After the morning hour the House took up the Revenue Bill.

Went with Sis. Cannon and Mary Alice and Emily and Bro. Cummings to French Opera. Girofle-Girofla was the performance. We all enjoyed it.

Reading. Attended to Sacrament.

An unprofitable day. A call of the States and Territories for Bills; but the Republicans had the idea that the Democrats intended, when the call was through with, to present a resolution against the third term, and they therefore called for the reading of every Bill that was presented. This continued until after 2 o’clock when a motion was carried to adjourn.

A personal explanation from Mr. Orth of Ind. was followed by a vote on the Revenue Bill and the consideration of the P. O. Appropriation Bill. Hayes sent in a veto message on the Special Deficiency Bill, the alleged reason for which was that he did not think it right to have legislation in the shape of riders upon an appropriation Bill.

The P. O. Appropriation Bill was again taken up and discussed.

An evening session was devoted to the consideration of the District of Columbia BillReceived letter from John Q. He desired me to send him a dispatch respecting work – whether I wished a partition and extra floor put in school house. I replied in the negative.

Received a very interesting letter from Bro. Wilford Woodruff, in which he gave me for my private information a few hints respecting a revelation which he had received while in Arizona, that he wished me to ponder upon.

Wrote to John Q., also to Abraham.

House resumed consideration of P. O. Appropriation Bill.

Took a recess till ½ past 10 to-morrow morning.

Was attacked with sickness in the night. My stomach and bowels were much disturbed. I could eat no food, and suffered from diarrhea all day. Blackberry wine seemed to give me relief.

The P. O. Appropriation Bill was disposed of and the House then considered private Bills.

The House took up the Election case of Curtin vs. Yocum. Mr. Belzhoover spoke.

Reading and writing.

An unusually hot day for the season. At the Dept’s. After the call of the States and Territories the Curtin vs. Yocum case was discussed.

I have my seat between two ex-Confederate Colonels – B. B. Lewis of Ala. and Cravens of Ark. We had conversation about the war. Among other things which Lewis told me – he is a man of high tone and has been elected recently without solicitation and over many who were candidates for the position, president of the Alabama University – was that he with his cavalry followed Sherman into Dallas. In one house they found four women who had been ravished by his men, three of whom were made maniacs by the abuse they had received. He said that Sherman and Sheridan were two as inhuman generals as had ever figured in any civilized war. He added that he had not the most remote conception of the condition of morals in the North till he engaged in the war. He had acted as scout and had intercepted mails. His men would gather around the camp fire and after opening the mails would read the letters. The vulgarity and immodesty of the letters written by the women in the North to their husbands and lovers in the army were almost beyond belief. They described in coarse and vulgar language how they suffered from their passions for the want of them, and threatening what they would be compelled to do if they did not return soon to their embraces. Lewis added, if our women had written such things I would not have staid in the army half an hour; I would not fight for such people. Cravens confirmed what L. said about the character of the letters. Though not in the same army as Lewis – he was in the West and South West – his men had captured mails, and he said he could not believe such letters were written till they were shown to him.

Curtin – Yocum case concluded to-day (Tuesday) then the Legislative, Judicial and Executive Bill was taken up.

Wednesday – the same Bill was discussed. I had an interview with the Com. on Public Lands who listened to me with great attention on the claim of the 11th Ward of Salt Lake City for water, having been deprived of Red Butte Creek by Camp Douglas. The Committee voted unanimously that the Chairmen, Hon. Geo. L. Converse and Hon. H. B. Wright ask the Com. on Appropriations to appropriate $50,000 to reimburse them for the water.

Evening session to consider Dist. of Columbia bill

House met at 10.30 a.m. to consider the Leg. &^c Appropriation Bill. In evening considered what is known as the Choctaw bill

At the Land Dep’t. A stormy day at the House. Great excitement over the question of adjournment. Finished the Legislative &^c appropriation bill.

Evening Session to consider the Dist. of Columbia Bill

The excitement over the adjournment resolution was renewed; but it carried. According to its terms the presiding officers of the Senate and the House are to adjourn their Houses at 12 m. on May 31st.

Reading. Wrote a letter each to John Q. and his wife. Attended to Sacrament.

After the call of the States and Territories for Bills, &^c, various measures were brought up among others the River and Harbor Bill. It passed under the suspension of the Rules by upwards a two-third vote.

Received a letter from Pres. Taylor, also one from Sis. Emmeline Wells.

Took <up> the Agricultural Appropriation Bill and discussed it till the time of recess.

In the evening had a meeting to consider a Bill creating a court to examine and decide upon applications for invalid pensions.

Wrote a letter to Pres. Taylor.

The horse races and the Hanlan-Courtney boat race have attracted large crowds of people here. The excitement is very great. The House took a recess at 3 p.m. because of the boat race.

Myself and folks did not go to see it. Courtney was a failure.

At evening session the Dist. of Columbia bill was discussed.

Committee on Public Lands obtained the floor to-day. Their <Its> bills on the calendar were taken up, discussed and passed. The evening session was occupied by the same Com.

Hon. John G. Campbell, Delegate from Arizona, was married this evening to Marguerite Molezieux. We had an invitation to the reception, but Sis. Cannon was not able to go, her health being poor, and I did not go. I sent a wedding present – a large fruit spoon, beautifully chased and gilt in a satin-lined case; the cost was $12.

Business of various kinds was attended to.

Day was spent in fillibustering.

Reading.

Call of States and Territories. Took up sundry Civil Service Bill. Scarcely any thing done because of a few obstructionists. Met Bro. Warren Childs of Ogden who had come here to see the city.

Sundry Civil Bill was up to-day.

Steamboat bill in the evening

Hot Weather.

Last night was about as hot as I ever felt it here.

Working at Sunday Civil Appropriation Bill.

In afternoon Bro’s. Chas. C. Richards, son of Bro. Franklin D., and Jos. A. West arrived here. They spent the evening at my rooms.

Working at the same Bill as yesterday. Bro. Cummings accompanied the young men to see various points of interest. Lorenzo Richards joined them in evening.

Decoration day. Bro’s. Lorenzo and Cha’s. C. Richards and Jos. A. West went to Mount Vernon. Sister Cannon and the girls were desirous we should go out to Soldiers’ Home. We went as far as we could in the cars and then walked. We enjoyed the walk, though tiresome, very much. The day was pleasantly warm and the grounds were beautiful. We walked back to Schützen Park and took dinner.

In evening Bro. Franklin D. Richards and his wife Jane came in. They arrived here about 5 o’clock p.m. They put up at the Imperial Hotel. We had a very delightful evening. Their boys and Jos. A. West left this evening for the West.

Bro. B. F. Cummings, Jr. and myself called at the Imperial this morning. It rained all forenoon; but we enjoyed the time in conversation. In the afternoon, when it cleared up, I got a carriage and we took the folks around the city. We spent the evening at our rooms in conversation. Bro. Richards brought down with him a copy of a letter of Bro. Wilford Woodruff to the Council of the Apostles written from Arizona, also a copy of a revelation which he had received there. It had been accepted by the Council; but would not be acted upon till my return.

I was greatly pleased at the privilege of reading it.

Bro. Cummings accompanied the folks in looking around this morning. I had to go to the P. O. Dept. Sister Cannon joined the folks at the Capitol. I showed them around and introduced them to many Senators and Members. We spent the evening together at Bro. R’s room at the Hotel.