USA > Utah > Salt Lake County > Salt Lake > History of Salt Lake City > Part 110
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" 7. That we hail with joy the dawn of a brighter day for priest-ridden Utah, and we invite the loyal, independent members of the Mormon Church to co-operate with us in an honorable political effort to confine the church to its le- gitimate work, and free every voter from priestly dictation ; to drive from office the men who have squandered our municipal, county and Territorial funds, and to hold our official servants to the strictest accountability ; to establish and main- tain a system of unsectarian free schools; to develop the varied material inter- ests of this wonderfully rich Territory ; to harmonize the antagonism engendered by the arbitrary, intolerant rule of the now defunct polygamous dynasty ; and, in fine, to lay broad and deep the foundation of a loyal, intelligent and enduring commonwealth.
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" 8. That in Eli H. Murray, our present governor, we recognize a faithful, fearless, and patriotic public officer, one who, in denying a certificate of election to an alien and polygamist as a delegate to the Forty-seventh Congress, and in granting such certificate to the only person eligible at that election, performed his official duty in a bold, manly, and patriotic manner, and opened the way to a contest which resulted in the defeat and rout of the representative of polygamy from the hall of the National Congress; and we further give to Governor Murray, in his attempt to discharge the duty imposed by the Hoar amendment, our cordial approbation, and announce it as our opinion that but for the treasonable counsels of the Mormon hierarchy, urging resistance to the appointments made by his Ex- cellency, the present unseemly contest to nullify the laws by opposition in the courts would not have been made.
"9. That in the Edmunds law, and the Hoar amendment, the latter sug- gested by the judicious wisdom of the patriotic and faithful judges of our Supreme Court, we recognize that Congress has determined that means shall be adopted adequate to reform the political condition of Utah ; that we express our gratitude for those measures, and pledge ourselves to labor to make them effective for the purposes intended.
" IO. That the judicious conduct of the Utah Election Commission in con- ducting the registration of voters for 1882, under circumstances of great and pe- culiar difficulties, challenges our admiration and approval, and we truly tender to the Commission the thanks of citizens who have learned to appreciate the pros- pect of a fair vote and an honest count.
" II. That this convention represents, in the non-Mormon population, not less than thirty thousand fair-minded, loyal, just and patriotic people, and we resent with indignation the assertion and imputation that in urging the reforma- tion of notorious abuses in the government of this Territory, we are organizing a scheme to plunder the Mormons of their property and worldly possessions ; and whether such imputations emanate from the priesthood, whose political power we oppose, or their tools of the press, or any other power, subsidized or not, we de- nounce it as without color of support in fact, and the vile concoction of villifiers and slanderers.
" 12. That to Allen G. Campbell, the standard-bearer of the Liberal party for the last two years, we express our admiration and gratitude for his services and his faithfulness to the Liberal cause."
One after the other the counties nominated Allen G. Campbell and quickly the nomination was made unanimous. A committee was appointed to wait upon Mr. Campbell who on his appearance, gracefully declined the nomination. Most likely this was expected. Philip T. Van Zile was doubtless intended as the standard-bearer of the Liberal party of Utah in this campaign, but all felt that the offer of the nomination was first due to Allen G. Campbell for past services. Philip T. Van Zile was next nominated by E. P. Ferry of Park City, chairman of the delegation from Summit County. Other delegates briskly followed upon the same name, after which there came a division in favor of Judge McBride. Against this division several members protested, and both Van Zile and McBride declined the nomination that afternoon. This caused an adjournment to the next
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morning, when Judge Philip T. Van Zile was again nominated by the delegate from Summit County, and chosen by the unanimous vote of the convention. A committee was appointed to notify Judge Van Zile, who, on making his appear- ance in the convention, was received by the members standing, and welcomed with great enthusiasm. He accepted the nomination and made a very conserva- tive, effective speech, in which he confessed the prospect of defeat, but affirmed that the influence of their work in the coming campaign would, in effect, be a victory for the Liberal party.
On Thursday, pursuant to adjournment, the convention of the People's party again met, organized, and proceeded to business, electing Wilson H. Dusenberry, president. Much important business was done for the People's party on this day, but the crowning work was reserved for the following day.
Friday, October 13th, in the afternoon the committee on resolutions and de- claration of principles, reported through its chairman, Mr. S. R. Thurman, and the reading of the platform of the People's party was given to Mr. F. S. Richards.
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
" The People's party, struggling for supremacy of constitutional law and the sacred privilege of local self-government, submit the following declaration of principles :
" I. We believe that the protection of life, liberty and the pursuit of hap- piness is the object of free government, and that the Constitution of the United States was ordained and established to secure the greatest possible liberty to man, woman, and child, consistent with public welfare.
" 2. We believe that free government can only exist where the people gov- erned participate in the administration thereof.
" 3. We believe that any party or faction of a political community that seeks to subvert the institutions of local self-government, aims a deadly thrust at the Constitution, and that such party or faction is unworthy the suffrages of a free people.
4. We believe that any official who attempts to stifle the popular voice as ex- pressed at the ballot box, is guilty of treason against the sovereign people.
5. We believe that the right to frame laws suited to the requirements of the Territory having been vested by Congress in the Legislature elected by its citizens, to deprive them of that right by substituting a commission, arbitrarily appointed, and thus disfranchise a hundred and fifty thousand people, and reduce them to a condition of serfdom, would be unprecedented in the history of the nation-an act that could not be justified by any actual necessity, and that the attempt by a pretended political party to create such a revolution in the government of this Territory is worthy only of conspirators and political adventurers.
6. We believe in the right of the people of a Territory, as well as of a State, to test, in the courts established by the government, the constitutionality or con- struction of any enactment, local or congressional, and express our astonishment at the public declaration of a high Federal official of this Territory, and the enun- ciation by a so-called political party that the people have no rights except such as Congress may grant to them, and that to differ with the Territorial executive
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about the construction of a statute is nullification. We utterly repudiate such a monstrous doctrine as worthy alone of the most absolute despotism, and claim that the United States Constitution, in its benign provisions, extends alike over the States and Territories of the American Union, and that it is the bounden duty of the Governor, as much as the humblest citizen, to yield obedience to the laws as they are construed by the courts. We utterly repudiate the unconstitu- tional attempt by any executive to usurp judicial or legislative functions, and to hold the American citizen bound by the partial, prejudiced, unfair, and illegal construction which he may see fit to place upon any statute.
"7. Citizenship is the basis of the right of suffrage. While the elective franchise is a privilege conferred by law, the qualifications for its exercise grow out of the condition of citizenship, and as citizenship is not dependent upon sex or regulated thereby, whatever right of voting originates in the citizenship of men inheres also in the citizenship of women. Female citizens, equally with male citizens, are amenable to the law, therefore they are entitled to an equal voice with men in the framing of the law. As all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the governed, and that consent is expressed by the suffrage, and as women as well as men are made subject to the government of this country, the denial of the suffrage to women is inconsistent with the principles which underlie our national institutions. The moral and intellectual, as well as physical excellence of our sons and daughters being largely dependent upon the mothers who bear and train them, the women of the nation should be endowed with full political freedom, that, being made fa.niliar with political rights and prin- ciples, they may be able to instill into the hearts of the rising generation the spirit of patriotism, the love of liberty, and a reverence for republican institu- tions. For twelve years the women citizens of Utah have enjoyed the right to vote at all elections in this Territory, and have exercised it with credit to then)- selves and to the benefit of the community, and the People's party hereby de- nounces the attempts which have been made to deprive women voters of the right of suffrage, as illiberal and unmanly assaults upon vested rights and upon justice, equality, and the principle of popular sovereignty.
" 8. We believe in an honest and economical administration of government, and point with pride to the economy and honesty with which the public affairs have been administered by officers elected from the ranks of the People's party, and also to the fact that the taxes in Utah are lighter than any other Territory ; the Territory is out of debt ; the counties, with one or two exceptions, are in the same satisfactory condition. The records fail to furnish any instance of embez- zlement or misappropriation of public funds by any official of that party. On the the other hand, when, by frauds committed at the polls, Tooele County was wrested from the popular control, the taxes of the county were shamefully misap- propriated and embezzled ; county scrip depreciated from par to less than fifteen cents on the dollar, and even by the economy and honesty of the People's officials, who have resumed control of its affairs, and although its paper is now worth ninety per cent., Tooele County is not yet quite out of debt and has not fully re- covered from the evils of ' Liberal' rule.
" 9. We repudiate and deny the charges of lawlessness which have been
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made against the people of Utah, and as proof that those slanders are without foundation, we point to the records of the courts, the chief of which are not in any way in the control of the people, and which demonstrate the striking fact that the so-called 'Liberal ' class, constituting less than twenty per cent. of the population of the Territory, furnishes over eighty per cent. of the criminals.
" IO. We further repudiate and deny the charges that in Utah a church dominates the state ; that priestly control is exercised in any manner to infringe upon the freedom of the individual, either at the polls, in convention or in any official capacity ; that perjury or falsehood of any kind is justified, whether for the protection of persons from the action of law or for any other purpose what- ever ; that intolerance is exhibited either for the discouragement of emigration, the settlement of the public domain or invasion of the rights of any individual ; that any unequal taxation is either encouraged or permitted ; that public accounts are not given of the expenditure of public moneys ; that the tenets of a church are taught in the district schools, or that the people are influenced to disloyalty or antagonism to the government of the United States or any of its representatives.
" II. We affirm that it is the duty of every American citizen to render obe- dience to the Constitution of the United States and every law enacted in pursu- ance thereof.
" 12. We affirm with confidence that the Territory of Utah, having the requisite population and exhibiting all the qualifications necessary to self-govern- ment, its people being exceptionally honest, thrifty, sober, frugal and peaceable, is entitled to admission into the Union as a sovereign State.
" 13. We pledge ourselves as a party to the maintenance and defence of constitutional principles and the inalienable rights of mankind, and proclaim our- selves the friends of true liberty-civil, political and religious, to all people in every part of the habitable globe."
The reading of the resolutions was received with prolonged applause, and a vote of thanks was tendered to the committee that framed them.
Mr. Penrose said that to be consistent with one of the planks in the platform the women citizens should have some representation in the Territorial Central Committee. He therefore moved that the lady delegates be permitted to nomi- nate two ladies as members of that committee. Carried.
Mrs. Horne nominated Mrs. E. B. Wells, and Mrs. Howard nominated Mrs. M. I. Horne. Those ladies were added to the committee.
The convention then proceeded to nominate candidates for the office of del- egate to Congress, and on motion of R. K. Williams, nominations were left free to every delegate. Judge Williams nominated F. S. Richards, of Ogden. The nomination was seconded, but Mr. Richards firmly and respectfully declined, and in a neat but brief speech nominated Hon. John T. Caine. Seconded by C. W. Penrose. J. R. Murdock nominated W. H. Hooper and urged his claims to the position. Seconded by S. R. Thurman. Mr. J. R. Winder announced that Captain Hooper having heard that his name had been mentioned as delegate wished to decline.
Mr. Thurman stated that he had come here prepared to nominate Warren S. Dusenberry, but as he had requested that his name should not be presented, he
HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.
endorsed the nomination of W. H. Hooper, and passed a deserved eulogy on that gentleman.
Mr. Penrose endorsed the sentiments expressed in relation to Captain W. H. Hooper, but urged the qualificatious of Hon. John T. Caine as a man of ability and experience in many positions.
Mr. Creer supported the nomination of Capt. Hooper.
Mr. Richards being again mentioned, that gentleman with thanks for the honor asked that his name be not mentioned in this connection, but that his friends would cast their votes for Mr. Caine.
Judge Williams was in favor of voting, and then if either gentleman was nominated who wished to decline he could do so.
Mr. Dunn supported Mr. Hooper.
On motion, the Convention proceeded to ballot. The chairman of each dele- gation collected the ballots of his county. On the first ballot John T. Caine re- ceived 53 votes, W. H. Hooper 12; F. S. Richards 3 ; necessary to a choice 46.
On motion of Judge Williams, the nomination was made unanimous.
John T. Came was declared to be the nominee of the Convention.
On motion of Mr. Graham a committee of three was appointed to wait upon Mr. Caine, as follows : J. C. Graham, Geo. M. Ottinger, and Mrs. M. I. Horne. On motion of Mr. Penrose, the Convention proceeded to nominate a delegate for the unexpired term of the Forty-seventh Congress.
Captain Hooper's claims were urged with great force by several delegates. Mr. Richards again nominated Mr. Caine. C. W. Penrose explained the pro- priety of sending the same man to the remaining session of the Forty-seventh Congress as for the full term of the Forty-eighth.
The first ballot resulted : John T. Caine, 48; W. H. Hooper, 22 ; necessary to a choice, 46. John T. Caine received the nomination, and it was made unani- mous.
Mr. Stanford offered the following :
Mr. Chairman-I move that the delegations composing this convention see that mass meetings in their several counties throughout the Territory are held to ratify the principles contained in our platform and canvass for a mammoth vote in favor of our nominee for the Delegateship to Congress. Carried.
Hon. John T. Caine being escorted to the Convention hall by the committee, responded as follows :
" Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :- I am informed by your committee that you have been pleased to select me as your nominee for Delegate to Congress. I thank you sincerely for this manifestation of your confidence. If you think it is for the best, if you, as the representatives of the people want me, I can only say that I have always held myself in readiness to obey any call of the party to which I owe allegiance ; and, relying on your confidence and your support, I accept the nomination. I do not by any means consider the position an enviable one, for it involves much labor and many unsatisfactory outcomes ; but since some one has to endure it, since some one must be abused, why not I be the target as well as any one else ? I have no set speech prepared. I am not a professional speech- maker, for it has not been my occupation ; neither are those who compose the
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People's party speech-makers by profession-we are workers, rather ; but we know our rights, and dare to defend them against any opposition. I can say that I am proud of being a citizen of Utah, despised though she may be by many ; I am proud of being a member of the People's party and to be associated with those heroes (for so I look upon them) who labored and toiled and suffered hardships to make this Territory a delightful habitation for us who now enjoy the fruits that have resulted from their trials and sufferings. Who made the roads? built the bridges? subdued the savages? destroyed the snakes? and made this once barren waste a fair spot on the earth? Who but the founders of the People's party ? and to them I think all honor is due. I do not wish to disparage the labors of others, those who have developed the mines and established useful and profitable indus- tries. I would accord to them full honor and fair words for what they have done ; but had they come here when many of the necessities of life had to be freighted by ox teams a distance of 1,000 dreary miles ; had they to pay the almost unbear- able prices that these commodities commanded ; had they been forced to subdue all the conflicting conditions which were rank when the people came here, I would like to know how many of the mines would have been developed, and what would be the condition of this Territory to-day ? And yet a certain class would deprive these pioneers, these heroes, of the meagre right of casting their votes for the per- sons who are to labor for them as public servants. Is this right ? Is this mag- nanimous on the part of the parent government ? It is not ; it is not right ; it is not magnanimous, and it is this injustice that calls for our indignation. We have some rights which are guaranteed to us by the Constitution and laws of the coun- try, and we propose to show such persons that we know how to defend these rights. We can no longer submit silently and endure as we have done, but we will fight it out this time, if it takes all summer, if it takes all winter, or if it takes all the time we live upon the earth ! "
The speech was frequently interrupted by applause, and the conclusion called for an additional burst.
The following was offered by Mr. C. W. Penrose :
" Resolved, That in the Hon. George Q. Cannon the people of Utah have had an able, upright and fearless gentleman as their Delegate in Congress for several sessions ; that his exclusion from the present Congress was a cruel blow aimed at the right of representation ; that the honorable gentleman has the confidence, es- teem, and admiration of the People's party, and that we hereby tender him the thanks of the people for his faithful services in their behalf."
On motion of Mr. R. Baty, 20,000 copies of the resolutions and declaration of principles was ordered printed in pamphlet form for distribution by the Terri- torial Central Committee.
On motion of Mr. A. Hatch, a vote of thanks was tendered to the president and all officers of the Convention.
The minutes were read and accepted. Benediction by the chaplain. Ad- journed sine die.
The Central Committees of both parties had resolved at this great test election on a thorough and most vigorous campaign throughout the Territory, the standard bearer of each party taking the platform with his ablest lieutenants. It was the
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first time in our elections that the two parties had fairly recognized each other frankly and conjointly accepting the idea of the "irrepressible conflict " between them, to be fought out by political leaders and the votes of American citizens. Hitherto our election contests had been rather between the Mormons, as a church, and the anti. Mormons, as a body of crusaders in deadly conflict to overthrow that church. This time, at least in profession, they informally agreed to accept each other as purely political parties, contesting for the rule of the Territory by the sovereign votes of American citizens. Strictly and conscientiously this seems to have been the case with the leaders of the People's party, and the reasons for this judgment are obvious and sound. In the first place, the Mormon Church, as such, may be said to have been politically outlawed by the Edmunds bill and the action of the Utah Comission. The principal churchmen had been disfranchised, and so the entire burden of the conflict rested upon the people as a political party.
Immediately upon the nomination of John T. Caine, Judge Van Zile sent to him the following challenge :
"SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, October 13, 1882. " Hon. John T. Caine :
"MY DEAR SIR :- You have to-day received and accepted the nomination for Congress at the hands of the " People's party," and I understand your party is anxious to make a thorough canvass of the Ter- ritory. Believing that the principles and claims of the two parties can be better understood by the voters by listening to a joint discussion, I do most respectfully challenge you to discuss with me the political issues, at public meetings to be arranged for by the two central territorial committees throughout the Ter ritory. The time to be divided between us at each joint discussion as follows:
" The opening speaker to have forty-five minutes to open, the speaker to follow to have one hour to answer. The one who opens to have fifteen minutes to close the debate. As the time is very short be- fore election day I am anxious for an early reply, and hope to hear from you by to-morrow (Saturday) evening.
" Hoping you will accept this challenge, I am yours very respectfully,
PHILIP T. VAN ZILE, Nominee of the Liberal Party of Utah.
The response of Mr. Caine was as follows :
"SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 16th, 1882. " Hon, Philip T. l'un Zile, Salt Lake City:
"DEAR SIR :- Referring lo your favor of the 13th inst., which I did not receive until Saturday afternoon, I beg to say that I do not agree with you in believing that the principles and claims of the two parties can be better understood by the voters by listening to joint discussions, as I fail to see that my party has anything to gain by such discussions. Its members are fully confirmed in their princi- ples and claims and care nothing for the views of the so-called Liberals; and I cannot ask my friends to attend meetings under the pretense of listening to a discussion of political issues, when judging from the past, so far as the Liberals are concerned, it would be nothing but an attack upon their re- ligious principles.
" 1 propose to conduct my campaign in the interest of my friends, the party who nominated me. and not in the interests of my opponents, and I do not propose to furnish the latter with audiences which they could not otherwise obtain ; nor in any other manner give them either aid or comfort.
" I therefore most respectfully decline your challenge, and remain,
"Very truly yours, " JOHN T CAINE."
The next movement was made by the central committee of the People's party for ratification meetings to be held at Ogden, Farmington, Brigham City, Logan,
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Morgan City, Coalville, Plain City, Provo, Ephraim, Nephi, American Fork and Tooele City, which were addressed by Hons. John T. Caine, W. N. Dusenberry, C. W. Penrose, Samuel R. Thurman, F. S. Richards, James Sharp and others.
Ogden, where the parties are nearly equal in strength, was the great battle- field of the campaign. There the grand ratification began, and there the action, so far as the leaders were concerned, may be said to have ended in a splendid demonstration on both sides, on the night of the 6th of November, previous to the casting of the votes of the citizens the next day.
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