The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-05-28

70 this seatin Congress to-day, as I was
the first Monday in Decem Der, 1873.
when the Forty-third Congress convened
IN tnIs Hall OF Representatives; for this
new law Goes not affect me. I have not
exposed myself to its disqual flying
clauses. Ny eligibility has not been
lnterfered with in the least. l have not
committed any act which makes me any
more unsuitable to that position than
was ct that time. And If this idea shall
PreVAil-which is the ground upon which
the majority Of the committee base their
report-that every Congress shall have
the right to prescribe new qualifications
for delegat to Congress. imagine the
condition Of the people Of the territory
Ihey elect man in good faith, believing
they have right 10 elect him, and be-
cause OF some Whim or caprice, through
some change in popular msjorities, when
be presents himself for some reason or
other, he is objected to, and is told he
cannot have seat in this House, because
IN the opinion Of the maj lrity be is dis
qualified.
1t may be plural marriage to-day; it
may b5 something else tomorrow, or
some other offense, real or imaginary.
the next day; it may be the Mormon to-
day, the man who believes in marriage,
and it may be tomorrow the Shaker, the
man who does not believe in marriage.
1t may be the Catholic next day and so
on, to suit the ever-varying within Of
popular caprice, if Congress can pres
cribe new regulations for delegates from
the territories. Such will be the newt.
able condition il the conclusions adop-
ted by the majority Of this CON ittee
shall prevail.
1t has been stated that represent 8
church; that sm the ambassador of q
church. Mr.. Speaker, I represent the
people of Utah Territory. I represent
no church, and yet | represent every
church that exists in that Territory. l
am not here as an ambassador from any
church. l am here because the voice OF
tho legally qualified people of Utah Ter
ritory have chosen me to represent them
here. It has been asserted also that /
have votes outside Of the community of
which am 3 member. I dispute that
statement also. It is not trCe, if the
testimony OF voters themselves can be
believed, for they have stated To me,
many of them, that they voted for me.
We have secret ballot in Utah Ter
ritory, and there is 10 means of knowing
the candidates for whom votes are cast.
I was voted for, if I may believe what
am told, by many non-Mormons. Ny
last contestant that was in the Forty.
fifth Congress received over 1000 votes.
There has been An increase Of the nom
Mormon element since that time, and IS
one prominent man from Utah said to
me in this city recently, Mr.. Cannon,
when We wish to get the seat of the dele
gate from Utah we will send some man
here with more votes than 1857 to get
the seat" This was said by prominent
non-Mormon Of that territory, and if the
entire vote had been cast in the territory
at the last election have no doubt there
would be nearly 5000 in opposition at
that time. l am, therefore, q representa-
tive Of the people of Utah, and if do
not represent them, certainly there is no
one to represent them; bat I am here be-
cause the law Of Congress says that Utah
Territory is entitled to a delegate on this
floor, and because the law sail who
should vote for the delegate. and because
the votes were cast for me.
To be continued