The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-22
UTAH TERRITORY.

the Secretary oil state IN reply 70 the resolution
of the House, asking all such information as
may be in his possession, calculated to show
the actual condition of things in the Territory
of Utah, and especially to enable the House to
ascertain whether the due execution of the laws
of the United States has been resisted or OBJ
structed whether there has been any misappli-
cation of the public funds; and whether the
personal rights of our citizens have been inter
iered with in any manner"
The following is list of papers accompany
ing the report of the Secretary of State to the
President of the - of January, 1852:
|. Mr. Bernhisel to the President of the Uni
ted States, with enclosures, December /. 1851.
2 MIR Snow to the President OF tho United
! States. September -, 1851.
3. Governor Young to the President Of the
| United States October 20, 1851,
l. Report of Messrs. Brandebury, Brocchus
and Harris. to the President of the United
States, December 10, 1851.
5 Mr. Harris to Mr.. Webster, January .,
1882
g. MIR Harris TO the President with enco-
sures January 2, 1852.
T. Mr. Bernhise to the President of the Uni
ted States December 80 1851
Governor Young TO the President OF the
United State. September %, 1851.
g. Memorial signed by members of the Legs
latiye Assembly of Utah to the President of the
United States September %, 1851.
J . l. The letter Of Mr. Bernhisel states that tho
I news Of The pas-ass q ny ,.'5 ~ygp",h,ne tne
Territory OF Utan Mas greeted ~ ths people
with demonstrations of enthusiastic JOY. He
contradicts the statement of Judicial officer
of the Government, dating from Salt Lake
City, September 20 1851, that the Government
officers we're treated with GOODNESS, and the
United States Government itself was denounced
in the most disrcspectful terms
2 The letter of Mr. l. Snow states that
Judges Brandebury and Brocchus and Secre-
tary Harris had left the Territory, but forbears
to state the reasons.
3 Governor Young states that after the de-
parture of Secretary Harris and the Judges, he
took the liberty of appointing Doctor Willard
Richards as Secretary pro tenn.
4 The report of Messrs Brandebury, Broc-
chus and Harris. is n very long document, in
which they enumerate the causes which com
PEELED them to leave the country They say
1--WE found upon our arrival that almost the
entire population consisted of people called
Morm0ns: and the Mormon Church overshad.
owing and controlling the opinions, the actions,
the property and even the lives Of it's members
usurping and exercising the functions of legsla-
ton and the judicial business of the Territory
organizing and commanding the military; dis
posing of the public lands upon its own terms
coming money. stamped Holiness to the Lord,
and forcing itscirculation at standard iifteen or
twenty per centum above its real value open
" sanctioning and defending the practice Of
polygamy, or plurality of wives exacting the
tenth part of everything from its members un.
der the name Of tithing, and enormous tax a
from citizens. not members; penetrating anC
supervising the social and business circles; an,
inculcuting and requiring AZ an article Of reli
gious faith implicit obedience to the counsel
of the Church, as paramount to all the obi
cations of morality, society allegiance, and {
law"
They say their main reliance was upon Brig
ham Young the Governor of the Territory {
they presumed he was well disposed toward
the Government but che was jealous of hi
power as head Of the Church and hostile b
the Government of the United States and it
officers, coming there to perform this duty
under the organic act"
The declarations Of leading men in the Ter
rtory are cited as showing hostility TO tn,
United States Goyernmcnt-W w. Phelps
one Of the Regents Of the Dcseret University
declaring that the Mormons were proscribet
by the United States He had two wives, Others
of his brethren had more aud brother Brig
ham Young had still more: and none of then
dare return to the United States with Their
families for their dirty, moan, little, contract
ed laws would mprison them for polygamy'
|
"Brigham Young. the Governor, announced,
with great vehemcncc from the stand and to
individuals, while the feelings Of the people
were thus excited by such sentiments, that he
had ruled that people for years, and could rule
them again; that the United States Judges
might remain in the Territory and draw their
salaries. bat they should never try n cause, il
he could prevent it,
Another speaker already referred to, stand
encouraged by the example set him by the Coy
crnor declared. in a speech at II public meet
ing, that the United States officers might re-
main in the Territory 80 long rs they behaved
themselves and paid their boarding; but if they
did not they (the Mormons would kick them
10 he'll, where they belonged
"1he Governor announced upon another
occasion, from the pulpit that he was not OPP
| posed to the Government of the United States,
but it was the id Internal corrupt scoundrels
ut the head of it, He applied this to Con
gress, IN he afterwards explained il, declaring
| that the present Administration had done
them some justice, but no thanks 10 them for
it was God Almighty made them do it,
Professor Spencer, of the University of Desc.
ret declared from the pulpit, on the Sabbath,
where the Judges attended, that "the Govern
ment of the United States ia stink in the nos.
trils Of Jehovah, and no wonder tho Mormons
wish il down. We can save it by 7heOeracy,
but rather than save it any other way, we will
see it id first"
Gov Young did not have the census taken,
AS required by the laws, but apportioned the
repr esentatyes and councillors without taking
the census. A murder was committed in the
Territory upon the body Of James Munroe, a
citizen Of the United States; his remains were
buried without an inquest, and the murderer
walked the streets without molestaton
ale IGoy. Youngl was also authorized and
required, by the same act TO appoint all officers
not provided for in the bill, who should con.
tnue in Office until the end Of the first session
of the Legislature Yet there was not sheriff,
justice Of the peace, or constable, in the Terri
tory, legally qualified 10 act when We left, lex
| co,,,;ng one ar two iustices of the pcace An.