Early in 1849, the Mormons, irritated by the contemptuous silence of the federal government, assembled themselves in Convention, and, with the boldness engendered by a perfect faith, duly erected themselves into a free, sovereign, and independent people, with a vast extent of country.[1] Disdaining to remain in statu pupillari, they dispensed with a long political minority, and rushed into the conclave of republics like California, whose sons are fond of comparing her to Minerva issuing full-grown from the cranium of Jupiter into the society of Olympus. Roused by this liberty, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, on the 9th of Septem-
- ↑ The following is the preamble to the Constitution: it is a fair specimen of Mormon plain-dealing.
Provisional Government of the State of Deserét.—Abstract of Convention Minutes. On the 15th of March, 1849, the Convention appointed the following persons a Committee to draft a Constitution for the State of Deserét, viz.: Albert Carrington, Joseph L. Heywood, William W. Phelps, David Fullmer, John S. Fullmer, Charles C. Rich, John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt, John M. Bernhisel, Erastus Snow.
March 18th, 1849. Albert Carrington, chairman of the Committee, reported the following Constitution, which was read and unanimously adopted by the Convention:CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF DESERÉT.
Preamble.—Whereas a large number of the citizens of the United States, before and since the Treaty of Peace with the Republic of Mexico, emigrated to, and settled in that portion of the territory of the United States lying west of the Rocky Mountains, and in the great interior Basin of Upper California; and
Whereas, by reason of said treaty, all civil organization originating from the Republic of Mexico became abrogated; and
Whereas the Congress of the United States has failed to provide a form of civil government for the territory so acquired, or any portion thereof; and
Whereas civil government and laws are necessary for the security, peace, and prosperity of society; and
Whereas it is a fundamental principle in all republican governments that all political power is inherent in the people, and governments instituted for their protection, security, and benefit should emanate from the same:
Therefore your committee beg leave to recommend the adoption of the following Constitution until the Congress of the United States shall otherwise provide for the government of the Territory hereinafter named and described by admitting us into the Union. We, the people, grateful to the Surpreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the State of Deserét, including all the territory of the United States within the following boundaries, to wit: commencing at the 33° of north latitude, where it crosses the 108° of longitude, west of Greenwich; thence running south and west to the boundary of Mexico; thence west to and down the main channel of the Gila River (or the northern line of Mexico), and on the northern boundary of Lower California to the Pacific Ocean; thence along the coast northwesterly to the 118° 30' of west longitude; thence north to where said line intersects the dividing ridge of the Sierra Nevada mountains; thence north along the summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the dividing range of mountains that separate the waters flowing into the Columbia River from the waters running into the Great Basin; thence easterly along the dividing range of mountains that separate said waters flowing into the Columbia River on the north, from the waters flowing into the Great Basin on the south, to the summit of the Wind River chain of mountains; thence southeast and south by the dividing range of mountains that separate the waters flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from the waters flowing into the Gulf of California, to the place of beginning, as set forth in a map drawn by Charles Preuss, and published by order of the Senate of the United States in 1848.
