Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-13
UTAH LEGISLATURE
Adopts Resolutions Against Gov. Muir.
rays Veto ON Appropriations and De.
nOunces the Governor as ssNBllifier.'' -

SALT LAKE CITY, March II.
The following resolutions were Thursday
adopted by the Utah legislature. They were
Occasioned by Gov. Murray's veto of the gen.
Grafton appropriation bills
Whereas, All laws in force in this Terri
tory have been so passed by the said legisla.
tive assembly, have been SO approved by the
governor, and have been so forwarded to
Congress and have not been disapproved,
and
Whereas. Under our political system, the
right TO pass upon the consttutonality of
any law in this Territory is vested in judicial
and not in executive authority. and
Whereas, the officers to whom His Excel
ency refers in his said veto message as
"holding over unlawfully and long after the
expiration of their terms under an illegal
statute and by an election void in ITSELF
were commissioned bv His Excellency, Gov.
Eli II. Murray, in accordance with a Law
passed as prescribed in an organic act by the
legislature selected as therein provided for
and said law was duly approved by the Gov
ernor and was not disapproved by Congress
and had not been declared invalid by a COM
petent court. Said law was not, therefore,
valid. Said election was not illegal; said
officers did not unlswfully hold over.
Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the refusal of his excellency
to sign the bills because of his opinion con-
cerning the official status of the auditor and
treasurer is only a pretext, instead of a rea-
son; that the absolute veto power vested in
him is an engine of oppression, partizanship
and malice; that in giving official utterance
to the sentiment that the regularly enacted
and improved laws of Utah are acts of nulli-
fication, Eli II. Murray openly and wIllfully
insults the patriotism of the various legisla-
tive assemblies of this Territory by whom
these laws were passed; that he openly, de-
finitely, and for revolutionary purposes, in
suits the patriotism of the good people Of this
Territory, by whom said legislative assem-
blicS were elected, and whose representatives
we are and lastly, that he williugly and de-
liberately insulted the intelligence, patriotism
and devotion to duty of his predecessors in
offco who, while possessing absolutely the
veto power and being equal in authority to
him, the said Eli H. Murray, and equally re-
sponsible with the legislative assembly, have
given their final approval of said laws; and
be it further
Resolved, That said statements of said gov
ernor of Utah Territory, "when analyzed in
their very bones, and in the lineaments of
their every feature, are found to be wilful
and deliberate misrepresentatiOns, fabricat-
ed tor the purpose OF arouslng congress ana
the people of the United States to bitter and
unrelenting hostility to the people of this
Territory, ana of promoting thereby such
hostile legislation as would ultimately destroy
every vestige of liberty and republican gov
ernment in the Territory of Utah; that the
unhallowed purpose which he seeks by such
statements as these is to promote his public
career in this Territory, which has been
clearly demonstrated to be his chief aim and
desire ever since his appointment to the exec
utive position and that his present attitude
in Withholding his signature to needed laws,
and thereby obstructing the demands of the
legislation with nothing but railing accusa-
tion., instead of sound reasons for his execu-
tive disapproval, places him in the position of
an obstructionist, nullifier and an arrogant
and defiant opponent of the legal and con.ti-
tutional demands of liberty loving loyal and
much abused people.
Yesterday the governor proposed to make
the secretary of the Territory, who is dis
bursting officer of the United States under
bonds, also disbursing officer of the Terri
tory, to make the payments necessary to keep
alive Territorial institutions, and meet press
ing needs. The legislature refused this prop
osition, and the bill to pay the employees of
the legislature was defeated. There is nc
prospect that the deadlock will be broken.