The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-06
Mr.. ROBERTS
SHUT OUT.
Taylor Resolution Carries by a
Vote of 3O2 to 30.
Refers the Case to an InVesti-
eating Committee.
CAN'T BE SWORN IN
Until Report Is Received and
Acted Upon.
The Mormon Wins Sympathy
by His Speech.
CAN'T BE SWORN IN

washington. Dec. 6-After debate of
three hours the house yesterday even
ing, by a vote of 3O2 to 80 adopted the
resolution offered by Mr.. Taylor (Ohio),
for the appointment of a special com
rnittee to investigate the charges
against Brigham H. Roberts. the Nor
mOn-represen elect from Ctan-
Previously the house had rejected a
subreSOlutiOn offered by Mr. HIcharQ-
son the leader of the minority, to al
low Mr.. Roberts to be sworn IN and TO
send the whole case to the judiciary
committee. The subresOlut1On, now
ever. by no means commanded the run
Democratic strength. Only 81 members
voted for it.Of the 80 who voted against
the Taylor resolution, all were Demo
Gratis except two. Mr. Loud, CalltOr-
mia Republican and Mr.. NeWlandS, q
silverite from Nevada
BY the terms of the resolution Mr..
Roberts is not only excluded from all
participation in the proceedings OF the
house until the committee reports and
the house passes upon his case, but ne
is denied a seat in the hall Whether
this viii be Interpreted to deny hlm ad-
mission within the chamber pending
the disposition of his case, IS yet to be
decided.
The reading of the presidents mes
sage was completely Overshadowed by
the dramatic proceedings which has
resulted in the action of the house
The galleries We're thrOnged with spec
tatOrs, mostly women, who sat patient
ly through the three weary hours that
preceded the debate and then waited
on three hours more until It was con-
Cluded. The most remarkable feature
of the debate was the fact that N1T
Roberts presentation of his own side of
the case, which lasted almost an hour
became SO absorbing that he won the
sympathy OF many OF those IN the gal
leries and was several times shOwered
with applause. 1t was evident that he
realized that the house was Overwhelm-
-,-- D. Ha
spoke fercely and defiantly-
Mr.. Taylor conducted the case upon
his side Mr.. Richardson ehampiOned
his resolution.
During the debate Mr.. GrosvenOr
CRep.. %. rose to Indignantly repel an
iusinuatiOn of Mr.. Roberts that the
president had knowingly appointed
men guilty of polygamy to federal Of
Mr.. Roberts himself took the floor
in his own defense. He occupied a con
spicuOus place Immediately in front of
the clerks desk Several legal vol
umes were piled up in front and bOu-
quet of carnations lay upon his desk.
The most intense interest was mani
Tested as he arose. Members crowded
about, but We're compelled to return to
their seats. The galleries We're hushed.
The occupants leaned over to listen.
eager to let no word escape. His voice
was soft and low. but his enunciatiOn
was distinct and in the stiffness could
be heard to the fartherest corner of the
hall
AS he got into his argument his voice
grew louder. until on several occasions
it rang out until the fretted ceiling
overhead gave back the echo
Mr. Roberts began by sending to the
clerks desk and having read a copy
of his naturalization papers, in order,
as he said. that all the documents in
this extraordinary case should be be-
fore the house. He then read a para
graph from McCreary on elections con
tanning a general caution against hasty
procedure in election contests.
Now gentlemen" continued Mr..
Roberts. that is the statement of one
whose book has authority in this cOun-
try And if it is the rule of the house
Of representatives in cases that arise to
the dignity of a contest how infinitely
more should that rule be observed
when only mere protest is made
against a member who presents him
self to take the oath Of office. I next
proceed TO the consideration of the
charges that are supposed to justify
what the gentlemen from Ohio CNIr.
Iayler) himself conceded to be an un-
usual proceeding and which my friend
on this side CNIr. Richardson of Tenn),
has demonstrated to be an unprece-
dented proceeding. The gentleman
from Ohio bases his charge upon
court record: That some j years ago
In the midst of our conflict in the then
territory Of Utah over the subject of
polygamy that / pleaded guilty to a
cnarge OF a miSdemeanOr. The gen
tleman seems to be ObliviOus to the
fact that since the date of his court
record on this subject we have had two
presidential amnesties proclaimed that
nave been applied to men disqualified
by the Edmunds-Tucker act. 1 under
stand gentlemen who were lawyers to
admit this fact, and they Will certainly
appreciate the value of it.
The gentleman from Ohio has no
court record to show that I was ever
arraigned or condemned of crime what
6oever since the PRONUNCIATION of am
nesty proclamation of the president of
the United States The gentleman
seems also to forget the fact that since
the confession of that misdemeanOr to
which he has referred there was pass
ed by congress an enabling act author
1zing the people of the state of Utah to
form state government. That enab-
ling act also had a provision embodied
in it that qualified all citizens within
the limits of the territory to become
citizens of the United States and was
particularly framed to remove the dis
qualifications and disabilities which
had been created by the Edmunds-
Tucker law The gentleman seems to
forget also that the state constitution
OF Utah was satisfactory to the presi-
dent and his advisors and Utah has
been admitted as a state into the union
ana has taken upon itself the response
bllJleS OF sovereign state, declaring
under Its constitution who of the peO-
pie residing in its border shall exercise
the elective franchise and be qualified
Tor office as citizens of that great COM
monweaIth.
The second charge. which is suppos-
ed to 60 to the question of eligibility of
the member from Utah is that upon af-
ndaVlt and others papers in his posses
sion the gentleman from Ohio saws that
ever since 1889 have been a persistent
laW-breaker in the state of Utah If
that Is true, let me ask why it is that
/ was not punished for law breaking
Certainly there was no dfS00siriOD not