Knowledge (XXG)

Liberal Party (Utah)

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and other LDS papers characterized Liberal Party governments as wasteful. The party outspent revenue in Tooele, Ogden, and Salt Lake City, accumulating relatively large public debts. However, the Liberal Party characterized its expenditures as essential for civic improvements. In Salt Lake City, the
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editorial, attended in numbers and nearly hijacked the meeting. After the LDS crowd had selected its own slate of candidates, frustrated Godbeite Eli B. Kelsey asked the Mormons to leave, which they did. The remaining non-Mormons selected an independent municipal ticket, forming the Liberal Party.
535:. On February 25, 1882, the House of Representatives finally rejected both candidates. The House refused Cannon his seat not for his dubious citizenship but for his practice of polygamy. The entire ordeal actually brought unfavorable national attention to the "Mormon Situation" on polygamy. 498:
who had 18,567 votes. In fact, the election marked the all-time low percentage-wise showing for any Liberal House candidate. However, before Governor Murray certified the election, a protest on behalf of Campbell was filed. The protest listed a dozen claims, chiefly that Cannon, born in
473:. The Liberal Party, typically supported by male miners casually interested in politics, opposed both measures. In 1878 the Liberal electoral majority in Tooele County disappeared, and the People's Party regained control in 1879, after more than six months of Liberal procedural delays. 557:, was enacted on March 3, 1887. Among other things, the acts required candidates and prospective voters to submit to an anti-polygamy oath. Enforcement of these bills furthermore put significant numbers of Latter-day Saint polygamists into federal prisons, including one built in 325:
policies, but the non-Mormon element of the party took a more adversarial line. Non-Mormon partisans, especially miners and railroad workers, would increasingly dominate party leadership. Through the 1870s, the Liberal Party grew less appeasing of Godbeites and more openly
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321 to 2301. Statewide contests produced even more lopsided figures, with Liberals regularly failing to garner 10% of the vote. Although Liberals never won a single statewide office, the party served as a political foil and won several local elections, including:
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When the party first formed in 1870, party officials tried to win offices in the town of Corrine and reasoned that they could more readily overwhelm the small local population. They failed but continued to scout other promising areas.
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and anti-polygamy. Waning Godbeite influence was shown even by 1871, when Liberals Dennis Toohy and George R. Maxwell infuriated Godbeites at a party meeting by calling polygamists "dupes" and criminals of perverse sensuality.
546:, of the People's Party. Of the 33,266 registered voters, 23,039 votes were cast for Caine, and Van Zile received 4884. About 12,000 people were excluded from registering based on suspicion of polygamy. 624:, which promised to end the practice of polygamy. The national support that the Liberals previously enjoyed for opposing polygamy in Utah thus disappeared. In 1893, all polygamists were given executive 521:
could decide on a member's qualifications. He furthermore received a certificate from sympathetic territorial election officials that stated he had received the most votes. The document convinced the
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Propelled by success in Salt Lake City and Ogden, the Liberal Party won a third of the Utah territorial legislature in the August 1891 election. That election proved particularly notable, as the
303:, a title that was selected to suggest popularity; it alluded to the Liberal Party's disrupted meeting of "the people". Latter-day Saints had previously won virtually all elections unchallenged. 310:, because several Godbeites themselves practised polygamy. Eli B. Kelsey and Henry W. Lawrence, both Godbeites, gained election as the first officers of the new party. Non-Mormons, including 442:
The Liberal Party, campaigning voraciously in mining towns, won a disputed election in August 1874. The People's Party incumbents, citing fraud, refused to yield their positions even as
514:, and was a polygamist, which was incompatible with the law and a delegate's oath of office. Murray agreed, and issued certification to Campbell in spite of the latter's poor showing. 1178: 1213: 1168: 1173: 1158: 246:
Corresponding during the winter, key Godbeites and non-Mormons made an uneasy alliance based on their shared opposition to LDS control over temporal matters in the territory.
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Both Murray and Campbell traveled to Washington to dispute the seat. Each side battled over the position for over a year even despite the assassination and eventual death of
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specifically for that purpose. The measures, which often brought punishment on anyone unwilling to take the oath, intimidated and decimated the Latter-day Saint voter pool.
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Following the lead of the People's Party 18 months earlier, most members of the Liberal Party joined national parties in early 1893 in anticipation of Utah statehood.
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had disbanded just prior to the election and urged all members to join national parties. Thus, non-Mormon Liberals ran (and several won) against mostly-Mormon
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became the 45th state in the Union. Former Liberals continued to be involved in politics, and most of the Mormon majority continued to view them unfavorably.
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Unsurprisingly, the Liberal Party performed poorly against the Mormon majority. In the 1870 Salt Lake City mayoral race, Liberal Henry W. Lawrence lost to
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By 1880, the Liberal Party had become severely atrophied, but it was openly supported by the newly appointed strongly anti-Mormon territorial
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election. The organizers billed the occasion as a meeting of the "people." A crowd of Latter-day Saints, encouraged by local
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remained a central theme of the party until it disbanded in 1893 and became absorbed by the national parties.
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However, the Liberal Party had reached its twilight. In September 1890, the LDS Church issued the so-called
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National outrage against polygamy benefited the Liberal Party in Utah. On March 23, 1882, the anti-polygamy
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in 1868. Godbe and several business associates challenged the economic policies of LDS Church President
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Though vastly outnumbered, the Liberal Party offered an opposing voice and won several local elections.
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The Liberal Party formed after a meeting on February 9, 1870 to select independent candidates for the
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became mayor on a "fusion ticket" between moderate Liberals and elements of the old People's Party.
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encouraged his men to prospect for minerals, which they discovered west of Salt Lake City in 1864.
424: 400: 383: 427:, perhaps the only non-Mormon majority in the territory existed. Its residents, mostly transitory 1183: 935: 582: 554: 539: 466: 432: 293: 278: 118: 879: 1082: 871: 861: 492: 138: 740:, Published 1884 by D. Appleton and company, page 813 (final subsection at end of Utah entry) 833: 495: 220: 216: 133: 91: 900: 719: 701: 391: 307: 249: 236: 170: 235:. When increasingly harsh condemnations aimed at LDS leadership appeared, the LDS Church 525:
clerk to enter Cannon's name on the roll and so Cannon began drawing delegate's salary.
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Godbeites believed they should reform Utah and the LDS Church to adopt more politically-
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The Liberal candidate, Allen G. Campbell, with 1357 votes, lost resoundingly to Mormon
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In a November 7, 1882 election to fill the vacated seat, the Liberal Party fielded
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and politics in the United States
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Appletons' Annual Cyclopædia and Register of Important Events of the Year 1883
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advised his followers to abide by the federal court, which they finally did.
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Early Liberal Party speakers carefully avoided condemning LDS theology or
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Liberal leaders intended that their party's name suggest reform and evoke
477: 240: 99: 664:. The Salt Lake Liberals also constructed an ornate and expensive joint 593:, by a margin of 808 votes. Two years later, long-time Liberal stalwart 149: 504: 370:, owned by the LDS Church, often functioned as a People's Party organ. 193: 625: 428: 347: 232: 158: 563: 457:
Liberals carried all offices in the county, which they called the
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Like many political parties of the time, the Liberal Party ran a
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government. In 1890, the Liberal Party took Salt Lake City, and
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triumphantly declares Liberal Party victory in Salt Lake City.
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The Old Tooele County Courthouse, the site of the contentious
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The impetus for the setting up of the Liberal Party came from
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organ and regularly denounced the Liberal Party in its pages.
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in the monthly periodical, especially Young's opposition to
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George Q. Cannon, then in Washington, DC, argued that only
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attempted to intervene and install the Liberal candidates.
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Maxwell, and Judge Dennis Toohy of 173:established in the latter half of the 1800s in 1179:Defunct political parties in the United States 346:and in 1873, three anti-Mormon newcomers from 991: 710:, 1886, Star printing company, chapter LXXXIX 8: 1214:Regional and state political parties in Utah 1169:Defunct liberal parties in the United States 581:in 1889 but did not succeed in carrying the 1174:Social liberal parties in the United States 1159:1893 disestablishments in the United States 192:The Liberal Party formed in 1870 to oppose 998: 984: 976: 299:In response, Latter-day Saints formed the 29: 802:Learn how and when to remove this message 728:, 1886, Star printing company, chapter XC 259:, owned by the LDS Church, served as the 196:, which dominated local politics via the 1199:Political parties disestablished in 1893 765:This article includes a list of general 694: 648:Liberals constructed the city's first 1204:Political parties established in 1870 1154:1870 establishments in Utah Territory 819:. University of Utah Master's Thesis. 542:, but the seat was ultimately won by 360:would operate as the Liberal Party's 7: 27:Former political party in Utah, USA 824:The first 100 years: a history of 771:it lacks sufficient corresponding 666:Salt Lake City and County Building 25: 1194:Latter Day Saint movement in Utah 971:Helen Mar Whitney's Diary Entries 1135:Political party strength in Utah 1038: 940:"Political History of the North" 756: 364:political organ. Similarly, the 1189:Mormonism-related controversies 946:, vol. II, pp. 306–20 852:, in Powell, Allan Kent (ed.), 446:authorized by the 3rd District 338:although unofficially. Godbe's 219:, a successful businessman and 1050:Ballot-qualified minor parties 553:became law. The even stronger 1: 223:who founded a journal called 842:University of Illinois Press 678:Anti-Mormon Party (Illinois) 589:became the first non-Mormon 431:, congregated in Utah after 957:Reminiscences of Early Utah 1240: 1209:Politics of Utah Territory 928:Daughters of Utah Pioneers 815:Erickson, Velt G. (1948). 185:established themselves in 1132: 1035: 854:Utah History Encyclopedia 822:Malmquist, O. N. (1971). 817:The Liberal Party of Utah 725:History of Salt Lake City 720:Tullidge, Edward Wheelock 707:History of Salt Lake City 702:Tullidge, Edward Wheelock 129: 920:Heart Throbs of the West 858:University of Utah Press 856:, Salt Lake City, Utah: 523:House of Representatives 350:bought it and it became 848:Walker, Ronald (1994), 786:more precise citations. 243:" on October 25, 1869. 119:Political position 1224:Mormonism and politics 1164:Criticism of Mormonism 906:Utah Humanities Review 574: 387: 386:power struggle in 1874 267: 162: 1006:Political parties in 826:The Salt Lake Tribune 570:The Salt Lake Tribune 567: 437:Patrick Edward Connor 381: 353:The Salt Lake Tribune 344:Mormon Weekly Tribune 252: 152: 80:(not legal successor) 1068:Independent American 944:Tullidge's Histories 644:Deseret Evening News 634:On January 4, 1896, 413:Salt Lake City, Utah 367:Deseret Evening News 284:Deseret Evening News 256:Deseret Evening News 189:in the early 1890s. 177:before the national 108:Classical liberalism 936:Tullidge, Edward W. 591:mayor of Salt Lake 575: 555:Edmunds-Tucker Act 540:Philip T. Van Zile 467:voter registration 388: 268: 163: 18:Utah Liberal Party 1141: 1140: 834:Walker, Ronald W. 812: 811: 804: 660:characterized as 493:General Authority 147: 146: 81: 72:Succeeded by 16:(Redirected from 1231: 1043: 1042: 1000: 993: 986: 977: 960: 947: 931: 914: 901:Durham, G. Homer 889: 888: 887: 878:, archived from 807: 800: 796: 793: 787: 782:this article by 773:inline citations 760: 759: 752: 741: 735: 729: 717: 711: 699: 496:George Q. Cannon 471:women's suffrage 469:and instituting 463:Utah territorial 221:Latter-day Saint 217:William S. Godbe 134:Politics of Utah 92:Anti-clericalism 79: 67: 65: 52: 50: 30: 21: 1239: 1238: 1234: 1233: 1232: 1230: 1229: 1228: 1144: 1143: 1142: 1137: 1128: 1124:Personal Choice 1097:Defunct parties 1092: 1044: 1037: 1033: 1010: 1004: 967: 950: 934: 917: 899: 896: 894:Further reading 885: 883: 868: 860:, p. 674, 847: 808: 797: 791: 788: 778:Please help to 777: 761: 757: 750: 745: 744: 736: 732: 718: 714: 700: 696: 691: 674: 618: 587:George M. Scott 459:Tooele Republic 401:Tooele Republic 392:Daniel H. Wells 384:Tooele Republic 376: 213: 171:political party 143: 110: 106: 102: 98: 94: 78: 63: 61: 48: 46: 37: 36: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1237: 1235: 1227: 1226: 1221: 1219:Utah Territory 1216: 1211: 1206: 1201: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1181: 1176: 1171: 1166: 1161: 1156: 1146: 1145: 1139: 1138: 1133: 1130: 1129: 1127: 1126: 1121: 1116: 1111: 1106: 1100: 1098: 1094: 1093: 1091: 1090: 1085: 1080: 1075: 1070: 1065: 1060: 1054: 1052: 1046: 1045: 1036: 1034: 1032: 1031: 1026: 1020: 1018: 1012: 1011: 1005: 1003: 1002: 995: 988: 980: 974: 973: 966: 965:External links 963: 962: 961: 948: 932: 915: 895: 892: 891: 890: 866: 845: 831: 820: 810: 809: 764: 762: 755: 749: 746: 743: 742: 730: 712: 693: 692: 690: 687: 686: 685: 680: 673: 670: 652:, called the " 622:1890 Manifesto 617: 614: 602:People's Party 533:James Garfield 486:Washington, DC 417: 416: 410: 404: 399:The so-called 375: 372: 301:People's Party 272:Salt Lake City 264:People's Party 237:excommunicated 212: 209: 205:Anti-Mormonism 198:People's Party 175:Utah Territory 155:Utah Territory 145: 144: 142: 141: 136: 130: 127: 126: 121: 115: 114: 96:Anti-Mormonism 89: 83: 82: 76:American Party 73: 69: 68: 58: 54: 53: 43: 39: 38: 34: 33: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1236: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1185: 1182: 1180: 1177: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1160: 1157: 1155: 1152: 1151: 1149: 1136: 1131: 1125: 1122: 1120: 1117: 1115: 1112: 1110: 1107: 1105: 1102: 1101: 1099: 1095: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1081: 1079: 1076: 1074: 1071: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1055: 1053: 1051: 1047: 1041: 1030: 1027: 1025: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1017: 1016:Major parties 1013: 1009: 1001: 996: 994: 989: 987: 982: 981: 978: 972: 969: 968: 964: 959: 958: 953: 952:Baskin, R. N. 949: 945: 941: 937: 933: 929: 925: 921: 916: 912: 908: 907: 902: 898: 897: 893: 882:on 2013-11-01 881: 877: 873: 869: 863: 859: 855: 851: 846: 843: 839: 835: 832: 829: 825: 821: 818: 814: 813: 806: 803: 795: 792:February 2008 785: 781: 775: 774: 768: 763: 754: 753: 747: 739: 734: 731: 727: 726: 721: 716: 713: 709: 708: 703: 698: 695: 688: 684: 681: 679: 676: 675: 671: 669: 667: 663: 659: 656:," which the 655: 654:gravity sewer 651: 646: 645: 639: 637: 632: 629: 627: 623: 615: 613: 611: 607: 603: 598: 596: 592: 588: 584: 580: 572: 571: 566: 562: 560: 556: 552: 547: 545: 544:John T. Caine 541: 536: 534: 531: 526: 524: 520: 515: 513: 510: 506: 502: 497: 494: 489: 487: 483: 482:Eli H. Murray 479: 474: 472: 468: 464: 460: 455: 453: 452:Brigham Young 449: 448:federal court 445: 440: 438: 434: 430: 426: 425:Tooele County 421: 414: 411: 408: 405: 402: 398: 397: 396: 393: 385: 380: 373: 371: 369: 368: 363: 359: 355: 354: 349: 345: 341: 340:Utah Magazine 337: 332: 329: 324: 319: 317: 313: 309: 304: 302: 297: 295: 294:Liberal Party 291: 286: 285: 280: 276: 273: 265: 262: 258: 257: 251: 247: 244: 242: 238: 234: 230: 229:Brigham Young 226: 225:Utah Magazine 222: 218: 210: 208: 206: 201: 199: 195: 190: 188: 184: 180: 176: 172: 168: 167:Liberal Party 160: 156: 151: 140: 137: 135: 132: 131: 128: 125: 122: 120: 116: 113: 112:Republicanism 109: 105: 101: 97: 93: 90: 88: 84: 77: 74: 70: 59: 55: 44: 40: 35:Liberal Party 31: 19: 1113: 1058:Constitution 956: 943: 923: 919: 910: 904: 884:, retrieved 880:the original 853: 837: 827: 823: 816: 798: 789: 770: 733: 723: 715: 705: 697: 658:Deseret News 657: 642: 640: 633: 630: 619: 599: 595:R. N. Baskin 583:Weber County 576: 568: 548: 537: 527: 516: 507:; was not a 490: 475: 456: 441: 422: 418: 389: 365: 361: 357: 351: 343: 339: 333: 320: 312:R. N. Baskin 305: 298: 282: 269: 260: 254: 245: 224: 214: 202: 191: 166: 164: 1109:Independent 1083:United Utah 1073:Libertarian 913:(2): 122–33 850:"Godbeites" 840:. Chicago: 828:, 1871–1971 784:introducing 610:Republicans 579:Ogden, Utah 559:Sugar House 551:Edmunds Act 509:naturalized 444:US Marshals 407:Ogden, Utah 342:became the 328:anti-Mormon 323:progressive 183:Republicans 124:Center-left 1148:Categories 1029:Republican 1024:Democratic 886:2013-10-31 867:0874804256 767:references 748:References 616:Disbanding 104:Liberalism 1184:Godbeites 1078:No Labels 606:Democrats 530:President 501:Liverpool 336:newspaper 275:municipal 241:Godbeites 179:Democrats 139:Elections 57:Dissolved 1119:People's 1104:American 954:(1914), 938:(1889), 876:30473917 836:(1998). 672:See also 519:Congress 478:governor 435:General 362:de facto 308:polygamy 261:de facto 100:Big tent 87:Ideology 1114:Liberal 1088:Forward 780:improve 505:England 433:US Army 415:in 1890 409:in 1889 403:in 1874 374:History 358:Tribune 316:Corinne 290:Britain 279:bishops 211:Origins 194:Mormons 157:lay in 62: ( 47: ( 42:Founded 930:: 1–52 874:  864:  769:, but 626:pardon 429:miners 348:Kansas 281:and a 233:mining 169:was a 159:mining 1063:Green 689:Notes 662:graft 650:sewer 512:alien 239:key " 1008:Utah 872:OCLC 862:ISBN 641:The 636:Utah 608:and 253:The 187:Utah 181:and 165:The 64:1896 60:1896 49:1870 45:1870 423:In 292:'s 1150:: 942:, 926:, 924:10 922:, 909:, 870:, 722:, 704:, 612:. 503:, 488:. 480:, 296:. 999:e 992:t 985:v 911:1 844:. 805:) 799:( 794:) 790:( 776:. 66:) 51:) 20:)

Index

Utah Liberal Party
American Party
Ideology
Anti-clericalism
Anti-Mormonism
Big tent
Liberalism
Classical liberalism
Republicanism
Political position
Center-left
Politics of Utah
Elections

Utah Territory
mining
political party
Utah Territory
Democrats
Republicans
Utah
Mormons
People's Party
Anti-Mormonism
William S. Godbe
Latter-day Saint
Brigham Young
mining
excommunicated
Godbeites

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