The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-08
ISSUES AN ADDRESS.
,pPEAL TO AMERICAN PEOPLE
FOR HIS 'RIGHTS."

blow at Utah's Representa-
..-Snvs the Only Fault Is Men
-, Not Desert Their Plural wives
-,..en PoIygamy Was Abolished.
,,-,-h,ngton. Dec. brigham H Rob
,f Utah. who was not allowed TO be
60 In as a representative in Congress
,t5, state has issued an address to
the American people.
=, .,ntains much that was said by Mr..
,.hsrrs on the floor of the House and by
NJ richardson, who opposed the resolu~
ZION of Mr. Tayler of Ohio.
,f-ar reviewing the facts and proceed
Tvs r.sulting in the appointment of the
committee. he said:
.Tbs member from Utah is not allowed
81, ,a1,e the oath of his office, and a com
.,ittes is appointed to try him as to his
.rsss5 Guilt of the offenses charged. Nay,
a,.sr more is granted than was asked. at
least more than was asked upon the floor
If the House. For a hostile committee has
hon appointed to inquire into the case.
lis membership is made up entirely of
,b,se who voted to adopt the method of
procedure.
81 ask the American people to stop and
think what such action may mean to this
country in times of high political excite
rsnt and party strife and passion.
First \ formidable minority in the
House may be reduced either to a very
Insignificant minority or even blotted out
OF existence.
second The representation to which
The state is entitled ON the floor of the
House may be denied to it-as in this
1tab case-for any length of time this
committee may elect to deny it such repre-
sentation. Supposes that in this case the
committee shall see fit to proceed with
reasonable expedition to consider the
ouastons involved, but what is there to
hinder it delaying its action under one
nreext or another as it pleases? 1t can
nroong its investigation for two years
as well as a month or a year, if it so
elects. and meantime deny to a state rep
resentation, and may defeat altogether the
EXPRESSED will of a people of a state as to
their choice Of a representative.
Says 1t Is unconstitutional.
Third. This new precedent also strikes
down the constitutional guarantee of
right 10 one accused of a crime, to "a
speedy and public trial by an impartial
Jury of the state wherein the crime shall
have been committed The proposition is
not 10 deprive me of my seat in Congress
by the presentation of records of convic-
lion for crime by courts before which
have been found guilty, under the due
forms Of the law. The proposition is to
Try NE before the committee of the House,
to send for persons and papers and wit
nesses to ascertain my guilt or innocence
Of an alleged msdemeanor, reported to
bat-a a. IN,
If l were guilty of the misdemeanor
charged, even flagrantly so-here in the
captal--I could not even be arrested for
The 0ffense so slight is it considered under
the law. The constitution gives the men,
bers Of Congress immunity from arrest for
misdemeanors, except for breaca of the
peace and yet for an alleged misdemeanor,
for which l could not be arrested while
in attendance upon the House, or while
going to or from it, 1 am deprived of the
right to take the oath of my office; my
final right to my seat is in jeopardy; the
people of one of the sovereign states is
denied representation, so long as it shall
suit the purpose of the committee to have
1t SO. and the expressed will of the people
Of a state is in danger of being defeated.
Did Not Desert Their Wives.
IT is true that the representative from
Utah is Mormon and just now against
popular sentiment, created by falseh Cd,
chiefly by the charge that Utah has broke
en- her compact with the United States in
the matter OF polygamy; that her people
contemplate the revival OF poygamous
marriages; that the seating Of U abs rep
fesentaiive would be regarded by her
Mormon population as an endarse1 e1t of
polysamy and would be a menaca to the
American home. Upon my honor as a
Tf4fg from, he
man in whom the state of Utah as re-
posed their confidence, both non-Morm mons
as Wen as Mormons, 1 solemnly deny
nose charges. They are not true. The
only thing chargeable to some few men
10 the state of Utah, is that they have
not deserted the plural wives they mar
red years ago previous to the settlement
" me polygamy question betws en- the gov
eminent Of the United States and the
state Of Utah
Even continuing the relations formed
before this settlement of the question,
WolgA their disruption was neither de-
uahuel by the enabling act, nor contem-
p-s'ed IN the provisions of the state con-
sIlluon-is under the law a misdemeanor
ana punishable; but it has not been re-
sdIded as necessary to good morals or
p-'lc policy to prosecute people for this
oNehse' and neither by the Republican
f taiV or by Democrats has the existence
"a sucA relations been considered bar
70 pottcal preferment until the political
aI- IeAsiouS enemies of the present repre-
sentative from Utah thought proper to
s.se tnem against him. But such men
have been elected to Offices of high honor
HI l"7 state of Utah and others against
MON such charges We're made by affida-
Vs. We're appointed to federal offices in
5 slaIe notwithstanding such objections
we're urged against them.
says He Has No Funds.
sA8l. do all 1 can to maintain my
So under the constitution. stand
save for the very few who gave
."tlI very guarded support by voting
sss a--sl the monstrous proceedings that
.,"'s me from taking the oath of Office.
Nu without a dollar at my command,
- the salary attached TO my Office,
~ "llch to fight the battle now pending
NJ, me special committee. I am with
7ai counsel except for the kindly
ions here and there from a lawyer
lance or friend. / want the condi-
~ acre named TO stand as a refuta-
~. '- ne sensational charges that have
sr,-s .l7ae about the Mormon Church
m--''s behind me, with any amount of
rru1