New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-08
ROBERTS MAKES APPEAL.
sAYs HE IS BEING SACRIFICED TO
POPULAR CLAMOR.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE DENOUNCED
AS HIGH-HANpED OUTRAGE
FIRST MEETING OF THE
SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

FIRST MEETING Of tiiH
SPECIAL COMMITTEE.
washington. Dec brigham II. Roberts OF
Utah who was not allowed to be sworn IN do g
Representative in Congress from that STATE mas
sssuAd an address 10 the American people II
tontains much that was said by MT hooei'S
on the floor of the House and by MT fachaiu-
BON who opposed the resolution OF Mr. Iayier'
pf Ohio After reviewing the facts and proceed
sngs resulting In the appointment Oh 'ne CUM
nnittee Mr. Roberts says;
The member from Utah is not allowed to take
the oath of his office ana eommi'tee - aPS Gences
10 try him as TO his alleged quit OF ihe oiIences
a. east more than was asked upon the floor
OF the House for hostile committee nas -sbjn
snpointed 10 inquire into the case. Its memoersnIp
Is made up entirely OF those who voted 70 a xoed
the method OF P rTSedu re find place upon that
Committee and If the creation of such tribunal to
such a purpose be allowed there is no reason why
The COMMITTEES should not be made up OF members
Of one political faith-for the majority may 90 "S "
ask the American people stop and think What iah
that may mean to this country IN a ym ess IL
FrsA formidable minority in the O reo rI
be reduced either 10 very insigniheaht hi'o'''''
second~the representative to which a state Is Is
E"as in this Utah case-for any length of time
this committee may elect TO deny II such represeen
shall see proper to proceed with reasonable ex.
peditcn to consider the questions inv9oeu r SeT
pne pretext another as long as II peaseS AZ ~
may take week 6 month ST Sfar 10 send for
papers and persons, TO examine witnesses, ana IS
possible II can prolong its Investigations for two
years well month, or year. II IL so eleCts;
may defeat altogether the expressed Will Of a peo
pie OF a State as TO their choice of representa-
If the present House thus deprive Utah Of
he seay yrsna hers even NJ though she has ten
Representative, for ten REPRESENTATIVES as easy as
and State as well another, II bare ma,
;ority in the House chooses to have it so. And
II the present Republican House can do this in the
case OF Utah or Virginia. there is why
the next Demoeratie House could not proceed IN
like manner with Representatives from Republic
can States under this new and unprecedented rule
Third-This new precedent also strikes down the
constitutional guarantee OF right 10 one accused
partial 1ury Of the State wherein the crime shall
have been committed" The proposition is not to
talon OF records OF conviction for crime before
courts before which have been found guilty under
me before the committee Of the House. to send for
guilt or innocence Of an alleged misdeameanor; re-
ported to have been committed in Utah. II will be
the charge against which resulted IN the APP
pontment OF this extraordinary committee of In
reedings Of court in Utah evidences the fact that
tee emoeT from ron Utah Seaded guilty to mis- n
when Utah was a Territory Whatever political dis;
by the sovereign State OF Utah when in the adop-
~tion OF her State Constitution in 1895 she by her
hcatons Of her electorate. and possess them all
And this side of the Enabling and the admission
produce court record Of conviction Of crimes, or
81 any time since the misdemeanor OF 1885, and the
eence than such court records.
..~r POWER OF THE HOUSE DENIED.
deny the existence Of the lawful power OF the
presentation Of the same evidence OF prima facie
right upon which others are admitted to member
deny the , right Of the House Of RePIesenatyes
20 M T e ns e 10 STe
committed In order TO find grounds Of expulsion
Or exclusion from the high office to which was
Il deny IT'S right to confer any such power upon
If were guilty Of the msdemeanor charged
even hagrantly 50 here in the cepital,I could not
sidered under the law, The Constitution gives the
Semean0rs. except for breach OF the peace. and yet
Tor an alleged msdemeanor for which could not
right to take the oath OF office: my nnal right to
sovereign States Is denied representatiOn so long
ss Il shall suit the purpose Of the committee to
State Is in danger OF being defeated.
Because wR Roehc s q to the % 81
your liberties. Because the right OF the rule OF
n he s Of he Fl
and liberties Of the Individual and Of the States,
hentatives are too cowardly to even make protest
because
would endanger their chances for reelection II
they voted against the high handed measures now
takng place.
A DEFENCE OF UTAH
1t is true that the Representative from Utah is
"a Mormon" and just now against the Mormon
ssisehood chiefly BY the ckarse that Uah has
broken Der compact with the United States in the
the revival Of poiygamOus marriages; that the
Sy her Mormon poaon as w of
poygamy. and would be menace to the American
State Of uh m a. ia KSOm he State ir 6s
Teposed her confidence both nom-Mormons. as well
few men IN the sa T Of sb s bat be eS Sae
ago previous TO the settlement OF the polygamy
States and the State OF Utah. by which "polyg-
amous or plural marriages are forever prohibited"
,utional provision. and the whole made unrep saia-
bic without the consent. Of the United States and
Eve1 sonHans the eaons Formed before h.
OF the pGsS M S their disruption
contem,pa,ed in the provisions Of tie State con-
punishable but it has not been regarded nece..
sary 10 good morals or public policy TO prosecute
publican party nor by Democrats has the exist
ence OF such relations been considered bar &c
enemies of the present Representative from Utah
such men have been elected to offices OF high honor
in the State Of Utah. and others against whom
pointed to Federal oces IN the State notwiR
standing such objections were urged against them
| submit TO you the question. whether 1t
worth while for your Representatives In the lowe
House OF Congress TO break down the safeguards
which protect both the rights OF individuals anC
the rights OF the States, and which menaces repre-
sentative government itself. in the Stafs-l ask, II
81 worth while TO countenance procedure involving
dangers herein set forth. IN order to reach on
man charged with misdemeanor under the laws
of his own State. and which is in the eye OF th'
people an offence slight that under the rights
Guaranteed 10 him and his constituents he coulC
not be arrested for 1t while In attendance upof
a!s duties In Congress.
MAKING HIS FIGHT ALONE.
American citizens. it is a Mormon who IS the
coject Of the popular clamor to-day: may IL not be
the Catholic or the Methodist or the Free Thinker
tomorrow? II the rights Of the Representative
from Utah and Of HIS State cannot be safeguarded
by the provisions the Constitution and the laws
from the frenzy Of DODular fury set on fire by