A LETTER FROM THE DELEGATE TO CONGRESS FROM UTAH TERRITORY.
UNITED STATES HOTEL, WASHINGTON,
DECEMBER 1, 1851.
Messrs. GALES & SEATON: Upon my arrival in this city I am met by statements in circulation injurious to the character of my constituents and of Governor YOUNG, of Utah Territory; and, after a general inquiry, which I have taken the liberty to extend to the President, find them without other authority than a letter which appeared in your columns, stated to be from "a judicial officer," and dated Great Salt Lake City, September 20, 1851.
The statements of this letter are essentially incorrect. Its accusations are mainly based upon aspersions alleged to have been cast upon the memory of the late President Taylor by Governor Young, on the occasion of the cele-bration of the anniversary of the 24th of July. At that celebration your (supposed) letter writer was not present, not having arrived till some time after the organization of the Territory. But I was present, and am able to inform you, upon my own responsibility, that the Governor's re-marks upon that occasion included no strictures whatever upon Gen. Taylor's character or public services, nor in fact any allusion to him at all, that I can remember. The celebration was made the opportunity, as it always has been by the patriotic people of Great Salt Lake City, for repeatedly renewed expressions of their enthusiastic at-tachment to their beloved country.
When I left Utah, nineteen days after the date of the letter to which you gave publication, peace and quiet pre-vailed every where, and unbroken harmony and good feel-ing between the officers of the Government and the people of the Territory. The pacific character of our people, and the paternal relations which they cultivate towards each other, had, indeed, as yet left the courts without an entry for their dockets; but Governor Young had cheerfully ac-ceded to the request of the Judges and Secretary to affix his name to a petition to Congress, of which I am the bearer, praying for an augmentation of the salaries of the Territorial officers, on account of the expense of living, under our California prices.
Under these circumstances, and in view of the fact that no communications have been received from the Salt Lake since these charges were made, or can be expected for some time to come, I ask that you will be good enough to request a suspension of public opinion upon the charges to which you have given circulation, until further and more authentic intelligence is received from Utah Territory.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
JOHN M. BERNHISEL,
Delegate from Utah.
