The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-05-08
BEFORE TERRITORIAL DAYS.
CONTINUED from page ~

tConunued from page J.!
ed before the movement to establish form Of civil
government resulted in meeting of citizens to es-
tablish that government. The convention met in
Great Salt Lake City Oh March 10 1919. and
committee was appointed to draft constitution
for the adoption Of the people in the territory. This
committee consisted of Albert Darlington Joseph
L. Haywood William W. Phelps. David Fulmer
John S. Fullmer. Charles G. Rich, John Taylor
Farley p. Pratt. John N. Bernhisel and Erastus
Snow. This committee dra fled a constitution and
reported to the convention on March 49, 1S49 The
constitution was unanimously adopted. and the
'tree and Independent government, by the name of
the State of Deseret" was launched. The preamble
says:
Whereas, large number of citizens of the
United States, before and since the Treaty of
Peace with the Republic of Mexico, cmigrated to-
and settled in that portion of the territory of the
United States, lying west of the Rocky Mountains
and in the great interior Basin of Upper Califor
mia; and,
Whereas. by reason of said treaty. all civil
ganization, originating from the Republic of Mex
leo became abrogated; and
'Whereas. the Congress of the United States
has failed to provide form of civil government for
the territory so acquired or any portion thereof:
and,
Whereas. civil government and laws are neces-
sary for the security. peace and prosperity of
cietv: and,
''Whereas. it is a fundamental principle in all
republican governments. that all political power is
inherent in the people: and governments instituted
for their protection, security and benefit should
emanste from the same:
"Thcrefore. your Committee beg leave to recon-
mend The adoption of the following CONSTITU
TTON, until the Congress of the United States
shall otherwise provide for the Government of the
Territory. hereinafter named and described, by adj
hitting US into the Union
1t will be seen that the efforts of the pioneers
were directed toward the establishment of form
of civil government for their own benefit until the
Congress of the United States shall otherwise pro-
vide
The boundaries of the new state of Deseret were
Utah. Arizona. Nevada and part of California, Ore
gon. Idaho. Wyoming and Colorado 1t was tech
nically described as follows:
commencing at the SO deg. north latitude
where it crosses the 10s deg, longitude. west of
Greenwich, thence running south and west to the
northern boundary of Mexico: thence west to- and
Town the channel of the Gl1 river Cor the northern
line of Mexico). and the northern boundary OF
Lower California to the Pacific ocean: thence along
he coast north westerly to the lis deg. 30 min. of
west longitude: thence North to where said line in
terseets the dividing ridge of the Sierra Nevada
thence north along the summit of the
Sierra Nevada mountains to the dividing range of
that separate the waters flowing into
C Columbia river from the waters running into the
Great Basin; thenceo easterly along the dividing
range of mountains that separate said waters flow
ing into the Columbia river OH the north, from the
waters flowing into the Great Basin on the south,
to the summit of the Wind River chain of noun
tains: thence south east and south by the dividing
range Of mountains that separate the waters flowing
into the Gulf of Mexico. from the waters flowing
into the Gulf of California. to the place of begin
ming as set forth in map drawn by Charles Preuss
and published by order of the Senate of the United
States, in tS4S"