Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-08

tion, while their disruption was neither dc.
mandcd by the enabling act, nor Couttm-
! plated In the provisions OF the state consti-
| tution-are under the law a misdemeauot
| and punishable-it has not been regarded
as necessary to good morals or public pol.
icy to prosecute people for this oirCnsc, and
neither by the republican party nor by
democrats have such relations been consid-
cred a bar to political prefcrmont until the
political and religious enemies OF the pres
ent representative from Utah thought
proper to urge them against him. But such
men have been elected TO offices OF high
honor i'm the state of Utah and others
against whom such charges were made by
affidavit We're appointed to federal Offices
in the federal state. Notwithstanding such
objections were urged against them,
| submit TO YOU the question whether Il
Is worth while for your representatives In
the lower house of congress to break down
the safeguards which protect the rights of
the states-I ask, Is II worth while to Codn-
tenanCe procedure involving dangers
herein set forth In order to reach one man
charged with misdemeanor under the laws
of his own state and which Is I'm the eye of
The law an uffense 50 slight that under the
rights guaranteed to him and his coustitu-
ents he could not be arrested for it while
in attendance on his duties In congress?
Mob LAW by Indircction.
American citizens, it is a Mormon who is
the object of the popular clamor today
May it not be the Catholic or the Metho-
ulsi' or tne tree-l mixer tomorrow II the
rights of the representative from Utah and
the people of his state are denied him2 II
he himself cannot be Safeguardcd from the
frenzy of the popular fury, set on fire by
falsehood and distortion, what guarantee
have we that any ones rights are secure,
and is 1t true that this mob law by indirec-
tion is to reach within what should be the
sacred precincts of the house of representa-
tives itself? | shall do all | can to main
tain 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 monstrous proceedings
that prevents me from taking the oath of
office. | 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 |
suggestions here and there. Indeed, pre-
fer 1t to be now, for my case is so
firmly rooted in Justice that II needs but
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
as a refutation to the sensational charges
that have been made about the Mormon
church standing behind me, with any
amount of money for legal counsel and the
maintenance of a lobby In Washington.
But it is possible in the present state of
pleading adroitly put may be accomplis he'd
for the law. and many of your representa-
tives Influenced by the fear they have of
your disapproval of their acts. may vote
against what are clearly the constitutional
rights in the case.
win or lose; whether justice shall triumph
or malice bear down justice, but | shall
have this satisfaction, If fail, that when
future Ills grow out of this high handed
now being enacted | did what l
could to prevent them. b. II. ROBERTS.