Wednesday, 1. We left the city at 7 a.m. on <Wednesday,> Jan. 1st, 1873. The buggy and harness were on a flat car. Bishop Harrington had sent us a span of horses to the end of the track by the owner, Bro. Mc [blank] They took us to Provo. Bro. Smoot had a team of Bro. M^cDonald’s which took us to Spanish Fork. Bro. Thurber furnished teams and guided us on mule back to Payson. Bro. Douglas’ team took us from Payson to Summit or Santaquin. Bro. David Holladay had team to carry us to Stewart’s Ranch, where he had another team to carry us to Mona. Bishop Joel Grover of Nephi had brought a team from Nephi to Mona for us and we drove it to Nephi. He had a team there belonging to Bro. [blank] who accompanied us to Lavan. There Bro. Elmer Taylor had a team to take us to Sevier Bridge, Bro. Harper, son of Bro. Cha^s Harper, guiding us on horseback. At the Bridge we found Bro. [blank] of Scipio, with his team and a horse to ride, sent by Bishop Dan Thompson. We reached that place between five and six on Thursday morning, the 2nd. Slept an hour and drove team furnished by Bro. Thompson to Cedar Springs, where Bro. Stevens had team to carry us to Fillmore. From Fillmore were carried to Corn Creek by team furnished by Bish. Callister, and there we had team belonging to a Bro. John W. Young furnished to carry us to Cove Creek Fort. But on reaching this last point there was no team, so we had to drive Bro. Young’s team, his son accompanying us on horseback to Pine Creek. Until we reached Fillmore the roads were horribly bad, some portions of the way worse than I ever saw them in the Territory. The people called them very bad south of that point; but contrasted with the roads north we called them good, with the exception of the road through Wild Cat Cañon. We got a team at Pine Creek, and a young man on horseback to guide us, to carry us about half way to Beaver. At that point we found Bro. Riddle and another Brother awaiting us with a team, and riding horses for themselves, by a fire which they had built by the roadside. We reached Bishop Murdock’s at midnight. This point, the Bishop says, is 220 miles from Salt Lake City; we have traveled from the end of the track in 38 hours. We intended to push right on; but were stopped by the following dispatch, which was prompted by the fear on the part of the President in hearing of our fast traveling, that we would injure ourselves.

“Don’t come any further than Beaver and stop there and get six hours rest; then come to Cedar city and stay the night. Saturday come to Belleview and Sunday come here (St. George) Then when you arrive here you will be fresh and good. You must remember the heavens are full of days, and they are all for us, if we will only be calm and steady and ready to receive them. You will receive this at Beaver. If you are willing to abide this my advice, let me know by telegram. I will send a team to Jacob Gates at Belleview to meet you.”

Brother John was dissatisfied at this telegram. My remark was that I was there by President Young’s request. If he said, stop, I would stop. If he said, turn around and go back, I should do so. I wrote a dispatch that we would take his advice and travel as he suggested. I signed this myself, John W. would not sign it. At daylight with a team given us by Bro. Murdock we rolled out of Beaver. At Buck Horn Springs found team sent from Paragoonah, and at the latter place found <Bro.> Silas S. Smith suffering from a wrench he had received. He furnished team to Parowan. Bro Dame furnished team to Summit Creek, where we found a team, and its owner, <from Cedar City> which carried us there. At Parowan Bro. John W. telegraphed to his father to the effect that he did not know how to spend so much time as he had allotted us to reach St. George. He did this in his own name and without letting me see his dispatch. President Young replied to his, and afterwards sent <we received> the following, addressed to me and him:

“President says come to Kanarra to-night (the 3rd.) and early to-morrow morning come to Bellevue, where you will find a pair of his horses in good trim to bring you to St. George tomorrow

From Cedar we were carried to Kanarra by a team belonging to Bro. Parry, who accompanied us on horseback as guide. We got about four hours’ sleep at Bishop Lorenzo Roundy’s and at about 4 o’clock of Saturday morning, the 3rd <4th>, furnished with a team <and guide> we started for Bellevue. We reached the dug way to descend as daylight began to show itself. At Bro. Gates’ we found LeGrand Young, son of Bishop L. D. Young, waiting with Pres. Young’s team for us.

For further particulars see back part of this book under <printed> date of Dec. 30, 1873.

Saturday, Jan. 4, 1873. At <quarter to> one p.m. we reached St. George – Bro. John W. Young and myself – having traveled from the end of the track at Lehi in three days and three hours and three days and seven hours from Salt Lake City. We would probably have reached here in nine hours less than three days from end of the track had the President not telegraphed us to stop and rest at certain points. In conversation with President Young in the presence of his son John W. Young and Bro. W. C. Staines he said that I ought to be careful about my movements in Washington – that I would be watched and everything I did scrutinized and I ought to keep a journal of my movements that I could prove where I was at any time. If any thing should occur to Gen. Grant he (the President) would be accused of having prompted its commission, and I would probably be charged with having had it done. He said that next to himself I was the most <hated> of any of the authorities. They did There was no feeling of dislike against either Bro’s. Geo. A. Smith and D. H. Wells or any other of the brethren like there was against me. They would seek my life with the greatest anxiety after seeking his, and I ought to be careful of myself. In all the publications of our enemies there my name was generally held up to the public next to his own.

In conversation with Gen Kane he told me to keep myself neutral from all entanglements until he got down. Make the acquaintance of at least one man on each committee from whom I could get information as to what was going on

On Wednesday, Jan. 8th, 1873. After two o’clock and nearly three in the afternoon the President had his carriage hitched up and getting into our buggy with Bro. John W. Young, and as requested by Gen. Kane arranging for us to ride together in the carriage, we drove out to Washington. Here we separated, they to return to St. George and we to pursue our way to the city. The President treated me with remarkable kindness, as he always has done; if I had been his own son, he could not have been more considerate and fatherly than he had been since my arrival at St. George. Gen. Kane also gave me much valuable advice which his familiarity with public affairs and the public men of the country enabled him to do. With many expressions of kindness and the blessings of President Young we started. Le Grand Young, Bishop L. D. Young’s son accompanied us to take back the horses of the President which we drove. We got supper at Bro. Jacob Gates at Bellevue and drove on to Kanarra, the moon shining brightly. After ascending the dug way and coming on to the rim of the Basin we took the wrong road. We took the Harmony road. When we became convinced of this we took the first road we came to which promised to lead us to Kanarra. It was an old trail, and after wandering around for a long time and encountering many obstacles we, at last, got on the Kanarra road. All were abed when we reached Bro. L. Roundy’s. We aroused him, and while he, Bro. John W. and Le Grand greased and mended the buggy, (some bolts which fastened the bed on the thoroughbraces having being broken) and got the team changed, they persuaded me to lie down. I did so and slept about two hours. We changed <horses> again at Cedar city and drove to Parowan where we again changed. At Paragoonah we had another change. At Buck Horn Springs expected to meet a team, but did for some miles out. We then drove it to Beaver, where we got a team to carry us to Pine Creek. The team which we got at that place carried us to Cove Creek, and we changed there for a team which took us to Corn Creek and <which> belonged there. By this time it was far into the night; but the moon was shining, and we concluded we would avail ourselves of its light to drive to Fillmore. Bro. Cuthbert King furnished us a team. We reached Fillmore (Bishop Callister’s) before daylight and threw ourselves down for a rest of two hours. Breakfast by that time was ready, after eating which we started. We had a change of horses furnished us at Cedar Springs by Bro. Stevens; another at Round Valley by Bishop Thompson; another team awaited us at Sevier Bridge, and, at Lavan, Bro. Elmer Taylor gave us a team and accompanied us on horseback to Nephi. We supped at Bishop Joel Grover’s and drove to Mona where we changed; changed again at Stewart’s Ranch; then at Bro. David Holladay’s at Santaquin; then at Bishop Joseph Tanner’s at Payson, whose son accompanied us on horseback to Spanish Fork. At this latter place we met Pres. Orson Hyde with whom we had conversation; he sat up to see us – it was about 3 a.m. At Springville obtained a team from Bishop Bringhurst, whose son accompanied us on horseback to Provo. Bishop Smoot and family were at up awaiting our arrival with breakfast. Owen, his son, accompanied us to Bro. M^cDonald’s farm where we got another team which carried us to the end of the track. We reached there a few minutes after nine o’clock on Saturday morning, the 11th. having made the trip from St. George in 66 hours over the worst roads, from Corn Creek up, that I think I ever saw for the distance. The buggy in which we made this trip was a California C Spring buggy – wood springs – manufactured by the Kimball Carriage Manufacturing Co. and I never saw a vehicle stand a trip better than it did. It was a light affair, probably not more than 275 pounds, and it stood a great deal of banging about. I did not feel very much fatigued, but I looked as though I had just got over a drunken spree. We got on the train and reached the city at 11.30 a.m. My folks were very glad to see me. My brother in-law Peter Hoagland, who was sick when I left for St. George, had died during my absence. He His disease was Typhoid-pneumonia, and he died at 12 min. past 9 on Thursday eve., Jan. 2nd. I went up town to the Office, saw Bro. Wells, and about 5 o’clock in the evening, when I went home and soon retired to rest. I did not wish to sleep too soundly, so I arranged to have the folks awaken me occasionally. In the morning I awoke at 6 o’clock and thought of getting up; but, before I was aware of it, I was fast asleep and did not awake again until 10 min. of 11, making over 17 hours sleep. I was faint and sick when I awoke, and for some time afterwards. Attended Circle meeting at 12 o’clock. Spent the aft time until half past 2 with Pres. Wells, then attended meeting at the 13th Ward. Bro. Woodruff was preaching. They pressed me to speak, which I did, and had excellent liberty. Attended Circle meeting of the with Pres. Wells and the Twelve. Gov. Mann called upon me with evidence in the Maxwell contest case for seat in Congress. We read it over at Pres. Wells’; then attended 14th Ward meeting. Elder Woodruff <John> Taylor was speaking and he gave way for me. The house was crowded and <I> had great freedom. Went home with Pres. Wells, accompanied by Col. Winder, and selected names for witnesses in my contested case.

The amendment which Capt. Hooper made to the Colorado Bill for the admission of Utah, with Sarjent’s amendment for the prohibition of polygamy, &^c came up today. The Capt. heard that a bitter discussion would be evoked, so he tried to withdraw his amendment, having obtained Mr. Sarjent’s consent. But Coghlan of Cal. objected. He consented to withdraw; then Negley of Penn. renewed the amendment; he was induced to withdraw, and then Merriam of N.Y. renewed again. Claggett of Montana was charged for the occasion, and, as it was known he was very bitter against Utah, and would attack her savagely, our enemies wanted to fire him off. Others had each five or ten minutes granted them by Taffe of Nebraska who had the floor; he also gave Claggett five minutes. He fulfilled expectations in the fierceness and brutality of his attack. The five minutes the ended, the House gave him five minutes more. Still eager to hear more of his brutal and slanderous abuse, they gave him three minutes more – ostensibly thirteen minutes, but really upwards of 20 minutes. There were numbers of men on the floor who had been to Utah, who if they knew anything, must have known that he told falsehoods and misrepresented the people; but no voice was raised to correct his statements, to check the torrent of the vile stream of vituperation which flowed from his lips; not even to refuse to grant him more time to the extent he desired, though one objection was all that was necessary to stop him under the rules. The fact is the modern politician is a <moral> coward. He has not the courage to defend a weak, unpopular side, especially if the question of “Mormonism” be involved. They are as afraid of being suspected of having any sympathy with that, as they would be of the contagion of small-pox. The truth is there is no sympathy in the case between them and it – between vice and purity, betw error and truth, fraud and honesty. I am disgusted with them. Col. Sam. Merritt of Idaho, who resides in Utah, was evidently pleased with the performance. I afterwards went to where he and Kendall of Nevada – a man whom our people’s votes helped to elect – were sitting talking and told them a little of mind. I was indignant. Kendall soon moved off to his seat. I talked plainly to Merritt and made him acknowledge that statements made by Claggett he knew to be false.

After dinner went to Mr. Fitch’s with Capt. Hooper and from memory arranged speech for the Captain to deliver in reply to Claggett’s.

Wednesday, 29th. From early morning until noon copying and arranging speech. Capt. Hooper, his wife, two daughters and myself went to Capitol in carriage. By appealing to the House he succeeded in obtaining half an hour to deliver his speech in. As he finished Claggett jumped up and requested to have ten minutes granted to him for reply. Then succeeded <a scene> of which I scarcely ever saw paralleled in Congress. The members gathered around him and listened to him with great interest; when his ten minutes were exhausted cries of “go on, go on” were heard from all sides. Time was granted him to continue, not an objection being made. Oh, it was pleasure to them to hear the “Mormons” denounced, to hear Brigham Young villified and Utah held up to public odium and execration! He had not finished his tirade when his time again expired. Again his time was renewed; but a motion of Mr. Cox <of N. Y.> on the condition that the Delegate of Utah have <five minutes> time to reply. to With these extraordinary evidences of sympathy from his audiences audience Claggett was greatly fired up. They were ready to swallow any <every> thing he might say. He let <gave> his imagination rein, he reveled in his false descriptions of affairs in Utah and closed with a sensational attack upon the marriage institution of Utah, and when he closed Members and galleries joined in hearty applause unchecked by Speaker Blaine in the chair.

Bro. Hooper commenced to reply; but the interest was ended. No one listened to him. Members all scattered to their seats and engaged in conversation, writing, &c. He labored through his time and requested more time, but this was refused, Bird of New Jersey, a democrat, making objection; but he asked as a boon the privilege of printing his remarks, this was not objected to, they were utterly indifferent as to what he did if he would only stop, so by their silence it was assumed by the Speaker that he could print his remarks which he wished to make. Bro. Hooper is one of the best and most efficient members in attending to his duties; but he has no faculty for debate. An off hand, ready debater like Claggett, however sophistical his argument and false his statements may be, has the advantage of him; but fifteen minutes by a self-possessed, good debater, well-posted in Utah affairs, would only be required in which to utterly demolish Claggett’s fictions and sophistry and laid them bare to the country. I was disgusted with Democrats on this occasion. Capt. Hooper has always been a Democrat, sat with them, been counted and published as one of them and has been proud to avow himself as such, yet not one of them stood by him, not one had a kind word to say for him or his people. They were cowards.

Thursday, Jan. 30, 1873. Cannot get word to Bro. Bull at New York, telegraphed him to-day. Mr. Baldwin, who is getting up a Mining expedition for Utah and Arizona, called upon Capt. Hooper and myself.

Friday, Jan. 31. Went to the Treasury Building with Bro. Hooper. Called upon Col. Hemphill Jones, chief Clerk of the First Comptroller. Introduced to the First Auditor, Mr. Mahen. Went to the War Department saw Gen. Sherman and Secretary of War Belknap with Mr. Baldwin who wanted escort for his expedition which they could not grant. Wrote several letters home. Telegraphed again to Bro. Bull at Philadelphia.