The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-17
CAMPING ON THE
MORMON'S TRAIL
A Protest Against Congress-
man-eIeCt Roberts.
HE HAS TOO MANY WIVES
a RESOLUTION AGAINST ADMIT
TING HIM TO CONGRESS.
INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE YESTERDAY
The Democrats Preparing to Restore the Wes.
tern Counties to The Cong essionaI
Distress in Which They
Properly Belong,

O'SH Go W WHICH lney
Properly Belong.
1t now looks as if North Carolina also
will raise her voice in protest against the
seating of Brigham II. Roberts. Con-
gressman-lect from Utah
The following resolution, calling on the
North Carolina delegation in Congress
to join the fight against the polygamist,
was yesterday introduced in the House
and referred to the Committee on Fed
eral Relations:
Resolutions of instruction to our
Senators and Representatives in Con
gress against the seating of b. II.
Roberts as a member of Congress
Whereas, at an election held in
Utah In November, B. ii. Roberts
was elected as a member of the 5Gth
Congress of the United tSates. and
as the said B. III. Roberts is a polyC
amist, having three wives and living
in willful defiance of the sense of
morality of the American lcOple.
Therefore be it resolved by the
Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the State of North Caro-
lima, that our Senators and Repre-
sentatives in the jJth Congress adj
vOcate the passing of law which
will forever debar a poygamist
from occupying seat in the SEN
ate or House of Representatives of
the United States.
Resolved 2, That our Representa-
tives of the 56th Congress be re-
quested to use all the means in their
power to prevent the seating of the
said B. II. Roberts, meniber-elect
from Utah.
Resolved 3. That the Secretary of
State he and is hereby directed to
send copy of these resolutions inn
mediately' upon their passage to the
members of the 5Jth Congress and
to the elected members of the seth
Congress.
Resolutions similar to the above have
been introduced in several State Legsa-
lures, including New York. Also church
es. conferences, mission societies, wo-
man societies and the like have denounc-
ed the member-elect from Utah and "reso-
luted' against his admission to the Ma
tional House of Representatives.
These organizations, as indicated in the
above resolutions. will demand the ex-
pulsion of Roberts on the ground that he
lis a pOlygamist having three wives, .
and that all of them We're married after
the anti-Dolygamy law of 1882. or at
least since the law of 1862 His mar
riages will be declared to be "a lawful
defiance of hw, as well as a wilful de.
fiance of the sense of morality of the
American people,.
In letter sent out recently by the
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of
the Methodist Episcopal church the state
ment is made that Roberts lost his right
to vote or hold office because of his inn
prisonment for polygamy in 1899 II
declares that he has confessedly lived
with plural wives and begotten polyga-
nous children since 1890" and, therefore.
has not regained these rights under the
amnesty prOclamations of Presidents
Harrison and Cleveland
What will become of the above reso-
luton, yesterday introduced, it is hard
to say. 1t was presented to the House by
Mr. Patterson, by request and its fate
is now in the hands Of the Committee
on Federal Relations.
When it was introduced, the Speaker
asked: What cOm.A.ttee does the gem
tleman suggestY
The Committee or Marital Relations, "
quickly replied Mr.. Francis ID. Winston.
who is by long odds the wittiest member
of the House.
The resolution went to the Committee
on Federal Relations
Another bill of more than usual inn
portance introduced yesterday was that
by Mr.. Leatherwood; providing fo, put
ting the county of Mitchell back into the
Eighth district.
Mitchell, it will be remembered, is a
strong Republican county and was,
through the influence of Congressman
Pearson, transferred from the Eighth
to the Ninth district in order to make
the Ninth Republican and thus insure
his election to Congress.
1t is now proposed to put it back in the
Eighth. where it first was, and where it
properly belongs.
At the same time that Mr.. Leather
wood introduced his bill. Mr.. Davis,
Haywood, laid before the House a resolu-
ion, which was adopted, providing for
he appointment of special commit
.ee on changes in Congressional dis
riets.
AT the same time that Mitchell rs
from the Eighth to the Ninth
district, Yadkin and Davie will be taken
rom the Eighth and put back in the
seventh. and Cleveland and Castor will
le taken from the Seventh district and
mt in the Eighth.
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