Show V REASONS SONS AND CAUSES that the original settlers of tills this territory accomplished a great work in in conquering the obstacles with which the had to contend and turning a desert wilderness into a fruitful land no one can gainsay that the difficulties which had to be encountered were of no ordinary character those who are acquainted quain ted with the tile wildness of the unbroken lands and sage b plains around us cannot help knowing roving bands of indians disputed with cri crl crickets 1 crets and wolves the occupancy of the country and looked with jealous eyes on those wha came alile to settle liere here and cultivate the soil the dry arid waste had llad to be watered from the kanyon streams which were directed from their natural channels channel by artin artif artificial leial ditches and innumerable acts dug for the purpose b by y immense labor settlements were formed under the thel most disadvantageous circumstances large tracts of land were werd broken up irrigated and brought under cultivation and all the facilities for tor internal communication and commerce with the outside world had to be made nh while ile lle thus engaged in peaceful indus try the people were happy because they were virtuous and prosperous be caus ethey were energetic and persevering peace reigned throughout our settlements temperance quiet quietness nels neis and good order cham chab characterized the people and the entire community increased in the possession of those virtues which are ire tre the true trite basis of a nations greatness and glory sythe exercise of a wage policy indian difficulties were few and attended with comparatively little loss of life there cannot be shown in the tim settle anent menta of any an mother lother state or territory in the fiction fia tion so little trouble with the aborigines ne s and so few lives lost in encounters with them during the same length 0 of time as the history of this territory reveals since its settlement less les 4 agan toan fh an twenty years ago and this because of the wisdom manifested in dealing with them and here there cannot be shown in the record of any other i I 1 te territory altor y in these western regions so fittie little violence and disorder so few breaches of the tile peace unlawful acts disturbance and rec ree reckless kiets klets brawls in the bame game length of time as the record of utah will show we are willing that the records should be opened the calendars d ars examined and ani the naked facts brought 0 side by side because we know they would substantiate our statements and yet we have had at times a large floating population of transients including desperadoes gamblers rowdies and similar reckless characters whose wanton and unlawful acts were deemed sufficient in some other places to demand the organization of vigilance C committees to overawe overa we and restrain them these facts which ich cannot be successfully disputed furnish the strongest answers to the repeated accusations made against ganst a the people of this territory andone reason why we do not re ply oftener to such accusations is that no unprejudiced honest man or woman can come here and tra travel vel vei amon amongst st the leopla peo P without feeling and seeing the truth of that which we have said no community such as we have been represented to be could show the evidences of virtuous industry energetic perseverance peace and good order which abound on every hand throughout the territory and none but a mind be clouded with prejudice or sunk in corruption could fail to recognize them and award that just credit to our citizens which 1 is their due men whose whole energies are devoted to industrial efforts have no time to become slaves to ungoverned lusts and the baser passions and the entire history of the world proclaims that an agricultural population such as the people of this territory have of necessity had to be never were capable of the turpitude and enormities with which we have been falsely charged the very nature of their occupation induces thoughts and habits of peacefulness quietness and sober demeanor atun it un fi 11 ts them for acts of violence and deeds of wickedness it induces calm contemplation temp lation and gives a strong vitality to the better portion of human nature that is but seldom found in places where masses of mankind are closely crowded together nay xay it is admitted by social philosophers that if large cities were not ot recruited from the health purity and innocence of the country the ruce nice of human beings inhabiting them would rapidly dwindle and in a few generations die out the very circumstances then in which we have been placed in this territory if there were no higher motive actuating us to do right would have thus far effectually precluded the existence of such a state of society as unscrupulous enemies have said and say is to be found here and we are satisfied that their baseless assertions can have lave no weight with any fahy except such as have no knowledge of ns us and the circumstances which have surrounded us or those who are as dishonest and degraded in spirit as they are themselves se ves various causes exist why these slanders are uttered and repeated every person here knows very well that one is a desire to stir up strife so that through troops being sent here contracts may be obtained and uncle sam fill the safes of those who get them with a portion of his revenue conse consequently quent ly there is considerable wire working and pulling to accomplish this object another cause i is s that the fine houses delightful orchards and splendid farms around are viewed with covetous eyes by individuals who wiio are too lazy to be at the labor of breaking up unclaimed land and making similar improvements for themselves and they think if th they ey could excite a national crusade against us that we would sooner booner leave our habitations and improvements as we have done before than relinquish our faith another reason is that some specimens of embodied littleness have been sent here who seem to imagine that every person should fall down and do them reverence and when they have found folind that our citizens judge of men by their worth and respect them for their merits they have joined hands with the others betraying rk a strong desire to compel an influence which they have lacked the honorable qualities to freely obtain we expect to live through these and other causes of opposition and continue as we have begun seeking to do good to all men who will permit us to do good to thew them laboring to subdue the earth build cities work righteousness and develop a state of society in which truth will be loved for itself virtue be practiced practised for its holy and pure results and the will of god be done on the earth as it is in heaven we will honor the constitution honor its provisions revere its principles and cling with the tenacity of life to the heritage bequeathed to us by our fathers who framed that constitution and laid the foundation of the nation of which we form a part |