The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-01-22

to Make Reply.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE senate
committee on privileges and elections
met, Saturday, for the purpose Of hear
ing the presentations of the attorneys
on both sides of the case involving the
right of Senator Smoot, of Utah. to oc-
c-py his seat Former Representative
Tayler, of Ohio, was heard for some
Of the protestants, and T. p. Stephen
son for those who are representing the
National Reform association. A. s.
Worthington and Waldemar Van Colt
were present on behalf of Senator
Smoot. who also was in attendance
The first presentation was made by
Mr.. Taylor who began his statement
by saying that he did not know that
any proof would be presented in sup
port of the charge that Mr.. Smoot was
a polygamist. He took up the ques-
ton of the right of the senate to ex-
pei member, contending that the sem
ate's authority in the matter was linn
tied only by the question of propriety.
On the point of testimony Mr.. TaylerI
said the protestants expected to prove
the following charges:
1. The Mormon priesthood, according
to the doctrine of the church and the
belief and practice of it's membership
is vested with, and assumes to exercise,
supreme authority In all things tenn
poral and spiritual. civil and political
| The head of the church claims to re-
ceive divine revelations and these Reed
| Smoot, by his covenants and obliga-
tons. is bound to accept and obey.
2. The first presidency and IL apos-
ties. of whom Reed Smoot is one, are
supreme in exercising the authority Of
the church and in the transmission of |
the authority to their successors. Each
of them is called prophet, seer and
revelator.
8. AS shown by their teaching and by
their own lives, this body of men has 4
not abandoned belief in polygamy and
polygamous cohabitation. On the con-
trary:
(a) AS the ruling authorities of the
church they promulgate in the most
solemn manner the dactrine of polyg-
amy, without reservation
CD The president of the Mormon
church and majority of the IL apos-
ties now practice polygamy and po-
lygamous cohabitation, and some of
them have taken pofygamous wives
since the manifestation of 1890 These
things have been done with the knowl-
edge and countenance of Reed Smoot
plural marriage ceremonies have been
performed by apostles since the mani !
festo of 1890, and many bishops and
other high officials of the church have |
taken plural wives since that time. All
Of the first presidency and the IL apos- I
ties encourage, countenance, conceal I
and connive at polygamy cohabitation
and honor and reward by high office
and distinguished preferment those
who most rpersistently and dehantly
violate the law of the lard
A. Though pledged by the compact
of statehood and bound by the law of !,
their commonwealth, this supreme \
body, whose voice lis law to its people, q
and whose members were Individually q
directly responsible for good faith to
the American people, permitted, with
out protest or objection, their legisla-
lures to pass law multiplying the stat u
ute against polygarnus rehabilitation.
For all these things Reed Smoot ia u
in law and in conscience, to {,
this body and to the American people. l
In connection with the third specif
cation, Mr.. Tayler gave a list of the
documents recognized by the Mormon
church as inspired. In this list he did
not include the manifesto of 1890, sus-
pending the command to take plural
wives, but he contended that this man
festo does not prohibit polygamy He is
also declared that the doctrines and U
covenants of the church are still pub II
ished by the church without any refer
,nce to the manifesto.
In reply, Mr. Worthington said the u
statements made by Mr.. Tayler differ ~
,ery materially from the charges made e
n the formal statements, and he asked ~
ims in which to make reply. which y
vas granted. =,
Mr.. Worthington agreed that there n
vas no limit to the power of the SEN ~
tie to pass upon the notification of lite
'wn members, but contended that its
Jurisdiction is limited. He then laid
own the general proposition, that the IT
enate was without Jurisdiction of Of
enses which may have been committed
efore member became senator I'M
ess committed in connection with his
lection. bs
| ac
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