Saturday, April 1st, 1882. <Ua hoole au i’ kaai I keia la [I fasted today].> Dictated letters to L. M. Smith, Hyrum, Cache Co., Hon. Geo B. Loring, Com. of Agriculture, W. W. Damron, Deseret city, Byron Groo, editor of Salt Lake Herald, Apostle Albert Carrington and my brother Angus. I received a letter from my brother David. At the House. Spent some time in Library.

Sunday, April 2/82. Received letter from Bro. Hart and from Mr. Lum, the former giving me informing me what preparations he had made for distribution of the Letter of “a citizen of Mass.” and the latter how he had distributed “Utah and its People” — the pamphlet he had written. My nephew, Geo. M. Cannon wrote me a letter in which he gave me an account of the school and of David’s accident. Took a walk with Bro. John Irvine over the bridge across the Potomac at Georgetown and returned in the horse cars. In the evening we took another walk. Dictated editorial for Juvenile.

Monday, April 3rd, 1882. I dreamed last night that there was a violent windstorm — a hurricane in fact — which blew down several houses and I went towards a house that I thought was mine. As I neared it I saw the roof was not on, and my first thought was that the it had been unroofed by the hurricane. But on conversing with the workmen who were at work on the building, I found that (contrary to my expectation as it seemed in the dream) they had not advanced sufficiently to with the work for the building to be roofed, and the hurricane had not done it the least injury. I examined the building and was greatly pleased at the massiveness and solidity of its walls, and called the attention of others (my recollection is, particularly Capt. Hooper) to them. It seemed in my dream that the buildings which I saw blown down were light, wooden structures. I am pleased with this dream. Dictated letters to my nephews, Geo. C. Lambert and Geo. M. Cannon, to Bro’s. Jas. H. Hart, and Geo. Teasdale and Pres. Jos. F. Smith and Hon. W. W. Dudley, Com. of Pensions, and Dyer D. Lum. I also wrote a letter to my children, Mary Alice, David, Emily and Sylvester. Called at Dep’t. of Agriculture. At the House.

Tuesday, April 4th, 1882. I cry unto the Lord for comfort and help. O, the weakness and infirmity of man! I look at the work to be done and then at myself, and how my incompetency weighs upon me. I feel abased before the Lord. I am sustained, as with my brethren, as a prophet, seer and revelator; I also hold the apostleship, and am a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the first Counselor to President John Taylor; but how much I fail in being what I ought to be to magnify these high callings. O Lord, I feel to cry, have mercy upon me. Give me strength and grace to endure faithfully to the end. Give me the gifts, and qualifications which pertain to my office and calling. I desire with all my heart to magnify it. Draw near to me, O my Father, and in the hours of trial and affliction stand thou by me that I may not fail. My enemies encompass me about, they rejoice in their triumph over me and over thy people. They think we are now in their power and are proud of their success. Deliver us, O Lord, from their grasp. Overthrow their plots against thy people, whose crime in their eyes is keeping thy commandments and serving thee. Comfort and sustain me in my contest here, O my Father. I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dictated letters to Bro’s J. F. Gates of St. George, John W. Young and to my son John Q., to an anonymous correspondent, Post Office Box 113, Oak Park, Ill., and to Theodore W. Curtis (formerly an elder in the church) Columbus, Penn. At the House. From present indications it appears that the Utah election case will not soon be taken up. The accompanying message appears in the <Congressional> Record this morning:

EXPENSES OF UTAH COMMISSIONERS.

The SPEAKER also laid before the House the following Message from the President of the United States; which was read, and, with the accompanying documents, referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I transmit herewith for the consideration of Congress a letter from the Secretary of the Interior, in which he sets forth the necessity which will exist for an appropriation for the payment of the commissioners to be appointed under the recent act of Congress entitled “An act to amend section 5352 of the Revised Statutes of the United States in reference to bigamy and for other purposes,” and also for the payment of the election officers to be appointed by said commissioners.

In this connection I submit to Congress that in view of the important and responsible duties devolved upon the commissioners under this act their compensation at $3,000 per annum as provided therein should be increased to a sum not less than $5,000 per annum.

Such increased compensation, in my judgment, would secure a higher order of ability in the persons to be selected, and tend more effectually to carry out the objects of the act.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

Executive Mansion, April 3, 1882.

This shows how well taken was the point of order which I suggested to Mr. Converse to make, and it exhibits in strong colors the outrage committed by Speaker Keifer in overruling it. He trampled upon the rules in order to give the opportunity to the enemies of the Saints to get the Edmunds Bill through. Had he not done so they would have had trouble in passing it, and perhaps could not have done so, or at least without amendment. As I intend to write upon this subject for publication in the Juvenile Instructor, I will not enlarge upon this here.

Wednesday, April 5th, 1882. Dictated article for Juvenile Instructor, also letters to my son Abraham and to several to brethren about seeds — Arthur Stayner, Cha^s L. Dubois <and> Jas. Clemons; also to Hon. Geo. B. Loring, Commissioner of Agriculture. Called at Davis’ Photograph Gallery and settled for photo’s. We have bought the negative of the group — Bro’s. M. Thatcher, John Hy. Smith, John Irvine and myself. I also bought the negative of myself just taken; also an old negative taken two years ago of myself, and another of Mary Alice and Emily, my daughters, taken about the same time. At the House. Spent some time in Congressional Library. Had a call in the evening from Dr. A. B. Elliott, just appointed Consul and Commercial Agent for the U. S. at Ottawa, Canada.

Thursday, April 6th, 1882. Ua hoole au i ka ai i keia la [I fasted today]. At the House. Corrected discourse to send home for publication. My heart goes out to the folks at home to-day being Conference day. At Forepaugh’s Circus in evening. The feats were very fine. Bro. Irvine and myself enjoyed it.

Friday, April 7th, 1882. Dictated letters to President Taylor, my brother-in-law John Hoagland and to Mr. Frank Cole. At the House. Corrected discourse. In Congressional Library. Prepared article “A Point of Order well taken” for “Topics of the Day” for Juvenile Instructor.

Saturday, April 8th, 1882. Dictated articles for Juvenile, also letters to Geo. C. Lambert, John D. T. M^cAllister, and Mr. Sam’l. Nutt, and Mr. T. W. Curtis. House adjourned early on notice of death of Hon. Sam^l Allen of Missouri. In Congressional Library. Sent one of my likenesses to Mr. A. E. Giles, Hyde Park, Mass., at his request. He writes me: “Let me first now thank you for the excellent autograph photograph of yourself which reached me this morning as I was about taking cars from Hyde Park to Boston. Showing it to a neighbor of mine who prides himself on his ability to read character from countenances, he said of it, ‘that man is resolute and kind: he is an honest man and a loving one.’ I think I can endorse all that, and as the phrase is, ‘go one more.’” I have never met Mr. Giles, and all we know of each other is from correspondence.

Sunday, April 9th, 1882. Received a good letter from my son Abraham, dated Nürnberg, March 20th. He was expecting John Q. to join him the next day. As the letter is interesting I attach it here. Took a long walk with Bro. Irvine. Reading discourses <brought with me> to send home to print.

[Letter from Abraham Cannon:]

Your most welcome letter of the 3d inst, came to hand day before yesterday, and I was exceedingly glad to peruse the same and learn of your good health and cheerfullness. It pleases me to be able to state that I am also at the present time in the enjoyment of good health, and since learning of Mother’s death I have also experienced the comforting influence of the Spirit of God. I have long expected to receive a letter from you, but being aware of the activity of our enemies in Washington, I could realize that your time would be busily occupied in repelling their attacks. My hope and constant prayer is that you may be successful in your endeavors to gain a seat in this Congress, and that the Lord will confound those who are fighting against His work. This latter event, I am sure, will eventually occur, and I only wish that it would speedily come to pass.

I am pleased to hear that you constantly have some of our people from home with you, because they will not only be of some assistance to you in your labors, but will also render the time more pleasant. I can realize by my own experience what a pleasure it is to have a friend and companion when surrounded by strangers, and it <is> still more agreeable when one is beset on all sides by enemies as you are.

You are of course aware of the fact that John Q. has been appointed to labor with me in this conference. You can, no doubt, well imagine my joy on hearing of this appointment. I have been traveling for nearly five months now without the company of an elder from Zion, and it was not seldom that I wished to speak and labor with a good missionary; yet I had no idea of receiving such an agreeable gratification of my desires. If all is well, John Q. will arrive here tomorrow about midnight. I have no doubt but that he will soon master the German language, because he already has a good idea of the same, and with his aptitude for learning, he will not need an interpreter for any great length of time.

I am enjoying and have enjoyed my labors in the ministry very much, notwithstanding the many difficulties under which the elders in Germany are compelled to labor. There is not a single city in this country where we are permitted to hold our meetings openly, and in most places we are subjected to persecution at the hands of the police and the populace. In this city we have a branch numbering some two hundred persons, but our meetings have been forbidden and all our actions are very closely watched by the officers of the law, who have been trying to have an interview with me ever since my arrival in this place. I have, however, been able to avoid them up to the present time, and hope to do so in the future, because I know that the result of such an interview would by [be] my banishment from Germany, which I do not desire to receive at present. On the 11th inst., while I was in the water baptizing some persons, we were surprised by a policeman, who flourished a pistol in the hope of scaring us so that he could march us to the station house. He was successful in giving some of the people a scare, and they took to their heels, one woman who was preparing for baptism even running away in her chemise; those, however, who remained by me told the officer they would thrash him if he did not leave; he, therefore, left in haste, remarking that he would bring others to his assistance, but if he did come, he was too late for us.

In our meetings we must be exceedingly careful in order to avoid detection.

The newspapers of course do their part in the circulation of lies, but we are not at all surprised at this. It was even published a few days since, that we paid the fare for emigrants to Utah, who upon their arrival there were compelled to labor five years as slaves to pay the debt. Even with this sorrowful prospect, we have received many calls from persons who would gladly emigrate under such conditions. Emigration is in every persons mouth, but religion is in most cases, a secondary affair.

The saints join with me in praying for and sending love to you.

Hoping, dear Father, that you may triumph over all your enemies, I Remain,

Monday, April 10th, 1882. Dictated letters to Pres. Jos. F. Smith, Apostle Moses Thatcher, Bro. T. G. Webber and Hon. Geo. B. Loring, Commissioner of Agriculture. At the House. In the Congressional Library. Prepared “Editorial Thoughts” for the “Juvenile Instructor.”

Tuesday, April 11th, 1882. I clip the following from the Congressional Record of to-day’s date, and I do so to show the hatred of the apostate organization over which the son of the prophet Joseph presides. He and his companions are doing all in their power to destroy the work of God and to court the favor of the world and to be one with it. They are determined to show that they are of Babylon. Dictated “Editorial Thoughts” for “Juvenile Instructor.” Revised Sermon after I returned from the House. Wrote and telegraphed to Bishop Thomas Taylor.

[In ink:] House. April 10/82

POLYGAMY.

The SPEAKER. Before the regular order is proceeded with, the Chair desires to state that it is in receipt of a telegram from Independence, Missouri, upon the subject of polygamy. It is directed to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, and is of such a character that the Clerk will read it.

There being no objection, the Clerk read the following telegram; which was referred to Committee on the Judiciary:

Independence, Missouri, April 8, 1882

To David Davis, Senate, and J. W. Keifer, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.:

Whereas the Edmunds bill originating in the Senate of the United States has become a law, by which it is intended on the part of the Government to extirpate the practice of polygamy, which is by this act recognized a crime and not a religion;

Whereas in the discussion and consideration in Congress it was frequently stated by members that the object of this measure was not intended as an attack upon Mormonism, but against the evil practices in the Territories of the United States enjoined by the loathsome incumbrance upon that faith: Therefore,

Be it resolved, That we, the reorganized Church of Christ in general conference assembly, do hereby tender our sincere thanks to President Chester A. Arthur, and all Senators and Members of Congress who took such active part in passing such laws by which the twin relic is to be removed from the institutions of the country, to the honor and dignity of the nation and to the especial of all true Mormons who abide in the original faith of the church.

JOSEPH SMITH,

Wednesday, April 12th, 1882. At the House. Mr. Calkins had said that he would bring my case up to-day; but the House is still engaged in the Tariff Commission discussion. Dictated letters to Pres. Taylor, Bro’s. Rob’t. S. Watson and J. H. Hart.

Thursday, April 13th, 1882. Received a letter from my nephew Geo. M. Cannon in which he states he would like to close the school and go to St. George with his Uncle David H. Cannon on the 14th, and he desires me to telegraph him if he can do so. He says he would like to stop teaching as soon as he can do so in honor. I wrote to his father upon the subject, and telegraphed George: “Prefer your remaining till I return; cannot ask it, however.” At the Departments of Justice and the Treasury on business for Eli B. Kelsey. Wrote to him and to Bro’s. J. H. Hart and Geo. Reynolds. Dictated article for “Juvenile Instructor.” At the House.

Friday, April 14th, 1882 Busy arranging my correspondence. At the House. Bought a negative of my wife Elizabeth and a dozen photographs from it. It was taken by Brady in 1876. I desired to preserve it. Went in evening with Bro. John Irvine to see the Tourists at Ford’s Opera House. The amusement was laughable and the singing was very good. Wrote to each of my wives.

Saturday, April 15th, 1882. Bought frames for Elizabeth’s likeness for the folks and her children. Dictated <a> letters to my sons and <one to> my daughters. At the House. Wrote “editorial thoughts” for the “Juvenile Instructor.”

Sunday, April 16th, 1882. We <(Bro. Irvine and I)> walked to the Navy Yard and after dinner took another walk. Occupied the rest of the day in conversing and reading. Received a letter from Bro. Geo. Reynolds and one from Bro. Rob’t. S. Watson.

Monday, April 17th, 1882. Received a letter from my Nephew, Geo. M. Cannon, giving me an account of the condition of my son, David’s arm and its examination by Dr. Anderson. At the House.

Tuesday, April 18th, 1882. Received a letter from Bro. John Hy. Smith and one from my brother-in-law, John Hoagland. Both encouraging letters. Bro. Smith had been present at a gathering of my folks at my wife Elizabeth’s home, and taken supper with them. My brother Angus and David and Sister Mary Alice, with their folks, and brother John Hoagland and folks were present. Bro. Hoagland wrote me that he had put in 18 acres of wheat most of which was up, and had ploughed considerably more for oats, &^c. At the House. My case came up. I shall insert minutes here. Mr. House made a very strong speech. Dictated articles for Juvenile Instructor.

Wednesday, April 19th, 1882. The birth-day of my son John Q.; he is 25 years old to-day. The discussion was resumed to-day upon the Utah case. The bitterness of our enemies exhibited itself in their speeches. I shall insert here the report of the proceedings. As the time drew near for the previous question to be ordered, I had an interview with Mr. Calkins of a few minutes to get the opportunity of speaking. He and I had talked about this some weeks ago; but he now thought, he said, that I would take my time, if I desired to speak, out of the 4 hours assigned to my side of the discussion. I told him that the arrangement of the hours of discussion by each side had been made in Committee and then in the House, and I was not a party to it. I desired time to speak or to have it understood that it was refused to me; for I could not maintain my self-respect and <if I did> not speak in reply to what had been said if I could have the opportunity. He said he would propose it to the House. He did so and my friends took so much interest in my getting this opportunity (and even our enemy Cassiday of Nevada, hoping as I believe that I would either make a failure or that I would damage my case) that the House unanimously agreed to the proposition. I naturally dreaded to speak. In some respects it was like addressing a mob; for many had all the spirit of mobocracy. But the Lord took away all fear and I was calm and self-possessed, and though I did not say all I wished, still I felt thankful that I was able to <do> as well as I did. In all my experience <in the House> I never saw more undivided attention paid to any one than I received. Officers, clerks, pages and every one crowded in to hear. My voice was clear and I think I was heard all over the Hall and galleries. My friends appeared much gratified and expressed there [their] pleasure at hearing me, and even many of those who voted against me spoke kindly of my remarks. Still, it was not much of a compliment to say I spoke well and presented my case clearly and strongly, and then not vote for me. But the pressure brought upon the independent men among the Republicans to keep them in line has been continuous and irresistible. Belford was intending to speak and vote in my favor; but Keifer (the Speaker) sent for him and he gave up. Updegraff of Iowa told me he did not like the proceeding. He thought it all wrong, but he could not get even the strongest and most independent men to join him and he had to go with the rest to preserve himself at home. Bro. John Irvine sat in gallery through the whole day. He said when he saw me stand up in the midst of the members and felt how much alone I was, he could not control his feelings, but wept all the time. He appeared delighted with my remarks and <the> style of their delivery. Sent telegram and dictated a long letter to President Taylor this evening.

Thursday, April 20th, 1882. I revised my remarks to-day for the Congressional Record.

At the House.

Had conversations with numbers who came to me to speak about my case. While at dinner a Mrs. Miller called upon me. She is a stranger to me, but introduced herself as a neice of Bishop Alex. M^cRae’s wife. She lives in Kansas; but is <came> here to get a position to help her pay off a mortgage on her farm, and is a correspondent for newspapers. She was in the gallery yesterday and spoke with the utmost scorn of the proceedings, and she had expressed herself very freely to those who were near her. She intimated that she knew of the hypocrisy of some of the Members of her own State and their immorality. I had brought forcibly home to me by this interview how much wider our influence is than we might naturally suppose. She has an Aunt who is a Latter-day Saint, and though she has never been to Utah and had no communication for years with her Aunt, still she has respect for her and the Bishop and takes an interest <in> and becomes a defender of the whole people; and how many people there are in the nation from whom we do not hear openly who are in the same position and have the same feeling! When trouble shall fall upon Babylon their hearts will instinctively turn to Zion. Had an interview with Mr. J. W. Mills, a lawyer who has taken quite an interest in our affairs, and who, though professing no faith in our religion, has told me that any thing he could do in any way to help us and to defend our rights he would gladly do and to use him. Judge Sloanaker called upon me also. He feels very friendly.

Friday, April 21, 1880. Received a letter from my nephew, Geo. C. Lambert, and one from my wife Sarah Jane, both of which I was glad to receive. At the House. Mr. Ranney came and had a lengthy conversation with me. He still insists that the Edmunds’ Bill was crowded through to keep me out of my seat, and says he would have given $1,000 himself to have had my case come up upon its merits, without that Bill, and he asserts confidently that he could have carried his report through the House and seated me. And yet he voted at the behests of party for the Bill! How many men there are who have violated their consciences by their action against us, in legislating for Utah and in voting upon my case! He is chagrined and angry at his treatment by Calkins in not giving him half an hour to speak as he had promised. In reply to my remark that I did not know but that <he> had been influenced in his <latter> course upon my case by the feelings of his family, he assured me that his wife had fully sustained him in the view he had taken; but that as a lawyer he was compelled, when the Edmunds Bill passed, to decide that it applied to my case. I may say, however, that it took him some days after it had passed to arrive at that conclusion, and I have felt confident from what I have seen that he was (to use the slang phrase) bull-dozed by his political friends who did not want him to differ with them for fear of the effect. Mr. Cha’s. E. Eldridge, ex-member from Wis., repeated, what I had heard before from another source, that Speaker Keifer had sent for him <Belford of Col.> and dissauded him from speaking. Belford told him so. He gave me this confidentially. He said that B. remarked that he had been looking for some nigger to kick him for what he had done he felt so ashamed of it. Gen. J. M. Campbell of Penn. came over to me and we had some conversation. I feel a great respect for this gentleman, a plain but staunch, true man. He is the only Republican who voted for me. They tried to get him to pair; but he would not. He swore about it being a terrible outrage. I pray the Lord to bless and comfort him, for they have already been at him about being in bad company, and all the others who have so manfully stood up for my cause. Every thing possible has been done to make it unpopular and to frighten men from saying a word in our favor or from voting for us. Called at Mr. Mills’, but he was out.

Saturday, April 22/82. Dictated letters to Pres. Taylor, T. J. M^cCullough, Alpine, my nephew Geo. C. Lambert & Dyer D. Lum. At the House. Added to article dicta- ted for the Juvenile Instructor. Received a very kind note from Gen. Kane, dated at New York, asking as to my whereabouts and also whether he should come to Washington and say, God bless you and counsel together, or would I come and visit loving friends at 1304 Walnut St., Philadelphia (his residence[)]. I replied that I would be there on Monday afternoon, unless prevented unexpectedly.

Sunday, April 23/82. A very stormy <wintry> day. It rained, hailed and snowed heavily. Received delightful letters from Bro. Jos. F. Smith, Bro. J. H. Hart and my two sons, John Q. and Abraham (which see and insert).

Monday, April 24/82. Beautiful, clear morning. Rose early to prepare for journey to Philadelphia. Received letter from my nephew Geo. C. Lambert enclosing draft for $1,000; also one from my wife Martha. Reached Philadelphia on Limited Express at 1.30 p.m. Gen. Kane was at New York. Called upon him in evening. Had delightful interview upon situation. He thought we ought to prepare for severe action and act in concert upon well-defined and arranged plan. He was ready, as ever, to do all he could in any direction indicated and ua makaukau oia e hakaka aku no makou ina oia ka mea a makou i <manao> e ponoai [to contend for us if he was the one we deemed would be appropriate]. Mrs. Kane joined him in expressing the wish that I would make their house my home at any time. He expressed great pleasure at seeing me looking and feeling so well. Our affairs and his inability to do any thing to avert the storm had made him sick. Our parting was very affectionate. He had to go to New York again in the morning. Mrs. Kane and Miss Harriet are busily engaged at surgical studies.

Tuesday, April 25/82. I stopped at the Continental Hotel, and after breakfast I bought a lot of books at J. B. Lippincott’s for sale at the Juvenile Instructor Office. Reached Washington at 4.30 p.m. Mr. Landers from Conn. is at the Riggs’ and we had an interesting conversation.

Wednesday, April 26/82. Dictated letters to Bro. Jas. Jack, my nephews Geo. C. Lambert and Geo. M. Cannon, John Hoagland and Bro. Webber, <also to my wife Elizabeth’s children.> At the House. Mr. Abram S. Hewitt showed me a letter from Judge Jere. S. Black, Attorney-Gen. of the U. S. in Buchanan’s administration, advising us to resist the Edmunds’ Bill (passive and peaceful of course) and to take measures to make up a case for the Courts &^c.

Thursday, April 27/82. Wrote a letter to Gen. Kane, enclosing copy of Judge Black’s letter. At the House. Dictated letters to my brother Angus, to Judge W. N. Dusenberry, from each of whom I had received a letter this morning, also to Bro. Jas. H. Hart. I had conversation to-day with Mr. Mullett, ex-Architect of the Treasury Dep’t., in he told me, what I have been told before, that Jas. A. Garfield was compelled to marry the woman who is now his widow, though he was engaged to marry another woman, the inference I drew being that he had seduced her. This, he said, he knew about long before his name was mentioned in connection with the office of President. He said that it was asserted that they did not live together as husband and wife. He had been in company with them and her demeanor to him was so cold and repelling that he would never <endure> it from his wife. He also said he had at least one mistress. This in substance was also told me sometime ago by H. G. Worthington, ex-member from Nev. — a strong Republican. Mullett said that Garfield was in the habit of pawing over men when he liked them, and, said he, a man who does that with men will do it with women, and when they do they will not do more.

Friday, April 28/82. Received a delightful letter from my wife Martha. At the House. Dictated two articles for Juvenile Instructor.

Saturday, April 29/82. Dictated letters to President Taylor, Jos. F. Smith and W. Woodruff. Saw Judge Belford of Col. He said he was ashamed to look me in the face. He said he had been bull-dozed by Keifer (the Speaker) and kept from making a speech in my favor. Judge Kelley, the father of the House, and Thad. C. Pound and others felt the same as he did that the action in my case was cowardly and all wrong. At the House. Had conversation with Messrs. Pound, Strait, M^cCoid &^c about my salary and mileage. Strait said that he had written to his wife that the meanest thing he had done in Congress had been voting against me. Pound said it was the most cowardly thing he had ever done.

Sunday, April 30th /82. Walked out with Bro. Irvine for about two or three hours in the morning and again in the evening for upwards of an hour. Reading. Gen. Kane telegraphed: “Unless very inconvenient come to my house to-morrow evening eight o’clock.[”]