Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-05
,prcrA1. TO THE NEWS. ~

ESPECIAL ~ lhE h"''
washington, d. c., Jan. 5,-Represen-
native Brigham II. Roberts made his
arguments today before special conf
z,nittee appointed to investigate the
&cbarges against him. His argument
'bristled with points in his favor and he
HANDLED himself with the skill Of
krained lawyer.
The committee room was crowded al
&nost 10 the point Of suffocation. Among
j he interested spectators was Senator
*Rawlins. Before Roberts began, Chair
imam Tayler read to the committee
Meter he had received from ex-Secre.
@tary Carlisle, who had been retained to
prosecute the case against Roberts. Mr.
8 Carlisle said It appeared from the testi-
amony that the question Of citizenship
i had been abandoned In his opinion the
chief question at issue was the natur-
alizatlop of Roberts. Mr.. Carlisle. in
4 his letter. claimed that Roberts's nat
4 uarllzatlon was irregular and on that
| ground he was ineligible to seat In
! the House. The committee, Mr., Carlisle
said, had right to pass upon the right
OF the member to a seat In the House.
In his opening argument Roberts de-
INJURED to the proceedings, claiming the
Icommittee had no jurisdiction. lie re-
ferred to the testimony Of the two sets
/ Of witnesses, and charged that they
were unreliable and that they hal CIV
en- no direct testimony that the member
from Utah was living with plural wives
IN open violation of the laws.
Several colloqules occurred between
Roberts and Chairman Tayler. in which
the member from Utah held his own.
Chairman Tayler several times tried
10 confuse Roberts by asking questions
with a view to drawing an admission
from the member from Utah that he
was living in polygamy. but Roberts
cleverly parted the questions, and
asked that he be permitted TO proceed
IN his own way.
Roberts quoted Story on the Constitu-
ton, 10 show that representative was
not an officer OF theUnited States within
the meaning OF the Constitution. He
also boldly declared that his certificate
Of election was regular In form, and that
4 he was as much entitled 10 his seat as
any member OF the committee. He had
been wronged by belng denied the emol-
fuments OF his Office, but greater wrong
4 had been done his State Utah, by de-
4nyng him, without due process of law,
on the floor OF the House.
8 Roberts will conclude his argument
pate this evening.
III Washington, Jan. 5.-The Roberts,in-
Nestigating committee continued its
Fession today Miss Roberts, the daugh-
Per Of the Utah member-eect, sat
near him.
Chairman Tayler stated at the outset
~ aus az hah IOCtlNeu lIOul tA~StNltNdiy
John G. Carlisle a letter giving his
Views on the case.
q MT Carlisle said he was suffering
prom a cold and was unable to make an
.foral argument at this time AS to the
&case, he said:
q III seems TO me that the question Of
*citizenshlp has been abandoned, or at
4least nothing is said about It in the
Testimony. The record OF Roberts APP
tpheation and admission to citizenship
&does not comply with the law as
understand II, and do not think he
would be allowed to vote In any State
upon certificate based upon that rec
ford
The resolution under which the COM
Emission is proceeding directs It TO as
certain and report not only upon Rob-
{erts prima facie right, but upon his
general right"
This Mr. Carlisle discussed on the
|eyidence and says:
He is at this very moment a polyg-
amist. not having at any time aban-
doned or renounced the relation as
sumed by the plural marriages, and