The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-10-16
MURRAY:
Absent but Not Forgetful.
He Sends In q Report.
Stirring things Up and Knock
tag Things Down.
A Legisiaiis Council AdyO-
Gated.

| Washington, Ex-Governor Muir
ray, OF Utah, who has Just sent a
report to the Secretary Of the Int
rior, states that there has long ex~
listed in Utah a combination to null
lily the laws Of Congress. This
conspiracy led to open rebellion at
one time, and continues to evade
| and defeat the plain will Of Con-
gress, AID he urges, by the act Of
Congress Of 1882, dealing with affairs
not only spiritual but temporal.
He calls attention also to the viola
tion of the act of '62, which declared
it unlawful for any corporation or
association for religious or charitable
purposes to acquire or held real
estate of greater value than $4,000
within any city in any Territory by
the Mormon church, which accord
ing to the latest census, possessed
property within one county to
the amount of S2,500,00O. Con-
gress should take some action to
secure good government, and not
rely upon 'time and the railroads"
to effect desired reforms. He goes
on to speak of the dangers Of an
other irrepressible conflict"
and says that the militia of
the Territory is not available.
He recommends that the United
States military be made available,
ahd that it be made lawful for
United States soldiers to be used for
the execution of process out of
the courts of the United States
in the hands of the United States
Marshal, and thepa the service
under proper restrictions, in case Of
riot, Instruction domestic violence
and for preservation of the peace be
made more readily effective than
under the present laws. The res
port states that the unlawful
Territorial government which
for over thirty years existed
in the face of Congress and
the country, exists to-day; the una-
nimity and universally with which
the request of officials appointed by
the Governor under the HOar
amendment for officers was refused
Throughout, the entire Territory
could on this earth. perhaps, be seen
only in Utah. The Governor con-
tinues: Many laws of Con-
gress have been nullifed in Utal
anG this law was defeated with the
usual oneness, and [ must say, with
apparent familiarity with the bust
ness in hand; the lawfully ap-
pointed officers, instead of
appealing to force, appealed
to the courts, and the
Supreme Court of the Territory sus-
tanned the act of Congress and the
action of the governor; but tech
nicalities and delays CT the law con-
sequent upon pleas and state pro-
ceedings resulted as usual in that
Territory, in failure, and the
polygamists, and worse-heilions
exercised functions of Office and
to-day many so hold, who are
not entitled under the law to cast a
vote. He says, after presenting
these facts ia explanation of his
inability to enforce the laws, it is
not reasonable to suppose the Gov
ernor can execute the law
when he can only rely under
law on those who combine to
defeat it, and adds: Congress
must provide other agencies
to enable the government to faith
fully execute the laws" With re-
spect to the opinion that interior.
ence with Mormonism would be
interference with the liberty of
worship, he says: "The question is
not whether Congress has or may
prohibit the free exercise of
religion, for that has been
decided under the law of 1862, by
the Supreme Court test case (Rey.
nolds), but whether the Territorial
legislative assembly in Utah, an
agency of the general government
created by Congress and paid as
such out of the treasury of
the United States, has not
made law upon law re-
specting an establishment of re-
ligion. He considers that the
foundation of the Territory of Utah
by the Mormons was merely an at
tempt to establish a religion. He
alludes to what he calls ga repre-
hensible crime" that the courts are
not open to all citizens, and I'M
known to Congress constantly
sit with usurped powers,
like unto those conferred by the "act
of incorporation" Zone OF the acts
designed to be annulled.) The great
crime against the plain PROVISIONS
of the Constitution may be
quickly and effectually arrested and
punished, he says, independent
of any act of Congress relating to
the Territory of Utah. An ecclesi-
astical government exists there to-
day and has existed for thirty years,
intended to meet all the require
ments as to temporal affairs of men
in that Territory; as a remedy
for this condition of affairs he
asks that If the Legislature
elected under the Edmunds law fails
to repeal all laws passed by form er
Legislatures respecting the estab-
lishment of religion and all statutes
by which laws of Congress have
bean nullifed; if it fails to pass laws
forbidding polygamy and punish