Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-10-25
State of lDeseret.

II has already been announced that the people
residing in The Valley of the Great Salt Lake,
had instituted for themselves form of Govern
ment, which is to be submitted TO Congress at
It's next session. The Editors Of the ST. Louis
Republican, who have been permitted to look at
certified copies Of the Constitution thus estab-
llshed, and OF the proceedings of the Legislature
under 1t, and of the reasons which led to these
movements, give the suboned account of them:
The new State is quantity styled the STATE
OF DEsEREr, which implies, according to the
Mormon history and Interpretation, the "Honey
Bee" and is significant of Industry and the kin
dred virtues. 1t is scarcely necessary to say TO
our readers that the population Of this new State
is composed altogether of persons protesting the
Mormon faith, OF whom the number Is rapidly
increasing every year, that being the State TO
which all their emigration is tending. In these
proceedings as in every thing else, the peculiar
ites of this people are preserved, though we can
not see that this will offer any good bar TO their
application for admission into the Union.
In one respect at least, the Convention which
! formed the Constitution for the New State has
set good example. They were employed only
one week in action upon 1t, and we do not see
but what II is as good one as of our
States have been able to form after months OF
dehbera'ion. We proceed TO give some OF its
main features.
10 February last, notice was given to all the
citizens of that portion of Upper California lying
East OF the Sierra Nevada mountains that a
Convention would be held at the Grea. Salt
Lake city, on the 9th of March, for the purpose
OF taking into consideration the propriety OF
gunlzIng Territorial or State Government.
Accordingly on the day appointed, the Con-
vehtlon met, consisting of large portion of
the inhabitants of that part of Upper California
/ lying East of the Sierra Nevada mountans."-
/ Daniel Spencer was elected chairman; William
Clayton, Secretary ThonIns Bullock assistant
Secretary; and Horace 5. Eldrdge, Marshal.
| Alter several addresses committee Of ten
was appointed to draught Constitution, under
which they could govern themselves until the
Congress Of the United States should otherwise
provide. Alfred CarrlngtoD, JOS l.. Haywood,
WIN. w. Phelps, David Fumer Charles c..
Rich, John Taylor, Farley p. Pratt, John NJ. Bir-
nise and Erastus Snow, were appointed said
committee. The Convention then adjourned to
Thursday, the 9Th, when they met to receive the
report OF the Committee.
! This report then made IN the shape of a
| Preamble and Constitution for the Government
of the New State. The first clause is as fol-
lows:
"We, the People, grateful to the Supreme
Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and
feeling our dependence on Him for Il eontlnu-
ance Of those blessings, do ordan and establish
Il tree and independent Government, by the
name of the State of Desert, including all the
following boundaries, TO wit; Commencing at
the 33J degree norl. latitude where it crosses
The l06th degree longitude, west Of Greenwich
thence running south and west TO the northern
boundary of Mexico; thence west to, and down
The nam channel Of the ella river on the north
ern line Of Mexico, and on the southern bounda-
| ry of Lower California 10 the Pacific ocean;--
| thence along the coast norhwestwardy TO The
| llSth degree 80 minutes of west ungude;-
thence north to where said line intersecls the di-
vlding ridge of the Sierra Nevada mountains -
thence along the summit of the Sierra Nevada
mountains To the dividing range Of mountains
that separate the waters flowing into the Column
ba rlver from the waters running into the Great
Basin; thence casterIy along the dividing range
OF mountains that separate said waters flowing
into the Columbia river on the North from the
waters flowing INTO the Great Basin on the South,
to the summit of the Wind river chain of noun
tains; thence southeast and south by the dvld-
ing range of mountains that separate the waters
lowing into the Gulf of Mexico from the waters
flowing into the Gulf OF California, TO the place
OF beginning, as set forth in n map drawn by
Charles Prenss, and published by order OF the
Senate Of the United States in lo4S.
The powers OF the government are then Ovid
ed into three ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS executive
and judicial.
The article in relation TO the legislative de-
pariment Is not essentially different from the
| COHstluliOHs OF lile ecNeIdl Slutes.
are required 10 be free white male citizens OF the
United States, aud 10 take an oath to support the
Constitution thereof The first Senate 10 con-
slst OF seventeen members, and the House OF 30
members.
la the Executive Department provision is
made for the election oi Governor Lieutenant
Governor, Secretary of Stale, Auditor OF Public
Accounts, and Treasurer. The Judicial power
is vested in Supreme Court and such inferior
tribunals as the Legislature shalt establish.
A Chief Justice end Two Associates compose
the Supreme Court.
The fifth article provides for the election of all
the officers named in The Constitution, on the LIST
Monday of May, last, aud Tor a vote for or
against the adoption Of the Constitution, sand If
majority of al! tho legal votes shall be in favor
of It's adoption, the same shall take effect from
and after said election"
: In the Declaration of Rights il is declared
"that all men have natural and inaIienabie
right TO worship God according to the dictates OF
their own consciences, aud the General Assem-
, bly, shall make no la" respecting an establish
ment Of religion, or ohbting The free exercise