be appointed by the President,