Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-01
WHAT 1T IS COMING TO.
Woodburn Introduces q Bill to Dis
franchise the Entire Mormon
Community.
An Iron-Clad Oath Inserted, With a
Heavy Penalty for Perjury.
No Public Lands May Be Entered
Except by Those Who Swear They
Are Not MOrm0ns.


WASHINGTON, February q. -Representative
Woodburn, of Nevada, will tomorrow intro
duce into the House an anti-polygamy bill
which has received the approval of the
prominent Gentiles in Utah, and has been
submitted to members of the Judiciary COM
mittees of both Houses of Congress. In its
preamble it reoites that the United States
statutes prohibit and provide for the
PUNISHMENT OF BIGAMY, PoLYaAMY AND UN-
LAWFUL Capitalization
In the Territories, and for the disqualifca-
ton of persons guilty of such offenses to
vote or hold office; that the act of giving
aid, counsel, advice, or encouragement, and
| thereby procuring the commission of such
offenses, should be made crime, punishable
with equal severity; that there exists in
| Utah sect which in its creed holds as one
of it's fundamental principles, and as
saoramental rite, that it is the duty of it's
members to practice unlawful cohabitation;
that the high priests, leaders, and members
thereof, claiming to be inspired by and act
ing in obedience to
AUTHORITY SUPERIOR TO THE UNITED STATES,
Do openly and publicly counsel, advise and
command the members of said sect to COM
NIT said ofenses In open and professed def
ance and contempt of the laws of the United
States, and by reason of such counsel, adj
vice and command, many thousands of the
members of said sect have been induced to
commit said offenses, and are now living and
oohabiting with plurality of so-called wives
and concubines, but escape punishment for
said offenses by secret intrigue and various
corrupt influences which possession of poll
tical majorities enables the leaders of said
sect to exercise, all of which brings the laws
and authority of the United States into dis
grace and contempt, and renders the same
of no effect.
THE BILL IS AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION !. That no person who shall |
hereafter directly or indirectly counsel, en-
courage or advise others to marry, have con-
his or her lawful wife or husband; who is a |
member or shall contribute to the support |
OF any organization or association of any
description whatever which authorizes,
counsels, encourages or permits any of its
members to marry, have consent or cohabit
with more than one woman at the same
time; shall vote at any election held in any
Territory. of the United States, or be eligible
Tor election or appointment to, or be en-
titled to hold any office or place of public
trust, honor or -emolument in the Union,
Or in any Territory in the United States of
America, or under the United States in
either Of said Territories; nor shall any such
person be entitled to locate or make settle
ment upon or
ACQUIRE TITLE TO ANY LANDS
Of the public domain of. the United States
If America, or be eligible to serve as
Juror in or for any court in either of said
Territories.
SEC. 2. That no person in either of the
Territories of the United States shall be s
registered as voter, or vote at any election,
Who upon being challenged upon either of {
he grounds set forth in section one of this t
ct shall refuse to take and subscribe to
THE FOLLOWING OATH:
l sclemnly swear that (if MANI do not I.
ohab1t with more than one woman-or (if
woman), that do not cohabit with man
aylng more than one living and undivorced L
that do not directly or indi- ..
ectly counsel and encourage or advise others
D marry, have consort or cohabit with more :
han one woman at one and the same time; (
nd that l am not member and do not
ontrloute to the support of any organiza- I
on or association which authorizes. coun-
sls, encourages or permits any of it's men,
ers to marry, have consort or cohabit with |
lore than one woman at one and the same !
me, unoer any form, name or pretense
hatever, SO help me God. /.
Sec. 3. That if any person who shall take
le oath set forth in section two of this act.
ther to qualify as voter, juror. or to hold
lice or locate upon public lands, shall swear r.
lsely, such person :
SHALL BE GUILTY OF PERJURY, n
nd on conviction thereof shall be punished
!, fine not exceeding $1,000 and be i'm =
lsoned for term not exceeding fourteen Il
airs, nor less than six months.
SEC. 4. That every person elected or ap-
United to any office or place of public trust, FL
nor or emolument in, under, or for anv Isl
'rrltory of the United States, OF under the so
l1ted States in either of said Territories. f Gs
an, before entering upon the duties of fHi,
ia office, take and subscribe to the oath :,
forth in section two of this act. Nj
SEC: 8. That every person who shall here an
Ter locate or make settlement upon any -,
the lands OF the public domain or seek ~ =!
acquire title thereto, shall take and sub M n
1be the oath set forth in section two of in
g act, before the proper officer of the gem Ro
u land department in the district in which pr
IN land may be situated. I
NEW REGISTRATION LISTS. IN
SEC. 6. That all poll or registry lists ex- ing
ing or kept under the laws of al,y of the - +
rr1tor1es of the United States prior here y
are hereby declared void, and the proper traa
boards, commissioners. suner sal
ors and officers of election in the several -
rrltorles are hereby empowered and di-
ted, before any general election shall be -
q IN these respective Territories or cleo n
districts, to prepare new lists, contain. Fiji
tne names only of persons eligible to vote VI
1old Office under the provisions of this