The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-09
TROUBLE FOB THE SAINTS.
The Senate Concludes It's Discussion of
the New Anti-POlygamy Law,
And on Call of the Yeas and Nays the Meas
ure Is Passed with Only Seven Dissent
ing Votes-Provisions of the Act

WASHINGTON. JAM S-The Chair laid before
the Senate resolution of the New York Prod
uce Exchange urging Congress to make liberal
provision for the Signal Service. Referred
Mr. Eustis offered concurrent resolution with
a preamble. as follows:
WHEREAS, the act of Congress of 1873 declared
the silver dollar legal tender for all debts. public
and prvate that by the act of 1869 the faith of the
United States soemny pledged to the payment,
in coin or its equivalent of all public obligations not
bearing interest etc. that by the refunding act of
July. 1870 the principal and interest of the debt
were made redeemable in coin of the then standard
value; that since the enactment of those laws it has
been the practice of the Secretary of the Treasury to
Secretary of the Treasury had issued call for $10
OOO,OO0 of bonds, payable the LIST OF February,
1885; therefore. be it
Resolved ETC., that in the opinion of Congress said
bonds of $40, 600 OOO payable on the 1st of Feb
ruary 1886. should be paid in silver dollars. such
payment being in strict compliance with existing law,
and in aid of the financial policy established by the
legislation Of Congress-
Mr.. Eustis desired the resolution referred to
the committee on finance. and expressed the
hope that the committee would report on it at an
early day in order that it may be determined
whether or not this practice of paying the United
States bonds and the interest on them exclusive
ly In gold coin was approved by Congress. The
resolution was so referred.
On motion of Mr.. Ingalls,, the Senate agreed
that when it should adjourn today it should be
r.
inquiry relating to the Pension Office was with
his consent. allowed to 60 over till Monday next,
with view that a resolution of like import may
be drafted that will be acceptable to both Mr..
Voorhees, and Mr.. Harrison, for whose resolution
that of Mr.. Voorhees, was offered as substitute.
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
ton of bills on the calendar In a debate arising
upon bill for private relief Mr.. Dolph COM
mented upon the increasing number of such bills
and the decreasing number Of meritorious bills
mi rn hnf HI fl,nr, ~hk nI1l6
be necessary to make some general provision for
the consideration of private bills and take them
away from Congress- He showed that during
the first fifty years of our government the
number of bills introduced in the House Of Rep
resentatives was 8,777, while the number intro
duced during the Forty eighth Congress alone
was $780,
The bill gave rise to considerable debate, which
incidentally touched the question of a statute of
limitations to stop the government from assert
ing claim after notorious laches. 1t was
bill to relieve the sureties of James L. Carter,
who was Secretary Of Arizona in 1866, and who
made certain expenditures that were subsequent
ly dsallowed by the TREASURY Department
On the suggestion of Mr.. Edmunds this bill
went over one day, and the Utah bill was taken
up and it's consideration proceeded with. Mr..
Edmunds created some merriment on rising to
speak on one of the amendments offered yester-
day. Looking about him, and finding compare
lively few Republicans in their seats, he said:
las hardly any of the friends of human liberty
are in the Senate. will address myself to the re-
form men,"
After Some debate, Mr.. Browns amendment,
offered yesterday, which was to strike out the
word that would compel the lawful husband or
wife of the accused to testify, was rejected
yeas Ii, nays 42-and the compulsory provis
ion was therefore retained in the bill.
Mr.. Morgan again called attention to the
twelfth section, which provides for fourteen
trustees TO administer the property. business af
fairs and operations of the corporation known as
1.-THE Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day
Saints" He wanted to know what their duties
were to be, and why the bill was silent as to
their salaries. He demanded an answer from his
fellow members Of the judiciary committee.
Mr.. Edmunds replied that Mr.. Morgan should
have an answer.
Mr.. Morgan authority in Congress to
appoint trustees to manage church business.
He characterized such trustees as ''mugwump
Mormons" They would be occupied, necessar-
lily, he said, in promoting Mormonsm.
Mr.. Edmunds replied that they had nothing
whatever to do with church matters Of faith
moneys, which were enormous, were not applied
to the propagation of polygamy. Not enc quar-
ter of the Mormons, as Mr. Edmunds understood
believed in polygamy.
Mr. Teller inquired if the Mormon church
moneys were now applied illegally-that is, in
violation of the charter of that church.
Mr.. Edmunds replied that he believed they
were
Mr.. Teller asked now
Mr.. Edmunds answered. ''They are used for
the purpose of inducing and securing immigra-
tion that they may contribute to the lusts of
these vagabonds."
Mr.. Cali said we owed our liberty to freedom
of speech and worship We were departing
from those grounds when we passed such bill
as that under consideration. The reason WHY
Mormonsm had become so successful, he
thought, was because of its great activity as a
secular organization. 1t had gone abroad over the
earth and dragged people from misery and poverty
and brought them to land of plenty. 1t was no
wonder that under such circumstances it had
become successful. But those peple could now
be brought under the influence of the Christian
religion. The mnistrations of that religion
were sufficient to conquer Mormonism. and
would do so more completely and properly than
the bill before the Senate could
Some amendments offered by Mr.. Call were
voted down. AS the bill was about to be brought
to vote, Mr. Morgan said its friends seemed in
clined to press it without giving its opponents
time to study it. He again inquired what the
salaries were that the commissioners were to be
paid. Hehad announced his determination to wipe
this church out and leave nothing of it, but had
been met by proposition in this bill to perpet-
uate the church.
While the bill was on final passage Mr.. Van
Wyck endeavored to fix the duties of the pro-
posed fourteen trustees upon the members Of the
present Utah Commission, but was ruled out of
order. He asked Mr.. Edmunds whether he had
any objection to such an amendment, to which
that senator replied that he had
The bill having been brought to vote was
passed-yeas 80, nays Z, as follows:
YEAS.
Allison, Evsrts. Morrill,,
Beck Frye, Palmer
Berry, George, Payne
Chase Harris Platt
Cockrel Harrison, Pugh,
Coke, Hawley, Sawyer
Oclquitt Ingalls, Sherman,