Show THE MEMORIAL Following is the memorial reported re-ported by the committee appointed to draft it to the constitutional convention on Tuesday and which was laid over until today at the suggestion of Gen D H Wells who presented it before it was adopted MEMORIAL To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the united States in Congress assent bled bledGentlemenThe GentlemenThe citizens of the United States in the Territory of Utah through their delegates in convention respectfully present this memorial asking for admission into the Federal Union as a free and sovereign state on the same footing as the other states under the name I and title of the State of Utah and herewith submit the constitution I which they have adopted When the people who opened this vast region to civilization and rendered ren-dered possible its settlement by the advanced races first planted their feet upon the virgin soil of these valleys it was part of the domain of the Republic of Mexico Five hun dred of their stalwart men were in the field aiding in the war with that power and they occupied this part of the country as loyal citizens of the United States unfurling its flag to the mountain breeze and proceeding pro-ceeding to organize a provisional government preparatory to becom Ing a part of the Federal Union When by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo this portion of Mexico was ceded to the United States they sought at once by proper means to secure the rights and privileges of statehood California the settlement settle-ment of which by citizens of the United States was largely due to the people of this territory made application appli-cation at the same time as they for admission into the Union and was successful To Utah was granted a territorial form of government For thirtytwo years the citizens of this territory have been kept out of the Union and under the disadvantages disad-vantages of a system which in many respects is foreign to the principles of democratic republicanIsm Ism They now for the fourth time approach your honorable body with their respectful petition for that republican form of government govern-ment which Congress is required by the Constitution to guarantee to every state in the Union I And they submit that Utah has outgrown the conditions if they ever existed which justified the establishment of that imperfect political system cs Inch has been so long continued Her population numbers at least 150000 souls Her agricultural stockraising manufacturing mineral and other resources and industries are of such magnitude that she is abundantly able to bear the burdens and meet the expenses involved in independent indepen-dent statehood Her cities towns and villages exhibit all the marks of thrift prosperity and order that I indicate capacities for selfgovern ment Unaided by any extraneous assistance schools for the education of her children flourish in every settlement within her borders The local laws protect life and property with more than common safetyand extend all possible liberty to persons of every party creed and race without distinction Railroads Rail-roads and telegraph lines connect her people with each other and with all parts of this great nation and they are familiar with the common interests and public questions which lend the various States in political unity There is nothing to prevent Utah from taking an active part in the Federal compact but those bar riers of prejudice which have been built up chiefly through misrepresentation misrepre-sentation aided by unfamiliarity with the facts We further submit that the exercise exer-cise of absolute and unlimited power over the great bodY of citizens in habiting this Territory which is claimed by Congress as a right is antirepublican in theory and most oppressive in practice We have no voice in the election of the national legislators who without understanding understand-ing our condition occasionally make laws to govern us or of those authorities who appoint officials to conduct our affairs The governor placed over us without our consent has the power to render void all the acts of the legislators elected by the people by simply withholding his signature thereto This absolute veto power is added to the supreme authority of Congress to abolish or make null all or any of our local laws The essential principles of American republicanism as enumerated enum-erated in the Declaration of Independence Inde-pendence are thus grossly violated and the people of Utah are kept in a condition of vassalage alike unworthy of a free government irksome to those who are compelled com-pelled to endure it and subversive subver-sive of the inalienable rights of menWe direct the attentionof your honorable body to the pledged word of the nation in the treaty before mentioned agreeing that the people residing in this region at the time of its ratification should be incorporated incor-porated into the Union of the United States and be admitted at the proper time to the enjoymet of all the rights of citizens of the United States according to the principles of the Constitution and meanwhile should be protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property and secured in the free exercise of their religion without with-out restriction Abstaining from any inquiry as to whether these guaranteeshave been fulfilled by the government in the case of Utah we ask whether the proper tune has not arrived when her people should be admitted to the full rights and privileges of citizens of the United 46 States the same conditions being required as of other communities seeking the status of independent statehood We present with confidence the constitution framed by this conven tion and ratified by the people of this territory a t the polls the election S being held May 22d 1882 when 27 814 ballots were cast in its favor and but 498 against it with two coun ties Uintah and ban Juan not reported re-ported We tli nk it will be conceded con-ceded that it provides for the State of Utah a republican form of government govern-ment and we urge that this being guaranteed beyond dispute the constitutional requirement is complied com-plied with and nothing stands law fully in the way forbidding Congress to authorize the admission of Utah into the Union In conclusion we respectfully suggest that by y granting what we believe to be our rights under the Constitution and the treaty made with Mexico benefits will accrue not only to the new state but to the nation at large in the settlement of questions that have frequently pro duced great and unprofitable agita tion in the addition of one more vigorous and promising commonwealth common-wealth to the Federal Union and in the security which will be the consequence to every interest in this important section of country that is calculated to add to the wealth power and perpetuity of the glorious republic in which we desire de-sire to become incorporated And as in duty bound your me morialists will ever pray |