The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-28
SOME wAkM SPEECHES
LETTERS READ FROM RAWLINS
AND ROBERTS.
Utah Congressman Still Confident of
Being Seated-Thanks Citizens of
Springville For Defending the
Rights of the People-Says Utah
Citizens Have Been Disfranchised.
lspeclal to The Herald.)

called to order by F. II. Thomas. j. g.
Miner was elected chairman OF the
meeting and F. II. Thomas secretary
The meeting was first addressed py
Chairman Miner. who said:
"The constitution of the United
States deserves alteration, and when L
see ii about to be trampled under loot,
/ want to protest Our sole repreSen-
tative in the lower house has been re-
fused a seat. When, through the frenzy
of the masses, sovereign state mas
been deprived of representation without
due course of law, the government IS
disintegrating. Suppose, at the organ
ization of the house, Alabama had been
first called and permitted to take the
oath and then the Alabama represen-
tatives had challenged every other rep
resentative against taking the oatn'
as they came up. Why, one branch of
the government would have passed into
oblivion. This precedent ought and
cannot be perpetuated." @ea
Mayor Halls Address.
Mayor Hall of Springville. said:
Il am interested in this cause; we
are all interested in it. 1. do not see
how we can sit quietly by and see
our rights as Americans trampled I'M
der foot. Utah has been asked, through
her representative. to stand aside. 1t
seems to me that this is blow at the
citizens of other states. Millions OF
people petitioned against the swearing
in of Roberts, but 1 do not believe our
law makers can afford to be led by
clamoring public. We ought to protest.
1t is our right, and if the citizens OF
this state were doing their duty,
united protest would go up against the
wrong and Roberts would get his seat
Our cause is just and if they do not
do something for us, we ought to do
something for ourselves"
Whitecotton's Vigorous Speech.
]. W. N. whitecotton said: Il think
there is no difference of opinion as to
the legal status of our case Most OF
the congressman are agreed that Mr..
Roberts has a right to a seat in con-
gress. Some talk of a constitutional
amendment if they cannot GUST Roberts
as the constitution now stands. why
in the name of God do they want an
amendment? A majority of congress-
men know it is wrong to Gust Roberts,
believe he will yet take his seat and
the fact that they talk so strongly of
constitutional amendment leads me TO
believe they will have to let Roberts
in and satisfy their constituency by
passing an amendment. Suppose that
the representatives of New York state.
with twenty-siX presidential electoral
votes, were in question, do you think
election, would kick them out? No, it
must come from a little state that is
Democratic. The Tribune is in this
fight. Don't you remember that only
few years ago c. c. Goodwin in his
editorials was landing the people of
Utah in order to get statehood? He
has been damning the people ever since.
You will read this in the Tribune in the
morning, but / say to he'll with the
Tribune. 1 think that the house will
get sober again and repent of the
wrong, and Roberts will 60 into the
house triumphant
S. r. Thurman's Remarks.
s. r. Thurman spoke as follows: ST
have received more credit in whatever
has been done in these meetings than
am entitled to. but 1 am not ashamed
of what has been done. l have no
apologies to make. There are not so
many here tonight. but in year from
now thousands will claim to have been
identified with the movement because
the cause is just. We have been whip
ped and scourged so much in Utah that
sometimes think we dare not assert
our rights. 1 believe the people of
Utah have been honest We elected a
representative to congress with all the
necessary Qualifications and he should
have been permitted to take the oath,
pending an Investigation pertaining to
his ineligibility. Perhaps nineteen
twentieths here are Democrats. wish
you were otherwise and I believe that
Republicans and Democrats alike will
yet protest as American citizens 1t is
not B. II. Roberts or partisanship that
we stand for. 1t is. Utah.
s. A. King spoke briefly to the
Springville resolutions and earnestly
Joined the protest against Roberts not
being sworn in.
Letters From Rawlins and Roberts.
John Boyer, Springville, spoke a few
minutes in about the same vein as pre-
vious speakers, after which the follow
ing letters from 3. II. Roberts and
Senator Rawlins were read:
Washington. d. c.. Dec lS 1899
Hon. James Z. Hall, Chairman. and Err
nest NJ BOYER, ESD. Secretary, Spring.
vile, Utah.
Dear Sirs: have the honor to acknowl
edge the receipt of the resolutions adopt
ell at the meeting of the people of Spring
Vile. Dec II, 1899. and ! beg to say that l
regard them as a just and fitting protest
against the arbitrary action of the house
in regard to the Roberts case. Very re-
spectfuily, ]. L. RAWLINS.
Washington, D. c.. Dec q. 1889.
Hon James Hail. SpringviIie. Utah.
My Dear Sir: The resolutions recently
passed by the citizens of your city up
holding my course in Washington relative
to being seated and cordemning the ac-
TO take the oath of office, etc. in mass
meeting assembled. have been received |
Owing TO my time being wholly occupied
with the work that has been pressed up
on me in consequence of the trouble and |
annoyance ! have encountered / have |
not been able to acknowledge the receipt /
of the document you sent me until now. I |
certainly appreciate the action of the !
Springville citizens in this matter, and |
they are TO be commended for taking I'D
SO noble a defense of their rights and
those of all the people of the state of
Utah. The Importance of the case GER
tatnly calls for action on the part OF
utahs citizens. in that they all have been
disfranchsed without any cause what
ever. thank you and those who par
ticipated in the proceedings of the meet
ing referred to for thus assembling togeth-
er and causing their united voices to be
heard in protest against the revolutionary
methods by what should be the most de-
liberate body in all our broad land
While the unwarranted proceedings
thus far enacted with reference to the
representative from Utah are to be de-
plored. still am confident OF being seat
ed and that Utah will yet receive her
right of representation upon the floor of
the lower house of congress Again. ex--
pressing my qualification for the stand
your people have taken ! am. most truly
yours. B. H. ROBERTS.
The SpringviIle resolutions were then
adopted.
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