The San Francisco call., 1899-12-08
ROBERTS POWERFUL
PLEA TO THE PEOPI. Il
Declares He Is Being Kept Out Of Congress
Charge Which He Gould Not
Arrested

useless to deny this statement by saying that in
the charge against me which resulted In n.the ap-
pointnent Of this extraordinary committee OF
INVESTIGATION II is that transcript OF the pro-
ceedings OF court in Utah evidences the fact
that the member from Utah pleaded guilty 70
Il nllsdcIneanor IN the year lsSs-ten years ago
and when Utah was Territory. Whatever po-
ltical disabilities that were created by that
event were removed by the sovereign State OF
Utah when in the adoption Of her state con-
tttution In 1895. she by her sovereign power
declared what should be the qualifications OF her
electorate and i possess them all And. under
the enabling act and the admission OF Utah.
aeiy my enemies TO produce any court record
OF conviction for crime. at any time since the
mlsdemeanor Of 1859 and the House has no
rlGht TO proceed on any other evidence than
such court records ! deny the existence of the
lawful power Of the House OF Representatives
TO prevent ne from being sworn in the pre-
fS III Ul Ite same evidence OF prlI1a iacIe
tisht upon which others are admitted TO mem
bershp l deny the right OF the House OF Rep
resehtatlNes 10 resolve itself into Justice
1I sdce court 10 try me for a misdemeanor al
leged 10 have been committed in order TO and
grounds or expulsion or exclusion from the high
oince 70 which was elected.
ueny It's right TO confer any such power
upon It's committee. II / guilty Of the
misGemeanor charged-even fagrantiy so-here
IN the capital could not even be arrested for
the onense. 80 slight is Il considered under the
law. Ihe constitution gives the members OF
ors except for breach OF the peace and yet for
an alleged misdemeanor for which could not
-pe arrested while in attendance In the House, or
e MIie gong 10 or from II. l am deprived OF the
right 10 take the oath OF office: my final right
~ ihs Se4t Is IN jeopardy, the people OF one OF
the sovereign States denied representation
20 long as IL shall suit the purposes OF the
committee y have II SO. and the expressed will
oi the people Of State is In danger of being
defeated.
But why this appeal 10 the American people?
because violence IS threatened 10 the safe
euarcs oI your liberties Because the right OF
the rule OF the majority In one OF the sover-
eien states in the Union Is being denied. Be
cause the safeguards OF the rights and liber-
Ties or the individual and OF the States are be-
lhs hnocked down and many Of your Repre-
seniaitves are too cowardly to even make
protest against such proceedings. because they
rear they would endanser their chances for
reelection II they voted against the high
handed measures now taking place
IL Is true that the Representative from Utah
is Mormon, and Just there Is against
the Mormon people a wave Of popular sentiment
created by falsehood. chiefly by the charge
that Utah has broken her compact with the
United States In the matter OF polygamy: that
her people contemplate the revival OF poyga .
nous marriages. that the seating Of Utah g
Representative would be regarded by her Nor
mon population as on Endorsement OF polygamy
and would be menace 10 the American home
Upon my honor Representative from the
State Of Utah a man IN whom the State OF
Utah has reposed her confidence. both nom
Mormons we'll as Mormons. | solemnly deny
those charges. They are not true. The only
thing chaTgeabe 10 some few men in the State
of Utah is that they have not deserted the
plural wives they married years ago. previous
90 the settlement OF the polygamy question
between tho Government Of the United States
and the State of Utah by which polygamous
or plural marriages forever prohibited, in
the state of Utah. penalty affixed by con-
s'itutioual provision, and the whole made un-