Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-01-08
ROBERTS AND HIS
SEAT IN CONGRESS.
To the Editor of the Register

To the Editor of the Register.
At the present much is being said as
to the admission of Brigham II. Rob
erts to his seat-to which he has been
elected by his constituents in Utah-in
Congress, which has been of more than
common interest to the writer, and
more particularly because the denomin-
alton known as the Reorganized Church
of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints
which | have the honor to represent,
have, from the very inception, openly
and assidiously antagonized the I'M
Christian philosophy which Congress
man-elect Roberts have been secretly
and ostensibly advocating ever since
Brigham Young fell degraded into its
unsavory meshes, decoying thousands
of honestly deluded souls into Utah,
than dependency of Mexico.
In opposing Mr.. Roberts. we do it,,
not to prejudice the citizens against
the individual or his religion, but
against a principle which they are
seeking to establish. and if successful,
means death to the tranquility of So
ciety. decentralization to pure Christian
ity, divorcing domestic relations, sew
ering filial ties. and the many synony-
nous evils without a parallel in civil
lied nations. outside Of Utah.
There seems to be no prescribed law
to bring into requisition to unseat Mr.
Roberts unless Congress-or whatever
power holds the perogative-disfran
chise him or any other polygamist
This, / think. can be constitutionally
done. For before Utah became State
all polygamists were disfranchised and
denied the rights of citizenship, and
was only granted an amnesty upon the
solemn pledge to abandon polygamy.
Under the written guarantee of good
faith by the leading authorities, of
whom Mr.. Roberts was one, Of the
church in Utah. she was admitted to
statehood. If there is nothing else to
prohibit the gentleman from taking his
seat among the honorable dignitaries
of our nation, this broken pledge should
be an unquestioned premise upon which
to build precedent to remove this COW
enant- breaking, unblushing aspirant
from the halls Of Congress.
The following, issued from the Ex-
ecutive Department, will give in detail
the conditionns upon which the am
nesty was granted, and brought back
into full citizenship, and also furnishes
indefensible support for my assertions:
Washington. d. C.. Jan. 4, 1893.
whereas. Congress, by statute ap-
proved March %, 1882, and by statutes
in furtherance and amendment there
to, defined the crimes of bigamy, poly
gamy and unlawful cohabitatiOn in the
Territories and other places within the
exclusive jurisdiction OF the United
States. and prescribed penalty for such
crimes. and
Whereas, On or about the 9Th day
of October, 1890, the Church Of Latter
Day Saints, commonly known as the
Mormon Church. through its presi-
dent, issued a manifesto prOclaiming
the purpose OF said church, no longer
to sanction the practice of pOlygamous
marriages and calling upon all members
and adherents of said church TO obey
the law of the United States in refer
ence to said subject matter; and
Whereas, Ii is represented that
since the date of said declaration the
members and adherents of said church
generally obeyed said laws and alb
stained from plural marriages and p0-
lygamous cohabitation; and
Whereas, BY a petition dated De-
cember 10, 1891. the officials Of said
church, pledging the membership there
of to the faithful obeyance Of the laws
against plural marriages and unlawful
cohabitation, applied 40 me TO grant
amnesty for past offense5 against said
laws. whuch repust very large num-
Der Of influential Mormons. residents OF
Territories, also strongly urged. and
Whereas, the Utah Commissioners,
in their report bearing date Of Septem-
Der Is, 1892. recommended that said
petition be granted. and said amnesty
as to the future observance Of the law
with a view 10 the encouragement OF
those now disposed to become law
abiding citizens; and
Whereas. During the past two years
such amnesty has been granted indi-
laws, which request very large mum
Der of cases, conditioned upon the faith
| full observance of the laws OF the Uni
| ted States against Unlawful cohabita-
ton, and there are now pereding many
more such applications; now. therefore,