The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-17
THE ANTI-POLYGAMY BILL,

The House Committee Points Out Some OF
Its Objections to the Edmunds Bill and
Offers Suggestions.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-The report Of
the House Judiciary Committee on the Ed
munds Anii-POIygamy bill, which was pre-
scented TO the House yesterday, is a. very
long document. After detailed statement
OF the changes made by the committee and
the reasons therefor, the report says: ~ our
committee has no disposition to recommend
any measure to the House which will in
volve the sanctity of any religious faith,
however wrong in their opinion il
may be. But the distinction be-
tween overt acts resulting from belief
which the law denominates criminal and
the right of opinion and of woTshiping God
according TO the dictates OF conscience was
so fully stated in the constitutional iamend-
ment as 10 need 10 repetition.
The committee does not hesitate to ex-
press their dissent from the twelfth sec
tiOn of the Senate bill, the effect of which
would be that the conduct of the
corporate church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints would be controlled
by trustees of the church in cOnjunc-
ton with the trustees appointed by the
President This union of trustees of the
church and those of the Government can
not be distinguished from a union of church
ana state and "A law respecting the estab-
liShmenI of religion Nor can it be other
than limitation of the free exercise of re-
ligion where majority who control in
matters of faith and discipline are appointed
by the President This section would re-
sem6le. if it be not in fact, an establishment
of The Mormon Church by law, to be con-
trolled by the Government
Your committee recommend an annul-
ment and dissolution of the corporation.
This Is clearly public policy, if it can con-
stitutlOnaly be done. But can Congress
take away this charter? tits asked. Several
reasons make it plain that it can be done
without any strained construction of author
tiles. Both the charter of the church and
the Emigration Fund Company were null
for lack of power. The acts confirming
these charters were void for the same rea-
son. 1t is a matter of grave doubt whether
the organic act authorized the original grant
of such charters as these were. The Emf
grafton Fund Company act trenches upon
the power of Congress as 10 foreign emigra-
ton and assumes to regulate a matter
neither delegated to it nor within its au-
thority.
But both laws are unconstitutional, 70,
it is obvious they give a preference to this
form of religion over every other. A law
which thus iiscrminates in favor of one
religion over another is in a proper sense a
law respecting the establishment of re-
lgiOn.' Congress, which possesses all
original power over the Territories, has the
right to void the acts of its subordinate
agency and assert its own policy. With
This view of the power of Congress, your
committee recommends TO cut out by the
roots this church establishments, and the
emigration fund company and its at.
tachmentS, and to authorize a
judicial proceeding through the At
tOrney General for dealing with
the property rights according to law and
equity. In fact, the emigration fund COM
pany is dependent for its being upon the /,
church. It's officers are all appointed by the |
church corporations, and if the latter is dis !
solved its parasite can not survive. Tie !
duty of Congress to prevent such an insti- |
tuition being established i'm young State as
a means Of promoting its growth to that /
stature at which admission 10 the Union .
will be desirable to the country can not be |
doubted"
OF the section of bill requiring voters to |
take an Oath 10 support the laws the report /
saws: "None of those who will do the |
things prescribed in the oath should vote, |
for they are not good citizens, and none |
but those who will do these things should |
esteem the oath a hardship as prerequisite
to taking part in the affairs of the Govern
ment, which must conform to the cOnstilu-
ton and laws OF the United States"
In conclusion the report says: while
the hill as amended deals with Iub'ic pupS- J
tons with lirmness and real purpose of
curing lasting evils, il does so in entire con-
with the constitutional liberties of
the people and with their free right to eX-
erciSe their religious belief according to
their conscience and only under the re-
Sponsihilty of each man to the Supreme
Being"