The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-08


sentation-"vioIence Threatens the
Safeguards of Your Liberties"
Washington, Dec. 8--Brigham II.
Roberts, of Utah. who was not allow
ed to be sworn in as representative
in congress of that state. has issued
an address to the American people.
It contains much that was said by Mr..
Roberts on the floor of the house and
by Mr. Richardson. who opposed the
resolution of Mr. Tayler, of Ohio. In
the course of the address Mr.. Roberts
says:
"The member from Utah is not al
lowed to take the oath of his office,
and committee is appointed to try
him as to his alleged guilt of the Of
fenses charged. Nay, even more is
granted than was asked, at least more
than was asked upon the floor of the
house, for a hostile committee has
been appointed to inquire into the case
Its membership is made up entirely of
those who voted to adopt the method
of procedure. Not one who voted
against it was allowed to find a place
upon that committee.
Il ask the American people to stop
and think what that may mean to this
country in times of high political ex-
element, and party strife and pas
sion formidable minority in the
house may be reduced either to a very
insignificant minority or even blotted
out of existence. The representation
to which a state is entitled on the
floor of the house may be denied to
lt-as in this Utah case-for any
length of time this committee may
elect to deny it such representation.
The committee is not even instructed
to report at as early a date as pos
sible. 1t can prolong its Investigations
for two years as we'll as a month, or a
year, if it so elects, and meantime deny
to a state representation, and may de-
feat altogether the expressed will of
the people of state as to their choice
of representative.
eff the present Republican house can
thus deprive Utah of her representa-
ton, there is no reason why 1t could
not deny Virginia hers, even though
she has ten representatives, for ten
representatives as easy as one can be
turned away from the bar of the house,
and one state as well as another If a
bare majority in the house chooses to
have it so. And If the present Repub-
lican house can do this in the case of
Utah or Virginia, there is no reason
why the next Democratic house could
not proceed in like manner with repre-
sentatives from Republican states
under this new and unprecedented rule
Of procedure.
~ deny the existence of the lawful
power of the house to prevent me from
being sworn in on the presentation OF
the same evidence of prima facie right
upon which others are admitted to
membership.
81 deny the right Of the house OF
representatives to resolve itself into
a justice of the peace court, to try
me for misdemeanor, alleged to have
been committed, in order to find
grounds of expulsion or exclusion from
the high office to which l was elected
/ deny its right to confer any such
power upon it's committee.
violence is threatened to the safe.
guards of your liberties. The right OF
the rule of the majority in one of the
sovereign states in the Union is being
denied The safeguards OF the rights
and liberties of the individual and OF
the states, are being broken down, and
many of your representatives are toe
cowardly to even make protest
against such proceedings, because they
fear they would endanger their
chances for reelection IL they voted
against the high handed measure now
taking place.
American citizens, it is a Mormon
who is the object of the popular clamoI
- - H.
the Methodist, or the Free Thinker to-
morrow? If the rights of the repre-
sentative from Utah, and of his state
cannot be safeguarded by the provis.
ions of the constitution and the laws
from the frenzy of popular fury, set on
fire by faisehood and distortion, what
guarantee have we that any ones
rights are secure? And is It trus that
this mob law, by indirection, is to
reach within what should be the sa-
cred precincts of the house of repre-
sentatives itself? I shall do all l can
to maintain my rights and, indirectly
yours too, under the constitution.
"I stand alone, save for the very few
who gave me their very guarded sup.
port by voting against the monstrous
proceedings that prevents me from
taking the oath Of office. | am with
out dollar at my command except the
salary attached to my Office with which
to fight the battle now pending before
the special committee. / am without
legal counsel. except for the kindly
suggestions of here and there a WORD
| from a lawyer. acquaintance or friend
And, indeed, l prefer 1t to be so now
for my case is 80 firmly rooted in jus
tice that it needs but a plain state
ment of the facts and a fair appiica,
ton of the law to them in order to
make my right to my seat apparent,
81 know not whether in this fight
shall win or lose; whether justice shall
triumph or malice bear down justice
but l shall have this satisfaction II
! fail, that when in future ills grow
out of this high handed measure, now
being enacted. l did what could tc