Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-07-18
AMNESTY QUESTION.
The Utah Commission Adopts RtSo.
lutIOnS In Relation Thereto.
THE NTrORSEY-GESERAL SILENT.
The Commission is Of the opluion That
Former Polygami,ts Should be Al.
lowed tolRrgistcr aud Vote.

On June 10Th, through the secretary
Of the interior, tho comm ssion asked
for an official opinion from the at.
torney general Of the United States ne
20 the effect which PfcsiIcntHarrison'a
amnesty proclamation would have up.
on the right Of persons heretofore Dis.
iianchIsed to rogistrr and vote.
Yesterday the follow lug e'egum was
re- eivoG.
NAsWSur0N, -. g., July 18th.
A. d. williams, ClNrm1n Unh Conn
mission, salt Lake, u .ah;
Under date oi llth just. attorney gen.
ornl declined o. render 400 uuiuluu on
qucs ton presented In your letter OF Den II
ult, having uo authority tp advise come
inl~-ipuura Ia exercise 0f duties " tuulr
office. WA II. SIMS,
Aching Score AIRY.
Tue Utah commission devote the
whole Of this morning 10 "A thOr.ush
discussion OF the question. aud this
Afternoon tho ill.uwins resolutions
were ado teI3
Whereas, u difference " opinion M.
pears % eNis: ~ 90 the efficacy ~ tic
amnesty granted by OK President llafu.
son To- relieve toNuW offenders, 900 Utah,
from prior disability tp vulp; aud
whereas, In tnU in crest of o'cr.ivo
government, thH douut ought % bi
solved Boo favor ui hO man;
Therefore resolved, Tint any person loo
the Territory otherwise uuuuitd 10 vote,
aud who has nHsItusd from committing
any such sUxuW oil.uso since Nuyumnsr
| Ut, 1870, ought in tho opinion nt tho
commissioned tho rouU ON aiuro,uid,to ho
July ~, lsos.
While wo voluntarily concur 10 tho
proposition io advise the rcglsuatilu
uihcots of thO various cleo ion precincts,
/ that in the upiuiun OF tho commission
they may, aud thuuid, permit former
| polygamists 90 register us voters, u
otherwise qualified, upon their taking
un oath or affirmation tina tnny
] have not, tinoo iho l-t day ~ Novoin-
| Dor, 1900 been guilty OF tho practices
! forbidden hy tho acts Of Congress known
NJ tho Edmund. aud Eimunds.ruuaUr
| lave, We desire 10 record that 4. is our
| opinion, speaking strictly rom legal
/ standpoint, nnd not uH we might wish
were IT, legal elect, that tho deprivation
| - the voting privilege ls merely Hu olU'-
| tOrM regulation, liking tho qualification
/ Of voters, aud not a penalty or punish.
| ment for crime or dhob6diOuco tu iun
| laws anu luofoiufc, thnt tue nWutr q
| proclamation of tho President docs Iul.
without further legislation, restore tHH
privilege loi voting To those thus die.
| ifanchi-od.
A. thisi- n question, however, upon
which opinions differ, oven among those
| who command respect for legal acumrn,
u becomes w much question Of doubt,
! that We feel lmpolled 10 resolve the doubt
I In favor OF those who suffer from tho
| deprivation, aud therefore give our
assent II nn error OF Judgment. n u an
| error ON tho side Of clomency, n In accord
with Tho spirit Of tho proclamation, aud,
~ NO holioyc, Ia accord with tho sonti-
/ mont OF tho people " tho Territory, nY
well as one which can moro readily bn
| defended than an error In tho other
| direction. II s. RuuEHrsoN,
4. ~. WILLIAMS,
JouN A. MCCLritNANp.
Colonel Godfrey, one Of the mem.
beers Of the commission, rvmnrsed
toa NEWS reporter while the latter
was copying the foregoing. "Hou can
say for Colonel Lett anu myself that
VIZ voted for tbs resolution because
VIZ believe II II the law"