The Governors of Utah: J. Wilson Shaffer

IMPROVEMENT ERA. Vol. IV. MARCH, 1901. No 5.

THE GOVERNORS OF UTAH.

J. WILSON SHAFFER.

Before naming^ the principal events in the career of J. Wilson Shaffer, the seventh governor of Utah, let us briefly revert to the main incidents of historical importance which took place during the incumbency of his predecessor, Governor Charles Durkee, whose biography appeared in the February Era. The Black Hawk Indian war broke out in 1865, and continued until the close of 1867, though occasional raids were made by the Indians as late as the summer of 1869. The settlers in Sanpete and Sevier counties were the principal sufferers; companies of militia were called from the northern towns in 1867, to aid the settlers in southern Utah, and to protect their interests. Nearly all .the settlements on the upper Sevier, as well as those in Kane county, were deserted, the inhabitants fleeing to older and stronger places for safety. A treaty of peace was made with Black Hawk, in August, 1867; and, a year later, with his sub-chieftains and their refractory followers. This war was the last effort of the red men to hold dominion over

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their native soil, and with it, the war-whoop and scalping knife vanished from Utah history, and the descendants of the once fierce warriors have bent willingly to the colonial yoke of the white man. They now live in little colonies in different parts of the south, assisted in their scanty wants by the charitable hands of the race who subdued and gained dominion over them. They walk cheerfully in the compulsory paths of peace. The expense of these years of war to Utah is told in General Clawson's report to the War Department at Washington, under date of February 9, 1869. Vouchers are shown which place the total cost at $1,121,037.38, not including charges for a vast amount of service in the home guard, and for many private losses. This report was officially endorsed by Governor Durkee who certified that the accounts are just, that the expenses were absolutely necessary, and were sanctioned by him. The legislature memorialized Congress for an appropriation of a million and a half dollars to cover the expense and losses, but to this day, this just debt of the government remains unpaid. In 1867-8-9, there was a war of grasshoppers more costly and serious than the deprpdations of the red men. Clouds of the pests darkened the sun; their migrations sounded like the roaring of mighty winds. Complete destruction of all vegetation followed their dreadful invasion. The Union Pacific railroad was approaching, and many of the farmers, whose families must otherwise have suffered for food, found employment on the great overland highway, which was completed into Ogden on March 8, 1869. President Brigham Young had the contract for its building from Echo to Ogden. On the 17th, ground was broken for the construction of the Utah Central to Salt Lake City, by President Young. The establishment of Z. C. M. L, in 1868, with branches in many of the wards of the territory; the new impetus given to education by the appointment of Dr. John R. Park to the presidency of the University of Deseret, in March of the year following; the general beginning of trade consequent upon the arrival of the railroad; and the opening of the U. S. land office in March, 1869,^ are among other important events occurring during the Durkee administration. Secretary S. A. Mann continued to act as governor after the

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death of Governor Durkee, until March, 1870, when J. Wilson Shaffer, the seventh governor of Utah, arrived. Mr. Mann was a conservative ruler, and his short administration was made notable by his signing the female suffrage bill for' which the women of Utah tendered him their thanks. He also received complimentary resolutions from the legislature. He remained in the territory, and after his retirement, September 5, practiced law in Salt Lake City. Of the Shaffer administration, little good can be said. He was especially selected to carry out a crusade against the "Mormons," which had been carefully planned by Schuyler Colfax on his recent visits. President U. S. Grant had fallen into line with the Colfax plans, and the arrival of the new governor was the signal for the beginning of the judicial crusade which was to follow. The idea was to establish over Utah a firm federal rule, the plans of army interference and special legislation, once contemplated, having been abandoned. Governor Shaffer was the man selected to carry out the plan, and he was seconded, if not led, by Chief Justice James B. McKean. The two were doubtless among the most pronounced enemies that the "Mormons" of Utah have ever hadi The population was mostly "Mormons," for out of the 86,786 people then residing in the territory only two or three thousand were not of their faith. Governor Shaffer was from Freeport, Illinois, and was an old comrade of John Aaron Rawlins, to whom doubtless he owed hia appointment. Rawlins was assistant adjutant-general to President. Grant, in 1861, and secretary of war in 1869. When Governor Shaffer came to Utah, he was suffering from an incurable disease, and was well aware that he only had a few months to live, but he accepted the ofiice as a trust and mission from the president. He was born July 5, 1827, in Union County, Pennsylvania, but had lived in Illinois for more than twenty years, which may or may not account for the bitterness he entertained against the "Mormon" people. He rendered excellent service in the Civil War, and was a man of settled convictions, discharging what he deemed duty, with great fidelity. He had an iron will —coupled with force, energy and patriotism — but with it he possessed a fearful prejudice.

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On February 1, 1870, he was appointed, and arrived in Salt Lake in the latter part of March. Prior to his coming, he did all in his power to have the Cullom bill, then pending in Congress, passed. This extraordinary measure was to confer unlimited power upon the governor. "Never after me, by God," he is said to have exclaimed soon after his appointment, "shall it be said that Brigham Young is governor of Utah." His arrival in Utah was the signal for the organization of the anti-"Mormons" into the Liberal Party which was first named at a convention in Corinne, Box Elder county, July, 1870, when General Maxwell was first nominated for Delegate to Congress. Because of his having signed the woman suffrage bill, and for other friendly acts to the "Mormons," shortly before the governor's arrival, Secretary Mann, it is believed, was deposed in July of the same year, being succeeded by Secretary Vernon H. Vaughn, of Alabama. It was believed in Washington that military force was neces-

sary to back the actions of the governor and to protect the non- "Mormons" and their property, but it was understood that such military should only be used as a "moral force." Hence, it was decided to quarter fresh troops near Provo, at Camp Rawlins, named in honor of the late secretary of war. On the 16th of August, Lieutenant-General Daniel H. Wells issued an order for a three days' drill of the Nauvoo Legion, the militia of the territory, which at this time included about thirteen thousand efficiently armed, drilled and equipped men. This gave the governor a chance to do what he had threatened — to depose Brigham Young from the position of "Governor de jacto of Utah." The governor's office, it will be remembered, included that of commander-in-chief of the Nauvoo Legion which non-"Mormons" declared had been for years under the control of President Young. On September 15, Governor Shaffer, returned from a trip west, and immediately issued, without authority of law, proclamations countermanding the order of General Wells, forbidding all muster and drills, and appointing P. E. Connor major-general of the militia of Utah Territory. After a great deal of correspondence on the subject, General Wells directed that the fall musters in the various military districts be postponed. The Nauvoo Legion, though

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having drilled annually for eighteen years prior to that time, was never again assembled. Concerning this step of the governor, Historian Bancroft says: "The proclamation was ill-advised, and for what purpose it was issued, save as a peurile expression of the governor's authority, does not appear." The United States soldiers, of whom there were several hundred in Forts Douglass and Rawlins, from this incident deemed themselves masters of the situation. A party of fifty from the latter camp, just one week after the virtual disbanding of the militia, made a raid on Provo, on September 23; they were armed with bayonets, guns and revolvers, and crazed with whiskey. They had a grievance against a citizen. Alderman W. Miller, because he had refused to let them have his hall to dance in. The bishops also had counselled the young people to avoid mingling with the soldiers. For these reasons Miller was dragged from his room, and his house demolished. Signs and doors were broken down, and residences demolished. Defenseless citizens were paraded through the streets, beaten with rifles, and pricked with bayonets. The offenders were never brought to justice, the reason being that there was no harmony between General R. De Trobriand of Camp Douglas, commander of the forces, and Governor Shaffer. A little over a month from this time, on Monday, October 31, 1870, Governor Shaffer died at his residence of consumption. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. G. M. Pierce, on the iirst of November, and the remains, followed to the depot by a large procession, were shipped to Freeport, Illinois, for interment, escorted thither by a guard of Free Masons. Governor Shaffer was dead, but the crusade which he encouraged and fostered during his short reign of seven months lived many years thereafter.