Called upon Senator Edmunds <chairman> of Com. on Judiciary in the Senate and told what I had learned concerning Mr. Howard’s character. He expressed his obligations to me for so doing. I also did the same to Senator Thurman, another member of that Com.; and also told Senator Logan who is the backer of the present incumbent – Mr. Carey. As the Com. on Judiciary have this nomination referred to them, I thought they might be led to at least pause before reporting it for confirmation, and <they> might reject him altogether.

Pule in my lole luakini. [Prayed in my temple clothes.]

Attended to the Sacrament.

Received a dispatch from Gen. Thos. L. Kane asking when and where he could see me as he wanted to have some conversation with me. If I could not go to Philadelphia, he would arrange to come here. After seeing Speaker Kerr, Mr. Randall and others, I telegraphed Gen. Kane that I would meet him at his brothers at Philadelphia. Spent the evening preparing my argument in favor of the admission of Utah as a State, for publication.

Started at 9.25 this morning for Philadelphia. Reached there at 1.25 p.m. Met the General at his brother’s. He was very glad to see me. He had much to say about the movements i ka akau hema [on the right left].

He would like to go to M [blank] and take a few of the folks with him and get them introduced. I showed him my argument in favor of admission and asked his examination and criticism of it. He expressed great pleasure at its perusal, and spoke very complimentary of it. I took the cars at midnight for Washington, having spent a very agreeable day.

Reached Washington at 6.25 in the morning. At the House.

In the papers this morning found a dispatch from home respecting the blowing up of four magazines of powder (42 tons in all) on arsenal hill. Two persons were killed by falling stones. One woman died of fright. Fifty thousand dollars’ worth of glass was destroyed in city. Chimneys were thrown down. Several places <houses> were riddled, and many greatly damaged and the extent of the damage was not known. Two boys were supposed to have been blown to atoms, as two were missing and it was supposed, as they had gone a shooting, that one of them had fired into one of the magazines and caused the explosion.

At the House. Busy with correspondence.

Went with Gen. Rusk to Dept of Justice and Treasury Dept to see about <the appropriation of> more money by Congress to help the Marshal do his business in Utah. Petitions had been sent down by Federal officials and by Gentiles asking for money to [be] appropriated. Was at the House. Speech making to-day by Members; no other business. Sent Gen. Kane a lot of maps and Powell’s Report of exploration of Colorado Cañon.

It is a great pleasure to me every morning to come before the Lord in the way appointed. I often think what would I do if I had not this source of comfort.

Attended to Sacrament to-day. In evening wrote editorial for Juvenile.

M^cKean, Black and Hollister and others have come down from Utah to testify in Emma Mine case.

Luttrell of Cal. introduced by request <the> Christiancy Bill into the House and it was referred to the Com. on Territories. The object of this is to multiply the chances for its passage. Baskin thinks the Com. on Judiciary are slow, I suppose, and having so many other subjects before them he thinks probably the Com. on Ter. can better attend to it.

At the House; also in the evening.

At the House in the day and evening. With Gen. Rusk’s aid got $6,000 for U. S. Marshal Nelson relief put in the Deficiency Bill.

At the House <in the> day and evening. Our enemies have been very busy sowing their poison these few days back in the minds of members. Baskin is bad enough, but when reinforced by M^cKean and Black the combination for evil is as strong as wickedness can make it. M^cKean being an old member had acquaintances and through these he made others. If they could have their way, our history would soon be written. But they are like men beating the wind. The things they do to injure us, are overruled for our good.

Holiday to-day. Stayed in the House all day writing letters.

At the House

Called upon Mr. Wigginton, of Cal. one of the sub-com. to whom bill for admission of Utah was referred. Gave him copy of my printed argument. In evening called upon Mr. Caldwell, another of that Com. and had quite a lengthy conversation respecting Utah and her admission. He acknowledged that we had every requisite for a State, but our religion was in the way. If it were not for polygamy, we could be readily admitted. I told him it was not that. If that were not there, there would be something else. That afforded a pretext for men to cry out against us; but there was something beyond and higher than that – the union of the people. I said it was a very serious thing to say to a people that they could not have their rights under the Constitution. I made this remark in reply to his statement that from his conversation with Members he did not believe we ever could be admitted while polygamy existed. Yet he acknowledged that according to Democratic doctrines we could not be kept out. He knows <Bro.> Williams Camp and Emanuel Murphy and family and spoke kindly of them and others “Mormons” whom he had known.

I cannot give a full report of the conversation with Mr. Caldwell last eve. He was much interested and softened by what I said. But he and his party dare not deal with our question fairly and manfully. It is more and more plain that what rights we ever get we shall have to thank the Lord for. Man dares not deal justly with us. An exciting day in the House over the habeas corpus case of Hallet Kilbourn. The House voted to honor the writ of Judge Carter. Spent the evening in conversation with Gen. Kane at Welcker’s, he having come on a visit to Washington. He is full of the Mexican project.

At the House. An evening session, but I stopped away to keep an appointment with Gen. K.; he was called away, however.

Called upon the General this morning, and also in the evening. At the House through the day and in the evening till 11.35 p.m. The Indian transfer Bill (to place the Indians under the charge of the War Dep’t.) was under discussion

Had a long interview with the General this morning. We parted a little before 12 noon, he to go to the Mexican Minister’s, I to go to the House. He left on the 1.30 p.m train for Philadelphia. Wrote to Bro’s Wells and Jack. Evidence in my contested election case was published to-day. In evening went and seen Mr. Cha’s. A. Eldridge upon the subject and left a copy with him. Porter, a deputy of Maxwell’s as U S Marshal was subpoened by Com. on expenditures in Dep’t. of Justice to-day. He can tell a good deal of Maxwell’s rascality.

At the House.

At the House. Notified by Mr. Wigginton of Cal. of the sub. Com. of the Com. on Ter. that they would have a hearing on the Bill to regulate elections in Utah Ter. on Monday at 2 p.m.

At home all day. Wrote editorial in for Juvenile Instructor. Attended to the Sacrament and read the Book of Mormon.

At the House. At 2 p.m. went to the room of the Com. on Ter. Messrs. Wigginton of Cal., Meade of New York, and Bagley of N. Y. were the sub. Com. Bro. Milner was present. Baskin poured out his spleen. He showed the defects in our jury law and talked of the designs the framers had in view, to bolster up theocracy. His talked occupied one hour and a quarter. It was cunning and bitter. I am pleased to say that I listened to it with considerable unconcern. I wish to have such self-control and such perfect confidence in the Lord, in his power to overrule every thing said and done by the wicked for our good, that I will not get angry at their lies. The Com. then adjourned. I am to be heard to-morrow.

At the Land Dep’t. and at the House. Was drawn into a discussion upon the salary of the Judges in the Territories. The sub. com. could not get together to hear me on the Luttrell Bill. It was postponed till to-morrow.

At the House.

Busy at the House. Gen. Belknap’s trial commenced yesterday again before the Senate. Busy hunting up evidence from law books to be used in my election contest. Hon. C. A. Eldredge who has been Member of Congress for a number of years until this present Congress, and who has always defended us in a manly way, I have selected as my lawyer.

At the House. Closing discussion upon the Legislative, Judicial and Executive Bill.

At the Dept. of Justice and Treasury with Gen Rusk about the $6,000 in the Deficiency Bill for U S Marshal Nelson. It did not mention that it was for Territorial purposes and there was question as to whether the Dept’s would rule upon it as for U. S. purposes.

Received telegram from Bro. Staines to the effect that I was wanted at Philadelphia on Monday. Called with Sister C. and Mary Alice at Gov. M^cCormick’s. He was absent, Mrs. M^cC. and his mother were there.

Attended to usual duties.