Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-09
REPLY TO ROBERTS,
Argument Of Gentle Element in
Utah Against Him.
MEASUREMENTS CORRECTED
AllesedIy Suppressed Facts 10 Case
Brought Out.
NO FIGHT on RELIGIOUS GROUND.
Opposition Based Solely on Fact
That Consressman-EIect is vio-
of United States, and of Decency.

WASHINGTON, DeCeHDtr c.-Au an
swer to Mr.. Brigham Roberts's address
to tho American people was issued to-
day by delegation representing the Gem
tile element in Utah, who are here to
oppose Mr. Roberts. The answer is as
follows:
I'm this mornings papers. Mr.. Roberts
makes an appeal for sympathy, In which
are many statements needing correction,
while many facts are suppressed.
'Mr. Roberts says he has not been con-
victed since statehood. 1t does not fol-
low that he is innocent. He is now a
fugitive from justlye in Salt Lake county.
on a charge OF unlawful cohabitation,
and in Davis county, Utah, where resides
one Of his polygsmous wives, a charge
against him of the same nature, but
worse-a felony under the laws of Utah
has been for two months pigeon-holed by
4 Mormon prosecuting attorney.
Mr. Roberts, in his attempt to belit-
tie his crimes insists that he is only
charged with a misdemeanor. He knows
better. He knows that he has been,
under oath and before the proper prose-
cutting officers charged with the felony,
az well as the msdemeanor above refer
red to.
MANY PEOPLE MnSLED.
MANY sentimental people are being
misled by Mr.. Robertss very ingenious
suggestions. from which some people in
Ter that he took his polygamous wives
when it was lawful TO do 30. This is a
mistake His more serious offence was n
crime in Utah when Mr.. Roberts was
born and at the time OF the passage Of
the Cullom anti-poygamy act Mr.. Ro
berts was only years Old. His plea for
sympathy, therefore, amounts only 10
this, that he should be allowed TO con-
tinue his criminal practice, notwithStand-
ing the fact that he took his polygamous
wives in defiance of law. We demand
that he SHAH cease his Illegal practices,
and this, our only bone Of contention, is
the one thing demanded which he refuses
TO yield. In this matter we dsclaim any
desire 10 have him declared ineligible be-
cause ne is a Mormon but solely because
he is violating and dsfying the laws Of
our State. OF the United States, and Of
common decency.
'EX-Congressman w. II. King was.
ana Is now, Norman. and no claim OF
I ineiigibility was ever made against him.
We point TO this fact as showing that we
oppose Mr.. Roberts. not upon the ground
Of any religious opinions entertained by
him, but because Of his criminal prac-
tices. Neither is this a matter Of re-
ligiOus or political persecution or preju-
dice. The undersigned include men of
different churches and men who belong
10 no Church, those who are Republicans
and those VINO are Democrats.
STATE COMPACT VIOLATED.
Mr.. Roberts denies, and We assert,
that the compact between Utah and the
other States has been violated
LAS evidence that this compact has
been broken we point 10 the following
4. That IN Utah. loo children have
been born TO polygamous wives since
statehood.
y. That about two thousand polyga-
nous households now exist in Utah, and
that the attempt TO secure q punishment
OF these offenders r denounced by the
majority, as We believe, Of Utah's citi-
zens.
'3. That the circumstantial evidence
Enthusiastically points To the existence Of
new wives in polygamous households, the
most conspicuous Of which are the cases
Of Apostle Abraham III. Cannon, John w
least the first OF which the Church organ
of the dominant Church refuses 20 deny
the marriage, and the new polygamous
wife is employed as teacher in u church
academy
Il. That the very men who interpreted
the manifesto OF 1890 10 prohibit unlawful
cOhabitatiOn with prior acquired wives,
now publicly justify its continuance.
IS That most Of the same men who.
In petition for amnesty, pledged their
sacred honor for the obedience OF the
law by their people are now, by example
| and precept, encouraging the commits
sion or the crime of unlawful cohabta-
ton.
CHURCH CONFORMATION.
IS. AS further evidence OF this bad
faith we call attention TO the fact that
men holding high church Office have
pleaded guilty to the crime Of unlawful
cohabitatiOn before the State courts,
without having their church standing af-
/ fected even in some cases having their
/ fines paid by sympathetic friends
II. All this is by necessary implication
/ endorsed by "A majority of Utah's people
/ in the election of Brigham H. Roberts
| who during his campaign for election
was publicly charged with being a viola
ter of the laws, and in spite OF these I'M
! denied charges he was elected by an
| overwhelming majority.
"As showing that Mr.. Roberts himself
understood that compact TO mean the dis
continuance OF unlawful cOhabitation, we
point to his registration oath of 1895, in
which he swore it 10 be his intention 10
obey the law prohibiting unlawful CO.
habitatiOn.
! (Signed)
'T. c.. ILIFF, Salt Lake;
&c. w. MARTIN. Mant Utah;