The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-06

the disposition of his case Is yet to
be decided The reading of the presi-
dents message was completely over
shadowed by the dramatic proceedings
The galleries were thronged with
spectators, mostly women, who sat
patiently through the three weary
hours that preceded the debate and
then waited three hours more until IL
was concluded. The most remarkable
feature of the debate was the fact that
Mr.. 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 galleries and was showered with
applause. 1t was evident that he re-
allied that the house was overwhelm-
ingly against him, and at times he
spoke fiercely and defiantly.
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 He
then discussed the charge that he had
years ago, and called attention to the
fact that since that time two presi-
Dental amnesties have been applied
to men disqualified by the Edmunds-
Tucker act. He proceeded:
"The gentleman from Ohio has no
court record to show that / was ever
arraigned or condemned of crime
whatsoever since the promulgation of
amnesty 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
izing the people of the state of Utah
to form a state government. That en-
abling act also had a provision en-
bodied in 1t that qualified all citizens
within the limits of the territory to
| become citizens of the United States
and was particularly framed to re-
move the disqualifications and disabil-
| tiles which nave been created by the
/ Edmunds-Tucker law. The gentleman
/ seems to forget also that the state con-
| stitution of Utah was satisfactory to
| the president and his advisers and
| Utah has been admitted as a state into
| the Union and has taken upon itself
| the responsibilities of a sovereign
| state, declaring under its constitution
people residing in its borders shall
exercise the elective franchise and be
! qualified for Office as citizens of that
| great commonwealth
"The second charge, which is sup
posed to go to the question eligibility
of the member from Utah, Is that upon
affidavit and other papers in his pos
session the gentleman from Ohio says
that ever since 1889 l have been per-
sistent law breaker in the state of
Utah. If that be true, let me ask why
it is that l was not punished for law
breaking. Certainly there was no dis
position to execute the law on the part
of the people of Utah. It's adminiss
tration was in the hands of non. .Mors
mons, of those who had no sympathy
with men OF my religious faith. All
the machinery of the law was in the
hands of appointees. How is 1t then
that / could be an open and defiant
law breaker and yet escape the penalty
of law?
''I call your attention next to the
fact that the only charge against me,
even by the proponents of this resolu-
tion, is that OF a misdemeanor. They
that the members of congress are
granted certain privileges while In at
tendance upon this house. II would
be impossible to arrest any one Of the
members upon the charge of a mis-
demeanor. And yet you would deny
me the privilege of being sworn as g
member of this couse, upon the allega'
ton of the existence of some charge
or other that l was guilty of mis-.
demeanor. The little coterie of meI
: who nave entered into this conspiracy
TO crowd this question to the from
are fearful that II the matter should &
to a consideration under a resolution
to expel the member from Utah they
4 could not marshal the necessary two
, thirds vote.
! 81 invoke the protection that Il
given to the constituency of a soyer
Z eign state against the proceedings tina
> are instituted here to deprive me of tn
= privilege Of being sworn in as a mem
ber of this house. Privilege did say
i sir. / am not asking any privilege II
this house. | am not asking any favo
), of the members of this house. Unde
the shadow of the constitution of tn
United States, l merely demand, bot
/
4 state, the protection that is due to us.
u Mr.. Roberts next called attention t
|, the precedent in the Forty-third con
q gress in the case Of Mr.. Cannon, VIII
u was admitted as delegate from Uta
y territory, adding:
52 81 can add nothing to the force G
, that gentleman's remarks, except this
that in the case of Mr.. Cannon tn
house was dealing with a delegat
from a territory, not the representatiy
eI of the people OF a sovereign state
D 1T is to be remarked in this cor
n, nection that, strange to say, the cours
o. of nature was not disturbed, notwitt
I'd standing an alleged polygamist wa
ne permitted by the vote of a Republ
ys can congress to remain on the foe
%, of this house. 1t did not transpire, g
I'D it is said it did not transpire in al
eient Rome a little ere the might
70 Julius fell The graves stood not tel
antless The sheeted dead did NJ
st stand and gibber in the streets