The Portland daily press., 1899-12-06

upon proper occasion, It's right 10 halt .
member 81 the bar whom his qualifications
for . seat were Questioned. He quoted
sxtsnsivsly from "MoCrsary on cleo
tiona" In support Of his argument. He
reviewed the Gases Of Proctor Knott
Boyd Winchester and John n. Rice OF
<ntucky, who had bssn stopped at the
NAnr Of the House on the ground that they
were disqualified bseauss they had been
disloyai.
Eve are told" said Mr.. Taylor In con :
olusion, "that We are about 10 create an
unhappy precedent. Why, Mr.. Speaker.
We are doing this In the open gaze Of the
whols world, not In . cloistered court
We are the servants Of the people em-
pswsrsd 10 do the right - We sse IL Tbs
public eye is upon us, the public oon-
science quiokens us. In that presence.
We can do no wrong II We do but obey
IL"
Mr. Taylos's concluding words were
greeted with . storm Of applause. both
from tAs door and the galleries. Few
Democrats, however, joiEed In the ap-
plauss.
Mr.. Riohsrdson. the minority leader.
Mr.. Taylor. He did not intsnd.
be said. 10 discuss the merits Of the case.
The question In Issue was - to whsthsr
the fsprsssntative-slsot. Roberts. ned .
prima faois right 10 his seat. He was not
willing 10 reject . reprssentative-elsc
who appeared at the bar Of the House
with his credentials In due form. II he
was denied admission q president would
be created which would rise to plague the
House in years to come. The only oon-
stitutional objection raised against the
ember-elect related 70 his naturalization
and that Mr.. Richardson asserted would
not hold. He dsfied the other side to pro-
duce q single precedent where objection
was raised to the administering OF the oath
except on exceptional grounds. The
presidents Cited were made during the
war and were not to be relied upon. In
those days the constitution was written
with the sword. The presidents had all
sinoe been overFuled after the passions
that followed had subsidized.
Mr.. Richardson declared that ths NIL
nority was In no wise bound BY his POSI-
tion. He spoke
FOR HIMSELF ALONE
He was willing to say that II the
against tho member elect were
proven he should favor his expulsion.
"If there is one thing the American
people are o unit upon." said he, at is
that the American home shall b. pre-
served In all Its loveliness swestness and
purity. (Appiause.) But 1t is not wise
to permit our judgment to be warped by
public olamor. To do SO would amount
to oondemnatio without trial."
Mr.. Richardson than brought forward
several rrsoedents In support OF his posi-
tion. The first was the case of George Q
who appeared In the House as .
-slsot from Utah In 1873. MIR.
Cannon WAS - Republican. Almost
the same charges now made
against Roberts were made against Cam
non. He read from the speeches Of S. S.
Cox Of New York and other prominent
Demo Gratis opposing the denying of a ssat
to Cannon on ths ground that 1t would
establish dangerous precedent and pro-
duoe ohAos In the future.
"Ihose Dem oorats." said he, "rose
above party prejudice and stood by the
and the right" democratic
applause)
He also quoted the late President Gar
field In support Of his contention that
where the credentials presented were
regular In form there was no power In
the Houss to exclude the holder Of them.
MIR. Richardson read the words Of Mr..
fairfield, which concluded: "There are
no personal objections
"But there are personal objections In
the case before the House" interpossd Mr.
Taylor, amid laughter and applause.
"Not personal objections to the mem
bsr- -sleot," said Mr.. Richardson, ''per-
sonal disqualihoations only are alleged"
"Yes. personal objsctions," shouted a
member on the Republican side amid an
other outburst.
Mr.. Richardson read from alleged in
terviews with MIR. Dalzsll of Psnnsyl-
vania, Mr.. Steele OF Indiana and Mr..
Cannon Of Illinois, In which they were
alleged to have stated that Mr.. Roberts
was entitled
TO TAKE THE OATH
upon the prima facie evidence OF his
Mr.. Dalzell and Mr.. Steele dsnied the
Interviews. Mr.. Cannon asserted In his
apinion II charges Of inelig ibility were
made 1t was competent for the House to
receive them now or hereafter.