The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-09
ROBERTS is BARRED.
House Decides He Must Stand an
Investigation.

Investigation.
Will Not he Sworn in Unless Acquit-
ted of Chnrges-SpcnLs In His
Own BehaIf-NeEntive Vote
on Taylor Resolution.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-After an interest
ing debate of three hours the house Tues
day by a vote of 302 to 50 adopted the reso-
luton offered by Mr.. Taylor (O) Monday
for the appointment of a special commit
tee to investigate the charges against Brig
ham II. Roberts, the Mormon representa-
tive-elect from Utah. Previously the house
had rejected q substitute resolution offered
by Mr. Richardson. the leader of the mi
nority. to allow Mr.. Roberts to be sworn
in and to send the whole case to the judi
ciary committee. or the 80 who voted
against the Taylor resolution all were dem
ocrats except two, Mr.. Loud a California
republican, and Mr.. Newlands, silVerite
from Nevada. BY the terms of the resolu-
ton Mr.. Roberts Is not only excluded from
all participation in the proceedings of the
house until the committee reports and
the house passes upon his case, but he
is denied seat in the hall. Whether this
will be interpreted to deny him admis-
sion within the chamber pending the dis
position of his case is yet to be decided.
The reading of the presidents message
was completely overshadowed by the dra-
matte proceedings which resulted IN the ac-
ton of the house. The galleries were
thronsed with spectators, mostly women.
who sat patiently through the three weary
hours that preceded the debate and then
waited on three hours more until 1t was
concluded. The most remarkable feature
of the debate was the fact that Mr.. Rob-
erts' presentation of his own side of the
case. which lasted almost an hour. became
so absorbing that he won the sympathy of
many of those in the galleries and was sew
eral times showcred with applause. 1t was
evident that he realized that the house was
Overwhelmingly against him, and at times
he spoke ierccly and dciantly. MIR. Tay-
lor conducted the case upon his side. MIR.
Richardson champoned his resolution.
Points Made by Taylor.
Mr.. Taylor contended first that Mr.. Rob-
erts' conviction of viola tions of the Ed
munds law in 1889 rendered him ineligible
by the eighth section of that act. Second.
that If, since guilty of polyeamy, he Is
still ineligible under that act. Third. that
if a polygamist within the meaning of the
decision of the supreme court, he is in
eligible. independent of that statute
Fourth, that the compact between Utah
and the United States justties the house
in refusing him admission. Mr.. Taylor
urged that it would be better for the house
to exclude Mr.. Roberts than to eXpcl him
, All the authorities. he said, were against
the right of the house TO cXpel a member
for acts done prior to his election, no mat
, ter how vile they might be.
Continuing, Mr. Taylor read from de-
cision OF the supreme court defining pc
lyeamy, which stated that irrespective o.
whether man had contracted plura
marriage after the passage of the Edmund
act and irrespective of whether he hat
since cohabited with plural wife he wa
guilty of polygamy If he still maintained
the relation of husband to more than on
wife. Referring again TO the two procla
t nations of amnesty, he argued that tn
: claimant was in no better position than H.
: would have been had no such proclamation
y issued. But higher than the civil law wa
: law OF civilization, which demanded tina
: one so tainted should be excluded.
: In all his investigation ard study o
: presidents, Mr. Taylor said. no had faile
q to find a single case where the house ha
Y hesitatcd to assert upon proper occaSio
+ its right to hall member AT the bar whe
= his qualifications for Il seat were Qlcs
G toned. He quoted extensively from MIC
@ Crcary on Elections" in support of his al
gument. He reviewed the cases of Proc
q tor Knott, Boyd Winchester aud John n
+ Rice, OF Kentucky, who had been stoppe
at the bar Of the house OIL the ground tina
II they were disqualified because they ha
d been disloyal
is eve are told," said Mr. Taylor, in concl,
d sion, his voice ringing out clearly. "ths
g we are about to create an unhappy prcCt
d dent. Why. Mr.. Speak we are doing tn
II In the open gaze of the whole world. not
l, a clustered court We are the servants c
); the people. empowered TO do the right q
5; we see it. The public eye is upon US. tn
public conscience quickens US. In tina
II presence we can do no wrong II we do bl
l. obey it."
< Mr. Taylor's concluding words wer
e greeted with n storm of applause both frol
= the door and the galleries. Few democrat
l. however, joined in the applause.
MIR. Richardson Speaks.
10 Mr. Richardson. the minority leader. TO
~ lowed Mr.. Taylor in support Of his resoll
IN ton that pending investigation Of IL
~ charges Mr. Roberts should be sworn
.e ard permitted to occupy seat Mr. Ricf
~ ardson declared that the minority was
,y no wise bound by his position: lie spol
- for himself alone. He was willing to sa
~, -, that if the charges against the mcmbe
~ elect were proven he should favor his e.
. pulsion. IF there is one thing the Anne
- lean people are unit upon" said he, "it
- that the American home shall he preserve
!, IN all its lovelness, sweetness and pur
~ IT," [Appausel But, he proceeded. it
&c warped by public clamor. To do so amour
"a ed to condemnation without trial. NJ
ss Richardson then brought forward sewers
precedents in support of his position.
In His O.vn Defense.
Mr.. Roberts himself took the floor in h
. own defense after Mr.. Richardson had col
of cluded. He occupied a conspicuous plat
Immediately in front of the clerks des
Several legal volumes were piled up
front and bouquet of carnations lay upc
his desk. The most intense interest W;
TT manifested as he arose. Members crowdt
cd about. but were compelled to return
IN their seats. The galleries were hushed. tt
he occupants leaned over to listen, eager to i
his no word escape. Mr.. Roberts first sent
er the clerks desk and had read his natura
a. ization papers. He then began to spea
His voice was soft and low. but his emu
ed citation was distinct and in the stillne
u could be heard to the farthcst corner of Il
he hall. AS he got into his argument his vol,
OF grew louder until on several occasions
.ts rang out until the fretted ceiling Overhe;
gave back the echo.
is. He then read a. paragraph from IN
&c Creary on Elections" containing Eener
caution against hasty procedure in elcctit
IS. contests. He said Mr.. Taylor had bas'
nd one Of his charges upon court record.
on the effect that he 0ohcrts) had plead
lily guilty to n misdemeanor some u yea
ps ago. He cited the fact that since the da
of the court record there have been ty
presidential amnesties proclaimed tn
have been applied to men disqualified
if the Edmunds-Tucker act. Also that sin
nv the confession of that Ihisdemeanor the
~ was passed by congress an enabling q
=. III authorizing the people Of the state of Ut
IL to form state government That enabli
in act also had provision embodied in
-. that qualified all citizens within the lin
~ of the territory to become citizens of t
re- United States and was pa rticularly fran