The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-24


In which any body possessing the Consti-
tutiouai qualifications was declared not
to be entitled to seat In the House be-
cause he failed to possess certain moral
or other qualifications Of that nature
because no had bsen guilty Of crimr.
may possibly be mistaken, but certainly
the gu, sion wss very much discussed in
the case Of Porter who came here from
Virginia In the Ait Congress and who
was declared to have been disioyal, 10
have been convicted Of crims, to have
gone about the street wearing bali and
chain upon his leg. Objection was raised
that be ought not to he admitted to seat
here. The House considered the question.
ana 10 was thea declared by . very large
yots-gentlemen on this side Of tbs House
Agreeing with those on the other side, the
vote Involving more than nire-tenths Of
the whole uorss and turning after debate
on this very question-that the House
h>d no power u add to the Constitution
nj qualifications Of men elected to Con
gfsss. have slways believed that when
. man posssies the Constitutional quail
send him here, and We are hound to re-
ceivs him and treat him while In the
House 80 our eqrai in the House. A con-
s.itueucy Of thieves may choose to send
nan hers who is n thief, but until he has
bsen tried and convicted as such, know
Of no Constitut.onsl power In the HOUSE
TO exclude him from the seat TO which his
has been elecisd."
All the members did not agree with
Mr.. Potter. among Others Nc. u. Rock
wood Hoar Of Massachusetts,, making the
point that n dee gate was q creature OF an
act Of Consre 9, and did not stand on the
footing with otter momters; but there
was - littis opposition 60 the report OF
the committee that thee was no count Of
votes wien this les ,lution was adopted:
"Ihat george Q Cannon wss ee,iei and
returrei as o zee gate for the territory Of
Utah TO fea, In the 43d Congress-" But
wte1 this fartt er fesoIution was intro
duced, ttee vas more opposition;
"Resoived, 1hat &c RE Q.CannSn was
duly e'esiei aud ieturrel as delegate
from tie Territory Of Utah, and 10 en-
title to tea. al a de'efa.e In the 43i
Congrew."
TIE vote on this resolution stood 100
yeas TO 10 rays.
But the matter was not allowed TO rest
here Al once Mr.. Gerry W. Bas'eton Of
Wisconsin,, INTRODUCED resolution resit-
ing that Delel ate Cannon was charged
with lavins four wives. aud directing
the COMMITTEES ON elections to exapiae In
to the matter aad recommend 70 the
Horse WI n. a3tion should be taken. This
was done aud the committee examined
quite carefully. Women from Utah ap-
pe AIRED before the committee aad told all
about the domestic arrangements Of the
sx-sscrsia-y OF Brigham Young. IL was
proved, apparently, ttat he bad -four
wives, ransd: Eliza beth HeaJlaod Can
non. Eliza Cannon, Aatha Telis Caa-
non, aud ga al Jaae Jennie Cannon.
Moreover, It va, shown quite sa.isfastori-
~ that tbs industrious matrimon iaii.t
was also engaged to a nth. 1t also APP
pears that Mr.. Cannon was even then I'M
der indictment In Utah and was about to
he tried for violating the laws Of the
United States in regnrd to polygamy. In
deed, he urged In his defense that III Q
House should not take acton against
him because he was about to be tried.
and such action would prejudice his cass.
The majority Of the committee fo,nd
that the delegate WAS guilty and PR
sented resolution for his expulsion. The
minority Of the committee argued at
much length that Mr.. Cannon had not
been convicted Of any crime, that In fact
he was only about to be tried for 1t In the
courts of Utah, and that to set the precs
dent of expelling men TOR alleged moral
ofienses would open very wide door
through which great abuses might enter.
The report of the committse was not
made until January 20, 1875, within n
little more than month Of the end of
the Congress. OF course the time was al
together too short for the House to con-
slider 1t. Delegate Cannon kept his seat,
was elected to several succeeding Con-
gresses. and has left 10 Washington the
reputation Of having been q charming old
man, whom 1t was most pleasant to meet
In business or social way. Old mem
bers who rememp per him often speak OF
him In this way. IL is quite probable that
bis personal popularity contributed much
to cause the House to foil In its enterprise
against him. One Of the present United
States Senators from Utah Is his son.
PERSONAL
Mr.. Edward n. Dingl ey, clerk of the
Ways and Means committee, srrived In
Washington Tuesday from bis home In
KalsmI zee. Michigan. Assistant Clerk
Norton Of that Gem mittee has been here
In charae OF the Ways and Means room
for some time.
Con gresham Alexander Of the Buffalo
district of New York. will probably 90 to
Maine about the 2Sth Of this month TO de-
liver an address before the students of
Bowl DIN college on the subject OF the
National House of Representatives Mr..
A lexander is q native of Maine and q
graduate of Bowdoip.
MAINE PENSIONS.