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


WASHINGTON, February S.-Representative
WOODBURY., 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 recites that the United States
statutes prohibit and provide for the
PUNISHMENT OF BrGAMY, PoLYaAMY AND UN
LAWFUL CoHABITATIoN
In the Territories, and for the disqualified
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 suoh
offenses, should be made a crime, punishable
with equal severity; that there exists in
Utah a scot which in its creed holds as one
of its fundamental principles, and as a
sacramental rite, that it is the duty of its
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
| init said offenses in open and profesSed deli
ance and contempt of the laws of the United
| States, and by reason of such counsel, ad-
| VICE ana COmHuTCl, many VI Tue
| members of said sect have been induced to
commit said offenses, and are now living and
cohabiting 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-
sort, or cohabit with any person other than
| 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
for election or appointment to, or be en-
titled to hold any oaice 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
of America or be eligible to serve rs u
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
registered as voter, or vote at any election,
who upon being challenged upon either of
the grounds set forth in section one of this
act shall refuse to take and subscribe to
THE FOLLOWING OATH:
solemnly swear that (if MANI do not
cohabit with more than one woman-or Gf
n woman), that do not cohabit with n man
having more than one living and undivorced
wife-and that l do not directly or indi-
rectly counsel and encourage or advise Others
| to marry, have consort or cohabit with more
than one woman Mt one and the same time
| and that l am not n member, and do not
contribute to the support of any organiza-
ton or association which authorizes, coun.
sells, encourages or permits any of its mem
bers to marry, have consort or cohabit with
more than one woman at one and the same
time, under any form, name or pretense
whatever, 80 help me God.
SEC. 3. That if any person who shall take
the oath set forth in section two of this act
either to qualify as voter, juror. or to hole
Office or locate upon public lands, shall swear
falsely, such person
SHALL DE GUILTY OF Perjury,
And on conviction thereof shall be punished
by fine not exceeding 81 900 and be i'm
prisoned for term not exceeding fourteen
years, nor less than six months.
SEC. 4. That every person elected or ap
pointed to any Office or place of public trust
honor or emolument in, under, or for any
Territory of the United States or under the
United States in either of said Territories
! shall, before entering upon the duties o.
said Office, take and subscribe to the oatl
set forth in section two of this act
SEC. 8. That every person who shall here
+ after locate or make settlement upon an,
of the lands of the public domain or seel
to acquire title thereto, shall take and sub
scribe the oath set forth in section two O.
+ this act, before the proper officer of the gen
eral land department in the district in which
such land may be situated.
NEW REGISTRATION LISTS.
SEC. 6. That all poll or registry lists ex
listing or kept under the laws of any of the
Territories of the United States prior here
to, are hereby declared void, and the prope
registration boards, commissioners, super
D yisors and officers of election in the severa
Territories are hereby empowered and di
, rected, before any general election shall b.
held in these respective Territories or cleo
ton districts, to prepare new lists contain
l ing the names only of persons eligible to vot
or hold Office under the provisions of thi
act