Show THE RESULT 1 l or the in vest ration of a committee appointed to inquire into the half or the at the city hall in silt lake city on the fourth according to a salt lake clotem cotem S horary a special session of the city council was held at 1230 p m the meeting was called for the purpose of inquiring into the reason for the flag oatha city hall being placed at half mast on satur day last A committee of five was appointed to investigate the matter and following is their report on the subject to the honorable mayor and members of the city council of suit lake cily gentlemen your special committee appointed to investigate the excitement which prevailed in salt lake city on july ath 1885 in consequence of the national hag at the city hall having beep hoisted nt ltaif anast and also tha reasons placing of the flag in that position having duly considered the matter and heard the statements of the city marshal and others anje lation to tho same beg leave to make the following report it is well known there is a deep feeling in the midst of this community iu relation to the raid is being made upon alie people because of their religious belief and practices several of our leading citizens are at the present time incarcerated in the penitentiary of this territory others have acca indicted and some feeling confident that they cannot receive fair treatment or justice in the federal court have absented themselves from homes there is a general feeling of gloom prevailing and instead of independence day bea ing as ordinarily a day of rejoicing a day when the people could meet together and join in patriotic ex orations and other expressions pres of delight because of the liberty they enjoy it was felt to be a timo of mourning the city marshal the existence of this feeling amons the people and without any disrespect to the flag the nation or the day concluded that lie would be meeting the wishes of alio people alio elected him to his office by placing the flag at the city hall at halax mast we learn from the marshal that it has ever been customary as a duty of his office without consultation with the mayor or city council to place the flag altuch times and in such position as occasion might require in accordance with this custom he acted independently in this instance four years ago on the ath of july extensive preparations h ad been made for the joyful celebration of independence day the sad news of the shooing ident garfield reached this city and the corporation and citizens without dis of class placed alic flag at half mast it being recognized as a day of mourning and in the same spirit and with the same feeling the marshal of this city who has taken this into tion felt ahat in no better way could the prevailing sentiment be expressed on this occasion than by displaying our count rys flag at half mast thereby signifying that us when the people rejoice under the flag BO also when they mourn they mourn under the flag some of the citizens have expressed their indignation at tho action of the marshal your committee however find that the intention of the marshal was not one of disrespect for the flag the patriotic sentiment ment of any citizen however impolite liis reasons mahavo been in the eyes of botne he evidently had no design to do a brohr we aro satisfied in doing as lio did he sought to give expression to the feelings and sentiments of a great majority of the pie notwithstanding these facts alie motive of the marshal has been misrepresented and a wicked effort has been made to cause his act to appear as one of disloyalty ontjo part of the city government wo this wilful aspersion of liia motive As to the action of the marshal there ex ista a difference of opinion some believe it waa proper while others think it impolitic but we must look to the motives which promoted the act and upon investigation of them we are satisfied as already stated that he intended no wrong and no disrespect to the nag wo are aware however that any conduct of our city that can be assailed by a certain class in this city however inno cent that conduct may be ia never permitted to pass without being seized upon and magnified to alio ad vantage of our oHl cera very anam sabins JOHN CT ARK jutzus F WELLS anoa G ORSON 1 special committee the motion of council stringfellow apon being put to vote was carried |