Although
Brigham Young remains as the president of the church, federally appointed non-Mormon governors begin administering the temporal affairs of Church members. An influx of non-Mormons has sparked political conflict between the non-Mormon Liberal Party and the Mormon People's Party, especially in
Tooele County, Utah .
- The Liberal Party organizes to oppose The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints . The People's Party organizes to support the church and oppose the Liberal Party shortly afterwards. Until this point, politics was run by the church almost exclusively, since the vast majority of citizens were members in the church.
- Women's Suffrage is rewarded with another victory, as the Utah Territory follows the Wyoming Territory's lead in giving the right to vote to women. It remains in effect until 1887, when it is banned by federal legislation. This was pushed by the People's Party because there were only a few non-Mormon women in the state. This gave the People's Party an overwhelming advantage at the polls.
- September - President Brigham Young is indicted for adultery due to his plural marriages.
- November 9 - The St. George Utah Temple is announced. Simultaneously, the dedication and groundbreaking ceremonies are held by Brigham Young .
- A push is made for statehood, but fails because congress does not approve of the practice of plural marriage.
- June - Non-mormon Liberal Party members in Tooele County, Utah gain control of the county government, beginning the first government run by non-mormons in Utah. They whimsically rename the county "The Republic of Tooele". The federally appointed governor and courts uphold the election, refusing to examine charges by the mormon People's Party that many voters had voted illegally without satisfying voter requirements.
- The mormon-controlled legislature of the Utah Territory passes laws requiring voter registration and women's suffrage in all local election. This will lead to the Liberal Party losing its majority in Tooele County.
- January 1 - Erastus Snow holds the private dedication of the St. George Utah Temple, making it the first operating temple and the third completed temple.
- April 6 – April 8 - Daniel H. Wells holds the public dedication of the St. George Utah Temple.
- passes away, after leading the church for 33 years. John Taylor assumes control of the church as President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
- The Liberal Party majority disappears in Tooele County. They lose the next election, although the new winners are not seated until next year.
- January 6 - In the first case before the Supreme Court regarding the first amendment, the court upholds the 1862 Morrill Act banning plural marriage. George Q. Cannon , representative of the territory, states concerning this decision:
:"Our crime has been: We married women instead of seducing them; we reared children instead of destroying them; we desired to exclude from the land prostitution, bastardy and infanticide. If George Reynolds man who was convicted of committing bigamy is to be punished, let the world know the facts . . . . Let it be published to the four corners of the earth that in this land of liberty, the most blessed and glorious upon which the sun shines, the law is swiftly invoked to punish religion, but justice goes limping and blindfolded in pursuit of crime."
- After six months of delay tactics and formalities, the mormon-run People's Party regains control of Tooele County, after 5 years of rule by the non-mormon Liberal Party. The county is left with $16,000 in debt."
