History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

WOODS, AXTELL, AND EMERY, 667
the part rather of a sergeant of militia than of a ruler.
A woman who appeared at the polls and offered her
ballot was refused, and insisting on her privilege, was
removed by the police, by order of Jeter Clinton,
judge of election. Woods protested, whereupon Clinton
threatened to arrest him, but after an unseemly
altercation, the latter, according to the governor's
account, narrowly escaping being lynched by the
gentiles, was dragged fainting by the chief magistrate
into a gentile store, while the life of Woods was also
threatened by the Mormons. The matter was settled
without bloodshed. 32 What business the chief magistrate
had at the polls he does not explain, though he
closed the proceedings by a defiance of the Mormons
and their threats, while illustrating what he considered
freedom of speech in phrase which contained at least
considerable freedom of language.
At the close of 1874 Woods retired from office, 33
his successor being S. B. Axtell of California, whose
policy brought on him the censure of the gentile press,
by which he was accused of complicity with the Mormon
leaders in their political and other designs. 34
He was removed in June 1875, his successor being
George B. Emery of Tennessee, who held office until
January 1880. Emery's policy was strictly neutral,
S2 Id., 55-9.
33 See for the memorial presented by the gentiles, setting forth the immorality
and despotism of the Mormons and the insecurity of life among
the gentiles, House Misc. Doc, 43d Cong. IstSess., no. 120; for opinion of
various newspapers on the Mormon question, Deseret News, Jan. 17, 1872;
for denial by gentile merchants of the disturbed condition of affairs, as alleged
in various newspapers, Id., May 8, 1872. In 1867, and again during the administration
of Woods, it was proposed to annex Utah to Nevada without
consulting much the wishes of either. For reports of committee of the senate
of Nevada on the matter, see Nev. Jour. Ass., 1867, 183-4, 195-7; Nev. Jour.
Sen., 1871, 160-2; Millennial Star, xxxiii. 161-2.
Samuel Paul, a native of Londonderry, Ireland, who served for four years as
a volunteer during the war, and came to Utah in 1865, says that while the
Mormons would render no assistance to the governor or his so-called ring,
he was well treated in all the settlements which he visited. Paul's Utah
Incidents, MS. For description of and comments on the political ring from a
Mormon standpoint, see Millennial Star, xxxiv. 6S-70; xxxvi. 120-2; for Vorhees'
and Wheeler's bill, introduced April 1, 1872, 'to aid the enforcement of
the laws of the territory of Utah,' see Deaeret News, April 17, 1872.
31 Harrison's Crit. Notes on Utah, MS., 32.