Act in Relation to Service facts for kids

The Act in Relation to Service was a law passed on February 4, 1852, in the Utah Territory. This law made slavery legal in the territory. Another similar law, the Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners, was passed on March 7, 1852. This second law specifically dealt with slavery among Native Americans.

Slavery in Utah's Early Days

African people were first brought to Utah as slaves in 1847. This happened when Mormon Pioneers arrived. At that time, slavery was against the law in Mexico. However, it became a common practice in Utah because Mormons accepted it.

Some important Mormon leaders owned slaves. These included Charles C. Rich, Abraham O. Smoot, and William Henry Hooper. People also started getting Native American slaves. This happened through buying them or during wars.

After the Mexican–American War, Utah became part of the United States. The question of whether slavery should be legal in new territories became a big political issue. Finally, Congress passed the Compromise of 1850. This allowed Utah and New Mexico territories to decide for themselves if they wanted slavery. Still, no specific law was made about slavery in Utah.

In late 1851, a man named Don Pedro Leon Lujan was accused of trading with Native Americans without a license. This included trading Native American slaves. The trial was happening, and the unclear rules about slavery became a problem in the case.

Creating the Law

On January 5, 1852, Brigham Young spoke to the Utah Territory legislature. He was the Territorial Governor of Utah. He talked about the trial of Don Pedro Leon Lujan. Young said it was important to clearly state Utah's policy on slavery.

He argued that owning slaves would help African people. He believed it would teach them how to live useful lives. He said it would give them a starting point to improve. Young also argued that service was important for all societies. However, he warned against treating African people like animals. He also said they should not be treated as equals to white people. He believed this was against God's will.

Young said that slavery was a good way to follow God's plan for African people. He also mentioned a "law of natural affection." This law, he said, would make white people favor other white people. He called this the true meaning of liberty, according to God's plans.

After these speeches, the Utah legislature began writing a bill. It was first called "An Act in Relation to African Slavery." All members of the legislature were Mormon. They saw Brigham Young as a prophet.

On January 23, 1852, Young spoke again to the legislature. He continued to support slavery. He said that people who believed in God's laws must also believe in slavery. He argued that Black people had a "Curse of Ham" on them. This, he said, made them servants. He claimed he could not remove this curse.

Young also said that Black people needed masters because they could not rule themselves. He believed that if treated well, Black people were better off as slaves than if they were free. He also suggested changing the bill's name to "An Act in Relation to Manual Service." This was to show that slaves should be treated better. The name was later changed to simply "An Act in Relation to Service."

Some historians have thought about why Young supported slavery. One idea is that he might have wanted Utah to become a slave state. This could help balance power in Congress. Also, many Mormons owned slaves. This was partly because Mormons had tried to convert people in the Southern United States. Some important Mormon leaders, like Apostles Charles C. Rich and Abraham O. Smoot, owned slaves. Young might have also thought that white slave owners from the South would be more likely to join the Mormon church and move to Utah if they could keep their slaves.

The Law is Passed

The Act in Relation to Service was passed on February 4, 1852. This law had some special rules for slavery in Utah.

• Masters had to correct and punish their slaves. This rule worried some politicians in Congress.
• Slaves brought into Utah had to come "of their own free will and choice."
• Slaves could not be sold or taken out of the Territory against their will.
• The law did not set a fixed time for Black people to be slaves. But it said that a contract could not bind a servant's children for longer than it took to pay off a debt.
• The owner's contract would end if the master did not feed, clothe, or shelter the servant. It would also end if the master abused the servant. Or if the master tried to take the servant from the Territory against their will.
• Some schooling was required for slaves between the ages of six and twenty.

Section 4 of the law made it illegal for white people to marry or have relationships with Black people. It stated that if a white person had such a relationship, they could be fined a large amount of money. They could also be put in prison for up to three years.

The day after the law passed, Brigham Young explained his views on the "Curse of Cain" to justify slavery. He also taught that Black people should not be part of the government. This included not having the right to vote. He warned against marriages between different races. He also warned against treating Black people as equals.

After the law passed, Young said he was against the abuse of slavery. He believed it was a blessing for the descendants of Adam to have the descendants of Cain as servants. But he said masters should treat their servants kindly. He felt they should treat them like their own children. He said masters should show compassion. He believed that under these conditions, slaves would have greater blessings in life than those who had to provide for them.

Law for Native American Slaves

When Brigham Young first asked for a slavery law, he mentioned both African and Native American slavery. The name of the bill changed from "An Act in Relation to African Slavery." This meant it no longer mentioned race, except for the section on relationships. So, it technically included Native American slavery.

However, the next month, the legislature passed a separate law. This law was specifically for Native American slavery. It had more education requirements for Native American slaves than for African slaves. It was also easier to claim ownership of Native American slaves. A white person only needed to be in possession of a Native American person. Utah was unique because it had active slavery of both African and Native American people.

End of the Law

The part of the act that allowed slavery was ended on June 19, 1862. This happened when Congress made slavery illegal in all US territories. The part of the law that banned marriages between different races stayed in effect until 1963.

See also

• Anti-miscegenation laws in the United States
• Utah in the American Civil War
• Slave Trade Acts
• Blacks and Mormonism#Slavery
• History of slavery in Utah
• Mormonism and slavery