Show THE WOODBURN BILL the following is the text of the anti mormon till bill introduced introduce into the house of representatives marc 1 1886 by af mr r wooda woodburn urn of nevada t was read twice referred to the committee on oa territories and ordered to be printed whereas the statutes of the united states expressly prohibit the offenses of bigamy polygamy and unlawful cohabitation in the territories of the united states and provide for the punish punishment m cut of bald ald offenses by fine and imprisonment and by disqualify ing in persons guilty of said offenses offe uses to vote at any elec election ilon or to hold any office of public trust honor or emolument iu in or for any an of said s a id terri for torie and whereas the act of giving aid counsel advice or encouragement ond thereby procuring or s seeking ee x i ng t to 0 p procure r 0 the commiss commis wion ion 0 of f sa said i d 0 offenses ff en s f 4 by others should be made a crime punishable with equal severity and Wl whereas there exists in utah and other territories of tue U united states a sect or organization of people who denominate themselves the coulch of jesus thrisi of latter day saints or mormons cormons Mor mons which said sect or organization in its creed or articles of pretended belief holds and enunciates as one of the fundamental principles of its organization and as a sacramental orl or religious rite the right and duty of its members to commit and practice said offenses of bigamy polygamy and unlawful cohabitation and the so ballel high priests leaders and members of said organization pretending to be inspired by and acting in obedience to authority superior to the laws of the uni ed states do openly and publicly counsel advise aud commale the members of sa 4 sect or organization to commit said offenses of bi bigamy gainy polygamy and unlawful cohabitation in open and professed de deblance flance and contempt of the laws it ws of the united states and by reason of such treasonable and immoral counsel advice and command many thousands of the members of said organization have been induced to commit said bald offen of fences bes and are now living and cohabiting with a plurality of so called wives and coD concubines concubine cubine t but escape punishment for said offenses by secret intrigue and the various corrupt influences es which the possession of political majorities enable the leaders of said organization on to exercise all of which bring the laws and authority of the united slates into disgrace and contempt and render the same of no effect therefore be it a enacted by the senate and house of senta tives of the united states WAnz of america erica in congress assembled sem bled that no person who shall hereafter directly or indirectly counsel encourage or advise others to marry have consort or cohabit with any person other than his lawful wife or bus husband band as the case may be or who is a member or shall contribute to the support of any organization or association of any description whatever which authorizes counsels en outages cou ou rages or permits any of its members tu to marry have consort or cohabit with more than tham one woman at one and the same panic time shall vote at any election held beld in any territory of the united states or be eligible for election or appointment to or be entitled to hold any office or place of public trust honor or 01 emolument in under or for any territory territory of the united states of america or under the united states in either of said territories norsh nor shall allany any such person be entitled to loca locator e or make settlement upon or acquire acquin e title to any of tile the lands of the public domain of the united states of america or be eligible to serve as a juror in or for any court in other cither of said territories SEC 2 that no person in either of the territories of the united states shall be registered as a voter or vote at any election who ho upon being being chal ledged upon either of the grounds set forth in section one of this thia act shall refuse to take and subscribe the following oath 1 I do solemnly swear chat that I 1 if a man do not cohabit with more than one woman or if a capan wapan that I 1 do not co habit with a wn having more than oue one living and ana wife and that I 1 do not directly or indirectly counsel aida aid or advise others to marry have consort or cohabit with more than one woman at and the same time and that I 1 am not a member and do not contribute to the support of any organization or association which authorizes counsels encourages cou rages or permits any of its members to marry have con consort or cohabit with more than one woman at one and the same time under any form name or pret pretense enbe whatsoever so help me god SEC 3 that if any person who shall take the oath set forth in section two of this abet either to qualify as a voter juror to hold office or to locate upon the public lands shall swear falsely such person shall be guilty of perjury pei jury and on conviction there thereof bf shall be punished dy by one fine not exceeding one thousand dollars and be imprisoned for a term not exceeding fourteen years nor less than six months SEC 4 that every person elected or appointed to any office afflec or place of public trust honor or emolument in under or for any territory of the united Sta states or under the united states in either of said territories shall before entering upon the duties of such office in addition to the usual oath of office take and subscribe the oath set forth in section two wo of this act SEC 5 that every person who shall hereafter locate or make settlement upon any ot of the lands of the public domain or seek to acquire title thereto shall take and ribe the oath set forth in section two of this act before the proper officer ot of the general laud department in the district in iii which such lands may be situated SEC 6 that all poll or registry 11 lists ats exis existing tinz or kept under the laws of any of the territories of the united states prior hereto are hereby declared void 1 and the proper registration boards commissioners supervisors visors or officers of election in the file several territories are hereby empowered and direct ed before any general election shall be held in their respective 4 territories or election districts to prepare new lists containing the names only of persons eligible to vote or hold office under the provisions pro inions of this act |