The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-26
MIR. ROBERTS, STATEMENT.
Says His Exclusion Was Due to a
Spasm of Prejudice.

Spasm of Prejudice.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-Mr. Brigham
H Roberts gave out the following state
ment tonight in relation to his exclusion:
"'Our griefs are passed when remedies
are ended a
By seeing the worst which late on nope
"I was elected by the people Of Utah as
their representative by the substantial
plurality of $3.50 votes. An effort was
stitutional and unprecedented process to
exclude me from the house Of represen-
tatives In behalf OF myself and my con-
stituents. comprising the entire popula-
could to maintain the position to which
they had elected me, but the house OF
representatives, under the whip and spur
Of public sentiment. have decided TO eA-
clude me from the house. l have con-
tended for my right and the rights of my
constituents, single-handed and alone, to
the best Of my my 9 ability but nud ma nave oeeil
Notwithstanding all that has been
said the people of Utah are not a lawless
people. Those of them who have been In
VolVed in the past in the plural marriage
system, once taught and sanctioned by
the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, are not Wanton V1olators OF lne
laws, but, finding themselves in the posi-
ton where the law calls to do one thing
and moral obligations, sacredly entered
into under the protection Of the Mormon
church, command them to do another,
they are placed in very trying sltua-
ton, and some few of them, including
the member from Utah, may have found
it necessary to regard their moral opl1ga-
tions as more binding upon their con-
sciences than their technical obedience to
statutory law. Such position, however,
is but transitory in Utah, and comes down
to the Mormon people from conditions
growing out of the plural marriage SyS-
tenn of the past.
'"The condition here referred to, how
ever, is rapidly passing away. From au-
thoritative figures, officially collected, re
been ascertained that at the time Of the
discontinuance of plural marriages under
the authority of the late President WOOD
ruff's manifesto, in September 1880 there
were 2,451 polygamous families through
out the whole Mormon church Since
then it has been ascertained that 9OS or
these families have ceased to exist
through death, divorce and abandonment,
leaving at the present time but ], 54S polyg-
amous families in the church throughout
the world, and as most OF these are Well
advanced in years, and all beyond middle
life, the system will soon be obliterated,
and, under these circumstances. there has
been little excuse for the extraordinary
efforts put forth to crush system or
marriage already practically abandoned
''The election Of the member of Utah
to the house Of representatives was not
the work of the Mormon church in sup
throats of the American people. Nothing
of the kind was contemplated In either
his nomination or election. all reports to
the contrary Notwithstanding. The al
legged statement often quoted to the eff
feet that Brigham Young, on July @
1875, or at any other time declared that
he. would make the American people
swallow Mormonism, polygamy and all,
and that the election of the present mem
ber-elect from Utah was an effort to ,ful-
fill that prediction, is absolutely untrue.
o1, ffrrn Ova6 hn o.
cent agitation respecting Mormenism as
being a menace to the morality of the
people or It's safety is utterly unwar-
ranted by the facts IN the case. People
such was the contention of Mormonlsm
or at least have been awed into acquies-
cence that such We're its intentions ana
hence have been led to vote to exclude the
member from Utah.
There is not virtue enough, 1T appears,
in the American house of representatives
is right in this matter. Only this morn
ing the representative from Utah re-
| ceived a communication from person
who is evidently a member OF the mouse
of representatives, since the letter ts writ.
| ten upon house Official stationery and sent
| to him in an official envelope of the house
| of representatives although the signature
| is "A Republican Friend After citing the
by the Hon. James G. Blaine. In 1877, with
reference to polygamy, he says:
L regret that | am not at liberty to
vote as my conscience dictates on this
question (the Roberts casel for reason
which you fully understand President
Mckinley and Speaker Henderson have
made the support of the TaylAr resolu-
ton the test of Republican orthodoxy,
and I am obliged to wear the yoke
$50 far as this matter is personal
| affair, I may say that whatever happens
the member from Utah can congratulate
himself that, from obscure birth and con-
| ditions of fortune and in spite Of having
| espoused an unpopular faith, he has
| fought his way upward until he reached
a sufficient prominence to be the decided
choice of the people of sovereign state
| to represent them In the American house
of representatives. From that summit he
! was hu~'ed down by the house under q
spasm Of prejudice arising from misrep-