Show In concluding his report to the secretary of the interior Governor Eli Ell II r. Murray in 1883 after recommending recommending mending the appointment of a commission commission com corn mission to write a code of laws in unison nison with civilization the constitution constitution ution and the laws Jaws of congress congress congress' for Utah so that there would be a government nt In Utah Utah that would prove a government not only for the people eople but by the people lacked hacked up his us recommendation thus The principle Involved In this action is right and the precedents for or it are abundant older th than n our constitution and occurring in national na- na lonal history as events warranted from rom time to time down to the present present By the statutes of oC 1787 the he territory of oC the Northwest was formed ormed In this the governor am and three judges were constituted a legislative council By our purchase purchase purchase pur pur- chase of Louisiana the government became the the- possessor of a territory from Tom the mouth of ot the Mississippi to o British possessions In the north The territory of ot Orleans presents not only the principle but the al almost almost almost al- al most exact statute recommended by br y me There a council of ot thirteen was good and rue men o of that hat territory and were appointed by bv the president While the government gov- gov of the District of ot Colum- Colum lila ia does not present so exact a case as that of Louisiana tot for the reason that congress lIng assembling within 1 It Itcan itcan can and does enact laws for its government more in detail the District District Dis- Dis of Columbia as Utah was gr by congress a territorial form of government with a governor governor gover- gover nor and a leg legislature slature For well wel known reasons deemed sufficient c congress deprived the citizens there thereof I of a legislature and constituted a a commission for its government However convincing the arguments have lave been made in that case they are not so conclusive as those presentable presentable presentable pre pre- for a change in the government government gov gov- of f Utah As HU A good V citizens v HU V v of the District of t Columbia de demanded demanded demanded de- de the abolition of their legislature legis- legis lature and the appointment of the commission so goO good citizens appeal for or that or similar relief I 1 hear no complaint of mIsgovernment in the District t if Columbia under tinder the commission So under the he government recommended by me for Utah I confidently beleve such uch action by congress and a council council coun coun- cil composed of men loyal to the constitution and the ws there would come that adjustment of wrongs and termination of contentions contentions conten- conten lons so 80 earnestly prayed for by those hose In Utah who possess the intelligence in- in and third one-third of the wealth of the territory and who while bearing allegiance to the United States and paying in large part Jart the taxes of the territory have no 10 voice In its government Furher Further Fur Fur- ther her legislation is essential and any law short of the one suggested vili prove Ineffectual The honorable commissioners under the Edmunds law have faithfully faithfully faith faith- fully and I think effectually carded car- car tied ded out the provisions disfranchisIng Ing ng polygamists The conduct of ot elections under their rulings and careful supervision has been creditable cred- cred to them and fair to all en entitled entitled entitled en- en titled to the franchise The law is isa isa isa a step In the right direction and to the honorable senate and congress and the president and to the commissioner commissioners commissioners com com- missioners missioner who executed it it I beg to t acknowledge aCl with gratitude whatever good results have or may come from it it I can on ony y say with adjustment and relief that will wUl follow Utah so great In resources and attractions will outstrip the Utah of ot the past with its burdens and ind add moi more e largely even than now to the mat material rial wealth of our common country This concluded the longest report regarding conditions as Governor Murray viewed them hem that had up to th that t time been ben printed and the governor was complimented by even many of ot hi his enemies for his lis frank utterances It t was this report to the secretary of ot the Intel Interior lor coupled with the report of the Utah commission that c caused President Chester A. A Arthur to re recommend to congress in his thild annual message message mes inca sage to that body the repeal of the act upon which the then thea existing government depended The president president president dent said I 1 am convinced that polygamy has become so strongly in the territory of ot Utah that It is to attack it wh an any but the stoutest weapons which nich constitutional legislation can n an fashion I therefore favor the te re- re e 1 eal of the act upon which the ex existing x x- x latin government depends depend ABe ifie Le assumption assumption as as- by the national legisla legislature ture of the entire control l ot of the territory ter- ter and the establishment o of a commission with such powers and duties as shall be dele delegated to vu it by law |