The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-05

tative Taylor of Ohio secured recogni-
tion, and amidst breathless interest pro-
tested against the swearing in of Rob-
erts on the ground of his being a
polygamist and not properly natural
iZed American citizen. Mr.. Taylor spoke
calmly and dispassionately and said:
Il do this, Mr.. Speaker, on my re-
sponsibility as member of this house.
and because specific. serious and appar-
emily well grounded charges of ineligi-
bility are made against him. a tran
script of the proceedings of court in
Utah evidences the fact that he, claim
ant, was, in 1889, convicted. or that he
pleaded guilty of the crime of unlaw-
ful cohabitation. Afiidavits and other
papers in my possession indicate that
ever since then he has been persistently
guilty of the same crime and that ever
since then he has been and is now a
polygamist.
Declares Him Ineligible.
IF this transcript and these affida-
Wits and papers tell the truth, the mem
ber-eiect from Utah is, in my judgment,
ineligible TO be member of this
house of representatives both because
of the statutory disqualification of the
Edmunds law, and for higher and
SraVer and quite as sound reasons
what have just said. that l have in
my possession a certified copy of the en-
try under which the claimant to this
seat was naturaliZed, and that eminent
counsel assert that if this be the record
in the case, this claimant is not a citi-
zen of the United States l offer and
express no opinion upon that PROPOSE
ton.
Mr.. Speaker, if it were possible to
emphasize the gravity of these charges
and the responsibility that is at this
moment imposed upon this house we
VIII find that emphasis in the memo
riais, small part of which could be
physically cared for in this hall, but all
OF which | now present to this house
from over 1000, 900 American men and
women protesting against the entrance
OF this presentative-elect from Utah"
Roberts Listens Calmly.
Mr.. Roberts stood gazing intently at
him, and not once moved a muscle
Throughout the protest.
Representative McRae of Arkansas
followed with protest from the Demo-
cratic side. saying this issue was one
can home--a sentiment that brought an
outburst of applause.
He said that if the charges hanging
over the head of the representative
elect were true his being sworn in would
be an insult upon every American home
II true, he said. Mr.. Roberts was guilty
of a violation of the laws of the United
States and Of Utah. and the charges
should be investigated. If they were
proven true, he said emphatically in
conclusion, there should not be a vote
in the house in favor of allowing him
seat in this body.
Speaker Henderson then addressed
Roberts saying:
viii the gentleman stand aside un-
til the roll call is eompleted?'
Mr.. Roberts assented, with the state
ment that in SO doing he waived none
of his rights.
Il can assure the gentleman an
swered the speaker that he valves
none of his rights by this course
Oath Is Refused Him.
Mr. Roberts then resumed his seat
and the roll call proceeded.
1t was agreed by unanimous consent
that the consideration of the resolution
should go over until tomorrow after the
reading of the presidents message The
swearing in of the remaining members
was then concluded.
After the remaining members had
been sworn in Mr.. Taylor presented his
resolution as follows:
Whereas, 1t is charged that Brigham
H. Roberts, representatlve-elect to the
fifty-sixth congress from the state of
Utah. is ineligible 10 a seat in the house
OF representatives; and,
Whereas. Such a charge is made
through a member of the house ON his