The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-07
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
1t is an important occasion that has
brought US together today under the
/ spacious roof of this historic building.
We are here to join in the ceremonies
attending the birth of q new state to
the Union. The circumstances sur
rounding the birth are most happy and
suspicious. It is proper. therefore,
that we indulge in mutual congratula-
tons and rejoicings.
/ First and foremost let us congratu-
late the PiOneers-that heroic band Of
patriots who blazed the way for west
/ ern civilization-who built the bridges
and killed the Snakes-WhO turned the
| waters upon the burning soil and
Wrung from desOlatiOn the bOunteous
/ harveStS which we are reaping-whO
I planted the Stars and Stripes on
/ yOnder peak, and in the name of free
/ concentrating now. 1t is nearly half
a century since. with tired feet, the
I Pioneers first entered the valley Of the
/ Great Salt Lakeland many of that il
I lustrious 143, whose courage and Prov
ess beat down the barriers in a thOus-
and miles of trackless wilderness
I overcome at last by the fatigues Of
added years, have lain their weary
bodies down to rest where sleep the
brave and the JUST We turn our.
thoughts to them today, and with
hearts bursting with gratitude, we
( speak their names and tell anew their
Valorous deeds in hallowed reverence.
To those Of the Pioneers who have sur
vfved those early hardships and are
here to participate with US in the
general joy of this occasion, let us yield
the place of honor, as the founders Of
our glorious commonwealth, and pay
them the homage due their noble work
AS for those of US who followed in
their wake, whether we came to Utah
in the slow moving prairie schooner of
frontier days, OF in the lightning ex-
press train of mora recent years, or.
whether born upon the soil, let us
clasp hands upon this natal day and
congratulate each other upon tho-hssp-
py solution Of all past contentious and
our succession to the full rights and
privileges Of citizenship in a free and
sovereign state of the grandest re-
public the world has ever seen.
And while felicitating ourselves and
our state upon her admission into the
union, let us not omit to congratulate
the union upon the acquisition of an
other commonwealth of magnificent
proportions and superb possibilities. The
grandeur of wealth with which nature
has endowed her. the intelligence, in
dustry and thrift of her people, ener-
sized by the vigor of her wonderful
climate, give assurance that Utah will
be tower of strength to the national
fabric, supporting with sturdy might
her share of the public burden and
forming an element of national great
ness which can but rebound to the
honor and glory of the republic.
UTAHs WEALTH
So that both state and nation have
cause for exultation upon Utah's state
hoOd-the state, because of the great
benefaction of constitutional govern
ment bestowed by a wise and generous,
Congress-; the nation because of the
addition of a new commonwealth.
pledged to the perpetuity of the union.
and possessed of infinite treasures
which the state. upon her admission
laws at the feet of the nation If
We're asked to enumerate in more
specific terms the riches that Utah at
fords the country as recompense for
hrr statehood, l should say she offers
the gold and silver and lead and cop
per and iron of her mountains. the
luxurious soil of her valleys, a match
less life saving climate, a most efficient
public school system and the gratitude
OF a happy, homogeneous. patriotic
people. She offers homes to settlers,
Investments to capitalists. work to
laborers, health to invahds, attractions
to pleasure seekers. opportunity to
fortune hunters. Utah. today stretches
forth her arms and beckons to the
densely peOpled districts of the east to
come out and share her glories. She
lifts up her voice in loyalty and love
OF country, and to the support and per-
petuity of the union, of which she be-
comes an integral part. with q firm
reliance on the protection of divine
providence, her quarter Of a million
people pledge anew their lives. their
fortunes and their sacred honor.
1t is usual at such a time as this,
marking as it does an epoch in his
tory. to permit the pertinent incidents
of the past, leading UP to the fruitfon
of the present, to be reviewed and
contemplated. The long period of
Utah's probation, covering a period OF
nearly half a century,, strewn as it is
with thorns and roses, invests her his
tory with a charm and interest more
than usually inviting. and so L shall
proceed to a brief recital of those
events which may be said to constitute
the evolution of Utah's statehood.
THE FIRST EFFORT.
The first effort of the people to secure
constitutional government was in 1849.
months after the advent of the
Pioneers, and one year after the sign
ing of the famous treaty Of Guadalupe
Htdalgo, by which the soil they oc-
cupled was coded from Mexico to the
United States. A call for a convention
was issued ito consider the political
needs Of the community" It was ad-
dressed to "au the citizens of that por-
ton of upper California lying east OF
the Sierra Nevada mountains The
convention assembled at Salt Lake
city in March, and decided to petition
Congress for a territorial form Of
government. and to organize, pending
congressional action. a provisional
state government. A committee ap-
pointed to draft and report a consti-
tuition for the temporary state of Des-
eret consisted Of Albert Darlington.
Joseph L. Haywood. William W.
Phelps. David Fullner, John S Full
mer. Charles G. Rich. John Taylor.
Farley P. Pratt. John NJ. Bernhesel,
Erastus Snow. The convention contin-
ued its deliberations on the Sth, 9th
and 10th Of March and adopted the
constitution reported by the commit
tee. Its preamble was as follows:
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