Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-09
THTRTY-FIvE YEARS AGO.


cluded within the following limits, to-wit:
bounded on the west by the State OF Cali
fornia, on the north by the Territory OIL
Oregon. on the east by the summit OF the
Rocky Mountains, and on the sou'h by
the thirtv-seventh parallel OF north latl-
tude, be, and the same is hereby created
into a temporary government by the
name OF the Territory of Utah" The
Territory OF Utah as created by act OF
Congress, September 8, 1850, was not so
large as the State OF Deseret, the Pro-
visional Government of which the people
of Utah created for themselves on March
18th, lS49, and as matter OF historical
interest we give the boundaries OF that
State. The Constitution OF that State
declares its boundaries in these terms:
I'VE. THE PEOPLE, Grateful to the SU-
PRENfB BEING for the blessings hitherto en-
loved. and feeling our dependence on Him
for a continuation of those blessings, DO
onDAIN AND ESTABLISH A FREE AND INDIE
PENDENT GOVERNMENT, by the name of the
STATE OF DESERET; including all the
territory of the United States, within the
following boundaries, to-wit: Commencing
at the $50. north latitude, where it crosses
the 1889, longitude, west of Greenwich,
thence running south and west to the north
ern boundary of Mexico; thence west to, and
= down the main channel of the Gila river, Tor
the northern line of Mexico,) and on the
northern boundary of Lower California to
the Pacific Ocean; thence along the coast,
northWesterly to the 118o, 30 -alln. of west
longitude; thence North to where said line
intersects the dividing ridge of the Sierra
Nevada mountains; thence along the sum-
nit of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the
dividing range of mountains, that
separate the waters flowing into the
Columbia river, from the waters running
into the Great Basin; thence easterly
along the dividing range of mountains that
separate said waters flowing into the Colum-
bia river on the north, from the waters
flowing into the Great Basin on the south, to
the summit of the Wind River chain Of
mountains; thence south east and south by
the dividing range of mountains that sepa-
rate the waters flowing into the Gulf of
Mexico, from the waters flowing into the
Gulf of California, to the place of beginning;
as set forth in a map drawn by Charles
Preuss, and published by order of the Senate
of the United States, in lS4S."
Such are the boundaries OF this famous
State OF Deseret. of which all hear 80
much and of which few know so little.
The Constitution OF this State was silent
upon question which, in l848, was para
mount to all others in the formation of
Territories or new States, namely, the
question OF slavery, and the only
reference to it is in speaking of the
qualification for Senator's and Represent
atives, sections " and V of article II,
which declare that member of either
branch is "to be free, white, male citi-
zen of the United States" while the
Organic Act provided that when Utah
should be received into the Union, it
should be with or without slavery. 1t
seems very strange to read that pro-
vision in the Organic Act now when one
thinks of the changes which have been
wrought since September 9, 1850. Since
then the country his passed through
four years of bloody war, war that was
started in the interest OF slavery, and
there have been added to the Constitu-
ton four amendments, each OF which
was but the legitimate outgrowth OF the
result OF the war. Whatever may be
Utah's faults and crimes, it is TO her
credit that she never gave encouragement
TO the institution of slavery.
Let us return 70. the formation OF the
Constitution OF the State OF Deseret. 1t
has been charged against the people OF
Utah that that Constitution was a usurpa-
ton and violation of the rights OF the
General Government. In the preamble
OF this now celebrated document the peo-
pie OF Utah gave the true reason for the
formation OF their State and its Constitu-
ton, and which was certainly consonant
to the prevelant Democratic doctrine of
the time Here are the reasons refer
red to:
WHEREAS, a large number of the citizens
of the United States, before, and since the
Treaty of Peace with the Republic of Mexico
emigrated to and settled in that portion of
the territory of the United States, lying west
Of the Rocky Mountains, and in the great in
terror Basin of Upper California; and,
WHEREAS, by reason of said treaty, all
civil organization, originating from the Re-
public of Mexico, became abrogated; and,
WHEREAS, the Congress of the United
States has failed TO provide a form of civil
government for the Territory so acquired, OF
any portion thereof; and,
WHEREAS, civil government and laws are
necessary for the security, peace and pros
perity of society; and,
WHEREAS, it is fundamental principle in
III oil
cal power is inherent in the people; and gov
ernments instituted for their protection
security and benefit, should emanate from
the same:
THRREFoRE, your Committee beg leave to
recommend the following CONSTITUTION
until the Congress of the United States shall
otherwise provide for the government of the
Territory, hereinafter of the named and de-
scribed, by admitting us into the Union"
The true reason, then, for the formation
OF this provisional government was that
Congress had tailed to provide civil
government for this newly acquired terri
tory. For such proceeding the people
here hal high authority, if Stephen A
Douglas can be relied upon as expound-
ing correctly the Jetfersonian Plan of
Government for the Territories Douglas
says:
This Jeffersonian Plan of Government
embodies and carries out the ideas and prin-
oiples of the fathers of the Revolution-that
the people of eyary separate political COM
munity dependent colonies, Provinces, and
Territories, as well as sovereign States)
have an inalienable right TO govern
themselves in respect to their in
ternal polity, and repudiates the
dogma of the British Ministry and the
Tories of that day that all colonies, Prov
inces, and Territories were the property of
the Empire, acquired with the common
blood and common treasure, and that the in
habitants thereof have no rights, privileges,
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