CHAPTER
5
FEDERAL CONFRONTATION AND RECONCILIATION,
1850-1890 J. he failure of the U.S. Congress to grant statehood to the people of Utah in 1850 was an ominous notice to the M o r m o n pioneers that they could not totally govern themselves, since the president had the power to appoint territorial officials. Party politics in Washington, D . C , created a revolving door of territorial appointments. 1 Although the system did not necessarily promote corrupt or inept officials, the Utah experience left m u c h to be desired, since many judges sent to Utah during the 1850s were inexperienced political appointees. Additionally, they were outsiders—non-Mormons from other states in the Union. In the 1850s many federally appointed judges and territorial officers returned from Utah complaining in the most bitter terms of the M o r m o n church's control in the territory. Additionally, the nation was shocked when Mormon leaders officially announced the practice of plural marriage in 1852. In response to complaints and rumors, in 1857, w i t h o u t informing Utah Governor Brigham Young, U.S. President lames Buchanan sent a large army led by Colonel Albert 85
