Show II 11 letter to alie president FULL OF GOOD ADVICE AND SENSE Y he terms alie cormons mormons a law abiding people following is the letter TJ S marshal P H dyer has addressed to president harrison in which he tenders his resignation OFFICE OF TJ S MARSHAL OF SALT LAKE cirr march to the president I 1 enclose herewith a formal note resigning the office of united states marshal for the ter of utah to which I 1 was appointed in april 1886 in closing my official career I deem it proper to say something more than to make a mero formal surrender of the position I 1 do so partly on my own account for reasons which I 1 shall state and tho more so because you in whom is vested the responsibility lity of designating my successor are entitled to any information which I 1 may have which may aid yon in the just exorcise of that duty it seem that in making gratuitous I 1 am assuming somewhat for myself but I 1 assure you that has the sanction of my own judgment and will be apparent to you as well as justified by what I 1 shall say it is perhaps aps proper to say that by reason of ahe extraordinary power which by special act of congress has boon conferred on the marshals office in utah that officer exercises authority and has imposed upon him duties the most extensive ever conferred in this government upon a like official he performs the functions of united states marshal elsewhere and ia addition he is the ministerial officer with power to serve process in all the courts in tho territorial business criminal and civile ia authorized to make arr ests without complaint or warrant searches and seizure in the same manner to arrest supposed witnesses without attachment writ or process may sit as a committing magistrate and hold to bail persons or witnesses thus arrested and in many ways exercises by law powers of the most delicate character and gravest responsibility these powers conferred to enable the government to enforce its laws among a people intensely hostile to such laws are such that in their execution both discretion and discrimination find a field tor their wise exercise which call for qualifications in the incumbent no where else so essential energy and vigilance prudence and self com mand firmness and justice knowledge of the habits and peculiarities of the strange people among whom he performs his duty all find ample occasion for faithful and cautious exercise compelled to meet a fanaticism that in its intensity many times stifles all conscience in its devotees and stops at no means which promise immunity from the grasp of the law the marshal of utah is clothed with powers and charged with duties that call for the exercise of the highest administrative discretion he is a police officer a detective a judge a jailer of criminals before conviction the warden and keeper after conviction the officer who executes the sentence of the court serves process in civil cases and selects often the juries for all the courts of general jurisdiction I 1 do not therefore exaggerate the importance of the office and justify myself in retiring from it for the apparent impertinence of liying to impress upon you the importance of a selection whom you know to be equal to it I 1 may remark that the importance ot the position in this territory is such that the incumbent should bo able to have not only the support which the faithful performance of ministerial duty should always command from his superiors and that perfect confidence not only in his ability and fidelity which is implied in all officers but also that support which political icil alliance with the administration alone can give my own success if any I 1 have had in this position has been largely due to the cordial support I 1 have bad from my superiors and while I 1 doubt not a faithful adhesion to duty would bring me if I 1 remained your approval I 1 am conscious that I 1 should be em harassed bar assed by a fear that I 1 would not be sustained whilst I 1 would be beset with suspicions and my usefulness impaired by our want of political and partisan accord J believe your administration should be presented in this important and controlling office in utah by one who is not only in political accord with you and will faithfully administer it but who will by well known wisdom and discretion ability and character be a creditable standard bearer in the threat work of redeeming utah and purging her of the evils that now afflict her I 1 may seem to exaggerate the importance but my experience in its i duties and my knowledge of its pow er and influence prompt what I 1 say so much have I 1 said from a sense of duty to yourself may I 1 not add something in regard to myself for the last two mouths partisans opposed to me politically have filled the airoff utah with imputations upon my official conduct and aspersions of my character and motives A desire for finding a pretext for removing me from office or to justify you for for myre boval moval has alone I 1 believe caused these attacks As a sense of propriety and duty has decided mo to voluntarily vacate the office I 1 think justice to myself requires me to give a brief summary of my official conduct without taxing your patience with details I 1 took possession of the marshals office in june 1886 I 1 had been a citizen of utah for more than ten years was familiar with the peculia i character of the mass of its population and with the difficulties which as an officer of the law I 1 would have to contend with but my appreciation of their difficulties has been greatly heightened hight ened by my official experience I 1 have advocated the vigorous execution of the laws and believe that the record of my work will show that my performance has equaled my professions under my predecessor who held the office for four years prior to myself there were or convictions for polygamy unlawful cohabitation and crimes growing put of the social in stitt oas in utah since my entrance into the office there baa been 10 date about convictions for these crimes when it is understood der stood that these arrests for these offenses are made almost escau siv elyon information furnished by the marshals office the charge of want of vigilance and fidelity on my part will be fully answered in less than three years I 1 have been instrumental in securing the conviction of more than five times the number of such offenders than all my predecessor combined and this is my answer to those who would defame aae and while I 1 have been vigilant active and faithful I 1 have believed and still insist that mercy and kindness in the enforcement of these laws are in their proper place and fruitful of good in their effect however wrong and mistaken the mormon people may be and in my opinion are they are a law abiding people except as to such laws as effect their peculiar religious convictions many of them wo honest and sincere and whenever moderation in enforcing this law can be used to effect I 1 have not hesitated to recommend its exercise and when old or infirm person have been arrested and convicted of these utah crimes and I 1 could lawfully aid to mitigate the punishment and secure respect for the laws at the same time I 1 have done so humane regard for tho fanaticism of many to my certain knowledge has advanced the cause of reform in utah where harsh measures though strictly legal would have had the opposite effect I 1 believe in punishing the offense but not in hounding the offender and I 1 believe a firm regular consistent enforcement of the laws without vindictiveness or malice faight fully continued secure final submission from this people and while I 1 have striven faithfully to aid this my most important duty I 1 have equally endeavored to impress upon the mormon people my desire that sion to the laws was ha end in view and not persecution se of them as a sect or class this policy I 1 have advocated as the proper one to be pursued andl wish to give my testimony now as I 1 retire from office to my firm belief in its wisdom and justice before closing 1 wish to refer to another matter also personal to myself in november 1887 in the suit brought by the attorney general of the united states against the corporation called tho church of jesua christ of latter day saints to forfeit the property as provided by the act of congress of march 2 was appointed by the supreme court ol 01 utah territory Teri tory to be the receiver of the property of the corporation pending the suit the hostility of the mormon people to this law and the pro ce edings to enforce it are well known it wa believed that in anticipation of its passage large amounts of property really owned by the church but held in the names of private parties in trust in its favor had been conveyed to evade abo enforcement of the law it seemed to the supreme court that the means and powers which as marshal I 1 had at command would greatly facilitate my acquisition of this property as receiver and to the duties of marshal were superadded super added those of receiver thus imposing upon mo labors and responsibilities ties of the most extraordinary character accepted the past with hesitation though had I 1 known of its magnitude I 1 should have declined it altogether I 1 gave a bond for the faithful performance of my in the a guarter of a million dollars ana hough there was voluntary delivered to me by the church authorities property to the amount of one hundred and forty five thousand dollars in value in less than eight months I 1 had with the aid of persons in my employment unearthed of property held in secret trusts and reduced into possession my as receiver a further amount of property aggregating nearly six hundred thousand dollars I 1 will not detail the difficulties and annoyances of the position it demanded constant tion and labor on the part of my solicitors licit ors employees and myself I 1 know that my duty was faithfully done I 1 belie veit was well done but I 1 did not escape censure the success of your aaion though not of your political faith I 1 most earnestly desu desue e especially do I 1 hope that in naming for your many pup porters in utah a man to tako charge of this its most important office in your gift for the territory you will choose one who will be able to do honor to you and the government which he is required io represent A stranger to the masses of the people and their methods of opposing the enforcement of the law against their peculiar institutions would until he had learned by experience what was required find the office a burden to which he would be ly for the officer whoever he may be the ordinary division of politics prevailing elsewhere will not be found republicans and democrats who are i not cormons mormons Mor mons find substantial agree ament in all local matters I 1 have been sustained in the discharge of 1 my with whom cally on national questions I 1 totally disagree and my successor will find when he discharges his duty with the siglo purpose to do his duty as hearty support from myself and men of my political faith as if wo one the redemption of utah from priestly control and its restoration c lawful government the reformation of its people and tho final exaltation into the american union as a re deemed and a regenerated community is the common wish and hope of all true american citizen in all our efforts to accomplish this end you trill have the hearty support sympathy and commendation of one who now bogs leave to retire from office aad return to pursuits more pleasant and congenial than holding any official position again tendering you my best wishes for the success of your administration I 1 subscribe myself very respectfully yours H DYER |