The Governors of Utah: Alfred Cumming II

IMPROVEMENT ERA. Vol. IV. DECEMBER, 1900. No 2. THE GOVERNORS OF UTAH. ALFRED CUMMING. The readers of the Era are already familiar with the main incident connected with the introduction of Governor Alfred Cumming to the people of Utah — the Utah War. This trouble with accompanying complications, continued to be the bone of contention during his entire administration. The Governor was a native of Georgia, where, in 1836, he was mayor of Augusta, in which capacity he distinguished himself by using the utmost effort to save the lives of its citizens, in the cholera epidemic of that year. He was attached to the staff of General Scott, during a portion of the war with Mexico, and was afterwards appointed by the Government to visit several Indian tribes in the far west. When called to the governorship of Utah he had recently been superintendent of Indian affairs on the upper Missouri, in which capacity he is said to have displayed great tact and executive ability. Several of his relatives now reside in

82 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Georgia, among them being General Alfred Cumming and Major Joseph B. Cumming, who are his nephews. He was born at Sand Hills, near Augusta, Georgia, September, 1802, and died at the same place, October 8, 1873. His wife was the daughter of a prominent Boston physician, an accomplished lady, considerate, and full of sympathy for the people. The main portion of the army of Utah left Fort Leavenworth on July 18, 1857, but it was not until September 16, of the same year, along with Colonel Philip St. George Cooke's detachment, that Governor Cumming started on his westward journey, to fill the appointment as executive of the territory. To this office he was appointed by President Buchanan on the 11th of July. The expedition finally arrived near Fort Bridger, and it was here that Camp Scott arose. General Albert Sydney Johnston, who had succeeded Brevet-Brigadier-General W. S. Harney, (the first in command of the expedition) on the 29th of August, decided not to push through the mountains that winter. Hence, they went into winter quarters on Black's Fork. On the 19th of November, Col. Cooke's cavalry, five hundred strong, joined the main body of the army. With them, as stated, were Governor Cumming and the other civil oificials. They had a terrible experience in their travels thus far, which the following paragraph from Col. Cooke's report to General Johnston, amply testifies: November 10th: Nine trooper horses were left freezing and dying in the road, and a number of teamsters had been frost-bitten. It was a desperately cold night. The thermometers were broken, but, by comparison must have marked twenty-five degrees below zero. A bottle of sherry wine froze in a trunk. * * * I have one hundred and forty-four horses, and have lost one hundred and thirty-four. Most of the loss has occurred much this side of South Pass, in comparatively moderate weather. It has been of starvation; the earth has a no more lifeless, treeless, grassless desert; it contains scarcely a wolf to glut itself on the hundreds of dead and frozen animals, which for thirty miles nearly block the road; with abandoned and shattered property, they mark, perhaps beyond example in history the steps of an advancing army with the horrors of a disastrous retreat. It was from this Camp Scott that Governor Cumming issued

THE GOVERNORS OF UTAH. 83 his first proclamation to the people of Utah, informing them of his appointment, that he would make arrangements for the temporaryorganization of the territorial government, and that proceedings would be entered against all persons who were declared to be in a state of rebellion, in a court organized by Chief Justice Eckels. He also commanded all armed bodies of individuals to disband. As neither he nor the Justice had qualified, according to law, little attention was paid to the proclamation. Governor Cumming qualified eleven days later, before Justice Eckels, but as the judge was not himself qualified, the act was of necessity considered null and void. While the army was in this winter plight, the famous peace mission of Colonel Thomas L. Kane was heroically performed. It was on the 10th of March, in 1858, that Governor Cumming was visited by the great peace commissioner, and he was soon convinced of the wisdom of Col. Kane's mission, and agreed to place himself under the Colonel's guidance and proceed with him to Salt Lake City, unaccompanied by the troops. Leaving Camp Scott on April 5, he arrived in Salt Lake City on the 12th, having traveled with Col. Kane and two servants under escort of a company of Utah cavalry under General William H. Kimball. They passed through Echo canyon, down the Weber Canyon and thence to the City, being met at the Hot Springs by the Mayor and other officials and leading citizens, and escorted to his stopping place — the residence of Elder W. C. Staines. He was universally greeted "with such respectful attentions as are due to the representative authority of the United States in the Territory," and duly acknowledged as Governor. The seal, the court records, and other public property, the supposed destruction of which had helped to bring about the war, were found intact. On the 27th, he addressed a meeting in the Tabernacle, and was introduced by President Young as the Governor of Utah. It was with gratification that Governor Cumming, in his report to the Secretary of State, announced "the auspicious issue of our difficulties here," and with great regret that he referred to the "Move," declaring that he would follow and try to rally the people. But his pleading was of little avail. In May, he went to Camp Scott to bring his wife to Salt Lake City, and upon return-

84 IMPR0VEMEN1 ERA. ing found the city almost deserted. Only a few men were left to guard the city and set fire to it, if the troops should attempt to occupy it, or do anything contrary to promise. When Mrs. Cumming entered the city, she was so moved that she burst into tears of sympathy for the migrating Saints, begging her husband not to allow the army to stay, and to bring the "Mormons" back. "Rest assured, madam, I shall do all that I can," said the kindhearted old Governor — "his eyes glistening with compassion," writes Whitney, "and his lip quivering with emotion." On June 14, the Governor, by John Harknett, secretary, issued a proclamation of peace, calling upon all the people to return. With the peace commissioners, he went south and pleaded with the people as a father with his children to return, and they would be unmolested. On the 26th, the army entered the valley, marching south to Cedar valley where they founded Camp Floyd; and early in July, President Young and the people began to return to their homes. The troops afterwards showed their hatred of the "Mormons," and it was later found necessary for the people of Provo to appeal to Governor Cumming against their wrongs. The appeal was not in vain, and the Governor, who was not in sympathy with the course of agitation instituted by the federal judges, requested General Johnston to remove the troops. The General refused, but was finally compelled, through the just stand and positive character of Governor Cumming, to comply. Then the federal officials concocted a plan to arrest President Young on a trumped up charge of counterfeiting, but they were frustrated by the Governor. The U. S. Marshall was to serve the writs on President Young, and, if resisted, Johnston's soldiers were to break down the wall surrounding his residence, seize him, and take him to Camp Floyd. The plan was laid before the Governor, but he refused to listen to the baseless charge, or to fall in line with the scheme. Said he to the officers: "When you have a right to take Brigham Young, gentlemen, you shall have him without creeping through walls, you shall enter by his door with heads erect, as becomes representatives of your government. But till that time, you can't touch Brigham Young while I live, by G — d." Governor Cumming's just position on this and other matters

THE GOVERNORS OF UTAH. 85 in his disputes with General Johnston, resulted in a strong effort, in July, 1859, on the part of the anti-"Mormons," to have him removed, but it ended in the general Government sustaining the action of the Governor, who was permitted to continue in office till the close of his term. Governor Cumming, however, left Salt Lake City, with his wife, in May, 1861, about two months prior to the expiration of his term of office. It was intended that some public demonstration should be shown in his honor, but he left so quietly that none knew of it until it was announced in the Deseret News of May 22. Secretary Francis H. Wootton officiated in his stead for a brief period, but soon after the breaking out of the civil war, resigned, and was succeeded by Secretary Frank Fuller, an appointee of President Lincoln, who acted as governor until the arrival, in December, of John W. Dawson, the third Governor of Utah. Governor Cumming's conduct was approved by the Legislature, and through the just and impartial administration of the affairs of his office, he had won the hearts of the people. Bancroft says: "He had entered that city amid a forced display of welcome, but he left it with the sincere regrets of a people whose hearts he had won by kind treatment. His administration was wise and able, and he was admirably fitted for the duties of his difficult and trying position." In a message to the Legislative Assembly, November 12, 1860, Governor Cumming, in recommending the establishment of free schools, has this to say, of early education in Utah: "I have witnessed with pleasure the evidences of increasing interest in the subject of education. In this city and throughout the territory, many large and spacious schoolhouses have been built, and the sight of hundreds of children who daily attend them is very cheering. The past year has also witnessed the establishment by President Young of a college for the instruction of youths in the higher branches of education."