I felt very badly to-day, sore all over as though I had been beaten with a stick. Feared I was going to have a sick spell from cold.

Felt much better to-day.

Met at 10 o’clock this morning at the room of the Com. on Elections to have the evidence in the contest case Baskin against Cannon prepared for the Printer. Baskin was there. The Clerk, Mr. Cochrane, prepared the Mss. Baskin’s chief labor has been to show that I am not a properly naturalized citizen. Senator Christiancy was on the floor of the House this afternoon. I went and shook hands with him. He put his arm around me after we had exchanged salutations and told me he should not press his bill. He said he did not want to do any wrong to my people and probably he had gone too far. I told him the Lord would bless him and I blessed him. I said he would never regret not having urged such a measure through.

Called upon Mr. W^m M. Springer of Ill. who introduced a bill to regulate elections and for other purposes at the instance of Baskin who was introduced to him by Carey. Had about 20 minutes conversation with him upon the bill. He knew nothing of the Bill he said; and did not know that he would advocate it, so he said he told Baskin. The conversation was very pleasant and just as it was becoming interesting we were interrupted by the arrival of two of his friends and I withdrew.

I have fasted all day, not feeling very well. My wife is much better to-day.

Attended to the Sacrament; Bro. Milner was with us.

At the House. Called upon Sec. of Navy respecting W^m Martin’s re-employment at Brooklyn Navy Yard. He promised to send me an order for his re-employment. Sec. Robeson has not kept his word, however, with me on several occasions before.

At the House.

Called upon Hon. B. G. Caulfield to whom Springer’s alias Baskin’s bill, regulating elections in Utah and for other purposes was referred. Had a half hour’s conversation with him on the Bill.

Received a dispatch from my cousin W^m M. Quayle of Brooklyn announcing that his father my Mother’s brother Joseph had died last night and would be buried at 1 p.m. on Friday. This news I was not prepared for, though Uncle Joseph’s health was poor, having had a stroke of palsy or paralysis sometime ago. It seemed providential that I should have seen him and afterwards taken Elizabeth and Mary Alice to see him on New Year’s day at New York.

I concluded I would go to New York to-night to attend the funeral of my Uncle at Brooklyn tomorrow. Saw Mr. Speaker Kerr and told him of my desire to go. He approved and said he would not suffer anything to be presented in which I would be interested. Mr. Randall also, told me he would guard me. I spoke also to Judge Crounze of Neb. and Col. Steele of Wyoming. Started at 9.10 p.m.

Put up at the Metropolitan and took breakfast there. Found no one there whom I knew. I left a note for Bro. Rudger Clawson, who called there for letters, to meet me there, if he could at 5 p.m. I met him at that hour and had him dine with me there. He informed me that Bro. John W. Young had started home. After breakfast crossed to Brooklyn. Found my cousin, W. M. Qualay (as he spells his name) at Mr. Martin’s (<one his uncle and one> his cousin) where Uncle Joseph had lived and where he was laid out. I was glad to see him. This is the first time we had ever met. He has a little look of his father; but his beard is fiery red and his hair a dark red. He appears to be an amiable, well-disposed man. The services were conducted by an episcopalian minister in the house, which was filled with friends. The funeral was very respectable as such things go, a large number of carriages being present. He was buried in the same grave as his wife in Cypress Hill Cemetry. Mrs. Moore and daughter — the Mother was a Martin and first cousin of my cousin William’s — were there. They are wealthy people in N. Y. and she invited me when I came to N. Y. to stop at her house. Uncle Joseph is <was> pretty well off I imagine. After my visit at New Year’s he had made partial arrangements for a new house in which his son could live and where I and my friends could be accommodated when I came to N. Y. without being compelled to go to a hotel. His attack of paralysis stopped this arrangement. He was attacked on Wednesday, the 2nd inst., and died on the evening of Tuesday, the 8th.

I took train for Washington at 9.10 p.m. and reached there at 6 a.m. on

Saturday, 12th.

Mr. Caulfield related to me part of a scene in Judiciary Com, and told me they intended to let the <Bill> sleep if possible. This was confidential. Thank the Lord.

Attended to the Sacrament to-day. Reading and Writing

At the House.

At the House.

At the House. Received a dispatch from Gen. Kane asking me if I would be in my seat in the House to-morrow, as he was coming here. I replied that I would be.

Called upon the Attorney-General and had quite a free talk with him. Our conversation was principally upon polygamy. I gave him many ideas upon the subject. He was much interested and asked many questions and acknowledged that he had learned much that he had never known. I told him that if we had to have a new chief Justice I hope he would have pains taken to have <a> good man appointed. We did not want missionaries and partisans, but men who would will abide by the laws. I showed him a paper of the 9th inst. (the Ogden Junction) with an editorial upon Judge White’s charge. Had a card from Gen. Kane while I was on the floor to-day. We went to a Committee Room and had a free and pleasant conversation. He had come here purposely to see me. I went with him to Sanderson’s Congressional Hotel and he secured a room. I spent the evening until 1/2 past 10 with him. His feelings are very strongly in favor of united order, the colonization of Arizona and the South, the conversion of the Indians and Ka mari lehulehu <wahine> ana [plural marriage]. We had a very interesting time. He bade me farewell and accompanied me a little way to my rooms.

The Gen. called upon my wife to-day. He left for Philadelphia at noon. Busy at the Departments and the House.

Busy at the Departments, then went to the House, which was in the Com. of the Whole for debate only.

Attended as usual to the Sacrament. I dress every morning as has been my constant practice in Washington since my election to Congress. I have only missed two <of the> mornings <I have been> at Washington this session, and I was in poor health was the reason of my omitting them. Oh, what joy and peace I have and how happy I am in these delightful seasons of communion with my Father. I know He hears and answers my prayers and I am consoled of him. My days are full of joy and I thank and praise Him constantly for all He has done for me, for the privileges and blessings He has bestowed upon me.

At the House. A motion was adopted to adjourn over to-morrow, it being Washington’s birthday.

Spent the day at my rooms writing and reading. In evening Elizabeth went to the reception of Pres. Grant at the White House with Bro. Milner; I had not thought of going; but Mary Alice was desirous of seeing the reception so we hurriedly got ready and followed them and had considerable amusement at the surprise of Elizabeth at seeing us there. We enjoyed ourselves, though the rooms were very crowded.

Speaker Kerr in the chair again to-day. Senator Christancy introduced into the Senate to-day a Bill to regulate elections in Utah. I have not seen it, but suppose it to be of the usual bitter, proscriptive kind of bills which have been introduced so regularly into Congress for the past few years.

Called at the Land Department and upon the Commissioner of Pensions. At the House. Wrote to President Young to-day. I have generally written two letters a week to him, so as to keep him advised of affairs here.

I have not attended to writing my journal as closely as I would like to have done; because of the want of time, and therefore have written but very few of my feelings. Last night, in thinking over the work to be done to counteract the schemes of the wicked, a consciousness of my weakness and inability came over me and I felt how worthless and helpless in and of myself I am. My contestant, Baskin, is here and as busy as he can be in arousing hatred against Zion by his slanders and calumnies. He doubtless poisons every man’s mind that he can reach, his object being to have us stripped of our rights and placed at the mercy of himself and associates and to destroy us. We probably have never had a more cruel and unrelenting enemy than he. Since his arrival in Utah, about 9 years ago, he has been the deadly enemy of the Saints. He has not hesitated to adopt the most outrageous measures to get the Saints destroyed. The President and other leading men he was the instrument in indicting for murder and other alleged crimes and had not God delivered us, he would have done all in his power to have had us executed and sent to prison. At the House.

Judge White called upon me at the House yesterday and desired me to see Senators respecting his confirmation. I saw Sargent and urged upon him the propriety of having him confirmed. He agreed with me and said he would do all that he could. I saw Gen. Rusk and desired him to see Senator Howe. Last evening Bro. Spencer Clawson and his newly married wife, Nabby Young, daughter of Pres. Young, called here en route to New York. I took them, Bro Milner, my wife and Mary Alice to see the Haverly’s Minstrels. We enjoyed the performance.

This morning I called at Senator Frelinghuysen’s. He was not at home. Called upon Senator Thurman. My object was to aid Judge White. T. is one of the <Com. on> Judiciary in the Senate. He said there was only one difficulty his connection with a fraudulent claim pushed thro’ the Treasury Dept. for one of his constituents while he was a Member of Congress, and for his connection with which Asst. Sec. of the Treasury, Sawyer, was indicted. T. said he felt favorably towards him. Took folks to Art Gallery and to the Capitol <and to Lord’s Theatre now a museum> and in the eve. Bro. Spencer Clawson took us all to the National Theatre. One hundred years ago, or the Spy, was the play.

We had a pleasant visit together to-day. Threatened rain. Went thro agricultural Dep’t. and Smithsonian Grounds. Took dinner at Willard’s with Bro. & Sis. Clawson. They left for Phila. at 4.55 p.m. We all accompanied them to the train.

Had a chill last evening and felt very badly; rolled and tossed all night in considerable fever. Felt very little like getting up to-day. Attended to my morning custom (e pule ana me kau lole hemolale) [praying in my temple clothes] and felt so badly afterwards that I returned to bed again. Went to Committee of Delegates. Glad the House took an early adjournment. Took a vapor (liquor) bath this evening.

Felt better when I first arose this morning, but worse afterwards. Did not think it wise to go out to-day. Wrote to Col. Steele of Wyoming to look after matters should any thing arise in the House. Had a call from Capt. W^m Nelson of Wisconsin, the new <U. S.> Marshal for Utah. He was greatly concerned over no provision being made by the Assembly for fees for Marshal & deputies. I told him he would have no trouble out there if he would conduct himself properly. There was no disposition to embarrass officers; but of course we could not feel friendly to such men as Maxwell.