The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-04-13

In 1872 President Cannon was elected
delegate to congress, and for ten years
following he filed that Office, dt>ring
all of which time the storm through
out the country against polyga1ny was
gathering. 1t finally eliminated IN the
enactment of the Eimunds law IN 1901,
and this closed tie career of MI can
non as a public official. He had been
coming to the front rs a pubic SerN-
ant for some years before his election
- congress. He had served IN the Ter
ritorial legislature in 1870, 1900 leOS'
1870. 1871 and 1872. He was also
member of the board of regents OF the
University of Deseret. -.
He was not sent to congress in lS42
without strong opposition from many
people in Utah because OF MS polys-
amy. President Brigham Young de-
cided that he should go to congress 10
succeed ". H. Hooper. notWltnstailu-
ing his polygamy. 1t was at TINS Tune
that il was charged against President
Young that he said he would ram
polygamy down the throat OF con-
rress The people held that their sys-
tenn of marriage should be indicated
by the election of President Cannon.
TuIlidge the historian. says on TINS
uoint: ''They certainly had the right
they said under the constitution, TO
choose whom they pleased to represent
them, so long as he possessed the con
stitutional qualifications. What had
representative religion or family re-
lations to do with his qualifications Tor
congress2 Catholics and Jews had
been deemed suitable for legislation in
free America, and why. should Nor
mons be deprived OF this right?'
Further on the historian approvingly
quotes a writer as saying: 1t was a
grand manifestation of faith and
righteousness when George Q. Cannon,
an apostle and a pOlygamist, was sent
to congress-
President Cannon's opponent for the
seat in congress at this FIRST election
was George l.. Maxwell The vote at
the election was 20, $50 for Cannon and
1892 for Maxwell. Maxwell made a
contest for the seat a. contest that ran
all through that term of congress. The
contest was made on the ground that
Mr.. Cannon had taken the endowment
house oath" against the government of
the United States; that he with PreSi-
dent Brigham Young had intimidated
the voters at the election by threaten
ing them with death If they did not
vote right, and that he had violated
the laws OF God and his country by
having four living wives. When the
members were sworn in at the opening
Of congress objection was made to Mr..
Cannon, and he was made to stand
aside. pending the investigation. The
resolution to shut him out was subse-
quently tabled. only one member vOt-
ing for II. All through that session
Maxwell tried to have Mr.. Cannon un-
seated, but failed. The resolution to
investigate the charges passed; the
committee decided to recommend a
resolution to Exclude" Delegate Can
non, but the matter was not reached
i'm the house before adjournment.
An Exciting Election.
At the congressional election in 1874
there was a still greater contest, with
Judge + n. Baskin opposing Mr.. Can
non. In Salt Lake City there was the
greatest excitement. Maxwell who
was then United States marshal was
at the polls with all his deputies. and
a bloody riot was narrowly averted
The mayor was forced to read the riot
act and in the general disturbance a
number of people were injured This
led to the inflammatory reports of the
DANTE slaughter that went all over
the country. Mr.. Cannon was re-
elected, his vote being over 10000, as
against $500 for Judge Baskin. Presi-
dent Cannon was again reelected in
1876 and again in 1873. his opponent be-
ing Judge Baskin in both OF these con-
tests.
But in 1880 the contest was made
against President Cannon that led
finally to his defeat. His opponent
was Allen G.. Campbell. who was NOM
mated by the Liberal party, Mr.. Can
non being the candidate OF the Peo-
pies party. The feeling against poIyg-
amy had been gathering strength dur
ing al these years, and at this time