Act in Relation to Service

The Act in Relation to Service, which was passed on Feb 4, 1852 in the Utah Territory, made slavery legal in the territory. A similar law, Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners was passed on March 7, 1852 and specifically dealt with Indian slavery.

African slaves were first brought into Utah in 1847 by Mormon Pioneers. At the time, slavery was illegal in Mexico, but became de facto law, based on Mormon beliefs that blacks were under the Curse of Ham to be servants of servants. Several prominent Mormon leaders had slaves, including Charles C. Rich, Abraham O. Smoot and William H. Hooper. Also, they had begun to acquire Indian slaves, through purchase or through wars. At the end of the Mexican-American War, Utah became a part of the United States, and the issue of slavery in the new territories became a highly political subject. Finally, members of Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, which allowed the Territories of Utah and New Mexico to choose by popular sovereignty whether to make slavery legal in those territories. Still, no law was made on slavery. At the end of 1851, Don Pedro Leon Lujan was charged with trading with Indians without a license, including Indians slaves. The trial was in progress and the ambiguous status of slavery had become an issue in the trial.

On January 5, 1852, Brigham Young, Territorial Governor of Utah, addressed the joint session of the Utah Territory legislature. He discussed the ongoing trial of Don Pedro Leon Lujan and the importance of explicitly indicating the true policy for slavery in Utah. He argued that owning slaves was a way to improve the condition of the Africans, because it would teach them how to live a useful life. He said it would give them a platform to build off of and allow them to build as far as the Curse of Ham would allow them to progress. He argued that service was necessary and honorable, and important for all societies. However he urged moderation, not to treat Africans as beasts of the field, nor to elevate them to equality with the whites, which was against God's will. He argued slavery was a good balance in building on the foundation of how God wanted the African race to progress, while observing the law of natural affection which would lead whites to favor other whites. He said that this was the principle of true liberty according to the designs of God.

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Wikipedia