The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-24

die III lne sSldIh tdSe. III lbDs, Nutu ii'
gentleman was permitted TO take tht
oath under a report of the Judiciary Com
mittee, which declared him to be guilty
of treason to the Government of The
United States without prejudice to sub
sequent proceedings" II was on all fours
with the Roberts case. and he asked, In
view of this fact what became OF the as
sertion of the gentleman from Ohio. that
no precedent against exclusion existed
in the American Congress.
Mr. Roberts PIcn.
Mr. Littlefield spoke for nearly two hour'
and. as he took his seat. was greeted will
wave OF applause that swept over foot
and gallery alike. Mr. Tayler. order being
restored, endeavored to make an agree.
ment TO close debate at 4:30 Thursday aft
ernoon but objection was made. Then the
star of the occasion rose from his place
and the great audience settled back in their
seats to listen for an hour and half tC
Mr. Roberts while he presented his claims
TO seat. The position of neither majority
nor minority suited him. He would like
the House TO adopt the argument OF the
majority against exclusion. not only with
respect to what had been said, but to what
would be said and done in the further con-
sideration OF the case. (Laughter)
Entering upon the serious discussion OF
the matter Roberts quoted from the find
ings OF the committee a1d asked III, with
out violation of the Constitution oil our
country. you can deny me the right to ap-
pear at the bar of the House from which |
have been improperly turned, and prevent
me from being sworn"
The House, Mr. Roberts said was sub
ject to a great temptation at this time to
respond to the popular will without regard
to the limitations imposed by the Constitu-
ton. Other great and proud nations, as
much so as the United States, had. Tor
valuations Of this kind, gone into decay
and naught but ruins mark the places they
once occupied And so | would warn you
Of the danger of departing from the Con-
stitution to respond TO the clamor OF mis-
lead people
Mr.. Roberts said that the House now
proposed a more lawless act than polygany
to rebuke a polygamisi. Mr. Roberts re-
peated as he had said on the second day OF
the session. that he did not stand as 'he
advocate or defender of polygamy. Ii sd
been conceded by Luther. to whom more
than any 'other man the people OF today
owe whatever religious and civil liberty
they possess. that polygamy was not pro-
hibited by the Scriptures and that II was
a crime merely because 1t was prohibited
by law Utah had done so by her law. and
1t was he added beyond the realm OF dis
cussion But he discussed il throughout
his entire speech which he said he would
confne to a recital of the history of the
establishment of the institution and the
legislation that had followed it. The peo-
pie who believed and practiced polygarly,
he said. did so part of their religion.
which they believed came to them direct
from God.
a Dramatic Effect
In that view they had not at first sub
mitted 10 the laws against it. hoping for
a favorable judgment By the committee
and when that failed. for a revision. But
the resolution did not come and the pub
lie sentiment became more extended and
hardened Thirteen hundred Mormons in
Utah suffered punishment by the commit
tee including the Representative from that
State. They need not have suffered" he
went on. IF they had but said the word.
When ] was before the committee a lead
ing jurist Of the State said: This man
need not go TO jail. il he will but say he
will abandon the institution / recognized
it as a kindness on his part. but passion
ately exhibiting the most heat and force
in the course of his address with the close.
had | dcne so it would have been like de-
serting the cause OF God.
The expression fell with startling effect
upon his hearers. the silence on the fioCc
being broken by mingled applause and
Kisses from the galleries. Gould l be
untrue to that religious conviction which
had been Installed in me from boyhood up?
And that is the motive of whatever law
lessness | may have been guilty Of
Mr.. Roberts pleaded that the men = ho
had guffered thus must not be judged too
bs.~r fadl Him. 81 Gam mi facfr
against plural marriages. he asserted. they
had ceased in Utah. despite all that had
been said and charged to the contrary. |
The abandonment OF the institution OF 1
polygamy had meant death TO some Of its |
advocates. and the heartaches which had |
attended the proceeding had caused many |
others to hope that some solution of the |
problem might come to them The laws |
against plural marriages did not obtain |
In the States surrounding Utah, go that !
many plural wives had been sent into |
them. the husbands remaining in Utah |
and there observing the law against plural |
marriages. Roberts said ii was a mistake |
to hold that he was the representative OF |
the Mormon Church, chosen over the pro- |
test Of Gentle citizens. He had been |
elected after thorough canvass. in which |
the people well knew al; about him. by |
a plurality OF 5,665. The right of a con- /
sentative ought not to be denied or |
abridged by the action of the House. The |
Mormon people of Utah, he asserted. were |
not disloyal, but they were loyal to the /
institutions OF their country, and neither |
deserved nor merited the rebuke that was l
sought to be put on them.
His Defiance.
In conclusion. Mr.. Roberts said he could
neither be excluded nor erneIIed vithouf
dangerous action-sction that threatened
to overthrow the foundation Of the Gov.
ernment. And ! intend. gentlemen, he
his voice rising TO its highest
pitch and his whole manner intense and
dramatic to the last degree. striding up and
down the aisle, Ito cling SO closely 10 !
the pillars Of liberty that you shall not
drag me away unless you pull the pillars
down with me. Under the Constitution
you can neither exclude nor expel. Some
Of the papers. in discussing the case, have
urged that be sent forth from the hall
branded with shame. God has reserved
unto himself the power to brand with
shame. and the House. great as 1t is, does
not reach TO that II TO satisfy sectarian
clamor that has been raised in the case
you send me forth. | shall 20 out with
unfaltering tread. head erect. brow defiant.
and walk the streets as the angels walk
he clouds before their God Mingled ap-
Dlause and hissesl If, in violation of the
Constitution, you should vote to exclude
'r expel me, all the shame there is in the
transaction will be left behind me in the
House of Representatives"
without exhausting the period allotted
% him. Mr.. Roberts resigned the floor. and
IT 5:35 the House adjourned