Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-01
Special to the Register. !

Special to the Register.
WASHINGTON, D. c., January Is
The exciting debate which took place
in the House to-day over the Roberts
case was s~ignalized among other things
by the maiden speech Of Representative
Freer, who is a member of the commit
tee having the case in charge.
Mr.. Freer talked for upwards Of a
quarter Of an hour, speaking in behalf
of the majority report of the commit
tee. He was followed throughout by
the members en- each side and by the
throngs in the galleries with the closest
attention, and at the close of his speech
was greeted by a round of applause.
AS a matter of fact the effort of the
West Virginia member of the commit
tee was from an oratorical point CT
view one of the hits of the day.
The law, Mr.. Freer argued, warrant
ed Roberts exclusion from the House.
For twenty years he had openly aud
persistentiy violated it. Utah had also
broken her contract with the United
States when she was admitted to state
hood, and should be rebuked by the
exclusion Of any polygamous represent
alive whom she might send to Wash
ington.
After paying a tribute 70 the m
hood CT West Virginia, and after touch
ing on the Overwhelming sentiment in
the State against Roberts being seated.
Mr.. Freer said:
Public opinion is the highest law.
In the houses. in the homes and in the
hearts Of people there is an over
whelming sentiment against the seat
ing of this man. 1t is everywhere. 1t
has rolled over this land from the At
lantic to the Pacific. and it will never
step until it has one day broken down
the throne of the Sultan of Sulu in the
sun-kissed lies of the eastern seas"
Representative Johnston was recog-
nized by the Speaker for a five minute
speech on the Roberts case. He read
from manuscript a carefully prepared
address. He went into the question of
the constitutional right of the House
to prevent Roberts taking his seat and
in a forcible argument pointed out the
dangerous precedent which was being
set by the too hasty action of the ma
jority. His line Of reasoning closely
conceded with that Of Judge Dear
mond, who spoke later.
The impression made by Mr.. john
ston's speech was excellent, and he was
congratulated afterwards by the most
of the Democratic leaders.
All of the West Virginia members
were in their seats when the question
finally came to a vote. The three Re-
publicans voted first against the minor
ity and afterwards supported the ma
jority report of the committee, while
Mr.. Johnston voted for the minority
report first and upon its failure voted
for the majority report.
Roberts was turned out to-day by
the adoption of a resolution to exclude
him by a vote of 27s to 50.
The exact language of the resolu-
ton was as follows:
THAT under the facts and circum-
stances of the case, Brigham Fl. Rob-
erts, Representatives, from the
State of Utah. ought not to have or
hold a seat in the House of Represen-
tatives, and that the seat to which he
was elected. is hereby declared va
can't"
The amendment to expel Mr.. Roberts
without seating him, offered by Mr..
Lacey was ruled out on a point of ord
er and the House only voted upon the
resolution of the minority and the ma
jority of the committee.
The former-to seat and then expel
Mr.. Roberts, was defeated 81 to IA.
An analysis OF this vote shows that
10 Republicans. u Democrats and
Gratis, six Republicans, two Populists
and two silver Republicans for 1t. The
majority resolutions to exclude Mr..
Roberts and then declare the seat va
cant-were adopted. 27S to 80. The az
frmative vote was divided as follows:
Republicans 1s4; Democrats 9s; PoDr-
lists 4 and the negative vote. Demo-
Gratis n; Silver Republicans 3; Popu-
lists !. There were over j score a.