The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-01-15
DEFENDS REED SNOO1'
Senator Hopkins Denies Right of
Senate to Expel Utah Man.
CANNOT IMPEAcH MEMBERS
After Declaring Smoot Never Praetloed
Polyoamy and Led a Pure Life, Mr..
Hopkins Asked Why He and His Fam

Polyoamy and Led a Pure Life, Mr..
Hopkins Asked Why He and His Fam
lly Should Be Dishonored For Life.
Washington. Jan. u. - The first
speech in defense of the right OF Reed
Smoot TO a seat in the senate was de-
livered by Senator Hopkins, of ILL
nOis.
Mir. Hopkins took the positio nthat
senators were not federal officers to
the extent that the senate could pass
upon their qualifications and eligibility
or could lmpcach them for high crimes
or misdemcanors. II a senator was TO
be punished, it must be done by the
state or federal courts. Only federal
officers. he maintained, were impeach-
able. and this Impeachment must be
for acts committed as such federal
officers
The precedent cited was the unsuc-
cessiul effort to impeach Senator
Blount Of Tennessee. charged with
reasonable correspondence with a for
eign nation. more than 100 years ago.
The conclusion then. Mr.. Hopkins
said. had never been reversed and that
was that the senate had no right to
try the case, as Senator Blount was
not an officer OF the United States.
After citing other cases Mr.. Hop
kins remarked that II was unn cessary
for him to multiply evidence to demon
strate his point that individual states
have no power to add any qualification
to a senator other than those prescrib-
cd by the federal constitution. Re
ferring directly 10 Mr. Smoot. he con
timed:
1T is conceded by the chairman OF
the committee on privileges and cleo
tions that Senator Smoot possesses all
Of the qualifications spoken of in the
constitution itself. 1t is also conceded,
not only by the able chairman of this
committee. but think by all who are
at all familiar with the case. that Sen
ator Smoot is not a polygamist. that
he has never married a plural wife,
and has never practiced polygamy.
that he is a man in his personal rela-
tons. as husband. father and citizen.
above reproach: that in all the rela.
lions OF citizenship he has lived sin
gularly pure and upright life"
He then asked. Why then. should
he be expelled from this body dis
graced and dishonored for life stig.
ma placed upon his children. his own
life wrecked and the happiness OF his
wife destroyed? He is a Christian gen
tleman and his religious belief has
taken him into the Church OF Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints commonly
called the Mormon church"
Mr.. Hopkins said he felt sure that
those representing the protestants
would not contend that there vas an
apostolic oath which had been taken
by Mr.. Smoot which would prevent
him from discharging his duties as
senator. Mr. Hopkins sympathized.
he said. with the denunciation OF poly
gamy made by Mr. Burrows in his re
cent speech. Il was he believed. q
relic Of a barbarous age, and a de-
stroyer of the ideal American home.
and he had no sympathy with the prac
tice
Never before in the history of the
government" he declared. with great
emphasis "has the previous life or
career OF a senator been called into
question to determine whether he
should remain in the senate or not
If members OF any Christian church
were to be charged with all of the
crimes that have been committed In
its name. where is the Christian gen.
tleman in this body who would be safe
in his seat.
lie denied that the protestants had
made good in any of the charges
against Mr.. SmoOt. after reviewing
these charges and the argument to sus-
tain them at length. and concluded
with the declaration that he would be
false to his oath of a senator If he had
voted to expel Mr.. Smoot from the
senate.