St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-01
ANOTHER MORMON BILL.
a Severe Measure Proposed by
Representative WOOdburn.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2s.-Representatlve
WoOdburn of Nevada will tomorrow intro
duce in the house an ahti-polygamy bill,
which has received the approval of prom
inent Gentiles in Utah, and has been sub
mitted to members of the Judiciary COM
mittee of both houses of congress. In its
preamble il recites that the United States
statutes prohibit and provide for the pun
lshment of bigamy. polygamy and unlawful
cohabitation in the territories, and for the
disqualification of persons guilty of such
offenses to vote or hold Office; that the act
of giving aid, counsel, advice or encourage
ment, and thereby procuring the commits
sion of such otfenSe, should be made
crime punishable with equal severity; that
there exists in Utah q sect which in its
creedS holds as one of its fundamental
principles. and as sacramenJal rite, the
rights and duty of its members to practice
unlawful cohabitation; that the high
priests. leaders and members thereof,
claiming to be inspired by and acting in
obedience TO authority superior to the
United States, do openly and publicly
counsel, advise and command the members
of said sect to commit said Offenses in open
and professed defiance and contempt of the
laws of the United States, and bv reason
mand, many thousands of the members
of said sect have been induced to commit
said offenses, and are now cohabiting with
a plurality of so-called wives and concu-
bines, but escape punishment for said
Offenses by secret intrigue and the various
corrupt influences which the possession of
political majorities enables the leaders of
said sect TO exercise, all of which brings the
laws and authority of the United States
into disgrace and contempt. and renders the
same of no effect.
THE BILL IS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That no person who shall here
after directly or indirectly counsel, encourage
or advise others to marry, have consort 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 organ
iZation or association of any de scription
which authorizes, counseis, encourages or
permits any of its members TO marry, have
consort or cohaoit with more than one woman
at the same time, shall vote at any election
held in the territory OF the United States or
be eligible for election or appointment TO or
place OF public trust, honor or emolument
under or for any territory for 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 set
tlement upon or acquire title to any of the
lands of public domain of the United States
OF America or De euglOle 10 serve as juror
in or for any court in either of said ter
ritories.
Sec. 9. That no person in any OF the
United States shall be registered as a voter Or
vote at any election, who, upon being cha.
lenged upon either OF the grounds set forth
in section of this act, shall refuse 10 take
and subscribe to the following oath: 81 do
solemnly swear that / (if a mani do not Co
habit with more than one woman; Tor If a
woman) that do not cohabit with man hav-
ing more than one living and undivorced wife,
and that do not directly or indirectly coun-
sci, aid encourage or advise others TO marry,
have consort or cohabit with more than ore
woman ut one and the same time, and that /
am not a member and do not contribute to
the support of any organization or association
which authorizes, counsels, encourages or
permits any OF its members to marry, have
consort or cohabit with more than one woman
at one and the same time under any pretense
whatever. SO hep me God.'o
! Sec. 3. That IL any person who shall take
/ the oath set forth in section of this act
either to qualify as a voter, juror, or to hold
once or locate upon the public lands, shall
swear falsely, such person shall be guilty oi