Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-08
WIPING OUT POLYGAMY.
SENATOR MORGAN ADVOCATES
A CLEAN SWEEP.


Mr.. Gall, of Florida, Opposes the Pres
ent easure on constitutional Grounds
Mr.. Edmunds Fires Hot Shot Into
the Foes of Morality-The House Ad-
journs Until Monday.
WASHINGTON, Jan. THE Chair laid
before the Senate to-day letter from the
Secretary of War transmitting a petition
from West Point students who are to be
graduated in June, 1886, praying that pro-
vision may be made for their appointment
to the army. 1t was referred to the Com
mittee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. Voorhees, offered as a substitute for
the resolution recently offered by his col
league, on reading in its preamble that
the Commissioner of Pensions in his an
nual report had stated that at one time
the pension bureau was all but avOwedly
a political machine filled with uncom'
promising adherents OF single organiza-
ton, (meaning the Republican party
and that claimants were often required
to support the Republican party as a con-
ditiOn upon which pensions should be is
sued. The resolution instructs the Com
mitJee on Expenditure Of the Public
Money to inquire into the truth Of the al
legations, and oonfers power TO send for
persons and papers.
LOGAN AMENDS.
sMr. Logan had nothing to say against
the Commissioner of Pensions, whom he
respected highly, but he wished the reso-
luton enlarged so as TO include an inves-
tigation of the present administration OF
the office. He said that Col Fred. Steven
son, a gallant wounded soldier, had been
h ffs, ct hnh hos Nf
the division of an Office at the demand OF
a Democratic member of Congress. No
charge had been made against him, and
the only reason known for his removal
was that be had supported an dependent
Democratic candidate for Congress in Op-
position to the man who had him re-
moved.
Mr.. Voorhees, accepted the amendment
offered by Mr.. Logan.
The resolution went over for one day.
THE UTAH BILL.
After the passage OF a few bills for pri-
vate relief, the hour of 2 O'Clock arriving,
the Utah bill was placed before the Sem
ate, Mr.. Brown first stating that he would
not ask to be heard to-day on the silver
question, but would ask to be so heard on
| Tuesday next at 2 O'Clock.
Mr.. Morgan addressed the Senate in
support of an amendment offered by him
providing for the disposal OF the property
of the Mormon Church according to the
| rules and principles OF the common law
as Ia the case Of the dissolution Of a cor
pOratiOn.
! MIR. Morgan felt, he said, that we ought
to strike the Mormon church organization
out of existence. 1t was as shrewd
temporal organization that it had gained
! so much power Its emmigrant arrange
ments, Its tithing capacity, its money
power and generally its organizing vigor
! had been the wonder Of our time. Instead
OF appointing trustees for the manage
meut OF these temporal matters Congress
should cut up the organization, root and
branch,
Mr.. CALLS OPPOSITION.
Mr.. Call did not believe that Congress
had the right to destroy the religious
| establishment of the MOrmOns. The prac-
tice of pOlygamy, unhOly though it was,
| did not authorize us TO violate the cOnsti-
tuition Of the United States by legislating
| in regard to an establishment OF religion
or take private property for public use.
Referring TO Mr.. Edmund's point that it
was not the religious but temporal con-
| Germs OF the church that were to be ad-
ministered by the trustees provided by
the bill. Mr.. Call Inquired what would
be thought of Congress If it should under
| take to administer by trustees or other
wise the property and temporal affairs of,
for example the Roman Catholic Church, 2
He read from the early Puritan laws to
show shat in the Seventeenth century the
Quakers were denominated ''damnable
Sect" and that all persons who encOur-
aged their entry in the colonies we're sub
iect to fine OF E 100, as we'll as imprison-
ment. The Christian sentiment of tue
country and the ordinary laws, ii en-
forced, we're amply sufficient for dealing
with polygamy. BE, therefore, opposed
the bill.
MORM0EIsM ARRAIGNED.
Mr.. Edmunds said the bill would not
| affect the religious affairs OF the Nor
mons. 1t would only affect the temporal
| arrangements of the Mormon Church SO
far as those arrangements contributed to
the perpetr alton OF what the people Of the
United States regarded as crime.
Mr.. Morgan did not feel that we were
dealing with an establishment OF religion.
1t might pass as religion in China or in
the valley OF the Congo. Here 10 was
an establishment, not Of religion, but OF
vice. The sentiment Of the whole people
Of the United states was against it. IL
was an establishment opposed TO the
| spirit Of our national constitution.
MoRMoNs NOT PROSECUTED.
Mr.. Cullom, alluding to the remarks
made by Mr.. Teller yesterday, said he diff
fered with the Senator from Colorado. He
did not think we had prosecuted the Nor
mons.
Mr.. Teller denied having made the state
ment attributed TO him by Mr.. Cullom
| What he had said was not that the United
/ States government had prosecuted the
M0rmOns, but that the action Of unwise
| agents, selected by the government, had
resulted in irritating the M0rmOns.
Mr.. CullOm would prefer TO abolish alto
/ gether the legislative power Of the Terri
! tory OF Utah, aud thought that we should
some day have to do 10 a any rate. If the
| bill, however, was the best that could be
| got at this time, he would vote for IL.
Mr.. Teller said he was as anxious ae any
man 10 see pOlyRamy eXtirpated, but he
wanted 10 see Il done under the form and
under the color Of the law. POlygamy
was a crime, but not a greater crime than
murder, and not greater than rape. Mr..
Teller was willing TO put the knife in,
but wanted 20 do it in a manner author
lied by our constitution and laws.
THE OLD LAW POWERFUL ENOUGH.
He believed the old law had enough
authority m Il % enable the Government
% com plete the end in view ON this mat
ter, but tor ~ years the Government had
made practically no effort 10 enionee the
old law. He regarded Joseph smith az
an arrant knaye and his system AZ an
odiOus Oigarchy and despOtlsm that
must be wiped out but II we could justify
transgressiOn OF the law ln this instance