| Show iii fHE There Thero are oro so many Inquiries at atthe to the tho facts In relation to the election ot lion D 13 U fl Roberts and th the mea ures adopted to prevent his occupancy ot 1 seat In Congress that we deem It nee i Sal to give a brief revIew ot of tho whole matter V At the regular State convention the Democratic party Sept Wh 1 In Snit Salt Lake City D 13 Ii H Robert was nominated as al Representative In Con Congress C gress for tor Utah on the first ballot billiot reo n a large majority over soy competitors The dele delegates ates present pret curne from nfl all parts of the State been duly at county convene cont tons dons Both Mormons and non mons partIcipated In the tho lie He was considered the tho most candidate and the tho most mM a for tor the position Ills nomInation occa occasioned o stoned great greal There no distinction made mado between the reo opinIons opinion ot of the candidate Md I those ot of other members or of the tho corwen cov covton ton Jt At the n State convent held September er 1193 Alma Eld Eldr 1 r received receive the nomination ot of his party part for tor tho office ot of Mormons and 0 Participated In his selection He Hea WM Mormon a holding IL a Cede position He was the tho free f choice or of the tho present were also reGularlY chosen by the pea v plo pIc The State was wan thoroughly can canalled c by both candidates meetings be beIng Ing held In all the tho prominent places The contest was fairly but conducted V The Tho whole contention was political politic The II Mormon Jormon Church took no part p eIther In the tho nomination or the on either side Prominent Mormons particIpated In both but lIS American exorcising exercising their In Indisputable disputable rights An Apostle accompanied the tho Republican candidate In tour ot of the State and made strong ape a peals peale In his favor and in UP of ot the tho Republican party but this VM IUS not I os as a Churchman A A attack was made up upon Mr Roberts on ot of his alleg d domestic relations by the tho Republican paper In Salt Lake Lako City To this lila Ir Roberts made no reply as aa It was not r relevant to the question ot of his election as a Demo Democrat rat or ot of his legal quail for tor the tho place The assault ke kept up In this manner made friends for him hi and md aided In his hie achievement o of a vi Ic Ictor tor tory The returns or of the election showed show votes for Roberts 2961 2 m for C r Eld Eldredge El Elredge redge and 2878 2578 for tor Foster making a plurality for tor Roberts of oC Dim The T non nominee for f Judge on the same came ticket reo r the Republican nominee otes Thus Mr Ir Roberts Rober ran an ahead ot of his ticket Jt At the proper time tM the can cai receIved his certificate ot of ele Ion The G and Secretary t tate State were both Re Republicans but fou no o reason to withhold the evidence ot othis his election against which the there want contest Thus everything conn with the election was legal and regular regula The religIous mInisters ot of the se seral sev ral sects In Utah combined with but butone bt one ne or two exception to arouse amuse tho U country against the gentleman thus airly elected In doln doing so 80 they u and V religious hatred They The were ot of the opposite party In politic nd hostile to the Church of which M Mr Roberts was I a member They wet ero aided and abetted b by the Salt Lilt JAke In arousing the country countr against the tho Mormon Church allet alleg allegIng Ing tg that It was TaS by the Influence ot c chat that hat body that Mr Roberts gained Ills hi election lection also that In choosing him tho th agreement with the nation In I the State Constitution had been vie that new polygamous marriage were ere being solemnized and the State Stat wives who wh was as filling up with plural fere rere not wives when Statehood was wa and with thousands ot of ply dr Roberts Robert amous children that r represented presented this condition or of affair and ad was wall chosen for the purpose of o polygamy down the tho throat ot r the nation The preachers traveled throUghout the te country publishing these state statements ments oats from the pulpit while their theli or oi orIn gan In here echoed their fulminations at a home The press ot of the country tool took up p the retrain refrain and petitions were dr clr for tor signatures asking Congress to repudiate the Representative tron Utah and to take steps to prevent his bit sitting as 15 II a member So much misinformation was spread throughout the land that Q a storm orm or of Indignation was arous aroused and andly only ly one side or of the subject could ob obIn In IL a hearing A Now New York paper ot of the sensational species espoused the cause ot of the cru crusade sade tie and hired spies to pry Into the mily affairs ot of the from Utah tab and ot of the Mormon people gen crall ally Dy this means cases of r the tho con ot of family relations In plural mules were brought to public notice id In n a few tew instances fines were im sed for tor this In traction infraction ot of a State Statute tute were oro made to convict Mr berts ot of this offence but th they y were not t commenced until he had left this State to on business In the East prepare atory ry to his going to W Washington n to attend the Congress Durin During all the many lay months while he was wall In utah after er his election no step was taken to prevent his leaving the tho State Stat In time tor the opening ot of Congress fears be beInG InG entertained that If ft as aJl Was proba probable ble the case calle against should fan fail failen when en taken earlier ho he might gain gath his hist scat t In spite ot of Ills itis accusers As It was wasen hen en the complaint aga him was as flied d a 11 con considerable time after his de delure lure the plotters against him spread pread the false report that he w wasa a a Uvo from Justice An a attempt to aCCUse him ot of a fell through for tor lack or of evidence The rge preferred o him and wJ hns not yet ot been tried Is for tor a simple misdemeanor demeanor That Is no legal bat bar to ag or holding office Even Enn It If ho be had hada been a convicted ot of this offense It would torm a n no disqualification ca for tor It iI seat a t In grass either under the laws ot of ut Utah or ot C the United States Stale e ot of Congress which 11 fled from voting or holdIng V I t office In the tho Territory expired when v Utah b became mo n a Slate Indeed they by n a repealing clause clauso 11 itt tho Enabling Act Acl so liS as to permit all 1111 per I sons nJ who had been so to take part ut In the formation ot of the I neW neWState State That act proVided also that an male mille citizens ot of th the United States over a athe the tho age oge ot of 21 years who had In said Territory for tor one year ear next prior pi pito to the election for tor delegates deleite to the tho COli C Convention be to vote ote for tor such uch delegate The of the tho new St conferred cont the elective franchise and the rIght tl tu hold bold ottice on ot of the United States male anti and female or of the proper and Therefore the former on ot have haYo be been n entirely removed It Is affirmed that tr r Roberts tobert some so ears before roro Utah entered the Union Uni Unias as t a State contracted marriage at different times time with three women t cording to the then rites and cere ceremonies cei monies or of tho ot ol Jesus Christ ot Saints and that he has con cc his relations with them It ap a pears that these marriages were si 1 not only previous to State Stat Statehood hood but before the ot of Lre dent was vas Issued ad a the tho cessation ot of plural marria and announcing his determination to obey the laws ot of the land Whim When the Enabling Act for tor the a ad admissIon missIon ot of Utah was passed by Con Congress Co gress gresa as II a condition precedent the t people ot of Utah were vere requIred to Insert Inse In th the State Constitution Q a provisIon that polygamous or plural marring shall be fore forever r prohIbited The Act A Awas was silent In reference to marriages al already a aready ready contracted ThIs was intention on the part ot of Congress The oll l existing In Utah were taken ful Into cons consideration and It was ns under unde understood stood that existing relations hold not ni nibe be disturbed therefore the word po Pt was not used but the tion was carefully worded IS as above When the State Constitution was VI framed by bv n a convention organized ut un under der the provisions ot of the Enabling Act Ac the prohibition required was vas Inserted In that In the exact Ian lar guage user used by Congress And an add clause was Inserted penalties for tor tho infraction or of the ot or against polygamous or marriages Mr Roberts was vas a dele dek delegate gate and took nn an active part In tho Ui framing ot of that Constitution and tho th passage ot of these provisions J A Territorial statute relating to t polygamy unlawful cohabitation and an kindred otten offences s passed February th 1892 was given glyen full force In the ne new newState State only to this extent In so tar taras fa faas as the same came defines arid and imposes ose pen tItles for tor The Tho ot of the law was and full tull debate on the question omitted That showed the Intention of the tram ers rs ot of the Constitution not to provid against the minor offence and fron that hat time until some years later Inter It IL was wa considered void or n a letter Not No the laws ot of the fhe State were codi led fied Will was the tho old Territorial law corn com completely revived and that was done dont without the th full ot of the thi lit Irl tM th lute the TeAt great mafia ma s or of Revised Statutes Polygamy as by Congress when Utah was n a Territory consisted ot f the act ot of marrying IL a wile wife or hus and during the lifetime ot of an or husband It was pun IL a fine not to exceed or at Imprisonment not to exceed five years or r both The act ot of living with moro more than ono woman in family relations was de defined fined ned by Congress as unlawful Lation punishable by n a fine not ex cx exceeding or Imprisonment not ex cx ceding eding six months or both The Tho Utah la laws ws used the some phrase olo logy The Tho Acts ot of Congress and not those hose ot Utah are for tor these legal gal de definitions The two otten are distinct and different Mil and must b be so IiO regarded b by nil all Who desire to under understand stand the tho There have b been n no prosecutions for tor since Utah became Q a State hero Is no evidence ot or any cause for such ich proceedings That is 19 Q a sufficIent to the charge that Utah luIo kno broken her compact with the country countr It was compiled with by ot of ofte the te I sImple provIsion of oC the Enabling ct It has been en kept both In Iii the let lett letI t I and In the tho spirit Polygamous mar have hao a d In Utah and they are aret not t by the Mormon Church anywhere It has never be been n denied that men who ho contracted plural marriages many enu ars ago 00 and who are stilt continued to care caro for tor acknowledge and erish heir plural families It If In dog do doIn In g eo 60 they are amenable to the la lathe law lawey the ey will have havo to meet the consequences but t this II I no vIolation ot of an any compact with th the nation The number ot of such Is rapidly d decreasing rea ln by the tho death ath ot of one or moro more of the parties lit r Roberts hn halt not been legally ac ted ot of the crime ot of polygamy There not the tho slightest evidence that could be brought against him on such a chare Ills alleged offence Is 19 the minor one ot of whIch he has not been convicted ted i ot of which there are aro grave guo doubts doubt that Lt lie ho can be convicted There Thue n are circumstances assocIated with Ms case that it have never neer yet et been explained The ese wilt will no doubt be I brought for Cor forrO ward rO when ne necessary V The Iho outcry against him and the Mor Mormon I mon Church In the monster petition which had eo much weight with members or of ConGress originated In mis political chicanery and religious fanaticism ThIs he hue has with a calmness fortitude and heroIsm which have forced even een from Crom his bitterest tOM foes When he help appeared lp ared In th the house ot of tivee thes ready to take the oath pres prescribed by law lie Jle d every cery tion r required by the tho Constitution the laws made In pursuance thereof and the tho rules rule In force torce in that bod body lie He not be legal legally refused the rIght to 0 his sea seat t The resolution adopted referring his ease to a special committee before his hll betag sworn In waa r 1 Without precedent and to law and re regulations The cases caeI cited 4 by Mr lIr Tyler or of Ohio uan as an the proposed action were not In any sense relevant to the cas case of Mr Roberts The gentleman thus treated made no arg then us as to his personal or family r relations tor the House had no right at that stage ot of the proceedings to Inquire Into them lie properly con confined confined fined hIs remarks t ta the question which was bet le the Ue use that Is 1 his prima fade right to his seat There Is no such required ot of a Member ot of Congress ns as that pret pretended It Is not provided provide that a member must be a mu mo a 11 bachelor or a widower The consignment ot of this case cale to a composed ot of six Republicans and three D Democrats aU all of whom had voted against Mr Roberts and not one ot of the number who had voted In favor ot of his hie being sworn In was also unprecedented unprecedented dented and In the nature ot of n a jury jur against him The whole movement was waa a monstrous blunder It Is no now ad muted generally that the action or of the House In this case was entirely wrong that Mr Roberts should hare been per permitted to take his seat and then the charges against him aught be Investigated gated b by a proper commIttee The general opInion Is that the genUe man thus outrageously tr treated will be denied his seat not Dol b because ause evidence has hili been adduced su to condemn hint him but because ot of n a popular demand based on Ignorance ot of tho faute anti and caused b by Inflamed to lever heat hent which the majority ot of men to deny Mr Roberts Is the most noted man In Am America The Tho Church ot of which he Is a member has been brought Into unparalleled prominence Many thousands ot of people are inquiring Into Its doctrInes The result will b be favor Cavort favorable able to the tho truth Utah Is no now maligned like its choIce for tor Representative In Congress Sho will III emerge from cal calumny calumny anti and shine tIle the brighter for Cor the tM experience through which she Is pass lug und and when she comes out of the thed d loud d will be seen In her true truo colors ot of patriotism and fidelity Those Thoe lIo ho have raised the storm against her while re ie juicing for tor a little time will later hide th their lr diminished heads Shame will cover coer the slanderer and the hypocrite while the true and aDd devoted sons and daughters ot of the mountain State will be valard d for tor their integrity And Mor which Is II the truth ot of heaven henen sent Bent down to earth will flourish and prevail and be crowned with everlasting vIctory I |
