The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-26

poILultS d IaA uoG exceeding DE
cent. for general school purposes t
be annually assessed in the distric
where the people so elect by DOE
ular vote.
The country has rung with erie
of "MormOn" atrocities, and tn,
Mountain Meadow massacre is citeC
as an instance. The truth is that M
western state or territory has beer
settled with so little lawleSsness anC
bloodshed, and so little expense t.
the government, as Utah; and the
shocking catastrophe alluded to, Oc
curing in an Indian country, over
three hundred miles from the cap
ltal Of a territory then without rail
roads or telegrSphs, is no more to be
charged upon the people here, OF
their leaders, than the bloody scenes
OF the frontier, in which few rene
gade whites have joined in the raids
of the red men, are chargeable to
the government at Washington.
We repudiate, with all our souls,
the foul charge, and declare that all
the reliable evidence ever addHced
is entirely opposed to the popular
belief. We court investigation on
this and other vile and Infamous
ISLANDERS.
We respectfully urge that while
this territory is deprived of any re-
presentation in Congress-, through
the act of the Executive, generally
recognized as uSurpatiOn and fraud,
it is most unfair TO us that measures
should be rushed through the Ma
tlonal Legislature. no voice from
| the people against whom this spe-
c1al legislation is designed, being
lifted in their behalf or heard in
their defense.
We respectfully remind your Hon
Orable bOdy that there are instances
in recent history which demonstrate
the evil consequences of hasty ac-
ton unjustifed by fair inquiry. In
1851 an army was sent to Utah to
support the inauguration of govern
ment officers, under the mistaken
impression that the "Mormons"
were in revolt, and that they would
resist the new officials. 1t had been
falsely represented by officers who
had left their posts in this Territory
that Utah was in rebellion, that
court records had been burned, and
that other overt acts against law and
good order mad been committed.
The army was dispatched, the gov
eminent appOinteeS arrived, it was
found that the reports were incor-
rect, a commission was then ap-
pointed, and it was clearly proven
that there had been no cause what
ever for the agitation. the army or
the expense Of the expedition. a
commission to investigate before in
stead Of after the action Of the gov
eminent would in that case have
saved the country many millions of
dollars, sand the administration from
an act which no informed person
will now declare to have been wise
or polite.
In 1875 it was falsely represented
to Congress that the Legislative AS
sembIy of Utah had not made any
provision. and would not provide
for Jurors and witnesses fees and
other expenses Of courts In criminal
cases. Without sufficient inyesti-
cation Congress diverted the amount
appropriated for legislative ex-
penSeS of this Territory to the uses
of the courts, with the provision
that if the Legislature would APP
pTopriate S23.5 for such uses the
money might be recovered. The
Assembly appropriated $4,000 for
court expenses, and at its next ses-
sion a deficiency appearing. $4,000
more was appropriated to cover it,
makingkS40,00 instead of S23,500,
and yet the members and officers of
the Assembly have not received one
dollar for their per- diem and other
legislative expenses of the session
of 1876. A proper understanding of
these facts would doubtless have
prevented this injustice. Every
statement set forth in this memorial
can be Substantiated by competent
documentary evidence.
We further respectfully represent
that there is no cause for the dis
ruption Of our local government. |
The taxes are light, good order is
no person is deprived of |
life, liberty or property without due |
process of law; the ballot is free |
and secret; all religious and pOliti-
cal societies are equal before the
law; peace prevails; property is Sc
cure; industry abounds, and the |
interests of the Territory |
are in a fiourishing condition. We
submit, therefore, that it is impolitic |
and unstatesmanlike to disarrange
the political machinery of this
whole commonwealth in an effort
to punish the alleged offens eS of a
few individuals, and that a full in
vestigatiOn of our internal affairs
will show that a widespread excite
ment has been raised on a very
small and fragile basis. 1t is evil
dent tC all who understand the
that notwithstanding the
of many members Of |
Congress to arrive at correct conclu-
sions concerning Utah, they are yet
misinformed as to our condition, our
laws and our necessities, some Of |
the bills introduced in either house
bearing unmistakable evidence of
this. We therefore respectfully ask
your Honorable Body to suspend ac-
ton upon Utah affairs until by a
cOm mittpp Of investigation the