The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913 Page: 247
464 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Question of the Eastern Boundary of California 247
ple can make laws only for themselves? I am ashamed of the po-
sition that I am compelled to occupy."1
Lippitt of San Francisco also felt strongly on the subject. The
Convention, he said, had no right to extend their government over
the inhabitants of the Salt Lake region, comprising some thirty or
forty thousand Mormons who had never been consulted in making
the constitution.2
It was a new doctrine, said Gwin, that every man must be rep-
resented within the borders of a new state, a doctrine which he be-
lieved had never been preached before. Great stress had been laid
upon the fact that the Mormons were not represented. There was
no proposition to force the Mormons to become a part of the govern-
ment of California. He did not propose to extend the laws of the
state nor of any district in the state to the Mormons. He did not
propose to send tax collectors or government officers there. He
favored awaiting their own action in the matter. If they wanted
the benefit of the government which was being established, they
should send a petition to have representatives allotted to them.
"If they desire the protection of our laws, let them send to us, and
it will then be a matter of inquiry on the part of our state govern-
ment." But he thought the Mormons would have no right to
complain. The people whose representatives composed the Conven-
tion, were the majority, and the majority of the inhabitants of any
state had a right to make rules for the minority. As a matter of
fact, thousands of immigrants had reached California since dele-
gates were elected to the Convention. They, too, had no. represen-
tation in that body, but as a minority they were bound to submit
to the will of the majority. Would not these people have as much
right to complain as the Mormons ?"
Shannon thought not. He did not see how the fact that the Mor-
mons were in the minority would prevent them from offering legit-
imate objections to being included within the new state. They
could justly claim that they had no part in making the constitution
which that Convention was framing. But even if they should ac-
cept the work of the Convention, he did not think they should be
1Browne, Debates, 422-423 and 447.
2Ibid., 448.
3Ibid., 194-196.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913, periodical, 1913; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101058/m1/255/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.