Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-16
STATE OF DESERET.

| II has already been announced that The people
residing in the Valley Of the Great Salt Lake
had Instituted for themselves a form OF Govern.
meet, which is TO be submitted TO Congress al its
next ssion. The Editors OF the 81 Louis Re-
publican, who have been permilled 10 look al
certified copies OF the Constitution thus establish
ed and Of The proceedings Of the Legislature under
il, and OF The reasons which led 10 these move.
mems, give the sutjoined account OF them;
The new State is quainlly styled The STATE OF
DEsrREr, which implies according 10 III. Nor.
inc n history and Interpretation, The "IiDnsy Bee,
and is snificant OF Itdustry and The kindred
virtues. |, is scarcely necessary 10 say to orr
readers that The population OF this new STATE is
composed altogether Of persons conlsssing The
| Mormon faith, OF whom The number is rapidly
increasing every year, that being the Stale 10
which all their emigration is lending. 10 these
proceed ngs, as in every Thing else, the peculiari-
lies OF lhis people are preserved though we caI-
no, sse that this will offer any good bar 10 their
application for admission into The Unioa.
In one respect, al least, the Convention which
formed he Constitution for the new State has
set good example. They we're employees only
one week in action upon it, ard we do not see
but what it is as good one as some OF our
STATES have been able 10 form alter months oil
deliboration We proceed 10 give some of its
main features
| 10 February last notice was gwen 10 all Inc
citizens Of tina, portion Of Upper California ~
ing east of The Sierra Nevada mountains that
| Coyenlion would be held at The Great Salt
Lake civ, on The 5ih Of March, for The pur-
pose of taking into consideration The propre
" OF organizing Territorial or Stale GOVERN
ment.
Accordingly, on the day appointed, the Con.
yeniion met, consisting oil largo portion oil
the inha bilants Of that part OF Upper ga lorna
living east Of the Sierra Nevada mountains -
Daniel Soepcer was elected chairman; William
LAYTON, secretary; Thomas Bullock, assistant
cfetsry; aud Horace E bridge, marshal.
After several addresses a committee Of ten
war appointed to draught Constitution, under
| which they could govern themselves until The
| Congress Of The United States should otherwise
| provide. Alfred Darlington, Jos Haywood,
William w Phelps, David Fullmer, John S
Fullmer, Chas Rich, John Taylor Farley
Pratt, John vi Birnhsel and Erasius Snow
were appointed said committee The Conyen-
ton then adjourned TO Thursday the Slh, when
they met to receive the report of the committee
| This repor: was then madc, in the shape OF
Preamble aud Constitution for The govern
| mept of the now State. The FIRST clause is as
| follows:
ave, The People, grateful 10 The Supreme Be-
ing f1r the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling
| our dependence on Him Tor a continuation Of
| those blessings do ordain and establish Tree
and independent Government, by The name oil
the Stale OF DESERT, including all the, following
boundaries, to wit: Commencing al The $50 deg
north latitude where il crosses the Jus deg. Ion
gitude, vest Of Greenwich; thence running south
| and west 10 the northern boundary oil MEXICO;
| thence west to, and down The main channel oil
| the Gila river, on The northern line oil Mexico,
| and on the northern boundary OF Lower Cali
toruia 70 The Pacific ocean, thence along The
coast lhwcserly 10 the ll6 deg. 80 min OF
west Longitude, thence north 10 where said line
inersecs The dividing ridge OF The Sierra Nevada
| mountains thence north along the summit
| Of The Sierra Nevada mountains to the divI'
| ding range OF mountains that separate The
| waters flowing into The Columbia river ffcm
| The walters running into The Great BASIN;
thence easierly along The dividing range OIL
mountains that separate said waters ho~ins
into The Coun bia river on The north from
the waters flowing into the Great Basin
OH the south, 10 IL summit OF The Wind
| river chain of mountains; thence southeast
tains that separate the waters flowing into
| the Gull OF Mexico from The waters flowing in
| 10 Inc Gulf OF California, 10 the place OF be-
ginning, as sci forth in map drawn By Charles
| preuss, and published by order Of The Senate
OF The United States in ls43."
| The powcrs OF the Government, are then div.
d ID into three d.pauments-le sislalive, erecn-
i've, ard judicial.
The article in relation 10 line legislative depart
ment is not essentially different iron The Consl-
unions oil the several Safes Members are re-
quiIed 10 be free white male ciIizsns oil the Uoi-
led Slaies, and 10 take an oath 10 support The Con-
sliluiion thereof. The first Senate is 10 consist
OF seventeen members, and The House OF thirty
| FIVE members,
| In The Executive Department provision is
made for the election OF Governor Lieu enant
Governor. Secretary of Stale, Auditor OF Public
A ,counts, and Treasurer. The ju iicial power
is vested in a Supreme Court ard s1ch interior
tribunals as the Legislature shall establish. A
Chief Justice and Two Associates compose the
Supreme Court.
The Glib article provide. ioT the elscIicn the
Officers named 10 The Constitution, on the first
Moudayot May, Iast and Tor vote Tor or against
lhe adoption OF the Constitution, land il ma o.
ri,y OF all the legal votes shall be in favor OF its
I'll Jp,iop The same shall take effect from and af-
Ter said election"
In the Dsrlsroiion of Rishls i, is declared "!hat
all men have natural and inaienabe right 10
worship God according 10 The dictates OF their
own consciences, and lbe General Assembly
shall make no law respecting an establishment
OF religion CT prohibiting Inc free exercise there
OF, or disturbing any person in his religious Wor-
ship or Sentiments Prori9ed he does mol dis.
.urb tie public peace not obs'ruc, others in their
religious gorship."
This Constitution was adopted on The 10Th
March, lS49.
The first General assembly mel on The 2! Of
July. Miliard Snow was elected Speaker OF lhe
House; Alfred Darlington, Clerk John D. Lee,
Assistant Clerk; AID Geo. D. Grant, sergeanl>
alarms.