This Abominable Slavery

1.2 a-d Excerpts from First District Court, Minute Book, 1851-1896, Don Pedro León Luján trading trial

United States vs Pedro Leon and Others

New Mexican trader Don Pedro León Luján and company are arrested, tried, and found guilty of trading without a license in First District Court in Utah Territory.

Documents Introduction

The documents presented here (1.2 a-d) offer a sampling of the paper trail left behind in the case of the United States v. Don Pedro León Luján. The focus here is on the documents that mention the captive children in the case and on the testimony of witnesses. On August 14, 1851, Don Pedro León Luján obtained a license to trade with Ute Indians from New Mexico’s Superintendent of Indian Affairs, James S. Calhoun. That license was at the center of the controversy in the Luján case and was confiscated by the First District Court of Utah Territory, a copy of which was entered as evidence. It is included as the first document below. On December 13, 1851, Stephen B. Rose, sub-Indian Agent, swore a complaint against Luján and his companions which instigated the court proceedings against them. On December 29, U.S. Marshal Joseph L. Heywood appeared before the court to announce that he held in custody the accused and their property, including “three Indian Boys & five Indian Females.” On January 1, 1852, the jury found Luján and his companions guilty of trading without a license. A case of libel then ensued. Sandwiched in between the two Luján cases, Brigham Young delivered his opening speech to the territorial legislature on January 5. He then testified at the Luján libel case ten days later. The overlaps between the legislative session and the Luján case are significant and we include Young’s speech (Document 1.3) in chronological order to highlight that point.