Show akk legislature HOUSE BURCH MARCH 2 P M the consideration of the charter of cedar city was resumed and at the biu passed unanimously naul the council having notified the of their passage ot several no lone oaise so bills aitho bassage and others concurred concur concurred vv with t amendments the house the amendments to the bill in relation tion to the city efi charter of smithfield bythe by the council were concurred in by the house the bill ami amending anding the act incorporating provo 3 city was read the third time and passed by unanimous vote council bill 86 36 was laid on the table of the house at the house took a recess subject to the call of the speaker and at again called to order when kit at the request of the speaker secretary ecret ary thomas thomad proceeded to rea read a lengthy veto ines message sage from h his e excellency cel le ney the governor giving rea reasons ns f for or li his is refusal to sign the appropriation n bill lor general purposes durana the reading read ioa the members of the council randsome and aud some visitors were present resent 1 in the house the message which is most insulting in its character occupied twenty minutes in reading I 1 and was ordered to be spread on tte the minutes of the house and forwarded to the council tor for their information following is the memorable message 5 that oat will go thundering down t the he ages 91 SALT LAKE CITY march 10 in son hon if af M riter filer speaker souse house ox of ro SIR it af it were possible tor for me with my sense inse ot of duty as an official to sanction tion the till bill HF no 07 67 the general appropriation billa hill I 1 should gladly do so I 1 am not oblivious to the fact that withholding the disbursements bur of public moneys from objects of importance will work hardships and inconvenience and on these accounts I 1 had bad hoped that no circumstances should inter pose to prevent my approval of appropriations from the treasury as the proper administration of the laws and the interests of th public demand finding however that there are insuperable objections to the bill bee becoming oming a law I 1 feel compelled to state them in a form fora n not ot to be mis apprehended this bill contemplates the conti continuance nuance in ln authority ut hority of the present usurping ileum P iLent entson the offices of territorial auditor ai and ad treasurer and to the disburse meats of the public moneys through these agencies I 1 ies ablino it the legislative assembly proposes to sanction the usurpations is r actions of these officers which by this boffl bill twill it will do V permit ermit I 1 persons dersons lawlessly occupying responsible positions evermore even more the most responsible in the ter to its people without and in in violation effaw of jaw to receive control leep keep and disburse the moneys collected by taxation n from the people then I 1 wish to state with emphasis that it cannot have my sanction Off officers who have to do with the public funds are of all others to be held up to edrict account last ot of all others there irti be no question as to their title their authority or qualifications in the iame contemplated by this bill there will pass through the control diacre tion and custody of the auditor and treasurer of this thia territory more than thaia a quarter of a million dollars the incumbents the intruders in these positions who have held beld them by like tenure for years have no more lawful rights therein than any other usurper can present to the place he may have invaded in their claim has la in it not one ele ment that touches the domain of the respectable spec table except its audacity aud and its success atae bold trespasser who finding your hse without an occupant enters it by force and asserts his bis possession of your hearthstone to be lawful is is in the same position as those so called officers oata obtaining in their positions in violator vio laton of the funda mental law they have successfully defied the law the courts the congress of the united states seste and all respectable int intelligent eill pubic opinion jf if it were wen not for the countenance and encouragement which this unlawful lawful administration of the territorial government cat secures by the support of the egea legislative ve assembly and the refusal of one branch of that tody body to do its duty under the Orga organic ilic att act which requires it to act on nominations made by the governor for ap P ointments to offices this di discreditable 18 condition of affairs would not eXi exist emiitt itt instead pt of off officers teera connected with receiving keeping and disbursing the public moneys whose every act is is tainted with illegality and usurpation we should have those de lecate and responsible positions held by persons whose authority would be wi unquestioned questioned and who could be held to an ac accountability tor for their acts it if improperly ray performed the question involved Is ii not one oae of ardi nary expediency it is fundamental ele and vital the territory of atah utah not require to be named to he be understood has seen pro pi op perso erso far as the legislative power could be used to that end and to the aut authority hoty of the united states and of 0 the officers appointed 4 hy by it to as narrow a compass compas as possible and to expand and build up the the authority arld and vigor of the local bocal power the facts establishing this statement are aie so numer ous and the purpose and occasion ibn for been so often proclaimed that it is not a subject ot of conjecture in furtherance of this purpose the power powei confided by t the organic act to the governor to nomina nominate and with the consent ot of the legislative council to a appoint gaint all territorial officers has been withdrawn wit strawn from him so lar barus as the enactment of Asta statute tate in form could do so and conferred coffen ed e d ou those under local in influences flu to the extent to which uch such officers ra participate a in the territorial government it 1 is ils unlawful at one time it was mote more ex in its scope than now it invaded the fiel field alof of the judicial department depan ment with its attorney general gea and its territorial marshal and only when officials in name not in law were buried places by successors who came with a presidential commission was the territory relieved or of intentions Now nop NO p notwithstanding the supreme colit coart this the opinion of the Attorn attorney ity general ot of the suited 7 states the highest law officer of the government all reputable leput able jur juridical edical opinion coinciding are in in position and have always been in defiance of f law 1 I am asked to either sanction then us usurpation ol 01 allow the government of the territory to uffer suffer tor for want of funds necessary to carry it on I 1 do not hesitate as 48 to my duty and fully t the responsibility that ditty im imposes upon me in the premises at the commencement of this session of the legislative I 1 called the attention ot of the body to ibe ine condition of affairs sandwith and with aview a view of remo removing i what ill might be regarded afaf as insuperable difficulty ty in the way of legislation affecting the ens cus tody control and use of the public funds I 1 transmitted the names of persons whom I 1 regarded as suitable for the positions to the council for its advice the perfect silence with which that communication was treated and the purpose of this and other like bills indicates that nothing is to be expected that will overcome the objection to such legisla tion I 1 iliad find myself therefore in the closing hours of your Is legislative i I 1 t e session confronted with the old auga and aeu well understood wrong with no evidence of any purpose 10 fo relax the attempt at usurping au authority 1 arity not given and either force the execl executive tive to submit to it or throw upon him the oon consequences sequences at such a time in such a crisis land in such a cause I 1 act with no reluctance one course is ie that of acquiescence inaL in a know n violation of law and the surrender of rights belonging to my office and its perversion to the strengthening of an all un american and usurping usurp inz authority at war with lawful rights dhoot the other er is duty to my country to its laws to my conscience and the highest interests of utah ut a h the choice tor for me is not difficult I 1 shall do de nothing to aid in the former and I 1 shall do everything lawfully in my power in aid of the latter even it if the legislative assembly continues to 10 be oblivious to the law of the land which fixes the duties of the executive and legislature and under which both he and it exercise berci exer cibe e their thair functions with a conservatism that has often done violence to my intelligence and my sense of what is patriotic 0 O tic I 1 have for over six years past 1 labored tr ed faithfully to discharge the duty which my oath of office twice taken has imposed upon me as governor of utah I 1 have endeavored endea ored to abolish the doctrine of hate to foster a love lore of country andoe and of obedience to the laws law s and to have the pe people 0 pie of utah individually inah and by their le legislatures gisia place themselves in line with those who reco recognize the duties and value the privileges of american citizenship and who admit their highest allegiance to bo be to the government of the united states on no occasion either in public or in private as an officer or as a citizen have I 1 uttered an unkind word or felt an unkind impulse towards the people of utah or any class of its people on the contrary they have always had bad and they now have my truest sympathy and my best energies and hopes tor for their welfare and prosperity I 1 am ready to do anything with the constitution and laws of my country to aid them and set them forward on the highroad high road of happiness prosperity r rity and content there harween have hav seen tour four different adminis orations trat ions in charge of national affairs since my duties as governor go arnor of utah began by each of these I 1 have of desire to have utah conform to the institutions of the country and lays laws of the land I 1 have as an official and in in mf personal intercourse with each become cognizant of the anxious desire of all of them that the people who dominate in numbers in utah should align themselves with that prevailing public u blie sentiment in this country which ch woud make them cease to be the subjects of special attention on oil the part of the gener general P I 1 go government ve r ament I 1 think my opportunities port unities enable me to nut only lur the national sentiment tim ent but to know and speak of the hopes and aspirations of not a few of f every class and sect in utah I 1 am sure bare there is no desire to needlessly interfere in tile the local affairs of utah and no wish to do more than to vindicate the law of the land and have its authority recognized in the same way and to the same extent as in other territories of the nation I 1 have in all my intercourse with t this his and prior legislative assemblies striven to impress ress upon them this wish and this purpose I 1 regret to say that I 1 have been met in this and in other measures affecting these questions by the positive opposition of those who claim to be leaders of the majority of the people of utah they proclaim that their opposition is primarily to the laws that I 1 lam am sworn to uphold and so far as I 1 causee can see faithfully executed because of this all the virus of the local press a and n d pulpit ul controlled by them has upon me as if I 1 were the often offender er instead of the law which it is our common duty to obey legislatures in the past have been unmindful of my appeals but now imort invite your say it would not have been wiser and an better for utah and the mormon people who compose so large a majority of Us its population if some of my appeals had been heard W when ral V en we look abo about ut us and see homes and families deserted by men inen fleeing 1 from laws which they had so long defied with incidence confidence that danger was far distant wien when n day by day is multiplying evidence eviden ce that a has been waiting co 0 o see if utah tali would not herself right what he public conscience believed to be wrong nit but is at last marching marc icing with steady and unflinching flin chine pur purpose ose to the end when we see gee these things ia it not time lime for this legislature and the authorities in utah to pause and address themselves to the reformation of affairs that will not and cannot always endure as they now are if you on shall neglect to make proper provision provision for the public interests in t rost for the enforcement en c or of the laws lawa and nd for good od government then those interested e t in the preservation of good order will of necessity be compelled to ask the general government to take up ouch euch items in the present bill as are necessary and 4 d right and make the appropriations which we il e ought to ton make kake that congress may ampro greate the moneys collected here and ana artis 1 urse nurse them through agencies chosen chogen by its self there is no question but should we permit this to be done when avoiding it is easy and plain and ana our duty there js is already too much inviting inviting g the attention of congress to our oar local affairs let lat us not add to the necessity by refusing a plain and obvious duty the fact appears that the difference dif feren e e between us I 1 is s inseparably connected with this bill and more not less than I 1 have discussed is involved the fact that there is a determination to continue to use the power of tile the territorial government to up uphold tower old the leaders of an organization in efforts to defy the laws of C congress an gres their against polygamy and to m maintain ain their pretensions pretension i to dictate in i the tb cibil i affairs of the territory must evoke discussion and difference on trisor like incas ure between the legislature anz and the governor it is this that keeps us from con coming ong together ae ether like zealous public servants should do and all striving to do our oar bett best for the common mon good so long longas as public le measures whether they be jury bil bills Is transfer of prop apropo or er legislative authority to municipal coun coull ell elisor sor this bill are to be made sub subservient servie nt to the effect they may have upon the claims cla inis i of any organization over its adherents and to the defense of the practice and doctrine of polygamy e BO long will wh this contest con dinue I 1 am tree free to say any that the people of the united states belle believing polygamy to be the great evil affecting vint utah tali have been slow to interfere in matters affecting our local style of en civil il go government ernnie nt so bo fearful of doing what might be arong they have been slow to do what Is imperatively right to that extent the people of the nation jare are res responsible morally tor for the establishment anT and continuance through h many years cars of a local government go eminent which is not only not in harmony with the I 1 laws aws of the united states but represents a system which is in aniag to any government which it does doas not control it is this idea of government this defiance of lawful government w which inch I 1 am asked to acquiesce in and lend jend power and aid to by appropriating money to maintain its purposes and support its instruments in signing this bill I 1 am asked to b become a party to it and to join in the exercise of forbidden and unlawful authority I 1 am asked by it to assist the local power in in tins this Terr territory itol ibe in trampling tramp jing ng under its feet the laws of the united states to spurn the de cisi |