The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-05

!
was on his feet, asking for recognition.
The speaker recognized him immedi-
Rtely.
Il object to the swearing IN Of the
representative-elec from Utah, and TO
his taking his sea" began Mr.. Taylor,
| In clear, distinct voice.
~ do so, Mr. Speaker" he continued.
ION my responsibility as n member OF
| thtS house, and because specific, serious
and apparently well-grOunded charges
Of ineligibllIty are made against him. a
transcript OF the proceedings Of court IN
| Utah evidences the fact that the claim
ant was in 1899 convicted. or that ne
| blended guilty Of the crime OF unlawful
cOhahItRtion. AlFidnvlts and other pa
pers IN my possession indicate that
ever since then he has been perslstent-
! Is guilty OF tile same crime, and that
| ever since then he has been and Is now
/ q pOiygamtst. II this transcript ana
these affldAVlts and papers tell the
!, truth, the member-elect from Utah 10,
| In my Judgment, ineligible to be q
| member OF this house Of representa-
| tiVes. both because Of the statutory DIS.
| qualification Of the Eds1iuRdH law and
/ for higher and graver and quite Us
| sound reasons. ought also to say, IN
addition to what hoVe just said, that
have in my possession ceruned copy
OF the entry under which the claimant
to this seat was not natuEallzed. and
that eminent counsel assert that II this
be the record in the case, this claim.
| ant Is not citizen of the United
States. / offer and express no opinion
upon that proposition.
''tMr. Speaker, Il Il were possible ~
emphasize the gravity OF these charges
and the responsibility that Is at this
moment Imposed upon this house, We
will find that emphasis In the memor-
| inls, a small part Of which could be
physically cared for In this hall. but all
OF which now present to the house.
from over 100000 American men and
women, protesting against the entrance.
| OF this elect from Utah.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Taylors re-
marks, Mr.. McRae, (pem.). Of ArIfnn-
sas. briefly expressed his concurrence
in the protest OF Mr., Taylor. II the
charges hanging over the head Of the
representatiVe-e from Utah were
true, he said. his being sworn in would
be an assault upon every American
home. II true. Mr.. Roberts was guilty
OF violation of the laws Of the United
States and OF Utah, and the charges
should be Investigated. II they were
proven true, he said emphatlcally, IN
conclusion, there should not be q vote
in the house In favor OF allowing him
seat In this body.
Meantime Mr.. Roberts had advanced
to the head OF the aisle and stood there
!rresolutely.
an view of the objection" said the
speaker. addressing him, "the gentle--
man will step aside"
II do so, replied Mr.. Roberts, with
the understanding that by my action
waive none Of my rights"
None Of the Eentleman's rights VIII
be lost" said the speaker, and Mr..
Roberts thereupon 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 Inn
medIately offered his resolution to re-
fer the case Of Mr.. Roberts to special
committee. The resolution was as fol-
lows:
"Whereas. 1t is charged that Brig
ham Fl. Roberts, repreaentatlve-elect
to the Fltty-slxth Congress from the
state OF Utah, is Ineligible 70 seat IN
Irtlg -lIOuRl. ezt1 pre- esenta tiTea;- and,
"Whereas, Such a charge Is madt
| through a member Of the house on his
responsibility as such member, and on
| the basis. as he asserts. OF public re-
cords, afIldavltB and papers eVidencing
such ihelIglbility; therefore. be II
"ReRolved, That the question OF the
prima facIe right Of Brigham II. Rob-
erts to be sworn in as q representative.
be referred to a, special committee OF
nine members OF the house, to be ap-
pointed by the speaker, and until such
committee shall report upon and the
house decide such question and right,
| the said Brigham II. Roberts shall not
be sworn in or be permitted to send for
persons and papers and examine wit
nesses on oath in relation to the sub
iect matter Of this resolution"
An agreement was then reached. by
which the consideration Of the resolu'
tIon should be postponed until to-mor-
row after the reading OF the Presi-
dents message. The excitement there
upon quickly subsidized, and many OF the
spectators left the galleries,
The officers Of the house selected by
the Republican caucus last Saturday,
were then elected. Alexander McDow-
ell, OF Pennsylvania, clerk; Henry Cas-
son. OF Wisconsin, ergeant-at-armBiW W.
]. Glenn, OF New York. door-keeper.
and ]. c. AfcF9Iroy, OF Ohio. postmaster,
after which the usual resolutions were
adopted to inform the President and
house. A committee OF three. consist
ing Of MesBrs. Cannon, (Repl, OF I'LL.
| n0tB; Payne, (Rep.l, Of New York, ana
Richardson, (Dem.), Of Tennessee, were
appointed to Join similar committee
from the senate to wait on the Presi-
dent and inform him that Congress
was in session and ready to receive any
communication he might have to-mor-
row.
one OF the Republican floor leaders,
then precipitated a short but lively 1e-
bate by Offering resolution for tho
adoption OF the rules Of the last Con-
gress. They were the rules OF three
Congresses, he said, and their opera
tlon had proved their value.
Mr.. Bailey, (Dem.,) OF Texas, protest.
cd against forcing the rules Of the last
house permanently upon the present
house without warning or conRidera'
tlon, but no expressed Willingness TO
see them adopted temporarily until
others could be framed.
Mr.. Bailey followed with some speclf-
ic criticism Of the rules and their oper-
alton.
MIR. Hepburn. CRep.). OF Iowa, reply
ing to Mr.. Richardson, admitted that
he had favored some notifications, but
he frankly stated that his colleagues In
the Republican caucus had been oppCs-
ed TO him and that he had yielded to
their united wisdom,
Mr.. Dalzcll then moved the previous
question, which was ordered and the
vote was taken by ayes and noes upon
the adoption Of the rules of the last
Congress.
SENATE ADJOURNED