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

and stripes. pinioned in the center by
the national shield. All the ballus-
trade at the west end of the hall was
swept by draping in red, white and
blue and in pleasing relief to the pre-
dominating colors tropical plantc were
! stationed in front of the high stand.
The banner of the republic also hung
opposite the pulpits on the east side of
the gallery. From here around the
rotunda were swung the favorite col
ors. bedecked in turn with small flags,
countless almost as the row of eager
faces above them.
CALLED TO ORDER.
At 1890 p. M, Secretary of the Terri
toryi'C. c. Richards, the acting COVER
nor called the meeting to order. He
said he felt the honor conferred on
him in being asked to preside in the ca
pac1ty of'aetilg governor over this vast
assemblaSe on this suspicious occasion.
For nearly fifty years the people of
Utah had waited and hoped for the
blessings and privileges which today
they enjoy equally with the most ia
Yored citizens of THE United States.
There are among the people assem-
bled here not less than three genera
ti0nS of voters reared in Utah who
have not hitherto cast their votes for
president of the United States, who
will next November for the first time
have voice in the election of the pres
fdent of the great republic. [Applause.l
This, said the speaker, is the proudest
day of my life. and in saying SO 1 but
echo the sentiment of a quarter of a
million of people who rejoice at the
placing of the new star on the flag.
Our happiness today is in laying aside
territorial bondage and exercising ev-
cry right of free born citizens.
The Sixteenth Infantry band was
introduced and rendered a musical Sc
lection very pleasingly.
PRESIDENT WOODRUFFS PRAYER
Mr. Richards stated that President
Woodruff was not in sufficiently good
health to permit of his delivering the
invocation, but the aged president had
prepared a prayer which would be read
by President George @. Cannon. Mr..
Cannon was received With applause,
and read the prayer, as follows:
Almighty God, the Creator of heaven
and earth, thou who art the God of
nations and the Father of the spirits
of all men, we humbly bow before
Thee on this great occasion and recog-
nize Thy woodworking hand in the
liberty which has come to the people of
Utah. We thank Thee and praise Thy
holy name for Thy mercy and Thy
goodness, and we worship Thee as the
Ruler of the Universel When we gaze
upon these fertile valleys with their
abundant products of field and garden,
of fruit and flower, of milk and honey,
their f1ocks and herds, their swelling
streams and flowing fountains, their
pleasant homes and prosperous inIhabi-
tants; upon the grand mountains
which have yielded vast treasures of
useful and precious minerals; upon
the marts of trade. the hives of
industry, the houses of learning and
of religion, and upon the signs of pro-
gress in art and science, in taste and
refinement, and contrast these with
the barren and silent wastes which
greeted the eyes of the pioneers when
they first looked upon these dry
sage lands less than half a century ago,
our souls are filed with wonder and
with praisel While hardy hands and
skillful brains have worked unceasing-
ly, the enterpriSing minds have di-
rected the toflers who labored to bring
about this splendid transformation, it
has been thy blessing and thy guild
ing spirit which has inspired both the
leader and the followers, and to thee
the efforts of several decades to(secure
the priceless boon of perfect political
often appearing to be in vain,
have at length been crowned with
glorious success, we feel that to thee,
our father and our God, we are indebt-
ed for this inestimabe blessing
many years of estrangement
from our fellow citizens afar off who
know US not, we have struggled for the
which is given to us today. \
Thou knowest all hearts and art our
witness that in the the misunderstand-
lngs and differences that have occurred, |
the' people of these mountain wales
have been loyal upholders of the con-
of our country and those |
institutions which thou
didst inspire the fathers of the nation |