Show hy aeri Few persons kno know that at one onetime time the Latter day Saints imposed I duties upon all goods brought Into Salt Lake and which were to be besold besold sold In Utah but those which w were re reIn In transit were not taxed This fact was brought out when the con con- adoPted b by the convention which formed the government of the state of Deseret was presented to congress The Information was given ghen when a memorial was presented presented pre pre- by Senator Joseph It Underwood Underwood Under Under- wood of Kentucky the memorial being signed by William Smith and Isaac Sheen the former a brother of the prophet and twelve others This memorial represented that the two men mentioned claimed to be bethe bethe the legitimate presidents of the Church or of Jesus Christ of Latter Latter- day Saints Saints' and the legitimate successors successors suc- suc ot of Joseph Smith the prophet Senator Underwood requested requested re- re quested when he offered the memorial me- me morial that it it- be referred to the committee on territories and that some investigation be made by that committee regarding changes alleged alleged al- al In the memorial This memorIal alleged that prior to the movement toward the west vest members or of the Church or of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints were required to take talce a secret oath and it was vas this charge Un- Un referred to and which he suggested should be investigated The memorial was referred to the committee on Later another another an- an other memorial from the same parties was presented by Senator Underwood In which grievous corn como plaints were made against the people peo peo- pie of Deseret and stating that the saints around Council Bluffs controlled eon con trolled the post office In that district dig dis- and obstructed the free circulation circulation lation of newspapers This memorial memorial me- me morial like Ilke the others was referred this one going to the committee on post offices s and post roads Before reference of the memorial was made the date being 31 1849 Senator Stephen A. A Douglas Doug Doug- las lag of Illinois made a rief address in which he said that while he had hadnot hadnot not read the memorial he had read an article In the newspapers per per- taming thereto and that he had met with the delegate who had been sent to Washington by the provisional government of Deseret that being the government which u J at aL tue Salt lal lake had established for themselves In the absence of action by congress congress con con- gress in their behalf and that he had asked Mr Babbitt to explain whether or not the Mormons had assumed the right to impose duties uPOn all goods and commodities which passed through the valley of I the Great Salt lak lake While hile Mr Babbitt said Senator Douglas stated that this transaction lion tion had red sInce he left lett Salt 1 Lake City for tor Washington he he- was cognizant of it in that the matter had been thoroughly discussed beI be- be before I fore he left home and that the imPosition imposition im- im position of the duties might have begun therefore and hile he was not able to say that duties were being imposed he believed the they were Senator Douglas then continuing continuing con con- his brief tall talk saId That these people having assembled assembled assem- assem bled In iii large numbers in the neighborhood neighborhood neigh neigh- of Salt lake with the Intention intention in- in of making It their permanent permanent perma- perma nent home found it necessary to toI I establish a government for their own protection until congress I should provide one for them and they f found und it necessary when they I had established their government to provide ways and means for its I support The rne course adopted was to im impose im- im pose duties on all goods brought In Inand inand and sold sOd within the city ity of Salt Ial Lake e whether by Mormons or antiI anti anti- I Mormons residents re or nonresidents upon an equality but that no duties I were vere Imposed on those who carried I goods through the limits of the I Mormon settlements This state state- I ment apparently was I for the memorial was referred to the committee on territories While Babbitt was working hard jn in Washington Vash to have congress recognize the claims of the territory terri tern tory the people crossing the plains and mountains on arrival In Salt Lake many of whom decided to not go farther tarther had diffIculty In the division or of their property and appeal appeal ap- ap peal to the courts of Deseret was frequently made Old timers say ay that practically in every instance the decision of the court was accepted accepted ac- ac for Cor I whatever the decisIon appeal to a higher court was useless use use- less for the jUdgment was wag invariably In- In variably affirmed If the losing party rebelled or expressed In unseemly unseemly un- un seemly language his opinion of justice as administered by the thes s he was severely fined and ands s sometimes imprisoned for a term long enough to cause him to have respect for civil law A |