Thursday Feb 1, 1883. Judge Black finished his argument this morning before the Committee on Judiciary. Bro. Richards and myself called upon him for the purpose of getting some points modified which I thought needed modification before it was published; so at my suggestions he acceded. Two sentences which I felt conceded too much he felt to retain. Bro. A. Miner reached here. Bro. Caine and myself left him in our rooms while we went to New York. We reached there in the evening and put up at the Grand Central Hotel where we found Bro^s Watson, Spencer Clawson, Lorenzo Richards and Nephi W. Clayton

Friday Feb 2, 1883. My object in coming here is to see M^r Hurlbert of the New York World at his request respecting the libel suit against the Salt Lake Tribune. At 2 p.m. at his rooms in the University Building. Such rooms as he has I never saw before. They are filled with paintings, bric-a-bric, and curiosities of every kind, and the furniture is of the most elegant character, much of it antique. He took us into his interior room, the Sanctum Sanctorum. He told me that he had an insurance of $60,000 on the contents of the rooms, but that they were worth upwards of $100,000. He has a telephone between his rooms and his office through which he dictates to a shorthand reporter concerning everything necessary. He personally visits the office sometime during the evening. He is a bachelor and does not want women about him, though as he told me, he is not misogynist. His society is much sought after, as he is a thorough scholar, wonderfully well posted in all society matters and in the affairs of the world generally, and a man of very fine manners. We talked over the plan for a suit. He thought our people should be willing to do something &c. I told him we had written home but had received no reply. His reason for desiring to see me was Sergeant Ballantyne’s anxiety to have a decisive answer, as if he was not Engaged for this case he would return immediately to England. I said I would telegraph home. In the meantime I asked if he could not get Ballantyne to wait. Tuesday at the futherest would, I thought, bring an answer. I had introduced Bro. Caine to him and he pressed us to dine with him tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Merchants Club. We accepted the invitation. He said he would invite M^r Robinson also. I sent a dispatch partly in cypher to George Reynolds and President Taylor. John W. Young and wife and Lieut. Richard W. Young (U. S. A) and wife were here till quite late.

Saturday Feb 3, 1883. Called with Bro. Caine at Miles’ Bro^s and upon Charlie Kraft, husband of Emma Fenton, and arranged to call at his house tomorrow afternoon. Also called upon M^r Phil. Robinson. At 7 oclock we dined with M^r Hurlburt at the Merchants Club – an old fashioned place, but the dinner was supberb and the perfection of cookery. We sat down at 7.5 and arose at 11.30. How many courses there were I do not know; but with the exception of about the last hour, which M^r Hurlburt and M^r Robinson spent in smoking, the time was occupied in discussing the viands as they were brought in course after course.

Sunday, Feb 4, 1883. I spent the forenoon in conversation with the brethren at the hotel. A little after one p.m. Bro. Caine and I went to a meeting of the Saints at Williamsburg. There were probably about thirty present. I spoke about an hour and had excellent liberty. Bro. Caine occupied a few minutes bearing testimony. Sister Blackburn and Bro. French rode part of the way with us to Brooklyne. We called upon M^r & M^rs Kraft, took supper with them and had a pleasant visit. Bro John W. Young called in, and M^r Miles was there. Her husband, Charlie, is a Master in U. S. Navy being a Cadet of Bro. Hooper’s appointment. At 8 p.m. we took the “Annex” boat from Brooklyne to the Station at Jersey City where Bro. Richards joined us, and we took train for Washington.

Monday, Feb 5, 1883. Reached Washington early in the morning. I was quite sick and spent an uncomfortable night suffering from billious colic and fever. I felt too badly to go out of my room all day. I received a dispatch from Prest. Taylor stating that my letter had not been received concerning the libel case and therefore my dispatch could not be understood and telling me to use my judgment. I sent him another dispatch to which he replied in the evening in cipher – “Your letter received. Will guarantee five thousand on total expenses.”

Tuesday, Feb 6, 1883. After debating what to do with the brethren I concluded it better for me to return to New York, so I telegraphed M^r Hurlburt and M^r Robinson that I would be at the Grand Central Hotel at 5 pm. I do not feel well this morning, though better that [than] I was yesterday. I reached New York at 3.50 p.m. M^r & M^rs Robinson called upon me and took dinner with me. I saw M^r Hurlburt and communicated the reply I had received to him. He promised to see M^r Ballantyne. Bro. Spencer Clawson took me to the Casino to the see the Opera of the “Queens lost Hankerchief.” This is the finest and most elegant place of amusement I was ever in. Moorish architecture. The opera was excellently performed.

Wednesday Feb 7, 1883. I remained at the hotel to hear from M^r Hurlbert. At 3 p.m. he called. He was then going to see and close with Sergeant Ballantyne. At 5 p.m. he promised to call upon me again. I gave him a draft for $500 with which to pay Ballantyne’s retainer. At 5 p.m. he called and informed me that the Sergeant had agreed to go out for £750 sterling; this would leave a margin of £250 with which to pay our Counsel. I afterwards called upon M^r Robinson. In the evening I went with Bro. R. S. Watson to Wallacks Theatre and saw “The Silver King” and enjoyed it very much.

Thursday Feb 8, 1883. I took the limited Express this morning and reached Washington at 4.20 p.m. I called upon Bro. F. S. Richards in company with Bro Caine and talked over the advisability of his going to New York to converse with Robinson & Ballantyne respecting the best steps to take. Bro. Caine started to Harrisburg this evening to meet his wife.

Friday Feb 9, 1883. I went to the House. I wrote letters of introduction to M^r Hurlbert of the World and to M^r Phil Robinson for Bro. F. S. Richards. I mailed a quantity of Judge Black’s argument home. Brother and Sister Caine and their little girl arrived this evening. She was fatigued having had a trying trip.

Saturday Feb 10, 1883. Went to the House. I received a cypher dispatch from Prest. Taylor. He said: “Hunters rulings objectionable to the Ring. Protect him from agg[r]esions.” I called upon Judge Black and showed it to him. He promised to see Attorney General Brewster, if possible. I afterwards took a Turkish bath and wrote a long letter to Prest. Taylor (which see).

Sunday Feb 11, 1883. Stormy day. Called with Brother and Sister Caine on Sister Richards. She returned and dined with us. I wrote a number of letters – one to my wife Martha, another to my last wife, and to my children Mary Alice, David, Emily and Sylvester, and wrote “Editorial Thoughts” for Juvenile Instructor.

Monday Feb 12, 1883. I was at the House. Bro. Richards returned from New York. I received a letter from M^r Robinson also a dispatch which he wished sent in cipher to some suitable person giving instructions to start a suit for libel and employ Harkness, Kilpatrick & Brown. I decided better for Bro. Caine to send it, and to send it to Byron Groo of the Herald. I sat up late putting up a cipher. I also wrote to my wife Sarah Jane and also to my son Abraham.

Tuesday Feb 13, 1883. Bro. John W. Young and wife called this morning. They are here on a visit. I introduced him to the Commissioner of Patents, M^r Marble. I was afterwards at the House.

Wednesday, Feb 14, 1883. Called upon Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, M^r New, to learn if any appeal could be had from a decision of the first comptroller. This was in connection with Bro Caine’s case, the first comptroller having given a decision respecting his salary adverse to him. M^r. New informed me there was none.

I wrote letters to my daughter Mary Alice, in reply to hers, also to Hester, Lewis, and Gracy, in reply to theirs, also to Amelia, Brigham and Willard. I then went to the House. I called upon Bro. Richards. In the evening had a call from him and his wife and Mrs Lockwood and M^r Ricker.

Bro J. W. Young, Caine and myself went to the Theatre and saw “Romany Rye.”

Thursday, Feb 15, 1883. I was at the House today. Wrote a letter to my son John Q. and sent him copies of Judge Blacks argument. Took a Turkish bath and had electricty applied to my knee which felt weak, the result of an old sprain. I was engaged in the evening copying a petition sent to me by Judge Black.

Friday, Feb 16, 1883. I called at the Judge’s residence with the petition. It is to be signed by Brothers Caine and Richards for themselves and for Brothers Peery and Bro W. D. Johnson Jr (who are now absent) as delegates from the Constitutional Convention, and to be presented to the Senate and House.

I had a long conversation with the Judge. He desires to prepare a bill to be introduced into the Senate upon which he wishes to speak before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

I went to the Agricultural Dept. today. My health is not very good today

Saturday Feb 17, 1883. I went to the depôt and saw Judge Black who was about taking his departure to Pittsburg. I called at Bro. Richard’s and took his wife to the photographers. Afterwards went with him to M^r Philips who took him at the request of Judge Black to Justice Field’s of the United States Supreme Court, that if possible he might get a writ of error; but Field consulted with Chief Justice Waite and decided there was no case for an appeal in the case of Kimball v. Richards for the Probate Judgeship of Weber County. He said that Kimball had sued Judge Richards for the books and papers and not for the office, and as there was no monetary value in them there could be no appeal. I telegraphed this in cypher to Prest. Taylor, and I also wrote a number of letters. I borrowed $200 today to give to Bro. Richards to go home with. He went to New York to join M^r Phil Robinson and Sergeant Ballantyne.

Sunday Feb 18, 1883. Snowed heavily today. I wrote “Topics of the Times” for Juvenile Instructor, also letter to President Taylor.

Monday Feb 19, 1883. I went to the House. I wrote letters to my wife Sarah Jane and to a number of other persons. I received a dispatch from Judge Black stating that he had written to me and sent bill which he wished to have introduced.

Tuesday Feb 20, 1883. I went to the House. Wrote to my son Abraham and my brother-in-law John Hoagland. Afterwards had a Turkish bath. I met Brother and Sister William B. Dougall who are here on a visit. I called with Bro. Caine and John W. Young on General Paine. The former wished to see him respecting his claim for back pay, and the latter about taking out a patent.

Wednesday, Feb 21, 1883. I went to the House. Wrote to Prest. Taylor, Bro. F. S. Richards, my wife Martha, and my children David and Amelia.

Thursday Feb 22, 1883. In company with Bro. Caine I called upon Senator Brown of Georgia. Gave him a copy of the bill sent by Judge Black. He said he would present it as an amendment to the Edmunds bill when it came up. His present intention was, he said, to have Judge Black’s argument read from the Secretary’s desk as a part of his (Brown’s) remarks. In this way he would get it in the Congressional Record. The Edmund’s bill was set aside today by the Senate for the Naval Appropriation bill. This was discussed all day. Just before the adjournment the Edmunds bill was called up.

Received a letter from my son John Q and answered it. I also wrote to Brother R. R. Anderson, Bro. John Henry Smith, (Liverpool) Bro. John Irvine, and Prest Taylor.

Friday Feb 23, 1883. I copied a section of the bill sent by Judge Black concerning the re-districting of the Territory, and with it and the petition called at Senator Call of Florida’s room to have him present them. I afterward called upon Senator Morgan who agreed to present the section as an amendment to Edmund’s bill if Senator Brown did not do so. Senator Call agreed to present the petition. The Edmunds bill was brought up and was discussed by Senators Logan, Call and others. Logan was as bitter as usual. He has always been our enemy, and has never missed an opportunity to deal us a blow. Call made a manly defence of the constitutional principles involved in this law. When upon a vote, on a motion of Senator Ingals to disfranchise the women of all the Territories, it was developed there was no quorum. The next four hours (till 10 oclock) was spent in filibustering by the democrats to the great disgust of Edmunds who, baffled at every point, finally moved to adjourn. I was in the gallery till the close and exercised all the faith I could

I wrote an answer to a letter of my brother Angus’.

Saturday Feb 24, 1883. The petition which I gave to Senator Call yesterday was drawn up by Judge Black and copied by me. It was thought better by him for Brothers Caine, Peery, Richards, & W. D. Johnson Jr to sign it, as they were delegates from the Constitutional Convention. I was authorized by Bro. Richards to sign his name, and Bro. Caine signed his own and Bro. Peery’s name and I got Bro. Dougall to sign Bro. Johnsons name.

M^r Edmunds did not get his bill up today as the Senate was busy with the Appropriation bill. I commenced an article for the Juvenile Instructor. I also wrote to my wife Eliza. In the evening went with Brother and sister Caine and Bro. & sister Dougall to see the Opera of “Iolanthe.”

Sunday Feb 25, 1883. Wrote “Topics of the Times” for Juvenile Instructor. Spent rest of the day in reading.

Monday Feb 26, 1883. Called at the Department of the Interior to procure a Copy of the rules and affidavits of the Utah Commission for the use of Senator Brown of Georgia, who wished to make use of them in his speech. I could not get them. I telegraphed home for copies, but afterwards countermanded, as Senator Brown had got a copy from Senator Edmunds. The latter is doing his best to get his bill up.

Tuesday Feb 27, 1883. I telegraphed to Judge Black in reply to his letter to me. I informed him of the position of affairs here. I then went to the House. Between the sessions I took a Turkish bath, and was at the House in the evening for a while and then went to the Theatre with Bro. Caine and saw “Franchesca da Rimini” with Lawrence Barrett in the leading part.

Wednesday Feb 28, 1883. I introduced Bro. Caine to Secretary W. E. Chandler of the Navy Department. He spoke very freely of my case and denounced Murray’s conduct as infamous. He thought I had been treated shamefully. There is a general feeling on the part of leading men against Murray; but he has contrived to fortify himself by religious influence and by appealing to the anti-Mormon feeling of the Country. This makes the administration affraid to deal with him as many of its members feel that he deserves because the cry would be raised against the administration that it was in sympathy with the Mormons, and to this and this alone, in my opinion, does Murray owe his retention in office.

I was at General Paine’s afterwards about a horse shoe patent for Bro S. L. Adams Jr, and then wrote to him and his father upon the subject.

I was at the House during the day and in the evening. I wrote to President Taylor. I also received a dispatch cypher from him, and sent one in cypher to him.