The Brigham Young Center

Great Salt Lake City, U. T.
Nov.r 12th. 1858.

Sir,
At the suggestion of His Excellency Govr. Cumming, I venture to trespass upon your time with a view to obtain your official opinion upon a subject rather in controversy between the Governor and Legislative Assembly of this territory in regard to the seat of government.

With an eye to the future growth of the territory and for the purpose of expending for her future benefit, the appropriation made for the erection of suitable public buildings in a permanent manner at an early day, Fillmore City was fixed upon as the Seat of government. It is central in position and has many superior advantages more, it must be confessed for the Capitol of the future State than the present territory. The growth of the more central and Southern Settlements of the territory has not yet come up to the anticipations of the Legislative Assembly; hence a subsequent Legislature changed it to Great Salt Lake City as more suitable and containing at the present time far greater facilities for that purpose than any other point in this territory. This view of the case is also largely participated in by Governor Cumming and, I believe, all the Civil officers of the territory; and the argument only turns upon the legality of the Act in question, changing the seat of government from Fillmore City to this place as being authorized or not by the Organic Act. The subject is treated on more at length in a Correspondence between Governor Cumming and myself, and which I understand he has forwarded to the Secretary of State. To this correspondence, I would respectfully ask your attention, and your official opinion at as early a date as convenient will much oblige

Very respectfully

Your ob't. Servt
Daniel H Wells

Hon. J. S. Black
Attorney General U. S.
Washington