The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-08

candidate of his political a~ffliation.
The roll call resulted: Henderson LIT,
Richardson 153, Bell 4, Newlands 2.
The clerk thereupon the
election of Mr.. Henderson mid great
republican applause. He designated
Mr.. Richardson, Mr.. Bell and Mr.. New
lands as a committee to escort the
speaker to the chair.
The committee retired to the lobby
and after a short wait the doors of the
main aisle Of the house wun open
and General Henderson entered upon
the arm of Mr.. Richardson, followed
by the two other members of the COM
mittee. When he assembled the ros-
trum, Mr.. Richardson in a neat speech
introduced him and in esponse to the
hearty cheers he addressed the house
in a few words.
In accordance with the ~time-honor-
ed custom, the oldest member Of the
house in point Of service, Mr.. Harmer,
of Pennsylvania, who has served
twenty-four years in the lower branch
of congress, administered the oath to
the speaker. Appearing in the area in
ron of the clerks desk. he rea the
oath to the speaker, who with uplift-
ed hand repeated the single words af-
ter him. Another round of applause
followed, in. which the galleries
joined. The speaker then announce
ed that the oath would be ad-
ministered to the members by
states. AS the names of The mem
bcrs were called they appeared at the
bar in groups of about a dozen, and
there, with raised hands. were sworn
in by the speaker.
Mr.. ROBERTS CASE.
The moment for which all present
were anxiousIy waiting came when the
state Of Utah and Mr.. Roberts name
were called. Instantly a hush fell upon
the assembly.
Mr.. Taylor, of Ohio, was on his feet
asking for recognition. The speaker
recognized him Immediately.
Il object to the swearing in of the
representative-elect from Utah and to
his taking his seat" began Mr.. Taylor
in a clear distinct voice. Il do so, Mr..
Speaker, on my own responsibility as
a member of this house, and because
specific, serious and apparently we'll
grounded charges of ineligibility are
made against him. 4 transcript of the
proceedings of court in Utah evidences
the fact thaL the claimant was in 1889
convicted or that he pleaded guilty of
the crime of unlawful cohabitation. AT
fidavits and other papers in my Dos
session indicate that ever since then
he has been persistently guilty of the
same crime, and that eVer since then
he has been n is o a polygamist.
If this transcript and these affidavitS
and papers tell the truth the member
elect from Utah is, in my judgment,
ineligible to be a member Of this
house of representatives, o because
of the statutory disqualification of the
Edmunds law, and for higher and grav-
er and quite as sound reasons. / ought
also to say, in addition to what / have
just said, that l ave in my possession
q certified copy of the entry under
urhiob tho ~ Mt tD chic 81 uyoc
naturalized, and that eminent counsel
assert that if it be the record in the
case this claimant is not a citizen of
the United States. [ offer and express
no opinion upon h a proposition.
Mr.. Speaker, if it were possible to
emphasize the gravity of those charges
and the responsibility that is at this
moment imposed upon the house, we
will find that emphasis in the memori-
ais, a small part of which could be
physically cared for in this hail., but all
of which l now present to the house,
from over 1000, 900 American men and
women protesting against the entrance
of this representative-elect from Utah."
At the conclusion of Mr.. TaylOr's re-
marks, Mr.. McRae, democratic of Arkan-
sas, briefly expressed his concurrence
in the protest of Mr.. Taylor. If the
charges hanging over the head of the
representative-elect from Utah were
true, he said, his being sworn in would
be an assault upon every American
home. If true, Mr.. Roberts was guilty
of a violation of the laws of the Unit
ed States and of Utah, and the charges
should be investigated. If they were
proven true, he said emphatically, in
conclusion, there should not be a vote
in the house in favor of allowing him
a seat in this body.
Meantime, Mr.. Roberts had advanced
to the head of the aisle and stood there
i~rresolutely. I'm view of the objec-
tiOn," said the speaker" addressing
him, 1.-The gentleman will step aside"
Il do So" replied Mr.. Roberts, with
the understanding that by my action
I waive none of my rights"
"None of the gentle ANS rights will
be lost" said the speaker, n Mr..
Roberts t~hereupOn retired quietly to
his seat. There was no demonstration
either on the floor or in the galleries.
The remaining members were then
sworn in, after which Mr.. Taylor i'm
mediately offered his resolution to re-
fer the case Of Mr.. Roberts to a spe-
cial committee. The resolution was as
| follows:
Whereas, 1t is charged that Brig
ham H. Roberts, a repreSentative-elect
to the Fifty-sixth congress from the
state of Utah, is ineligible to a seat in
IAN "a "a ASpAS ~ 0AN
Whereas, Such a charge is made
through a member of the house on his
responsibility as such member, and On
the basis, as he asserts, of public rec
ords, affidavits and papers evidencing
such ineligibility,
Resolved, That the question of the
prima facie right of Brigham H. Rob-
erts to be sworn in as a representa-
tive from the state of Utah in the Fiji
ty-sixth congress, as we'll as his final
right to a seat therein as such repre-
sentative, be referred to a special COM
mittee of nine member of the house
to be appointed by the speaker, and
until such committee shall report upon
and the house decide such question and
right, the said Brigham H. Roberts
shall not be sworn in or be permitted
to occupy a seat in this house; and
said committee shall have power to
send for persons and papers and exam
inc witnesses on oath in relation to
the subject matter of this resolution"
An agreement was hen reached by