Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-08

| said that transcript of the proceedings
of court in Utah evidences the fact that
the member from Utah pleaded guilty to
misdemeanor in the year 1SS9-l2 years
ago, and when Utah was territory.
| Whatever political disabilities were Gre
ated by that event were removed by the
sovereign state of Utah when, in the
adoption of her state constitution IN 1895,
she, by her sovereign power, declared what
should be the qualifications of her elector-
ate, and possess them all. And this side
of the enabling act and the admission of
Utah am at the defiance of my enemies
to produce any court record of conviction
| for crime, or at any time since the miSde-
meanor of 1889, and the house has no
right to proceed on any other evidence
than such court records.
1t is true that the representative from
Utah is Mormon" and just now
against the Mormon people wave of
popular sentiment, created by fnlsehood,
chiefly by tine charge that Utah has broken
her compact with the United States in the
matter of poiygamy; that the people con-
template the revival OF polygamous mar
riages; that the seating of Utah's repre-
sentative would be regarded by her Nor
| mon population as au endorsement Of
polygamy and would be menace to the
American home. Upon my honor as a
representative from the state of Utah, a
man in whom the state of Utah has re-
posed her confidence, both non-Mormons
as well as Mormons, L solemnly deny
these charges. They are not true. The
only thing chargeable to some few men in
the state of Utah is that they have not de-
serted the plural wives they married years
ago. previously to the settlement of the
polygamy question between the govern
ment OF the United States and the state Of
Utah.
HEven continuing the relations formed
E.f~ .nv1f nf fhn Hon
though their disruption was neither de-
manded by the enabling act nor conten-
plated in the provisions of the state con-
stitution-are under the law misde-
meanor and punishable; but it has not
been regarded as necessary to good NOR
SIS or public policy to prosecute people for
this otiense, and neither by the Republi-
can party or by the Democrats has the ex-
istence of such relations been considered
bar to political preferment until the politi-
cal and religious enemies of the present
representative from Utah thought proper
to urge them against him. But such
men have been elected to office of high
honor in the state of Utah and others,
against whom such charges We're made by
affidavit, were appointed to federal offices
in the state Notwithstanding such obJec-
tions were urged against them.
The special committee of the house
appointed to investigate the charges
against Mr.. Roberts held its first meet
ing behind closed doors. The meeting
was called for the purpose of determin-
ing the method of procedure i'll the
case. It was presided over by the
chairman, Mr.. Taylor of Ohio. All the
Dther members of the committee were
present, Messrs. Morris of Minnesota,
rreer of West Virginia, Littlefield of
Maine Mcpherson of Iowa, Lands of
Indiana, Republicans, and De Almond
of Missouri, Lanham of Texas and
Miars of Indiana, Democrats.
Little progress was made at the meet
ing and an adjournment was taken
until today.
1t had not been decided whether Mr..
Roberts was to be allowed counsel or
whether thaFlearIngs will be open or
private. The determination of the lat
ter question. it was believed, will de-
pend upon Nj. Roberts wishes. MIR.
Roberts also will doubtless be allowed
counsel