The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-08

evidence OF prima facie right upon which
others are admitted to membership.
l deny the right of the house to resolve
itself into the justice of peace court 10
try me for misdemeanor, alleged to have
been committed. in order TO find grounds
of expulsion or exclusion from the high
Office to which | was elected.
/ deny its rights to confer any such
power upon its committee.
| II l were guilty OF the misdemeanor
charged. even iiagrantly so--here is the
capital could not even be arrested FOR
the offense. so slight is 1t considered IN
der the law. The constitution gives the
| members OF congress Immunity from ar
rest for niisdenieanors except for breach
of the peace and yet for an alleged mis-
demeanor for which | could not be ar
rested while in attendance upon the house,
or while going to or from It'll AN de-
prived of the right to take fhe oath OF
office; my final right to my seat is in
Jeopardy the people of one of the sover-
eign States are denied representation, so
long as it sHll suit the purpose OF the
committee to have 1t so. and the expressed
will of the people of State Is in danger
OF being defeated.
But why this appeal TO the American
people? Because violence is ihre--?ned to
tho safeguards of your liberties. Because
| the right of the rule OF the majority 10
lone
lis being denied. Because the safeguards
of the rights and liberties Of the individ-
lual and of the States are being broken
down and many of your representatives.
| are too cowardly 10 even make a protest
| against such proceedings, because they
| feared they would endanger their chances
for reelection If they voted against the
lhighhanded measures now taking place.
It is true that the representative from
Utah is a Mormon and there
is prevailing now against the
sentiment created by falsehood, chiefly by
the charge that Utah has broken her com
pact with the United states in the matter
of polygamy; that her people contem-
| Mate the revival of polygamous marriages;
II that the seating Of Utahs representative
would be regarded ny her Mormon popn-
lation as an Endorsement of polygamy ana
would be n menace to the American home.
Upon my honor az a representative from
the State of Utah, a man In whom the
State OF Utah has reposed her confidence,
both non Mormons as well as Mornlons.
soiemnly deny those charges. They are
not true. The only thing chargeable TO
some few men In the State Of Utah Is that
they have not deserted the plural wives
they married years ago previous to the
settlement OF the polygamy question be-
tween the government Of the United states
and the State of Utah, by which "polyga-
nous or plural marriages are forever pro-
hibited" in the State OF Utah, penalty al
fixed by constitutional provision and the
whole made unrenealabe WITHOUT the
consent of the United States and the people
Of Utah Even continuing the relations
began before this settlement a. the ques-
tion-tbough their disruption was neither
demanded by the enabling act or contem-
N,ra ia ~, .f~fN ~ hn n IN
situatinn--are under the law a misde-
meanor and punishable; but II has not
been regarded as necessary to good morals
or public policy to prosecute people for
this offense and neither by the republi-
can party or by the democrats has the
existence OF such relations been consid-
cred bar to political preferment until
the political and religious enemies OF Inc
present representative from Utah thought
proper to urge them against him. But
such men have been elected 10 offices
OF high honor in the State Of Utah and
others against whom such charges were
made by affidavit were appointed to Fed
eral Offices In the state Notwithstanding
such objections were urged ag-s-lt tpem.
submit TO you the question whether It
is worth while for your representatives, in
the lower house OF congress TO break down
the safeguards which protect both the
rights of individuals and the rights OF
| the States and which menaces representa-
tive government itself in the states--I ask
Is Il worth while to countensnee prose-
dure Involving dangers herein set forth,
In order to reach one man charget WIN
a miademeanor under the laws OF bis own
State and which is. In the eye Of the law
an offense So slight that under ths rishts
guaranteed 10 him and his constituents,
he could rot be arrested for l. while In
attendance upon his duties In congres'
American citizens. II IS "Mormon
who is the object Of the popular clamor to-
lday, may It not be the Catholic. or the