The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-30

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Il denounce that" shouted Senator
Chandler, las a SANDER upon the north
and"
Senator Pettus, of Alabama: IF
the senator will permit me-would il
not be better-would ii not be more
decent for him to wait until the Sena-
tor CMr. Morgan) returns before criti-
cising him?"
Senator Chandler: II intend to wait:
but 1 want the senior senator from
Alabama, who is absent; / want the
junior senator from Alabama, who is
now here, and 1 want the ~senator
from the southern states, who have re-
opened this question which 1 supposed
was forever dead in the senate-to tell
me whether q north is to be expected
10 allow a charge mad upon this floor
10 go unanswered that the war for the
union, which was a wal growing out
OF a northern determination to prevent
the extension Of slavery into free ter
r1tory, was a war of ambitious poIiti-
clans with a cruel design 10 put negro
slaves on a political and social footing
OF equality with the southern whites.
Now, If the southern senators wish to
discuss that question they will have
plenty OF time before this session
ends"
That ended the incident and the sem
ate then adjourned Until Monday.
"a AZ IsISINN ES.
The case of Brigham H. Roberts. the
Mormon representative-elect from
Utah, which has occupied so much of
the attention of the house since the
assembling of congress-, was decided
today by the adoption of a resolution
to exclude him by a vote of 26S to so.
n exact language of the resolution
was as follows:
That under the facts and circum-
stances of the case, Brigham H. Rob-
erts, representative-elect from the state
or Utah., ought not to have or hold a
seat in the house of representatives,
and that the seat to which he was
elected is hereby declared vacant"
The amendment to expel Mr.. Rob-
erts without seating him, offered by
MI. Lacey, was ruled out on a point
of order and the house only voted upon
the resolutions of the majority and mi
nority of the committee. The latter to
seat and then eXpel Mr.. Roberts was
defeated, 81 to 244.
An analysis of this vote shows that
40 republicans, " democrats and 2
populists voted against it, and II dem
ocrats, s republicans, 2 populists and
2 silver republicans voted for it.
h majority resolutions-to exclude
Mr.. Roberts and declare the seat va
cant-were adopted, 26S to 80. The af-
frmative vote was divided as follows:
Republicans 16S, democrats sc, popu-
lists 4. The negative vote was: Dem
ocrats A, silver republicans 2, popu-
lists /.
There were a score of speakers today.
Mi. Roberts was present throughout
the day and only left the hall after the
result of the last vote had been an
nounced. As he did so he gave out a
statement justifying his retention of
his plural wives on the ground that his
moral obligation was more binding up
on his conscience than technical obedi-
ence to statutory law and saying that
there was little excuse for the e%Xtraor-
dinaIy efforts to crush a system al
ready abandoned and practically dead.
he says he was a martyr to a "spasm
OF prejudice. He would not, he said,
attempt to run for congress again, al
though he would go back home with a
light heart, confident of the future.
Mr. Talbert, of South Carolina, said
that in a case of such abnormal and
defiant immortality, technicalities should
not weigh. Representing the constitu-
ency he did, he said, he should vote
against Roberts first, last and all the
time.
Mr.. Adamson, of Georgia, said viola
ton of the statute against CO.
habitation entitled the offender to
membership in the penitentiary rather
than the house of representatives.
Mr.. Morris, of Minnesota, a member
of the special m which %inveSti-
gated its adoption in an hours speech.
If the constitutional qualification could
not be added to, said he, the house
would be compelled to admit driveling
idiot, a base traitor, or a red-handed
murderer. The supreme court had
held that pOlygamy was not a religious
tenet.
Mr.. DeArmond, of Missouri, closed
the debate on behalf of the minority of
the cOmmittpp with a forty mjnI1tpS'
speech. He said argument of the ma
jority that the method of turning Mr..
Roberts out mattered not, was the ar
gument of Judge Lynch. When he de-
cided that a man should be hanged, he
also sal it was immaterial how he
was hanged.
Mr.. DeArmond scored those who a
unnecessarily abused Mr.. Roberts. He
would scorn as beneath him and be-
meath contempt an effort to evoke ap-
plauSe by denunciation. But let it be
not understood by some carping critic
that he favored polygamy. Il oppose
it; 1 scorn it," said he, but 1 do not
feel it necessary in order to show how
good l am, how l love motherhood and
chasty to lend myself to cheap abuse
which requires neither ability nor
courage
Mr.. Latham, of Texas, closed the de-
bate in behalf of the majority reSolu-
lions. He said we are not here to inn
pose moral or religious tests. We are
here to accord to the people of Utah
all the privileges and immunitieS OF
citizens of sovereign states. They may
elect whomsoever they will, Mormon
or Gentle. but he must not be a po-
lygamist."
Mr.. Lacey, republican, of Iowa, of
fered an amendment to the majority
resolutions providing for the expulsion
of Mr.. Roberts.
TIC this Mr.. Tayler made the point OF
order that the amendment was moi
germane. The speaker sustained the
point of order on the ground that the
original proposition only required q
majority vote while, if the amendmen
were added, it would require a two
thirds vote. The republicans applaud
cd the speakers ruling.
Mr.. Lacey appealed from the decis.
ion of the chair. Mr.. TayleI moved tc
lay that motion upon the table. While
the vote on the latter motion was being
taken. it being apparent that it would
90 hu n large majority Mr. Ta1ox