The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-08
PLEA OF MR.. ROBERTS
UTAH REPRESENTATIVE ISSUES AN
ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AT LARGE
RECITES DISPUTED POINTS
Asserts That the House Went Be-
yOnd It's Powers I'm Denying Him
Seat Before He Had Been
Heard-CInims There Was No Law
to Prevent Him Being Sworn In
Fight Against Mormon Church.

n Seat Before He Had Been
Heard-CIninls There Was No Law
to Prevent Him Being Sworn In
Fight Against Mormon Church.
WASHINGTON, Dec.S brigham H.
Roberts, of Utah, who was not allowed
to be sworn in as a representative in
congress of that state. has issued an ad-
dress to the American people 1t con-
tains much that was said by Mr.. Rob
erts on the floor of the house, and by
Mr.. Richardson, who opposed the resolu-
ton of Mr.. Taylor. After reviewing the
facts of the reference to the committee
and its appointment, he says:
The member from Utah was not allow
ed to take the oath Of his office, and a
committee is appointed to try him as to
his guilt or innocence Of the crime charg-
ed. Nay. more has been done than
was asked upon the floor of the house:
pointed to inquire into the case It's
membership is made up entirely of those
Who voted to adopt this form Of proceed
ure. Not one who voted against 1t is
allowed to find a place on that commit
tee; and if the creation of such a tribu-
nal for such a purpose be allowed, there
is no reason why the committee should
not be made up of members of one po-
Htical fafth-for the majority may do as
1t pleases about that.
POINTS AT ISSUE.
I ask the American people to stop and
think what that may mean to this coun-
try in times of high political excitement
and party strife and passion?
% a formidable minority in the house
may be reduced either to a very insig-
nftcant minority, or even blotted out Of
o. The representation to which q state
is entitled on the floor Of the house, may
be denied to it-as in this Utah case-for
any length Of time this committee NAV
elect to deny it such representation, Sun
pose that in this case the committee
snail see proper to proceed, with reason
able expedition. to consider the questions
involved. but what is there to hinder 1t
denying its action under one pretext or
other as long as it pleases?
3D. This new precedent also strikes
down the constitutional guarantee of a
right to one accused Of crime to a speedy
and public trial by an impartial Jury of
the state wherein the crime shall have
been committed. The proposition is not
to deprive me of my seat in congress by
the presentation Of records OF conviction
Tor crime before courts before which l
have been found guilty under the forms
OF law. The proposition Is to try me be-
fore committee of the house, to send for
persons and papers and witnesses to as
certain my guilt or innocence of an al
committed In Utah 1t will be useless to
deny this statement by saying that in
the charge against me, which resulted in
the appointment of this extraordinary
committee of investigation. # IS said that
transcript of the proceedings of a court
In Utah evidences the fact that the men,
Der from Utah pleaded guilty to a mis-
demeanor in the year 18S9-ten years
ago-and when Utah was a territory
Whatever political disabilities were Gre
ated by that event We're removed by the
adoption of her state constitution in 1895,
she. by her sovereign power declared
what should be the qualifications of her
electorate and / possess them ALL And
this side of the enabling act and the adj.
mission of Utah, l am in defiance of my
enemies to produce any court records Of
conviction Of crime or misdemeanor since
1889. or any evidence on which to base
such court records.
SAYS HOUSE ERRED.
I know Of no law to prevent me being
sworn In upon the presentation Of evil
dence of prima facie right that others
are sworn in on. / deny the right of the
house to constitute it into justice of the
peace court to try a mtsdemeanor case
and to deprive me of the high office to
which 1 was elected. / deny It the right
to, refer my case to its hostile committee.
If L were guilty of any case, even flag
rantly so. here in the capitol, l could
not even be arrested, for the offense, so
slight is it considered under the law. The
constitution gives members Of congress
immunity from arrest for misdemeanor,
except for breach of the peace, and yet,
for an alleged misdemeanor for which /
could not be arrested while in attendance
upon the house, or while going to or from
1t, /, am deprived of the right to take
the oath of office, my final right to nv
seat is in jeopardy; the people of one Of
the sovereign states is denied represen-
tation so long as it shall suit the purpose
Of the committee to have it so, and the
expressed Will of the people of a state is
in danger Of being defeated.
But why this appeal to the American
DeOnio? Because violence ia thra9
to the safeguards of your liberty Be
cause the right to rule of the majority In
one of the sovereign states Of the Union
is being denied; because the safeguards
and rights of individuals and of states
are being broken down. and many of your
representatives are too cowardly to even
make a protest against such proceedings
because they fear they would endangef
their chances for reelection If they
voted against the hlgh-handed measures
now taking place.
MORMON ISSUE.
1t is true that the representative from
the state of Utah is Mormon and just
now against the Mormon people a popu-
lar wave Of sentiment, created by false
hood. chiefly by the charge that Utah
has broken her compact with the United
States in the matter of polygamous mar
rages; that the seating Of Utahs repre-
sentative would be regarded by her Nor
mon population as in Endorsement of
polygamy and would be a menace to the
American home Upon nv honor "a as tii .
representative from the state of Utah, a.
man in whom the state of Utah has re-
posed her confidence. both non Mormons
as we'll as MOrmons, solemnIy deny
those charges. They are not true The
only thing chargeableo 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 settlement
Of the polygamy question between the
government of the United States and the
state of Utah, by which ''polygamous or
plural marriages are forever prohibited
in the state Of Utah, a penalty affixed
by constitutional provision and the whole
made unrepealable without the consent
of the United States and the consent of
the people of Utah 81.
I know not whether in this fight shall
win or lose; whether Justice shall tri-
umph or malice bear down justice, but I
shall have this satisfaction, If fail, that
when future ills grow out Of this high
handed mea now being enacted, ] did
what 1 could to prevent them.
B. H. Roberts.