Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-12-06


obey IL" -
Mr. Tayler's concluding words We're
greeted with a storm of applause both from
The floor and the galleries. Few Democrats.
however, Joined IN the applause.
Mr.. Richardson, the minority leader, fol-
lowed Mr.. Tayler. He did not intend, he
SAID, TO discuss the merits of the case
The question in issue was as to whether
RepresentaIive-elect Roberts had prima
facie right to his seat. He was not willing
to reject 4 representative-elect VINO APP
credentials in due form. If he was denied
admission, a precedent would be created
which would rise TO plague the house In
years to come. The only constitutional OBJ
lection raised against the member-eiect re-
lated to his naturalization, and that, Mr..
Richardson asserted, would not hold lie
dened the other side to produce "a single
precedent where objection was raised to
the administration of the oath except on
constitutional grounds. The precedents
cited were made during the war, and were
not to be relied upon. In those days the
constitution was written with the sword.
They had all been since oyerrulcd, after
the passions that followed the war had
subsided. MIR. Richardson declared that the
minority was in no wise bound by his po-
sition He spoke for himself alone. He
was willing TO say that II the charSes
against the member-elect were proven ne
should favor his expulsion
IF there is one thing the American peo-
pie are unit upon.' said he, lit is that the
American home shall be preserved III all
its loVeliness, sweetness and purity. TAP
plause.)
But he proceeded, 'it is not vine to
permit our Judgment to be warped by pub
lie clamor. To do so amounts to condem-
nation without trial.
Mr. Richardson then brought forward
several precedents in support OF his posi-
fion. The first was the case of George e.
Cannon, who appeared In the house as
delegate-elect from Utah in 1873 Mr.. can
non was a Republican. Almost identicaily
the same charges now made against MI
Roberts were made against MT. Cannon
He read from the speeches OF . s. Cox
of New York, and other prominent Demo-
Gratis opposing denying seat to Mr.. cam
non on the ground that 1t would estapilsn
a dangerous precedent and produce chaos
in the future. Those Democrats, sai9
he, rose above party prejudice and stood
by the constitution and the right (Dem-
ocratic applause.D
He also cited the case OF Ramy' coiotso f,e
Republican, from South Carolina, IN the
Forty-fifth congress, where the Democrats
had insisted that he should have the oasn oa
administered to him. He also quoted 1ne
late President James A. GARFIELD IN sup
port of his contention that, where the ere
dentials presented are regular IN 10TH,
there is no power in the house to exclude
him. Mr.. Richardson read the WORDS OIL
Mr. Garfield, which concluded:
There are no personal objections:
But there are personal objections In the
case before the house., interposed &f.
Tayler, amid laughter and applause.
Not personal objections to the member
elect" said Mr.. Richardson: personal uis-
qualifications only .a,ina are alleged. shouted q
member on the Republican side, amid an
other outburSt
Mr.. Richardson read from alleged inter-
Views with Mr.. Dalzell, OF Pennsylvania
AR. steele. of Indiana, and Mr.. Cannon, OF
illinois, in which they were ahegeo 70
have stated that Mr.. Roberts was enti.ieo N;o
TO take the oath p.la,s upon the pr'ma iae'e
me- naJ1eli and MT. Steele denied the in
/. teryiews. Mr.. Cannon asserted that, IN ~,
his opinion If charges Of neiig,ohg p honse te
receive them now or hereafter
Mr. Roberts himself took the fioor IN ms
own defense after Mr.. Richardson had con-
cluded, He occupied c4nspaGSuIG1s on. nSarGs 99i 9ssi.
Several legal volumes were piiea up 10 ~ y
front, and a bouquet Of carnations lay
upon his desk. The most intense neheSs in,Jess
crowded about, but were compelled TO re
turn to their seats. Callers were nusheo
The occupants leaned over to h listen; eaSea wnica
was soft and low, but his enunciatlon Was
distinct and, in the Stiffness, couid De
heard to the farthest corner OF tne a;ns nad
AS he got into his argument, his voice
grew louder until on several occasions !,
rang out until the fretted ceiling overhead
gave back the echo.
Mr. Roberts began by sending to the
clerks desk and having read copy OF
his naturalization papers. in order, as ne
said. that all the documents in this ex-
traordinary case should be before tne
house He then read a. paragraph IRON
-McCreary on Election" containing gen
eral caution against hasty procedure II
election contests. and continued:
Now, gentlemen, that is the statement OF one who's
book has authority in this country And II II !
{he rule Of the house Of representatives In case
that arise the dignity of contest how innhlte.
nro,est is made against a member who presents him
self to take oath Of office next proceed 10 IN
consideration of the charges that are supposed u =
Justify what the gentleman from Ohio tMr Tayler
himself comedies to be an unusual proceeding, AM
which my frieai this side lMr Richardson. Q
TENNESSEE has demonstrated to be an unpreceoente
proeeedius The gentleman from Ohio bases hi
charge upon court record that some twelve year
ago IN the midst OF conflict in the then terri
tory OF Utah over the subject Of poiygamy, peade
guilty to charge of misdemeanor. The gentle
man seems 10 be obivious to the fact that, sine
the date of his court record this subject, VI
have had two presidential amnesties proclaimed tina
have been applied to men disqualified by the Ed
The gentleman from Ohio has no court record t
show that I was ever arraisned or condemned OF an
crime Whatsoever since the PRONUNCIATION of tn
amnesty proclamation of the president of the Unite
States. The gentleman seems also to forget the fac
that. since the confession OF that misdefneanor I
which he has referred, there passed by congress
enabling act authorizing the people of the stat
OF Utah to form a state government That enabiin
act also had provision embodied In 1t that quail
flied all citizens within the limits of the territory I
become citizens OF the United States, and was par
ticularly framed remove the disqualifcations an
disabilities which had been created by the Edmunds
tucker law The gentleman seems to forget ais
that the state constitution of Utah satsfactor
TO the president and his advisors, and Utah ha
been admitted a state into the Union and ha
taken upon itself the responsibilities of soyereig
state, declaring under Its constitution who of tn
people residing in its borders shall exercise the cleo
tive franchise and be qualified for office citizen
OF that great commonwealth.
The second charge, which is supposed to 20 I
the question OF eligibility Of the member from Utah
IS that upon affidavit and other papers in his pos
session, the gentleman from Ohio says that eve
since 1889, have been a persistent lawbreaker i
the state of Utah. II that be true. let ask VIII
IL is that was not punished for iawbreakipg, Ger
tainy there was no disposition not TO execute Il,
law on the part OF the people of Utah. Its admin
tstraton was in the hands OF non-Mormons of thos
who had no sympathy with men Of religion
faith. All the machinery Of the law In th
hands OF federal appointees. How is II. then. tha
] could be open and defiant lawbreaker and ye
escape the penalty OF law?
The gentlemans objection. then is based not upo
court record but upon adavits and papers that hav
teen supplied him by the people.
And now to the manner in which these charge
are made. II has been about fifteen months sine
they began. since the representative from Utah wa
hsraided throughout this land as a defiant law
breaker And yet I walked the streets Of salt Iak
In open day. within easy reach of the law and N,
faults lay open to the law II guilty OF trans
crossing Other men were arrested before the cour,
of Utah and were fined for the very otfense sllere
against me. and yet complaint made agains
RE- No. II did not suit the purpose OF those who a
TINS present agitation in hand to vndicnte the la,
quietly and by the usual methods. They desired M,
tculary to have this upon which apparently I
arouse the sentiment Of the country. Not until n.
business called me East did they undertake to max
any charges against me. But the moment Of q
shortly after. my departure they began this aeits
ton, resulting in the present sentiment of the cour
try now aroused against me.
call your attention TO the fact that the onl
charge against me- eren by the present opponents ,
not charge felony.
understand that the members OF congress AZ
Eranied certain privileges while in attendance upo