Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-08
Objection 10 Reference Of Matter to a
Committee.
HIS CLAIMS UNDER CONSTITUTION
His Charge That the Administration
Has Appointed to Office I'm Utah
Men TO Whom the Same Objections
Are Made as to Himself.

| WASHINGTON, December 7.-Brigham
| H. Roberts. of Utah, who was not allow
ed TO be sworn in as a representative in
Congress from that State, has issued an
address TO the American people. II CON-
tains much that was said by Mr. Roberts
on the floor of the House. and by Mr..
| richardson. who opposed the resolution
offered by Mr.. Tayler, OF Ohio.
After reviewing the facts and proceed
ings resulting in the appointment OF The
| committee, no says:
THE member from Utah Is not allowed
to take the oath of his office. and a COM
mittee is appointed to try him rs to his
alleged guilt of the offences charged. Nay.
even moro is granted than was asked. at
least. more than was asked upon the
| moor OF the House. for a hostile commit
| tee has been appointed to inquire into the
case. Its membership is made up entire
~ OF those who voted to adopt the me-
thod Of procedure.
1 ask the American people to stop and
think what that may mean to this coun-
try in times of high political excitement
and party strife and passion.
Il. A formidable minority in the House
may be reduced either TO a very inslsni-
hcant minority, or even blotted out of
| existence.
z. The representation to which a State
Is entitled on the floor Of the House may
be denied to it-as in this Utah case-rcr
any length of time this committee may
elect TO deny 1t such representation Sun
pose that in this case the committee
shan see proper to proceed with reason
able expedition to consider the questions
Involved, what is there 10 hinder it from
delaying Its action, Under one pretext or
another as long as ii pleases? 1t can
| prolong its invest legations for two years
| as well as FOR month or year, il Al 50
elects, and mean time deny to a State
representation, and may defeat altogether
the expressed Will Of the people OF State
as to their choice CT u representative.
CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES.
3. This new precedent also strikes
down the constitutional guarantee of a
rght 10 one accused of a crime to "A
| speedy and public trial by an impartial
! jury of the Stnte who rein the crime shall
I
! IS not to deprive me of my sea. in Con.
/ gress by the presentation OF rcvDrd, of
conviction of crime before the courts by
which have been found SuIlty under the
due forms of the law. The Proposition
II 10 try me before a committee of the
House, 10 send for persons and papers
ana witnesses TO ascertain my guilt or
innocence OF an alleged misdemeanor re-
ported TO have been committed in Utah.
II L were guilty of the misdemeanor
Charged, even fagrantly so, even here in
the capital, ! could not even be arrested
for the offence. so slight Is it considered
under the law. The Constitution gives
the members Of Congress immunity from
arrest for misdemeanors. except for
breach OF the peace, and yet for an al
| legged misdemeanor, iOr which | could not
be arrested while in attendance upon the
House, or while going to or from til
am deprived OF the right TO take the oath
Of my Office and my final right TO a seat
is In jeopardy. The people of one OF the
sovereign States is denied representation
so long as it snail suit the purpose of the
committee to have 1t SO, and the express
ed VIII OF the people of a State Is In dam
ger Of being defeated.
1T is true that the Representative from
Utah is a Mormon, and just now against
the Mormon people a wave of popular
sentiment, created by falsehood chiefly
| by the charge that Utah has broken her
compact with the United States in the
matter OF pOlygamy; that her people con-
template the revival OF polygamous mar
riages that the seating Of Utah's repre-
sentative would be regarded by her Nor
mon population as an endorsement Of
pOlygamy, and would be a menace TO the
American home. Upon my honor as a
representative from the State of Utah. a
man I'm whom the State OF Utah has re-
posed their confidence, both non-Mormons
as well as Mormons, | solemnly deny
these charges. They are not true. The
only thing chargeable 10 some few men
in the State of Utah is that they have
not deserted the plural wives they mar
ried years ago. previous 10 the settlement
Of the pOlygamy question between the
government and the State of Utah
MORMONS IN FEDERAL OFFICE.
Even granting that. continuing the re-
lations established before this settlement
OF the question. though their disruption
was neither demanded by the enabling
act nor contemplated in the provisions OF
the State Constitution, are under the
law a misdemeanor and punishable, still
il has not been regarded as necessary TO
good morals or public policy TO prosecute
people for this offence. and neither by
the Republican party nor by Democrats
has the existence Of such relations been
considered a bar TO political preferment,
until the political and religious enemies
of the present Representative from Utah
thought proper TO urge them against him.
But such men have been elected TO offices
OF high honor in the State OF Utah, and
others against whom such charges were
made by affidavit We're appointed TO Fed
eral offices In the State. Notwithstanding
such objections were urged against them.
II shall do all / can TO maintain my
rights under the Constitution. stand
alone. save for the very few who gave
me their very guarded support by voting
against the monstrous proposition that
prevents me from taking the oath OF Of
flee. | am without a dollar at my com
mand except the salary attached to my
Office. with which to fight the battle now
pending before the special committee.
am without legal counsel. except for the
kindly suggestions OF here and there
word from a LAWYER acquaintance or
friend. / want the condition here named
10 stand as a reputation OF the sensation,
al charges that have been made about
the Mormon Church's standing behind
mo with any amount OF money for legal
counsel and the maintenance OF lobby
in Washington
LITTLE PROGRESS MADE.
Little progress was made at the meet