This Abominable Slavery

3.4 Excerpt from the Deseret News, Brigham Young gives his assessment of the servant code in an end of year message

Brigham Young (1801-1877)

Brigham Young gives his assessment of slavery, servitude, and the servant code in his end of the year “Governor’s Message,” December 25, 1852

Document Introduction

Brigham Young offered his appraisal of national political issues regarding slavery in his end of year “Governor’s Message” published in the Deseret News.[1] In it he reinforced his distinction between slavery and servitude at the same time that he again asserted notions of white racial superiority. He called the law which legislators passed a “salutary measure” and suggested that it “nearly freed the Territory of the colored population.” It is not clear what Young meant by this latter statement and how exactly he viewed the new law that passed as a means of facilitating an exodus of Black people from the territory.

[1] “Governor’s Message,” Deseret News, December 25, 1852, 116. Similar to the speech which Thomas Bullock read to the legislative assembly on January 5, 1852 to begin the session, this speech was prepared in advance and clearly does not reflect Brigham Young’s speaking style and his short, direct, sometimes earthy expressions. Nonetheless, it was no doubt prepared in consultation with Young and reflects his views if not his words.