THE TERRITORY OF UTAH.
HOUSE OF REPRESENATIVES,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 1855. }
Messrs. Ritchie & Pryor :
Gentlemen—I shall consider myself under particu-lar obligations to you if you will have the goodness to give place in the Enquirer to a communication con-tained in the inclosure, and cause a copy of a paper containing it to be forwarded to me.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN M. BERNHISEL.
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 3,1855.
To the Editors of the Sentinel.
Gentlemen:—As the delegate in Congress from theTerritory of Utah, I have the right to debate any question which may engage the attention of that body, and doubtless a liberal interpretation would be given to the language by which the right of a dele-gate is secured to me. The practice in the House of Representatives has given an extensive range to de-bate, and sometimes matters personal have been min-gled with those that are national. That which af-fects the constituency has been generously allowed to be personal to the representative, and I have prece-dents which would justify me in troubling the House, in which I have the honor to occupy a seat, with the correction of errors which have been infused into the public mind respecting the administration of the go-vernmental affairs of the Territory of Utah. The propriety of such a course, however, appeared to me, in many cases, to be questionable, and I avail myself of the press to correct one or two errors, to which the press has given an injurious circulation.
Governor Brigham Young has been superseded by a distinguished military gentleman, whose appoint-ment the Senate has confirmed—I may, therefore, by a brief explanation, vindicate the character of Gov-ernor Young, without suspicion of motive to secure his reappointment, which might create distrust of the facts to which I appeal.
By the 12th section of the act of the 9th of Septem-ber, 1850, entitled an act to establish a Territorial Government for Utah, the sum of twenty thousand dollars was appropriated to the Territory, to be ap-plied by the Governor and Legislative Assembly to the erection of suitable public buildings at the seat of Government. That sum was advanced to Governor Young, in the month of July, 1851, and he has been unwarrantably charged with a misapplication of that money. Of that accusation a very simple statement will be an ample refutation.
On the 30th of September, 1853, Governor Young rendered an account and vouchees, setting forth the expenditure of ten thousand three, hundred and sev-enty-three dollars and forty-eight cents. Of this sum the Hon. Elisha Whittlesey First Comptroller of the Treasury, allowed eight thousand seven hundred and three dollars and ninety-eight cents, but disallowed one thousand six hundred and sixty-nine dollars paid for the services of various persons as a committee and otherwise, including travelling expenses on an ex-pedition to select a site for the seat of government. Mr. Whittlesey objected to it as an unusual charge, though its necessity must be apparent. However, that sum de-ducted, the balance amounts to eleven thousand two hundred and ninety-six dollars and two cents, for which Gov. Young holds himself ready to account.—The Indian hostilities which have troubled the terri-tory, and other causes, have delayed the completion of the public buildings, but Gov. Young has given notice to the Secretary of the Treasury, as the best refutation of the accusation against him, that he will honor a draft at sight, if that officer of the general government will draw upon him for the unexpended balance in his hands.
Can other evidence be necessary to show the wan-tonness of Governor Young's assailants? Papers that have borne the character of respectability, with in-temperate zeal have pandered to prejudice, on no more substantial basis. On the, one hand Governor Young is represented as defiant to the General Gov-ernment, threatening hostilities towards any gentleman that may be sent to succeed him, and on the other the people are said to be disloyal to the General Govern-ment; and, in the imagination of zealots, armies are marshaled in battle array, and Utah is already a field of blood, Capt. Stransbury of the Corps of Topo-graphical Engineers of the United States' army, who, in his exploration and survey of the Valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah, had ample opportunity to form a correct estimate of the people among whom he so long dwelt—and he will not be suspected of partiali-ty to Mormomism—his report to his superior officer, which the United States Senate and the House of Re-presentatives published—says he feels confident that the imputations which have been made against the personal character of Gov. Young are without foun-dation, and thai his personal reputation is above re-proach.
"Certain it is, says he, that the most entire confi-dence is felt in his integrity, personal, official, and pe-cuniary, on the part of those to to whom a long and in-timate association, and in the most trying emergen-cies, have afforded every possible opportunity of forming a just and accurate judgment of his true character.
The disloyalty of Governor Young and the people Utah is disproved by the same unquestioned and unquestionable authority. An illustrative incident in the history of that people may put to shame their assailants. I quote again from Captain Stans-bury :
"In their progress westward through the northern part of Missouri, they were again driven from that State by violent threats into the southern borders of Iowa, whence, after panel hardships and suffering, they reached, in the course of the summer, the banks of the Missouri, beyond the limits of the States. Here they enclosed land and planted crops, leaving some of their number to reap the fruits, which were to be applied to the sustenance of other companies that were to follow as soon as they should be able to pro-cure means.
"They were about crossing the river to pursue their journey westward when an officer of the Uni-ted States government presented himself with a re-quisition for five hunlred men to serve in the war with Mexico. This demand, though sadden and un-expected, was promptly and pathetically complied with; but, in consequence, the expedition was broken up for the season Those that remained being prin-cipally old men ; women, and children, prepared to pass the winter in the wilds of an Indian country, by cutting hay and erecting log and sod huts, and dig-ging as many caves as time allowed and their strength enabled them."
In another portion of the work, Captain Stansbury says:
"From all that I saw and heard, I deem it but sim-ple justice to say, that, notwithstanding these causes of irritation, a more loyal and patriotic people cannot be found within the limits of the Union. This, I think, was, emphatically shown in the promptitude and cheer-fulness with which they responded to the call of the Government to furnish a battalion for service during the Mexican war, while in the heart of an Indian country, and on the eve of a long and uncertain pil-grimage into an unknown wilderness; they were sud-denly called upon to surrender five hundred of their best men to the hazards of a hostile campaign, and the exposure and vicissitudes of a march of two thou-sand miles across trackless deserts and burning plains, to tight the battles of their country, Their peculiar circumstances presented almost insuperable objections to a compliance with the requisition, yet not the slightest hesitation was evinced. You shall have your battalion at once,' was the reply of Mr. Young, 'if it has to be a class of our elders; and in three days the farce, recruited principally among the fathers of families, was raised and ready to march. Here cer-tainly was no evidence of a lack of patriotism."
The same author quotes from addresses delivered by Brigham Young, in which he expressed his exalt-ed estimation of the Constitution of the United States, and the laws enacted in subordination to it, exhorting the people to magnify the laws, and assuring them that "there is no law in the United States, or in the Constitution, but I am ready to make honorable."—The author then adds :
"The following language, used by General D. H. Wells at the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the advent of the Mormons into the valley, will show, I think, what were the feelings of the people :
" 'It has been thought by some that this people, abused, maltreated, insulted, robbed, plundered, mur-dred, and finally disfranchised, and expatriated, would naturally feel reluctant to again unite their destiny with the American republic. * * * * * No wonder that it was thought by some that we would not again submit ourselves (even while we were scorned and ridiculed) to return to our allegiance to our native country. Remember that it was by the act of our country, not ours, that we were expatriated, and then consider the opportunity we had of forming other ties. Let this pass, while we lift the veil and show the policy which dictated us. That country, that Constitution, those institutions, were all ours; they are still ours. Our fathers were heroes of the revolution; under the master spirits of an Adams, a Jefferson, and a Washington, they declared and maintained their independence; and under the guid-ance of the spirit of truth, they fulfilled their mission whereunto they were sent from the presence of the Father. Why should we relinquish our interest in that country made dear to us by every the of associa-tion and consanguinity? * * * * * Those who have indulged such sentiments concerning us, have not read Mormonism aright; for never, no, never will we desert our country's cause; never will we be found arrayed by the side of her enemies, although she her-self may cherish them in her own bosom; although she may launch forth the thunderbolt of war which may return and spend their fury upon her own head; never, no, never will we permit the weakness of hu-man nature to triumph over our love of country, our devotion to her institutions, handed down to us by our honored sires, made dear by a thousand tender recol-lections.' "
Such, surely, is neither the language nor the spirit of a disloyal people.
Captain Stansbury elsewhere says:
"Direct charges have been widely published, seri-ously affecting the patriotism and personal reputation of the Mormon leaders, as well as ot the feelings of the people toward the General Government. Such doubts and apprehensions are, in my judgment, total-ly groundless, and the charges I believe to be either based upon prejudice or to have grown out of a want of accurate information. A residence of a year in the midst of the Mormon community, during the greater part of which period I was in constant inter-course with the rulers and people, afforded much op-portunity for ascertaining the real facts of the case." But persons who never approached the longitudes in which Utah lies, hesitate not to denounce the Mor-mons as rebels and traitors, and by a perversion of language, attribute to Governor Young a defiant spirit. Governor Young has never threatened opposi-tion to the General Government or violence to a suc-cessor, nor have the people of the Territory of Utah failed to respect the federal laws. The language which has been preverted was the exposition of his confidence in the government of God, and the expres-sion to the Providence which rules all created things. He believes that if it is God's good pleasure that, he shall retire to a private life or continue Governor of the Territory of Utah, distinguished station in the General Government and political pre-eminence among men will be powerless tochange the designs of Omnipotence, and hence he has said how futile it is for man to be solicitous about that which man cannot control. Will it be questioned that God rules in the armies of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth ? Why then should it be deemed presumptu-ous in Governor Young to give utterance to unques-tioned truth ?
Nor is it true that Governor Young and the Mormon people refuse to comply with the requisition of the General Government, "so far even as to transmit a a copy of their laws or a statement of their public ex-penditures." Of the latter enough has been said al-ready, and of the former it will be sufficient to say that it was not their duty.
The Federal Government provides its own officer to discharge that and other duties as will be seen on a perusal of the law itself.
"SEC. 3. There shall be a Secretary of said Terri-tory, who shall reside therein, and hold his office for four years, unless sooner removed by the President of the United States; he shall record and preserve all the laws and proceedings of the Legislative Assem-bly hereinafter constituted, and all the acts and pro-ceedings of the Governor in his executive depart-ment; he shall transmit one copy of the laws, and one oppy of the executive proceedings, on or before the first day of December in each year, to the President of the United States, and at the same time, two copies of the laws to the Speaker of the House of Represen-tatives, and the President of the Senate, for the use of Congress."
If there had been neglect in the discharge of these duties, it would not have been the neglect of Mor-mons; but truth and justice require the statement to be made that the laws have been transmitted to the executive authority, and to the Congress of the Uni-ted States,
Governor Young's assailants have also charged that he is sustained by a military force in opposition to fedaral authority. Thirty thousand men in arms, says one writer, and seven thousand disciplined troops; another, support Governor Young in his con-tumacy. That there are arms in Utah to keep the Indians in check no one will deny. What fron-tier settlement has them not? That there maybe volunteer companies of militia is also true, and in this respect Utah is not unlike every vil-lage in the land. But Governor Young is like the Governor of every State and Territory in the Union in his means of defence. He has no military power that is not possessed by all men in his station. An army is not necessary in Utah. Of the people of that Territory, Gen. John Wilson, of whom Mr. Smith writes as a citizen of the first re-spectability, and officer of the Federal Government in California, has said in a letter to the Hon. Truman Smith, then a member of the Senate of the United States:
"A more orderly, earnest, industrious and civil peo-ple, I have never been amongst than these, and it is incredible how much they have done here in the wil-derness in so short a time. In this city, (Salt Lake,) which contains now, as I believe, about from four to five thousand inhabitants, [they are now nearly double that number,] I have not met in a citizen a single idler, or any person who looks like a loafer.—Their prospects for crops are fair, and there is a spirit and an energy in all that you see, that cannot be equaled in any city of any size that I have ever been in, and I will add, not even in "Old Connecticut."
Of Governor Young, the Hon. L. H. Read, the late chief justice of Utah, who was sent out by the Fede-ral Government from the State of New York, says :
"I was received by Governor Young with marked courtesy and respect. He has taken pains to make my residence here agreeable. The Governor in man-ner and conversation is a polished gentleman, very neat and tasty in dress, easy and pleasant in conver-sation, and I think a man of decided talent and strong intellectual qualities. I have heard him address the people once on the subject of Man's Free Agency.—He is a very excellent speaker. His gesture uncom-monly graceful, articulation distinct, and speech plea-sant. I was extremely edified by his address and manner. The Governor is a first rate business man. His private business is extensive; he owns several grist and saw mills; is extensively engaged in farming operations. All which he superintends personally.—I have made up my mind that no man has been more grossly misrepresented than Governor Young, and that he is a man who will reciprocate kindness and good in-tentions as heartily and freely as any one."
That Colonel Steptoe will dissent from the testimo-ny of the late Chief Justice Read is not anticipated.—He has had the means of observation, and is enabled to know that the inhabitants of Utah have been ma-ligned by men who, to secure the reputation of wri-ting Con. Spirito, sacrifice truth and decency. As a people, they are hospitable to strangers, respectful to authority, and loyal to the Government. To prove themselves good members of civil, society, they can point to the labor they have performed, and the thri-ving villages and fertile farms into which they have converted a distant wilderness. They desire to en-joy in peace the fruit for which they have toiled.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN M. BERNHISEL,
Delegate from Utah.
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
