Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-01-24
BOTH SIDES Presented.
Majority and Minority Reports on
the Case of Polygamist Roberts
Submitted to the House.
THREE GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION
The Majority Says He Has NotoriousIy aud
Defantiy Violated the Law of the Land
Two Minority Members Favor Expul-
sion, But Want This Action Taken After
Roberts Has Been Sworn into Once.

Washington, Jan. 21.-Reports of
the special committee of investiga-
ton in the case of Brigham II. Rob-
erts, of Utah. were presented to the
house Saturday. The majority re-
port, signed by Chairman Taylor and
SIX of his associates, is a voluminous
document, and is accompanied by a
summary of the law and facts. 1t
gives the details of the hearings, the
ample opportunities afforded to Mr.
Roberts to present his case, his re-
fusal to testify and the unanimous
finding of facts, heretofore published.
1t proceeds:
The committee is unanimous in it's be-
lief that Mr.. Roberts ought not to remain
member of the house of representa-
tives A majority are of the opinion that
he ought not to be permitted to become
member; that the house has the right
to exclude him. A minority are of the
opinion that the proper course of pro-
cedure is to permit him to be sworn in
and then eXpel him by a two-thirdS vote
under the constitutional provision pro-
viding for expulsion. Your committee
desires to assert with the utmost positive
ness at this point that not only is the
proposition of expulsion as applied to
tnlS case against precedent, DuC tnat eX-
cluS1on is entirely in accord with princi-
pie, authority and legislative precedent
and not antagonistic to any legislative
action which the house of representa-
tives has ever taken.
Three distinct grounds of disquali-
fication are asserted against Roberts
They are:
First-By reason of his violation Of the
Edmunds law.
Secondly reason of his notorious and
defiant violation of the law of the land,
of the decisions of the supreme court and
of the proclamationS of the presidents,
holding himself above the law and not
amenabie to it. No government could
possibly exist in the face of such prac-
t1ceS. He is in open war against the laws
and institutions of the country whose
congress he seeks to enter. Such an idea
is intolerable 1t is upon the principle
asserted in this ground that all cases of
exclusion have been based.
Third-His election as representative is
an explicit and offensive violation of the
understanding by which Utah was adj
mftted as state.
The majority report is signed by
Mr.. Littlefeld (rep. Me.) and Mr.. De
Almond (dem. Mo-. 1t says in part ::
We believe that Mr.. Roberts has the
legal constitutional right to be sworn in
as member, but the facts are such that
we further believe the house in the ex-
ercise of it's discretion is not only JUS
titled but required by every proper con-
sideration involved to expel him prompt
ly after he becomes a member. We de-
mand the following as a substitute for
the resolution proposed by the commit
| tee:
Resolved, That Brigham H. Roberts,
having been duly elected representative
in the Fifty-sixth congress from the
fofn of Il rx,;f - ~.
| quired for admission to the house as
such, is entitled, as constitutional right
| to take the oath of office prescribed for
members-elect, his status as polyg-
amist, unlawfully cohabiting with plural
wives, affording constitutional ground
| for expulsion, but not for exclusion from
| the house."
And If the house shall hold with us and
swear in Mr.. Roberts as a member, we
shall, as soon as recognition can be had
offer resolution to expel him as a polyg-
| amist. unlawfully cohabiting with plural
wives.