Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-08
PORfY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
First Session.
SENATE.
WAsHINGrON. Jan. 1

WASHINGTON, Jan. {.
After the reading of the journal this morn.
ing, Mr.. Voorhees, offered as a Substitute fo
the resolution recently offered by his collea.
que, the one reciting in it. preamble that the
commissioner OF pensions, in his annual re-
port.had stated that at one pension bureau a.
but avOwedly political machine was filled
with incorporating adherents of single or
ganization, (meaning the republican party
and that claimants were often required {,
support the republican party as condition
upon which pensions should issue. The res
olution instructs the committee on expendi
lures OF public money TO enquire into tbs
truth of these allegations and confers power
TO send for persons and papers.
Mr.. Logan had nothing TO say against the
commissioner of pensions whom he respected
highly, but he wished the resolution enlarged
so as to include an investigation of the pre-
sent administration of Office He said tina,
Col. Fred Stevenson, a gallant wounded sol
der, had been removed from his position a
the head of the division of office at the de-
mand of democratic member of Congress
No charge has been made against him and the
only reason known for his removal was thai
he had supported an independent democratic
candidate tor office in opposition to the mar
who had him removed.
Mr.. VOORHEES, accepted the amendment and
the resolution went over for one day.
At o'clock the Utah bill came up anC
Senator Morgan addressed the Senate upon
II.
Mr.. Morgan addressed the Senate in sup
port Of the amendment offered by him, pro-
viding for the disposal of the property of a
Mormon church according to the rules and
principles of the common Law, as in the case
of dissolution of a corporation. He felt, he
said, that We ought to strike the Mormon
church organization out of existence, instead
of appointing trustees for the management OF
these temporal matters. Congress should
cut up the organization root and branch.
Mr. Call did not believe Congress had a
right to destroy religious establishment of
Mormons. The christian sentiment of the
country and ordinary laws, if enforced, were
amply sufficient for dealing with polygamy
He therefore opposed the bill.
Mr.. Morgan did not feel that we were
dealing with an establishment of religion p"
1t might pass as 'religion" in China or in the
Valley of Congo. Here it was an establish
ment not of religion but OF vice. The senti-
ment OF the whole people of the United States
WAS against it. 1t was an establishment op-
posed to the spirit of our national constitu-
ton.
gamy extirpsted but wanted it done under
the form and color Of the law. He regarded
Joseph Smith as knave, and his system
odious, oligarchv and despotism. that must
be wiped out. But if we could Justify the
transgresson of law in this instance we could
in others. He briefly reviewed the history of
the Mormons, and referred to the hardships
suffered by them in their successive remov-
ais. No man he thought could read that his
tory without feeling at least some sympathy
fer those people Not that he need approve
their false ideas, but recognizing at least
that they were possessed of determination to
exercise their uncontrolled religious belief,
q determination that had made the Anglo
Saxon race great and powerful, though some
times it may be exercised in wicked cause,
he hoped he would have accorded to him
the honesty of purpose in what he said in de-
fence of the people who are without friends
He,could bear testimony to their virtue without
endorsing their vices. Considerable debate
ensued as to the legal effect of the provisions
relating to the testimony TO be given by the
husbands and wives.
Mr.. Morgan's amendment was lost.
At els, without concluding the considera-
ton of the bill, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
Today in the House bills were presented
asking for the formation OF regiment of
volunteers to suppress Indian hostIlties in
Arizona and New Mexico; for a committee
of thirty-six to investigate Gen. Crooks
campaign; to admit Dakota and Washington
Territories as States, and to repeal internal
revenue laws
BY Anderson of Kansas-To prevent the
sale of Pacific railroads fore certain United
States bonds, with interest, shall have been
fully paid; also to prevent unjust discrimi-
nation by railroad companies and to subject
them to the control of states also prohibiting
the use of railroad and other passes and of tel
egraph franks by members of Congress and
Judiciary.
At the conclusion of the call the Speaker
announced the chairmen of the committees
as follows:
Elections-Turner of Georgia.
propratioRs-Randa of Pennsylvania.
Ways and Meaps-Morrison of Illinois,
Naval Afairs-Herbert Of Alabama.
Military iAffars-Rragg Of Wisconsin.
Foreign Affairs-Belmont OF New York.
Banking and Currency-Curtn of Pennsylvania.
Coinage, Weights aud Measures-Bland of Mo.
Rivers and Harbors- " ills of Kentucky.
Labor-O'Nel of Missouri.
Patents-Mitohell of Connecticut.
Pacific Railroad-Throckmorton of Texas.
Commerce Reagan of Texas.
Public Lands-Cobb of Indiana.
Judiciary-Tucker of Virginia.
Indian Affairs-W ellborn of Texas.
Postofhces-Bloust of Georgia
Claims-Springer of Illinois.
Accounts-Spriggs of New York.
Invalid Pensions Watson of Indiana.
Militia-Muller of New York.
War Claims-tieddes of Ohio.
Mississippi River-king of Louisiana.
Education-Aiken of South Carolina.
Pensions-Eldridge Of Michigan.
Private Land Claims-Halsell OF Kentucky.
District of Columbia-Barbour of Virginia
Reform in the Civil Service-Cox of North Caro-.
lima,
Shipbuding-Dunn of Arkansas.
When the reading of the committee list had
been completed the House adjourned until
MnD1av