Show A MILD DOCUMENT NOTHING IN IT TO UPSET ANY ONES NERVES some good suggestions 10 the legislature TERRITORY OF UTAH EXECUTIVE OFFICE SALT LAKE CITY jan gentlemen of the legislative assembly for the first timo I 1 meet the chosen representatives of the people assembled in council as law mak ers wo hold within our hands the quiet the peace tho prosperity and happiness of people upon you and myself jointly rests tho weighty obligation the grave cespon of making and beneficial laws for this community it requires our united action to accomplish com anything one without the other can do nothing never in the past have those charged with our duties had like power and opportunity to give peace to this territory and do its people good As we stand upon the threshold receive before entering upon our duties the assurance given in all sincerity that urged by a deep solicitude for the welfare of alie territory and its people considering alone the public weal to the utmost will I 1 endeavor to secure the unity necessary for the enactment of whole somo laws to address ourselves intelligently to our tark with the hope of success auly accomplishing desired results a review of our past history is essential that wo may carefully note tho errors and remedy the evils resulting and avoid them in the future it is known that the mormon people in the state of ohio missouri and illinois were in conflict with their neighbors that great loss of property many hardships much suffering bloodshed the final abandonment of their homos in the east and the making of now settlements have resulted in a little while after the establishment of a territorial government a federal army is on the march to the territory against the people who are marshaled in hostile array to oppose it before the approach of the national troops again there is an abandonment of homes entailing upon helpless women and children the hardships and suffering incident thereto with the development of the coun itry and the constructions of lines of communication comes an influx oi non mormon population the territory and its people aro now brought into close contact with the rest of the country by the improved facilities of transportation and again wo are confronted with the irrepressible con entrusted as other territories by organic act with power over all rightful subjects of legislation consistent with the constitution of the ionized iOni ted states and tho provisions oi organic act the federal congress in matters purely local has been compelled to interfere annulling laws giving need 1 legislation and placing in other hands the naming of ceri i tain territorial officers alio enforcement of the laws by federal officials charged therewith has incurred for them the reproach and enmity of a majority of the people they claiming to be governed immediately by god himself through his priesthood the people have yielded their substance to defeat the execution of tho laws many of the most prominent and leading citizens from the ranks of the majority have suffered fine and imprisonment for their open violation others have fled and are in hiding to avoid their penalties while the picture above presented is but a dim outline a pencil tracing without coloring the dullest imagination must appreciate its grotesqueness feel its sorrow and with relief from the contemplation of the bitterness the strife the defiance of law the withdrawal of power the disgrace of flight alio gloom and misery of the prison the loss and destruction of property the toil exposure and hardship the sufferings of the helpless women and innocent children the violence bloodshed and death which it cheso nany voices of tho past re floto ditl anguish ask us why of all in our land of nearly every nationality of no religions and all religions li with beliefs and creeds as various and numerous almost as the different natures of man should the people stand singular and alone in its history can any ono doubt who with mind a consideration of the question that alio cause is found in the theocracy established and maintained hero in the education of the people to believe that god has chosen this people to take possession of this earth and to dominate and control all other people eliat though his priesthood god governs xa immediately not lono in faith and morals but in all tho affairs and relations of life and elhat the counsel of the priesthood is the supreme voice of god and must ace obeyed without question T it follows that perfect and unity has and does exist amon the mormon popple an absolute oneness without division or dissent the unity in the which comes from free and fair discussion of public questions securing by merit conviction of the mind and triumph of the right is desirable and commendable the unity which L obtained by re the supremacy of one man or set of men by attributing to him or them a knowledge and power not granted to others derived from superhuman and source and therefore not to be questioned but must bo obeyed is the establishment of complete absolutism in those bold jang power and the most abject and servile slavery on those submitting it stifles progress ia death to prosperity waitea pie not connected with it in antagonism to il intelligent freemen will not object but cheerfully submit though their ideas may nob prevail in communities of which they are members so long as they know that they have had an equal chance with their neighbors in asserting themselves but when this is denied them and they are conscious regardless of tho merits and worth of their views that they have no voice but are buried beneath a power alien to and unrecognized by the government under which they live it is not surprising that they should rebel against the tyranny which paralyzes manhood and des troys freedom the contest which the minority have waged and now urge has not been upon the principle that minorities should control but that freedom should be established and prevail here as elsewhere in our land that no one man or set of men asserting or claiming absolute power as of divine right shall regulate and control the state and all tho affairs of the citizen moral religious social political commercial and financial that each citizens weight in public affairs and private enterprise shall alone depend upon merit and capacity submission to the government of god through his priesthood and the unity it enforces brought this people to accept sustain and uphold polygamy whether practicing it or not regardless gard less of the sentiments of the christian world and in defiance of the law of the land you know better than I 1 can tell the evils following in its train this revelation enforced upon the people as law by the priesthood and accepted of necessity without question by them attracted the attention of the whole country its practice received universal condemnation provoking the enactment of federal laws against it and their enforcement by officials of federal appointment no church organization can obtain and hold political power in this country it is contrary to the spirit and genius of our free government I 1 would not have you or the people of the territory misunderstand me I 1 am anxious to serve them well and do them good with you and them I 1 have no religious controversy that the mormon church can by the sublimity and beauty of its teachings and the moral and religious conduct of its members subdue and dominate the world it is not here and now my province to question ahon it or any other church encroaches upon the state it is the duty of every freeman to resist the encroachment with all power necessary to overcome it the legislation of the last congress made the holding of political power by the controlling element here dependent upon a renunciation of polygamy you and the people you represent have under oaths most solemn abjured it pledging your solves against counseling or advising or aiding and abetting others in the practice of it thus have you and the people impressed the seal of con upon one of the evils emanating from the church government I 1 of the post following upon tho heels of this under a call of their territorial committee the representatives of the i mormon people assembled in convention a constitution for a I 1 state government proclaiming the divorce and separation of church and state the mormon people publicly at the polls ratified the action of their representatives signifying their ap of the ano sunder i ing the ties between church and state and tho dethronement of the supremacy of the former over the lati ter brave wise words these are and the keeping of their promise to the hope will bring much prosperity and j happiness to this people I 1 cannot however flatter them with the hope or encourage them to believe that upon the strength of these avowals the territory ought to or will be clothed with statehood and admitted into the union of states it is no easy task try they never so hard for a people to ignore teaching which for years they have been wont to accept andfrew themselves from influences to which they have been willing subjects this is not rendered easier that both have partaker partaken par taken of a religious character the question is not one of words and promises but strikes deeper benefits ought not and will not accrue from declarations alone the expressed determination of this people must have been realized become a fact accomplished ere they can hope to enjoy the fruits to result from their promised action upon us devolves the initiative of realizing to the country the promises made the obligations taken to put our territory into line and harmony our sister states and territories thereby securing to our people alie benefits and blessings to be derived from our announced now departure to accomplish it we must but loose from old traditions and methods inaugurate new methods and a wise liberal and progressive legislation to this you find the people you represent cro pledged by oaths most sol dmn to this I 1 am committed by sincere conviction and official duty there is no vice that doth so cover a man with shame as to be found false and perfidious lot the priest of alio church when he enters the council of state doff his priestly robes of resigning all divine authority im thereof give to his voice JL counsel only the potency and authority it deserves by reason of its merit and wisdom lot there be no blind obedience upon the assumption of divine authority upon tho one part to command and duty upon the other to obey let the measures proposed for our consideration having no purpose but the up building of the state and the good of its people emanating from the free and independent thought of the individual or originating from consultation with colleague or citizen neither seeking the counsel of or recognizing izing ahe authority of anyone to dictate our action after free fair and full discussion and consideration lot the right alone triumph on its merit our first duty to meet the require monts of the situation to fulfill the pledges of the people is to clean our statutes of all laws repugnant to federal legislation including our organic act I 1 recommend the repeal of all such laws when congress has legislated for the territory its laws is supreme and of binding force we cannot add to or subtract from it therefore to attempt legislation upon a like subject is to make conflict and introduce confusion and should not be done except where congressional legislation contemplates or provides that we may and ought to do something of the latter character is the law establishing and continuing the utah commission in which congress contemplates in consonance with its views and purposes the passage by the riar legislature of proper registration and election laws which upon approval by it shall work the dissolution of the commission and end its life I 1 recommend the pas sago of such laws of the same nature is the legislation of the last congress which provides for the organization of a territorial militia as provided in section 27 of an act to amend an act entitled an act to amend section of the revised statutes of the united states in reference to bigamy and for other purposes approved march 22 1882 to which I 1 call your attention and request your action the policy of the past the outgrowth of the system prevailing having for its object the absorption by the dominant element ol 01 au power has led to a constant encroachment upon the prerogative of the executive and no opportunity has been lost to curtail and restrict his howerto such an extent has this been carried that laws contrary to and in conflict with the organic act have been enacted resulting in the clouding of title to offices and making them the subject of contests in court legislation of such a character is not only illiberal but unwise destroying harmony and engendering strife in all cases where the title to public office can reasonably be a subject of dispute by reason of the conflict of legislative enactment with the organic act the legislation ought to be repealed and none of a like kind attempted in the future you are familiar with the bill that passed by such a strong vote the house of representatives of the last congress which if it had become law would have deprived the people of the privilege of electing most of their officers the bill which did become law makes probate judges appointive by the president you are not agnor of the fact that already in the new congress bills are pending which if enacted into law will provide for the appointment of certain other officers and will regulate the tima and mode of the election of officers in salt lake city different from that now fixed by our laws before those facts is it not well to pause and consider as representatives of the people what you ought to do tc am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet yet in the light of the pending and past legislation of congress twain you that unless the promises of this people to the country are kept in good faith and like government and methods established here that prevail over our common country the necessary legislation to brealand brea kand destroy the power which prevents the desired consummation will sooner or latter be given permit me to advise and recommend a bold and radical course though not an inconsiderate and unwise one prepare introduce and pass bills identical with those now pending before congress thus forestalling the proposed action of that body emphasize your proclamation of lmont give assurance of your purpose to put the territory into line and harmony with the balance of the country such bold wise action upon your part would attract the attention of the country and secure its commendation and approval no more striking evidence could bo given of your abandonment of the exclusiveness of the pat it would bo the beginning of the demolition of the middle wall or partition heretofore and now existing the liberal stride would carry the territory further upon its way to statehood than all the eloquence and efforts of those now engaged in its advocacy it would give new impetus to the growing prosperity of the territory impat confidence to those who have already infested iny ested capital and encourage and invite those who are looking and waiting to come to us that you should take this course you owe to our country and the honest thrifty industrious people whose affairs arc in trusted to your care I 1 do not expect to escape the imputation that in thus advising I 1 am actuated by selfish motives and the de siri of wielding power I 1 am conscious of no such motive but do know that I 1 feel a great yearning to benefit this people the power that would come to me of acting upon my suggestions would bring more of care than joy our laws anro in much confusion and revision is badly needed in the short timar of your session this work could not be satisfactorily accomplished shed probably the best that can bo done now is a compilation which would |