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Show MOISIILY JIEAUOW MA.VACKK. j Ai tfT T'i are made wmii to revive public iul'uaiiou agiin-t the perpc-truiors perpc-truiors of t!.e hornd u.x;-acre at the Mountain. Meadows, in IftoT; aud aa inlaiii'ius attempts wero made during my oliieial career, to induce the beliei that h ''' tnl in' datt in the inyes-tigation inyes-tigation of that crime, and the punishment punish-ment of itd perpetaiors I will thank you to publinh the encfjd letter from tfiii A'to:n"y (ipoeral of the U. S. on that sul ject. Fearful as was that crime, ai d a'-o that of Br. KjLiusou in this e ty, they are crimes on'y wjninst the Trriiturutl law, to be prosecuted in the ''rrit'jrirt! courts by Territorial (vcr.rt and the otliecrs of tho United States havo no more jurisdiction over thes-e otiences than have the United States district attorney and marshal and courts of New York over the crimes of Tweed and Connolly there. The United Stat-a officers never have, and never ciin take any legal conguisanco of-ciiher of-ciiher of these crimes; because they are not offences against the laws of the United Stated; aud congress cannot, if tt would, in any manner authorize cither the United States district attorney attor-ney or marshal to intermeddle with them in any way. There are no offence offen-ce or crimed in Utah punishable by tlio United States officerd, except crimed against tho Untttd Utatia statutes, such as stealing money from the post-office here, bribery of United Stated officers, eutiuing soldiers to desert, de-sert, htcahng limber from tho public lands, panaiuii counterfeit money, etc. Murders, robberies, larceniud, keeping houses of ill fame, selling liuuor without with-out license, arc offences solely against the Territorial 1'iics, and must b"3 punished by 'Jerritoriat officers only; "Ita lex soripta est," and neither the President or attorney general, or congress of tho United States, can chaugo the o laws if they would, and would not if they could. Yours, Geo. C. Bates, Kjc. - U. S. Bis. Atty. Jepartmcnt of Justice, Washington, Novcmbor 2d, 1872. George C- Bates, Esq., J. S. Attorney, Salt Lake City, U.T. Sir. I have received your letter of he 24th ult., wherein you stato "thrtt mo terms of tho Territorial court have icen ordered by tho governor, to be noldon at Beaver City." You say "that if this department desires to tiavo an investigation made of the col-bratcd col-bratcd Mountain Meadow massacre," pnu "will go to Beaver City, and associate, asso-ciate, yourself with the district attorney fur Beaver county, and investigate the matter." You further say, "that judge Haw ley would doubtless appoint" ap-point" you "ad special prosecuting-attorncy prosecuting-attorncy for that one case, if bo desired." de-sired." You also ask instructions as "to itnpanneling a grand jury to investigate inves-tigate crimes against tho laws of tho United States, etc. In reply, I have to inform you, that this Mountain Meadow massacre is an offence against tho laws of the Territory and cognizable by the Territorial courts, consequently all investigations in-vestigations touching it should be made by the proper prosecuting officers offi-cers of the Territory, and not by you in your official capacity of attorney of tho United States for Utah; I cannot, therefore instruct you to proceed to Beaver county and investigate the matter. Should Judge Ilawley Bee proper to appoint you specially to prosecute this case under tho laws of the Territory, I will interpose no ob-VvnVnrrto ob-VvnVnrrto wfs"QLi"hrcrTcro with your official offi-cial duties." As to impounding grand juries, that is a matter entirely withra the jurisdiction of tho court, and I presume pre-sume that if, in tho opinion of judge Ilawley, it is necessary to summon a jury to investigate violations of the laws of the United States, and one of the places designated for holding a United States court is situated in Beaver county, ho will do so. You should, thereiore, confer with him, as this department cannot make such an order as you wish. Very BcspectfuUy, Geo. A. Williams, Attorney General. |