Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-06
.


I part OF the people Of Utah. Its ad.
/ mlnlstration was In the hands Of nom
| 'Mormons, Of those who had no SYM
| pathy with men OF my religious faith.
| All the machinery OF the law was In the
| hands Of federal appointees, How Is It,.
| then. that ] could be an open and de-
hant law-breaker and yet escape the
| penalty Of law?
THE gentleman's objections are
I based, not upon the court record. but
upon affidavlts and papers that have
been supplied him by these people.
And now as to the manner In which
these charges are made. II has been
about fifteen months since they began,
since the representative fs0m Utah was
heralded throughout this lard as a de-
FAINT law-breaker And yet / walked
the streets OF salt Lake City In open
day, within easy reach OF the law, and
my faults lay open 10 the law If | were
guilty Of transgressing.
"Other men were arrested before the
courts o. Utah and were fined for the
very offense alleged against me. and
yet no complaint was made against
me.
NO, Il did not suit the purpose Of
those who had this present agitation In
hand 20 yindicate the law quietly, and
by the usual methods They desired
particularly 10 have thls case upon
which apparently TO arouse the senti-
ment Of the country. Not until my
business called me East did they I'M
dertake TO make any charges against
me.
But the moment, or shortly after,
my departure they began this agita-
ton, resulting in the present sentiment
Of the country now aroused ag8inEt me.
! call your attention next u the fact
that the only charge against ne, even
by the present opponents OF the resO-
luton, Is that Of a misdeameanUr. They
do not charge a felony.
II understand that the members Of
Congress are granted certain privileges
while in attendance upon this House
II would be impossible to arrest any
one Of the members upon the charge
Of misdemeanor And yet you would
deny me the privilege Of being sworn
as a member Of this House, upon the
allegation Of the existence Of some
charge or other that | was guilty of a
misdemeanor
For the thing for which the law IT.
In attendance upon this House. you pro-
pose-l speak Of the little coterie Of
men who have entered into this con-
spiracy to crowd this question TO the
front az this particular time. and for
the reason that they are fearful that
II the matter should go TO a consiGera-
ton under resolution 10 expel the
member from Utah, they could not
marshal the necessary two-thirds vote
10 accomplish their purpose-to pass
the present resolution.
II understand, sir. that these immun-
tiles are not given for the benefit Of
the individual members. They are
given rather as a protection to his con-
stituency, who are entitled TO his ser
vices as their representative
And, therefore, / invoke the protec-
ton that Is given TO the constituency
Of a sovereign State against the pro-
ceedings they are instituting here TO
deprive me Of the privilege Of being !
sworn in as a member Of this House
privilege, did / say? l am not |
asking any privilege in this House. | |
am not asking any favors Of the mem |
bers OF this House. Under the shadow /
OF the Constitution of the United /
states, ! merely demand, both for my /
self and for the people Of my State, the |
protection that is due us--and II is |
a demand, and II is asking no favors."
Great applause on the Democratic side
and In the galleriesD
Mr.. Roberts next called attention TO |
the precedent In the Forty-third Con-
gress In the case Of Mr.. Cannon, add
ing;
Il can add nothing 20 the force OF
that gentlemans remarks, except this,
that in the case OF Mr.. Cannon the
House was dealing with delegate from
n Territory. not the representative OF
the people OF a sovereign State. They
were dealing with a delegate who was
created by a statute passed by the Con-
gress OF the United States. And
throughout the discussion IL was a.
legged as reason for taking exceptions to
him that they could do so because he
was unprotected by the provisions of
The Constitution.
And yet sir. Notwithstanding he was
but creation Of law, still they ad-
nitted him as a member upon the floor
II this House. II IA 10 be remarked In
his connection that. strange TO say.
he course OF nature was not disturbed.
an alleged poygamist
vas permitted by the vote OF Repub-
lean Congress 10 remain upon the floor
" this House. II did not transpire, as II
s said Il did transpire IN ancient
Rome a little ere the mighty Julius
ell. The grave stood not tenantless.
rhe sheeted dead did not stand and
;ibber in the streets OF Rome. Why,
ilr. the sun was not darkened nor was
he moon turned 70 blood. Actually,
Iir the rain continued 10 fan upon the
ust and the unjust alike. daughter
md applause)
Gentlemen Of the Democratic party.
lome few Of whom may. perhaps, trem-
We little at the thunderOus objec-
ion that has been presented as pre-
ending 10 voice the sentiment OF the
ountry upon this Subject, want TO
all your attention TO another thing
md that Is that notwithstanding a Re-
publican Congress seated this man, yet