The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-01-27

a i v
ing lunatic and no two way,
about it. Why he is more of
balance than the editor who fond.
" quotes him. We shall now
proceed to prove it. We quote
The following from the official re-
port Of the committee and it is
signed by Robert w. Miers, Con
gresham from Indiana:
Your committee desires to assert
with the utmost positiYeness at this
point. that not only is the proposition
OF expulsion as applied to this case
against precedent, but that exclusion
is entirely in accord with priaciple
authority ard legislative precedent
ard not antagonistic to any legislative
action which the House of Representa-,
tiVes has ever taken"
Will Jim Wallis now say Con-
gresham Miers is in his right
mind? Will Jim Wallis read the
following, every word of which
is approved and signed by Con-
gressman Miers: "
prior to 1882, B. II. Roberts had
married ono Louisa Smith. She has
borne him six children and is still liy-
ing.
About 1885, when Utah was fairly
ringing with the blows of the Edmunds
act of 1882; while numerous prosecu-
tions were going on, and after the Su-
preme court had passed upon the va
lidity of the act; when the American
people supposed polygamy had received
its death blow; when no man of the
many whose cases went to the United
States Supreme court pretended the
provisions against po!ygamous mar
riages were invalid; with all these facts
insistently before him, Brigham II.
Roberts took another wife, his first
polygamous wife, Celia DibbIe ty
name, who in the following twelve
years bore him six children.
This second wife he married in def.
anca of the Edmunds law. He spat up-
on the law; he declared by his act that
he recognized no binding rule upon
him of law of Congress; he declared
by it that he recognized higher law.
The Congress of the United States
was to him an object of contempt. The
Supreme court of the United States
might declare the law for others but
not for him. He laughed at its futile
DEGREES and spurned its admonitions.
The Executive which had declared
IN solemn message its qualifications
that polygamy seemed gene forever he
delieG and despised
Of what consequence to him were
the laws of Congress and declarations
of the highest court and proclamations
of Presidents, in his sensual interpre-
tations of a sensua! doctrine.
And all the time the. Edmunds law
declared not only polygamy but CO.
habitation with mora than one woman
unlawful. Roberts not only bigamous-
ly marries a second wife, but he per
ssts in violating and defantly tramp
ling under foot every other provision
of the act.
, But he had not yet sufficiently pro-
claimed his utter contempt for the Su.
preme court, for Congress and its most
solemn enactments. A few years later
he took a third wife.
From the time of his second mar
riage to the third he cohabited with
two women. From the date of his
third marriage down to his election
and, we doubt not, to the present tine,
he has been cohsbiting with three
women.
That brigham II. Roberts persistent,
notorious and defiant of one of the
most solemn acts eyer passed by Con-
gress, by the very body which be now
seeks to enter, on the theory that he
is above the law, and his defiant vio-
lationS cf The laws of bis own State
necessarily render him ineligible, dis
qualiiiedv unfit and unworthy to he a
membtr of the House of Representa-
tiTes. And this proposition is asserted
not so much for reasons personal to
the membership Of the House as be.
cause it goes to the very integrity of
the House and Republic as SUCH"
Now. jimmy, what do ycu
think of your Congressman Miers?
Before you venture on another
newspaper controversy, Jimmy,
you had Better lay up a few facts
that will last over night, at least.