The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-08

the seating of UtahS representative
would be regarded by her Mormon pop
ulation as endorsement of polygamy
and would be a menace to the Ameri-
can home.
Denies the Charges.
Upon my honor as a representative
from the state of Utah, a man in whom
the state of Utah has rep0sed their
confidence. both non-Mormons as well
as Mormons, l sole1nnly deny these
charges They are not true. The only
thing chargeable to some few men in
the state of Utah, is that they have
not deserted the plural wives they mar
ried years ago. previous TO the settle
ment of the polygamy question between
the government of the United States
and the state of Utah. by which po-
lygamy or plural marriages are for
ever prohibited in the state of Utah.
a penalty affixed by constitutional pro-
vision. and the whole made unrepeal-
able without the consent of the United
States and the consent of the people
of Utah.
THE relations formed before the set
Element of the question, though their
disruption was neither demanded by
the enabling act nor contemplated in
the provisions of the state constitu-
tion-are under the law misdemeanor
and punishable; but it has not been
regarded as necessary to morals or
public policy to prosecute people for
this offense and neither by the Repub-
lican party or by Democrats has the
existence of such relations been consid-
cred a bar to political preferment I'M
til the political and religious enemies
of the present representative from Utah
thought proper to urge them against
him.
Polygamists In Office.
But such men have been elected to
offices of high honor in the state and
others against whom such charges We're
made by affidavit were appointed to
federal offices in the state, notwith-
standing such objections were urged
against them.
II submit to you the question whether
it is worth while for your representa-
tives in the lower house of congress to
break down the safeguards which pro-
tect both the rights of individuals and
the rights of the states and which me-
naces representative government in the
state ITSELF ask if it is worth while
to countenance procedure involving
dangers herein set forth, in order to
reach one man charged with a INSIDE
meanor under the laws of his own
state and which is in the eye of the law
all OllellSe 50 Slight lldl
guaranteed to him and his constituents,
he could not be arrested for it while
in attendance upon his duties in con-
gress.
American citizens, 1t is Mormon
who is the object of the popular clamor
today. May ii not be the Catholic or
the Methodist or the free thinker to-
morrow? If the rights of the repre-
sentative from Utah and of his state
cannot be safeguarded by the ppovi-
sions of the constitution and the laws
from the frenzy OF popular fury. set
on fire by falsehood and distortion,
what guarantee have we that any ones
rights are secure?
Calls Tt Mob Law.
And is it true that this mob law by
indirection is to reach within what
should be the sacred precincts of the
house of representatives itself? / shah
do all l can to maintain my rights,
and indirectly yours. too, under the
constitution. l stand alone, save for
the very few who gave me- their very
guarded support by voting against the
inonstrous proceedings that prevents
me from taking the oath of office.
Il am without a dollar al nv COM
mand except the salary attached to
my Office, with which to fight the bat
tie now pending before the special
committee. | am without legal coun-
sci, except for the kindly suggestions
of here and there a word from a law
yer acquaintance or friend, and, in
deed, prefer it to be SO now, for my
case is so firmly rooted in justice that
ii needs but a plain statement of the
facts and a fair application of the
law to them in order TO make my right
to my seat apparent. And l want the
condition here mentioned to stand as a
refuta ton of the sensational charges
that have been made about the Nor
mon church standing behind, with any
amount of money for legal counsel and
the maintenance OF lobby in WASH
ington.