History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

A NEW ADMINISTRATION. 605
A month later the associate judges also left the territory,
Thomas J. Drake and Charles B. Waite, appointed
in their stead, with Stephen S. Harding as
governor, arriving in July. Meanwhile the secretary,
by virtue of his office, became the chief magistrate. 3
Now came an opportunity for Brigham to put forth
once more the claim which he had several times asserted:
"I am and will be governor." At this period
another effort was being made to obtain admission as
a state, and on the 17th of March, 1862, the legislature
being then in session, a proclamation was issued,
in which, styling himself governor-elect, Brigham
convened the general assembly and ordered the election
of senators to congress. 4 Soon afterward he
telegraphed to Washington that no assistance was
needed in subduing the Indians, who, as will presently
appear, were somewhat troublesome at this date; for
"the militia were ready and able, as they had ever
been, to take care of them, and were able and willing
to protect the mail line if called upon to do so."
Fuller meekly indorsed this statement, and was authorized
by the war department to call out ninety
men for three months' service between forts Bridger
and Laramie. General Wells was ordered to take
command of the party, and in three days it was ready
to march.
The choice for senators fell on William H. Hooper
and George Q. Cannon. The former had been elected
delegate in 1859, when he obtained a partial settlement
of the outstanding claims of the territory, including
a portion of the expenses for the Indian war
of 1850, and for the sessions of the assembly under
3 For the second time, as he arrived before Gov. Dawson, and on the resignation
of Wooton filled the vacancy. In Utah Jour. Legist., 1861-2, is a
joint resolution approving his first administration, which was, however, in
fact a nullity. A day or two before Cumming left the territory Stenhouse
asked him, ' How will Wooton get along ? '
' Get along ? ' he replied; ' well
enough, if he will do nothing.' Rocky Mountain Saints, 445, note. Some
years later he was elected a representative conditional upon the admission of
Utah as a state. Harrison's Crit. Notes on Utah, MS., 29.
4 A copy of it will be found in the Deseret News, March 19, 1862.