Again called at Mr. Wilson’s; also upon Shallabarger &Wilson about tax cases. Wrote to Bro’s. Eldredge & L. Snow upon the subject.

At the House. After the morning <hour> during which Messrs. Chalmers, Hooker, Mills & Singleton spoke. House went into Com. of the Whole on the Army appropriation Bill.

I am suffering from cold, and did not go out to day except to mail a letter written by me to President Taylor. It is a very windy, cold, severe day and I am glad to be able to keep in doors.

At the House. Call of the States and Territories for Bills, &^c[.] At 3 p.m. eulogies upon Hon. Terence Quin of N. Y. were delivered. I called upon Mrs. Ketcham and had a cast of my head and face taken by a Mr. Mills for her. The work, they said, was a success. Had considerable conversation upon our principles. These people appear very unprejudiced.

This morning I commenced to board at the Riggs House. Called at the Arlington to see Mr. S. I. Huntley about paying Bro. Walter Hoge of Paris, Idaho, for carrying the mail. Mr. Fenn was with me. We found that he had left for the West. At the House. Lively discussion upon Army Appropriation Bill. Evening session to discuss Mississippi Levees.

Called again upon Mr. Wilson respecting pay for Bro. Hoge. At the Interior Dep’t, about certificate for Utah Southern R.R. Extension.

A very heavy snow falling to day. The weather is very changeable and trying this Winter.

At the House. Finished Mississippi Levees and discussed Army Appropriation Bill.

Wrote to my wife Elizabeth

Called at Treasury Dep’t. about the scrip of Workingmen’s Co-operative Institution at Logan; also at the Pension Office about Roswell Teovill’s case.

At the House. Discussing Army Appropriation Bill.

Spent most of evening at Riggs House after dinner and did some satisfactory missionary work; I mean in talking about our principles.

Wrote to my other wives.

Had my likeness taken by Mr Bell at the request of Mrs. Ketcham who wanted a front and a profile view from which to get my expression in making the bust and to save me sitting for the purpose. At the House. Discussing the Army Bill in the Com. of the Whole. An Evening session to hear reports from the Com. on Coinage, Weights and Measures.

Arranged with Gibson Bro’s for printing of Brief in tax cases. Called at Botanical Gardens about plants; at Patent Office about patent for Bro. Abbot’s Moth Exterminator. Made affidavit prepared by Shellabarger & Wilson to effect that copies of Report and affidavits in tax cases were necessary. Some of the officers had declined to let these be taken and hence this affidavit. At the house. Discussed and passed Army Appropriation Bill.

Hoole au i ka ai i keia kaka-hiaka. [I fasted this morning.] Reading and writing to day. In evening went with Hon. Mr. Benedict of N. Y. to Metropolitan Hotel to look at a turning lathe invented by a Mr. Post. It was is a very ingeniously arranged affair, has a sewing machine, buzz saw, gig saw and many other attachments. I was so pleased with it and thought it would be so useful at home for my boys that I ordered one, which he promised to send me about April 1st. He is to draw on me for the pay.

At the House. Call of the States and Territories. Several resolutions introduced. Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation Bill discussed.

A Democratic caucus held in the evening. It was decided to repeal test oaths for jurors in the South, also the law giving Federal Marshals and Supervisors authority to interfere in elections to Congress in certain cases. This action may result in an extra session of the 46th Congress.

At the House. Interesting discussion upon the method of surveying the public lands. The Com on Appropriations have proposed to transfer this business to the Coast Survey.

At the Patent Office to see about Bro. Abbot’s patent for a Codling Moth Exterminator.

At the House. Discussion on the Legislative, &^c &^c Bill.

Wrote to Pres. Taylor.

Threatened to be stormy. Snowed a little. At the House. Legislative, &^c, &^c[.] Appropriation Bill discussed till 3 o’clock. Memorial services Eulogies on Hon. Julian Hartridge of Ga. were then delivered.

I took dinner with Mr. Corkhill, his sister and her daughters. Mr. Fisk Clark Mills, son of Clark Mills, an artist, was also present. Mrs. Ketcham had partly finished a bust of me, which I think a very good likeness.

Elder Joseph Hyrum Parry, who has just come over from England, where has been on a Mission, called upon me. He is on his way to labor in the ministry in Georgia, he having had a desire to labor in the States. Showed him around the Patent Office and the Capitol.

I passed a miserable night this night. For a few days I have had pains in my jaw and face. They became very severe last evening. I called upon a dentist this morning. He examined my mouth and told me I had broken a <the> nerve of a tooth. It was perfectly sound. He bored a hole in it – a painful operation – and put something in it. I suffered much all day. Had Bro. Parry administer to me. I spent an easy night. My teeth have never given me any trouble. The dentist was loud in his praise of the excellence of my teeth.

Gave Mrs. Ketcham a sitting this morning so that she could get details not possible from the likeness. At the House. The Legislative, Executive & Judicial appropriation Bill was up for upon its passage. Spent some time in Congressional Library where I have been collecting notes with the design of writing a Review of the Opinion of the U. S. Supreme Court. I think there is no difficulty in showing that they are all wrong.

Gov. Emery called and made quite a visit in the evening.

Spent the day reading principally. Judge Styles called in the evening.

At the House. Passed Bill to pay arrears of pensions, also River & Harbor Bill under suspension of the rules. At 2 p.m. took up the business of the District of Columbia. I spent considerable time in the Library.

Snowing all day.

Evening session to deliver eulogies on Mr. Schleicher of Texas.

Met Bro. J. L. Rawlins at breakfast at the Riggs House. He had come down from home as Counsel in the cases in which the Estate was interested before the U. S. Supreme Court. Mr. Biddle was also Counsel in these cases. Bro. R. had been in Philadelphia with him.

At the House. The Census Bill was up. In the evening the House met and had under consideration the Legislative, Executive and Judicial appropriation Bill.

At the Patent Office. Had an exciting day in the House. Amendments were introduced just as we adjourned yesterday evening to repeal the test oath for jurors in the South and the laws giving to Federal Marshals and supervisors jurisdiction in elections for Members of Congress in cities containing upwards of 20,000 inhabitants. The discussion was spirited and at times heated. The galleries were crowded. Gen. Garfied [Garfield] in his speech spoke indignantly of the Democrats acting under the decision of a caucus and said that <even> the chairman of the Com. of the whole was acting under instructions in his rulings from the caucus. I do not quote his exact language (see the Cong. Record) for that, but this was the purport. The language was unparliamentary and Gen. Tom. Ewing and Milton Sayler asked that the language be taken down and be reported to the House. Mr. Blackburn of Ky. who was in the Chair requested them not to press the point of order; he would ask of the Com. the privilege of leaving the chair and replying to the gentleman. This was received with applause, and it had the effect of cooling Mr. Garfield, I thought. Gen. Garfield’s speech was a good one; his time was extended by unanimous extent consent. When Mr. Blackburn arose to reply the scene was almost dramatic. He was very temperate and cool. He had the exact language of Mr. G. as furnished by the reporter and he proceeded to ask G. if he really meant what he had said. Mr. G. replied in an obscure sort of a way, and B. continued. He did not touch upon the questions under discussion, but in the most broad and comprehensive manner denied the imputations of Mr. G. His whole remarks were masterly and in perfect temper. Garfield appeared at a disadvantage and the effect of his speech was destroyed. This afternoon’s speeches and scenes reminded me of ante-bellum discussions which I had listened to. The surface may appear fair, but underneath the fire is smouldering and it is covered only with a thin crust. When it breaks forth woe betide the Republic.

Thursday, Feb. 20/79

Called at Land Dep’t, about Sister Ira Eldredge and the brethren at Mona’s cases.

The House was occupied in the discussion of the case of Finlay vs. Bisbee of Florida. The former was seated. Evening had eulogies on Williams of Mich and Welch of Neb.

At the Agricultural Bureau directing how seeds should be sent to various leading men in the Territory. At the House. Private Bill day. Received delightful letters from my wife Elizabeth and John Q. Answered hers.

Had my tooth filled this morning. Wrote to my son John Q. At the House. Had the morning hour and afterwards took up Bills on Speaker’s table. Did not adjourn till nearly 7 o’clock.

Received a telegram from my son Franklin J. Cannon, informing me that his wife, Mattie, had been safely delivered this morning of a daughter. This was good news. So I am a Grandfather.

Busy reading and writing.

Had three teeth filled this morning. At the House. The Sundry Civil Service Bill was passed under the suspension of the rules. It contains the hateful and infamous feature which I have had to fight several times before – a clause to the effect that unless the Legislative Assembly of the Ter. of Utah reimburse $20,000 appropriated in the Bill for Judicial expenses they nor their officers shall be paid any thing for their services. This is held over them in terrorem to squeeze them into appropriating the money of the people to pay a lot of blacklegs, called Federal officials’, expenses.

Called upon <at> Senator Blaine’s this morning, but failed to see him. Saw Senator Sargent about the hateful provision in the Sundry Civil Service Bill. Had an interview with the sub-Com. of the Senate Appropriation Com. and represented the injustice of the feature. They promised to examine it. They are Windom, of Minn, a Mormon hater, Dorsey of Ark. and Davis of West Va. I afterwards talked with Blaine and Beck.

At the House. The Legislative, Executive and Judicial App. Bill passed, though Hale of Maine tried to filibuster against its passage; but as a filibuster he is not a success. Attended a reception at the White House by invitation to meet the Diplomatic Corp. The members of the two houses were invited and Army Officers above the rank of Col. and Commanders in the Navy – a very brilliant throng. Refreshments were prepared.

Called upon Mr. Nath. Wilson respecting pay for Bro. Hoge, At the House. Talked with Members of Senate Appropriation Com. upon the infamous feature in the Sundry Civil Bill concerning the Legislative Ass. of Utah. In the Com. of the Whole upon the Census and Sugar Bills. Mr. Henry Reed read me his review of the decision of the U. S. Supreme Court in the case of Bro. Reynolds. Wrote to Bro. W. C. Staines, New York.

In the Senate in taking up Bills on the Calendar they reached Christiancy’s Bill (S. 410) on Amnesty and excluding us from juries, &^c, and it was passed by on the objection of Senator Teller of Colorado that it would provoke discussion. This was what I wanted.

At the P. O. Dep’t. At the House. Various subjects discussed. Evening session. Had reports from Com. On Ways and Means.

Called upon Pres. Hayes and talked to him about the case of Bro. Reynolds and the reasons there were why he should not be sent to prison. He seemed to view what I said favorably. He suggested that I talk with the Attorney Gen. and he would also. I saw Judge Devens and after giving him a statement, he said that he would like me to put it in writing, and he would communicate with the Dist. Attorney at Salt Lake upon the subject; but as I would soon go home I could do this there and have him endorse the statement.

At the House, but spent considerable of the day in the Senate Chamber talking to Senators about the infamous proposition in the Sundry Civil Service Bill. Stayed in Senate until 3 o’clock Saturday morning when it took a recess without reaching the paragraph