The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-16
THE MESSAGE.

The text of the Governors mes
sage, as read to the Legislative
Assembly on Tuesday morning, will
be found in this issue of THE HER
AID. We do not know who com.
posed the paper, but will say this
much in favor of his excellency,
that the hand he employed on this
occasion was much more skilled and
mastery than that which helped
him out formerly. The document
bears evidence of the writer's
knowledge of the rules of
grammar, and shows also that
the author knows how to construct
sentences in way to make the most
of words. Of the matter the various
readers will be the best judges. It
will PROFESSIONALLY please some,
displease others, and upon the many
it will have neither good nor bad
effect, for they will not allow them
selves to be concerned in any way
by it. We can tell the Governor
and the author of his message, that
if they desired the paper 10 carry
with it weight and infu-
ence with the people or
the Legislature, they evershot the
mark and will be disappointed.
From first to last it is an assault
upon the people and their religion,
an attack upon the honesty, sin
cerity and intelligence Of the CON-
munity. Vieiousness runs through
the entire document, and there is in
it dictatorial, threatening spiritI
that lessons or destroys whatever
force or respect the suggestions
might otherwise have commanded
or claimed. The broadly EXPIRE ssed
threat at the opening that if
the Legislature does not con-
form in its acts to certain senti-
ments and suggestions Congress
Will punish the Territory, is dis
graceful in the executive and an
insult to every member OF the AS
sembly. To talk in that manner
may be well enough in political |
speech, gubernatorial reception or |
through a party newspaper organ,
but for the Governor to hold the
whip Of Congress and the country
over the head of the Legislature
that has been in session only |
long enough to hear the menace
Is an outrage. The place
to display the braggart and bully
is not in an executive document
which the law contemplates shall |
be merely suggestive. We hope the
Legislature will treat the iIl-timed
threat with the contempt that it
deserves, and in none of its acts and
deliberations be swayed or infus
anced from q conscientious convic-
ton Of what is right, lawful and
proper, by any menace or attempted
intimidation. It would be cowardly
10 do anything through fear or co.
ercion, and would show that thel
people had been deceived in placing
heir confidence and trust in incom-
1etent and unworthy men.
But the Governors message was
Intended for expectation and not
or home consumption. It was
framed with the view to it's being
cad abroad rather than in Utah
lis excellency cared nothing for the
'esult here, the effect elsewhere
being what he aimed at. He does
lot expect to sWerYe one member E
If the Assembly, or influence local .
public opinion in the least 3
legree; but he thinks his
Message will be read and
lpplauded in the east and west. He
nay be right in his manner and {
we believe he is wrong in
10Th. He has injured his cause, if
he has cause, by declaring to the
legislature and the people that he
s their enemy, and will do all in {
lis power to iniure and punish !
hem if they will not think as he !
kinks and do as he does. II