New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-26
A STATEMENT FROM ROBERTS.

HE WILL NOT STAND FOR ELECTION.
AND CONSIDERS THE INCIDENT CLOSED
Washington. Jan. 25-Brigham H Roberts to-
night made statement regarding his exclusion
which is in part as follows:
Our griefs past when remedies are ended.
BY seeing the which late on hope depended
I was elected by the people Of Utah as their
Representative by the substantial plurality Of
1868 votes An effort was made by what l be-
heve to be unconstitutional and unprece-
dented process to exclude me from the House OF
Representatives. In behalf Of myself and nv
constituents, comprising the entire population
OF the State Of Utah, did all could TO main
tain the position to which they had elected me;
but the House Of Representatives. under the
whip and spur of popular sentiment has de-
cided TO exclude from the House I have
contended for my rights and the rights of my
constituents, single handed and alone TO the
best of my ability, but have been overwhelmed
by force of numbers.
Notwithstanding all that has been said the
people Of Utah are not a lawless people. Those
Of them who have been involved 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 violat0rs of
the law, but, finding themselves in the position
where the law commands them TO do thing
and moral obligations. sacredly entered into
under the sanction Of the Mormon Church, com
mands them TO DO another, they are placed in
very trying situation. and some few Of them. in
Guiding the member from Utah may have found
it necessary 10 regard their moral obligations
as more binding upon their conscience than their
technical obedience to statutory law.
The election Of the member from Utah 10 the
House of Representatives was no effort on the
part Of the Mormon Church TO revive polygauy
or stuff il down the throat Of the Congress Of the
American people.
Congress has been made TO believe. however,
that such was the intention of MormOnsm, or
at least has been awed into acquiescence that
such were its intentions and hence has been
led vote TO exclude the member from Utah.
There is not virtue enough, ii appears, in the
American House Of Representatives TO stand
for their convictions as 10 what is right in this
matter. Only this morning the Representative
from Utah received a communication from
person who is evidently member Of the House
OF Represent atlves- since the letter IS written
upon House official stationery and sent TO him
in an official envelope Of the House of Repre-
sentatives. although the signature is "A Repub-
lean Friend. After citing the member from
Utah to a speech delivered by the Hon. James
G. Blaine in 1872 with reference TO pOlygamy,
he SAYS: Il regret that I am not at liberty to
vote as my conscience dictates on this question
(the Roberts case. for reasons which you fully
understand. President Mckinley and Speaker
Henderson have made the support Of the Tayler
resolution the test Of Republican orthodoxy, and
I am obliged 10 wear the yoke.
So far as this matter is a personal affair, l may
Utah can congratulate himself that from obscure
birth and the conditions Of iron fortune. and in
spite Of having espOused unpopular faith he
has fought his way upward until he has Suf-
fcient prominence to be the decided champion
OF the people Of a sovereign State to represent
them in the American House Of Representatives
From that summit he hurled down by the
House under SpaSm Of prejudice arising from
rniSTepreSent and from falSehOOdS as TO
conditions existing in Utah. That will not ruin
him. Conscious Of the rectitude Of his own in
tentious. he will face the future undiscOuraged
by this incident in his career. and viii weave
again his fortunes he viii face the future with
No he win not stand for reelection a vim
dicatiOn Of himself, even should his people de-
sire il; he will ask that his exclusion shall be
permitted TO close, for the present, this incident
IN Utah's history.