The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-31
ROBERTS, DEFENSE.
The POIyEamist Makes Il Stirring
ReDIy 10 the Adverse Report.

Washington. Jan. 4.-When the majority
and minority reports on the Roberts case hau
heen presented yesterday afternoon. ana
following the speeches of Chairman Iayler
and of Representative Llttlefeld OF Maine,
Mr.. Roberts made reply in speech lasting
an hour and q half. He spoke easily anu
without temper ana provoked frequent ap'
lause. Il.
He said he might say with propriety: "A
plague on both your houses, since pOtn pro-
posed his undoing Qaughter) put the siIua-
lion WAS not altogether without its advantage
He WAS convinced with The minority that the
House had no right to exclude him, and WIN
the majority that once admitted he could not
be expelled. Between the two, salo ne,
"matiers fall about as would have them and
substantial justice Will be done" (heneWeo
laughter)
ed the arguments OF the majority against
expulsion and those of the minority against
His constitutional qualifications were ad-
mitted by both the majority and od minority & 0l
members OF the House, If they had regard 10
the constitution OF their country, would call
hl M back 10 the bar from which he had been
jmnroperly turned away. He warned the
House that nations fell because they departed
from their traditions. Ifa nation INDUCED IN
constitutional immortality" IT died as dlu
the individual who was guilty OF physical I'm.
moraIity He beseeched the House not 10
Weld to the clamor of unthinking people
Was this emergency" man was electeo 10
Congress who, In the sanctity OF the church,
had married plurality OF wives. ne saia,
we have passed the stage OF representing or
defending polygamy and be did not want MS
remarks so construed. He said the crime OF
polygamy is malum prohibitum, not mala 10
s.: that in the teachings of the Great Master,
although he denounced every crime. every
sin that man can commit, there Is no Woro OF
HIS condemning the conduct OF The palrl,
archs. or of law al 1t was given TO Moses ana
ancient Israel. He quoted Martin Luther as
eel when
many wives, for 1t does not coniradlct lne
Scriptures" and again, that "the Gospels ao
not revoke or contradict the laws OF MOSES III
matrimonial matters"
"Yet we built monuments to Luther, not.
withsta M ding his toleration and deience OF
that form OF marriage. / say this only TO
show that pOlygamy IL only cfime peoa"ee
Mr. Roberts explained the Mormon belief In
polygamy, and said the church thougnt tnelr
creed on this point came within the constltu
tional inhibition against laws prohloltlne tne
free exercise of religious bellef. ~
Referring to the continuance OF polygamy,
after an adverse Supreme Court decision. Mr.
Roberts sug gested 1t was apparent sucn a
great religious conviction could not lmmedla
tcly be given up: that the Supreme Court
frequently reverses itself. and pointed 10
Representative White of North Carolina,
colored, on the floor, as one ofa race VINO, II
absolute submissiveness 10 the decisions oil
supreme Court was to be the last OF contro
yersy, would have been but q piece OF goods
and chattels in this country, instead OF oelng
a member OF the House OF Representatives.
But then" said Mr.. Roberts, dramatically,
81 felt IL would have been deserting the cause
of God TO have agreed to give up polygamy."
A scattering wave of applause passed over tne
ga leries at this utterance, hut IL was quickly
drowned with hisses.~ II had rather have my
flesh bewn from my limbs than TO nave oeen
untrue TO my people. IT was this feeling that
was the incentive to the lawlessness such as
IL was"
But, he continued, the time came when the
Mormons of Utah were obliged TO submit.
Death had kindly solved the problem for
some and the heartaches 1t lett for others
made them wish for the same end.
He. insisted that the compact with the
United States had been observed; that polyg-
amy had practically ceased: that the Mormon
church bad given up polygamy In good falth.
Mr.. Roberts said he had been In public lie
for twenty years and was not driven TO the
defence of bis moral character. He was MOI
here representing the Mormon church. He
Gentiles than Mormons, You can neither
exclude nor pei me-" said Mr.. Roberts, In
conclusion. II will cling so hard to the
pillars OF liberty that you shall not drag me
from them without bringing down the whole
temple" (Appiause. and hisses) 81 have
lived with good conscience until bhis day
and am sensible OF no act OF shame upon my
part. You can brand me with shame aud
SEND me forth, but l shall leave with head
erect and brow undaunted, and walk the
earth as angels walk the clouds. II you
violate the constitution all the shame Will be
with you"
the galleries when Mr.. Roberts concluded.