Letter from John Milton Bernhisel, 22 March 1850
Washington City
Dear Brother,
I hope you will excuse my delay
in replying to your last favor, my time since
its reception has been very much occupied. Our
application for a government over the valley of
the Great Salt Lake and the adjacent region,
has given me many anxious moments since my
arrival in Washington. There is not a shadow
of a doubt that we shall not be admitted into
the Union as a State. But the Hon Truman Smith
has proposed to me a plan for a territorial govern-
ment, which authorises us to elect our own officers,
and the Central Government to pay their saleries.
This would do admirably well, Judge Douglass
has proposed a plan somewhat similar, which
is to legalize our present constitution and form
of government—Either would entitle us to a
delegate in Congress, but not Senators—It is how-
ever exceedingly doubtful whether Congress can
be induced to grant us such a government.
If we get but an ordinary territorial government,
I entertain but faint hopes, from my knowledge
