Writing journal and other business.

At the Treasury & P. O. Dept’s. Wrote to Bro’s. Ja^s Jack & B H Schettler; also to Bro. Lorenzo Snow and Capt. W. H. Hooper, respecting tax assessed upon the orders issued by Z. <C.> M. I and Brigham Co-operative Institutions and enclosed copy of the Com. of Internal Revenue’s letter to me upon the subject. At the House. A rather full attendance of members. A great deal of hand-shaking and congratulation among members. Message read followed by some sparring between Hernando Wood on the one slide and Gen. Garfield and Eugene Hale upon the other, closed with some remarks from S. S. Cox.

At the House. West Point and Fortification Appropriation Bills passed. Wrote letter to Pres. Taylor I expressed to him my feelings respecting the news which I had received by telegram from Bro. W. B. Dougall of Bro. Orson Hyde’s death, which occurred at 6 p.m. Thursday, the 28th of Nov. While I am sorry to part with Bro. Orson, I am glad that as his probation is ended he has passed away under such favorable circumstances. Since his apostacy in 1838 in Missouri and his return to the Church he has had a heavy burden to bear in the constant consciousness of the wrong he had committed; but he bore up manfully and since that day has, to all appearance, done all in his power to make amends for his acts and expressions at that time. He has passed away in the fulness of years, being 73 years old, and in the full fellowship of his fellowservants and the Saints.

Wrote to Bro. Erastus Snow respecting his trip to Arizona and asking him to join with Pres. Taylor in writing a letter to Gen. Kane respecting the probability of doing anything in Mexico. The House held a short session to-day. Wrote for Juvenile Instructor in the evening.

Bro. N. Groesbeck arrived here this morning. He had come here upon business and left his wife in Penn. with her relatives.

At the House. Adjourned rather early and until Monday. Had a call in the evening from a man named Inman of Beaver Co., Penn. He was interested in our principles. He was on the point of returning home; he is poor and I let him have two dollars. Bro. Groesbeck came in afterwards and spent the evening with me.

Went with Bro. Groesbeck to the Dep’t of Justice and introduced him to the Attorney-General, Judge Devens. He wanted to arrange for the renewal of his lease, his building at home being used for the U. S. Court Room. Afterwards accompanied him to the P. O. Dep’t., he having some business to attend to there. From there went to the Capitol. Mr. Sanders of Conn. gave <me> a large number of Pub. Docs. to distribute among my constituents. Received a long letter from my son John Q. under date of Nov. 30. One thing in the letter gave me great pleasure: his expressal of a wish to resume his attendance at the Circle meeting. He also spoke of having literary inclinations, of which I was pleased to hear.

I finished two articles – Editorial Thoughts – for the Juvenile Instructor and mailed them to-day. Wrote a long letter to my son, John Q. Bro. Groesbeck went with me to the Capitol, and he ascended <to> the <top of the> dome while I did some writing in the House.

Bro. Groesbeck spent the day with me. Wrote a number of letters

Received letters from my son John Q. and John Hoagland. The latter informed me that he had taken possession of his father’s place, Emily having applied to the Probate Court for a settlement of the Estate. I wrote in reply that if we as Executors got possession of the place we could not hold it <as such> any longer than was necessary to make the arrangements to dispose of it and to divide it among the heirs. He had employed lawyers and said he had nothing to pay them. I told him I wanted nothing to do with lawyers, and I did not believe the heirs would justify us in employing them. Wrote a long letter to John Q. instructing him how to do in helping, in my place, to settle up his grandfather’s estate, and in case it was not convenient for him to do so to employ a clerk. Wrote to my wife Elizabeth upon the same subject.

The activity in getting possession of Bishop Hoagland’s homestead is due to Col. Little’s necessities. His wife Emily is likely to be turned out of doors by his Creditors and he wants to find her a place to go to. Called upon Judge Otto, reporter of the U. S. Supreme Court, to learn if I could any particulars about the Reynolds case – when the decision would be rendered. He could give me no information.

At the House yesterday. Bro Groesbeck spent the evening with me. He left for New York at 10.15 p.m.

Very stormy this morning; continued all day; a violent evening and night. At the House. Passed two appropriation bills: Consular & Diplomatic and Naval. I have not felt very well to-day. My heart has troubled me a little – sympathy with my stomach, I think. The anniversary of my wedding with my wife Elizabeth. Twenty-four years ago to-day we were married. Wrote her a letter.

Busy at the Dep’t’s. At the House. Inter State Commerce Bill passed. Wrote to Judge W. N. Dusenberry; also a full letter to Gen. Tho^s L. Kane.

Had interview with Mr. Nathaniel Wilson, C. C. Huntley’s lawyer, respecting due from latter to Walter Hoge for Mail Contract in Bear Lake Country. Saw Major Powell about Bro. Abram Hatch’s claim. At the House. Geneva Award bill was discussed. Wrote letters to my son John Q. and my family. The House adopted a Resolution to adjourn for the holidays from Dec. 20 (Friday) till Monday, Jan. 6th.

At the House. Private Bill day. Received a letter from Bro. Brigham Young, in which he alluded to my son Frank and gave me the opinion of Bros. Penrose and T. Eddy Taylor respecting him: “he was smart, but uncertain.” I wrote a long letter in reply, criticizing very freely many things connected with the paper. Frank may be as they describe; but he has been working in the News office from July 29th until a few days before I left, and drew no pay of any kind for his services until the two last weeks; that is, he worked upwards of three months for nothing. I asked whether they would not be uncertain under such circumstances.

The Com. of Int. Rev. wrote me that he had received considerable evidence upon the subject of the scrip put out by the Co-operative Institutions of Utah and was prepared to hear anything I had to say upon the subject. I called and he submitted the evidence to me. Hollister, the Collector, and Special Agent Gavitt had made a lengthy report and had fortified their position by affidavits of Mormons, non-Mormons and apostates. The returns they made placed the tax on the various Institutions at upwards of $48,000, which including $9,500 already collected made upwards of <nearly> $60,000. Mr. Bates, chief of assessment division, had endorsed the papers, in returning them to the Commissioner, as favoring the assessment of all these amounts. I had conversation with the Com. and softened his impressions, I think. They were evidently in favor of assessing the tax. I thought it better, however, as I had been instructed by the Board of Directors of Z. C. M. I. to employ counsel. I had an interview with Judge Schellabarger, and after giving him some idea of the case, he said Judge Jere. Wilson, his partner, and he would examine the papers and I should then hear from them.

Wrote Uncle Taylor and Bro. W. H Hooper; also to my son Abraham

A very stormy day. I did not go out. Spent the day in reading.

At the House. The States and Territories were called, as usual, for Bills, &^c. At 2 p.m. the Com. on the District of Columbia had the floor to report.

Shellabarger & Wilson wrote me a note informing me they would do their best to test the legality of the tax levied upon Z. C. M. I. for a retainer of $400 in advance, no more pay if they did not win; one thousand dollars more if they won.

Telegraphed this to Bro. Hooper, Pres. of Z. C. M. I.

Fine day.

At the Dept’s. At the House. An appropriation bill (P. O.) was discussed and passed.

This morning saw by the Record that the Senate had adopted the House Resolution to adjourn with the amendment of adding one day more to the time, making it 17 days. This admits of my going home and having a week there. Had to see Mr. Biddle about cases before Supreme Court (U. S.) belonging to estate, so started instantly for Philadelphia by 9.30 limited express. Reached at 1.30 and left for Washington again at 4 p.m. Reached here 9.35 p.m. Saw him and Mr. Clay. He expressed himself as highly pleased at the case for Reynolds. Court listened attentively and offered more time.¹

Cash Account – January.

Cash Account – January.

Cash Account – February.

Cash Account – March.

Sargeant-at-Arms

Cash Account – April.

Cash Account – April.