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Sec. 2. If any person in any manner operates in Penalties. ferries and bridges on said rivers in the above named region, except under the above named control, unless under charter derived from the Governor and Legislative Assembly, he is liable for all costs, damages and fine that may be adjudged by any court having jurisdiction.

Sec. 3. An act granting to Phineas H. Young and Repeal. Brigham H. Young, the right to erect toll bridges across East Weber and Bear rivers, approved, Jan. 21st, 1853, and An act to amend said act, approved, June 3rd, 1853, are hereby repealed.

Approved, Jan. 20th, 1854.

MEMORIALS.

MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS,

In relation to the Pacific Railway.

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress Assembled;

GENTLEMEN,-Your memorialists, the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, beg leave respectfully to represent to your honorable body, that it is with no ordinary feelings of interest that we witness the progress of events, which appear probable to result in the construction of a railway across the Continent. It is not deemed necessary at this late day to urge the importance and necessity of this great work, nor even its practicability, for these are questions which the intelligence of the people and their representatives have freely and fully discussed, and happily disposed of by the action of Congress, in authorizing reconnoisances to ascertain the most practicable route. Hence our main object in this memorial is to give our candid views on what we deem the best route for the location of the first line of railroad from the Missouri river to the Pacific ocean; this we shall do from reliable information in our possession, and in the briefest manner that our judgment will admit, without entering into the detail of distances, elevations, and depressions, which can only be satisfactorily determined by the careful survey necessary to finally locate the route.

Without further preface, and with all due deference, in our judgment, the route in question should commence at Council Bluff City, keep up the main Platte to its South fork, and up the South fork to the proper point for diverging to the summit of the Black Hills, in the neighborhood of what is known as the Box Elder Pass; or commencing near the mouth of the Kansas, and keeping up that stream to the Republican fork, and up that to where you leave it to reach the same pass. A glance at the map will show the difference of distance between the Missouri river and said pass by the two named routes to be very trifling, and the grade would be equally low, and the amount of timber, grass, quality of soil, climate, and facilities for settlement are almost or entirely indentical.

The Box Elder Pass is a wide, low depression in the Black Hills, with very gentle ascent and descent; from this point the route is across the southern portion of the level, well watered, and grassy Laramie's plains, to the Medicine Bow Bute; thence by gentle grade across the North fork of the Platte to a low, beautiful pass on the summit of the Rocky Mountains called Bridger's Pass. Here the route reaches the eastern out-crop of the rich and thick bituminous coal beds of the extensive region drained by the waters of Muddy and Bitter Creeks, where strong indications of rich iron ore beds were also noticed, and pursues its easy grade across Green river near the mouth of Henry's Fork, an affluent from the west, whose outlet is just above Brown's Hole; thence up Henry's Fork, and across Bear river and Weber river by its lower kanyon into Kamas Prairie, and down the Timpanogos or Provo river into Utah valley. From the mouth of the Kanyon of Provo river by the north end of Utah Lake to Walker's river Pass in the Sierra Nevada, the face of the country is nearly a dead level, with the exception of short isolated ranges of mountains, which could easily be turned, if any were found on the line. From all we can learn, Walker's River Pass is the most eligible in the Sierra Nevada, anywhere north of Walker's Pass, which is near latitude 35°, and of course much too far south. Between Walker's River Pass, and San Francisco, on a direct line, there is no unusual obstacle. The most casual inspection of any late map will demonstrate the route above indicated to be the shortest, most direct, and most central that can be located between the Missouri river and San Francisco, by way of any practicable mountain passes now known. From the Box Elder Pass to the rich valleys skirting the west base of the Wahsatch mountains, independent of the inexhaustible coal beds, and strongly indicated iron ores of Bitter creek, there are more favorable localities for settlements on and near the line indicated, than on any other between the same parallels of longitude, unless a route is made extremely crooked, and solely with a view to accommodate such locations.

The mouth of the Timpanogos or Provo kanyon opens immediately upon the eastern edge of Utah valley, and near Provo city, which will, ere long, be rich and powerful, through skill and labor, well applied to its abundant resources. This is the most eligible point for branching through a rich chain of fortunately located valleys to Oregon on the one hand, and San Diego on the other. From longitude 113° 30' to the Sierra Nevada, there is but little chance for settlements, of much importance on any route.

Having thus briefly expressed our views upon this all-absorbing subject, we beg leave, with all deference, to express our firm conviction, that the desired action on this subject by your Honorable

Body, to render this a National work, is almost unanimously demanded by the whole country, and is entirely constitutional:-all of which is respectfully submitted.

Approved, Jan. 14th, 1854.

MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS,

For calling a Convention to form a State Government.

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, of the United States in Congress Assembled:

Your memorialists, the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, respectfully represent that,

Whereas, our Territory is far remote from any other civilized portion of the American Union, surrounded by vast deserts or mountains, by which means nearly all communication with the national capital is cut off for many months in the year; and

Whereas our Territory is nearly doubling her population annually, leaving her at the present time but little, if any, behind the younger sisters of the Union in point of numbers, at the time of their admission into the Union as sovereign states:

Therefore, to lessen the foregoing difficulties to advance the glorious principles of Republican institutions, or of self government, and as the surest and most permanent basis of true liberty; your Memorialists respectfully solicit your honorable body for the passage of an act authorizing the inhabitants of this Territory, to call a Convention to form a Constitution, and State Government, preparatory to taking her place beside her elder sisters in the Great Federal Union.

The early attention of Congress is earnestly solicited to this important subject, for which your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

Approved, Jan. 14th, 1854.

MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS,

For five thousand dollars for the University.

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress Assembled:

Your memorialists, the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, feeling a deep interest in the future welfare

of the Territory, and for the advancement of her sons and daughters in science and literature, respectfully ask your honorable body to appropriate the sum of five thousand dollars, to advance the interests of the University, established by law, in the City of Great Salt Lake; and that the said sum be applied to the above purpose, under such regulations as your honorable body may appoint. Situated as we are, remote from the multiplied facilities for improvement possessed by the older States and Territories, and unable to avail ourselves of the advantages arising from the lease, or sale of certain sections of public lands, invariably appropriated for school purposes, from the fact that no land bill has yet been passed for Utah; we feel to urge our claims upon the generosity of your honorable body, with an assurance that they will meet with a response, generous on your part, and highly necessary and advantageous on ours; and your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

Approved, Jan. 17th, 1854.

MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS,

To defray the expenses of the Indian wars, and the destruction and loss of property.

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress Assembled:

We your memorialists, the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, respectfully represent to your honorable body, that since the settlement of what is now the Territory of Utah, by your memorialists, frequent outrages and depredations have been, and continue to be committed, upon the persons and property of the citizens of this Territory, by various tribes inhabiting this Territory; and

Whereas, many of the settlements have been necessarily evacuated to preserve life, and our stock driven off in herds, at the defiance of their owners; and our houses, and mills, have been burned; and our harvest fields have been stripped of their crops; and

Whereas, we have been under the necessity of keeping up a strict military discipline, for the safety of our persons and property; and

Whereas, the Adjutant General has, and will make a full report, of all the expenditures, and losses of property incurred, through the Indian depredations in this Territory, to the War Department at Washington City; and

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