January 22, 1849 ~ Monday

22 [FIGURE] And rode to Boston And Arived home sick And weary
Mrs Woodruff commenced doctering me I took an Emetic
of strong thoroughwert or Boneset tea. I found myself very
Bilious And the tea done me much good Sister Sarah B Foss &
Br Ilus F Carter called upon me to day Br Ilus went on to
New Yourk. Sister Foss stayed with us I recieved one letter
[FIGURE] from Br Henderson. Almon W. Babbit called upon me And
spent the evening And conversed upon A variety of subjects
He had been to Washington And spent A length of time And
Had called to see me And wished me to go to Washington with
him to get An introduction to the members of Congress
in case the Church would wish me to do any business
there another year. He said He had been labouring while
there to so Arange the Territorial Bills As to have A Territo-
rial Government Esstablished in the Great Salt Lake Country
Great Bason North America embracing about 300 miles of
Territory in length called the Utah Territory. He thought
it would ^be^ necessary in order to get it Accomplished for the
inhabitants of the Salt Lake Valley to organize A state Govern-
ment with A Govonor And All repuisite officers And then
let them be Presented to the general government for reception
He said He thought it better for the saints to Have A State
Government of their own than to be connected with New
Mexico or that Portion of Calafornia lying west of the Mountains
& then have to be Governed by some Petty officers sent from
those parts He said He had got A Post Office Esstablished at the
Salt Lake Valley And Elder Haywood Appointed Post Master
He had Also got A Post Office Esstablished At Garden Grove &
Mount Pisgah. He said He was vary familiar with the members
from Ioway & Illinois And that Thomas Benton of Mo came
to him just before he left & shook hands with him in A vary
familiar manner. He Also read me the printed correspondance
between him And Elder O Hyde comprising their difficulties
And After Hearing all of his subjects through Embracing
his whole course Expectation of office in the general surveyor-
ship of that country, & in the Territorial & State Government
&c &c I come to the following conclusion in my meditations
that He was at work upon his own hook that he was not
counciled by the Presidency of the Church to Engage in this
Government matter, And considering the course the Govern-
ment had taken towards us As A People I felt no disposition
as An individual to Petition them for Any thing, But let them
take whatever course they felt disposed And trust ourselves
And Affairs in the Hands of the God of Israel. yet whatever
course the combined council & wisdom of the Church thought proper
to persue in that channel I would throw my labour And influence
But As their is danger of mens trying to perform more then
they are sendt to do, And whareas I was sent to Preside over the
Eastern churches Preach the gospel to them & gather out as many
of them As I could to Zion, Therefore Resolved that my Present
state of Health, Duty, calling, inclination And the spirit within me
will not permit me to leave the business I was sent to do And go to
Washington to form An acpuaintance & gain influence with wicked
& corrupt men to lay A plan to assist in governing the Saints in the
Valley for with the grace of God I believe they are Able to govern themselves
Yet when called upon to go to Washington By the Presidency Im on hand

January 22, 1849 ~ Monday

22 [FIGURE] And rode to Boston And Arived home sick And weary Mrs Woodruff commenced doctering me I took an Emetic of strong thoroughwert or Boneset tea. I found myself very Bilious And the tea done me much good Sister Sarah B Foss & Br Ilus F Carter called upon me to day Br Ilus went on to New York. Sister Foss stayed with us I recieved one letter [FIGURE] from Br Henderson. Almon W. Babbit called upon me And spent the evening And conversed upon A variety of subjects He had been to Washington And spent A length of time And Had called to see me And wished me to go to Washington with him to get An introduction to the members of Congress in case the Church would wish me to do any business there another year. He said He had been labouring while there to so Arange the Territorial Bills As to have A Territorial Government Esstablished in the Great Salt Lake Country Great Bason North America embracing about 300 miles of Territory in length called the Utah Territory. He thought it would be necessary in order to get it Accomplished for the inhabitants of the Salt Lake Valley to organize A state Government with A Govonor And All repuisite officers And then let them be Presented to the general government for reception He said He thought it better for the saints to Have A State Government of their own than to be connected with New Mexico or that Portion of Calafornia lying west of the Mountains & then have to be Governed by some Petty officers sent from those parts He said He had got A Post Office Esstablished at the Salt Lake Valley And Elder Haywood Appointed Post Master He had Also got A Post Office Esstablished At Garden Grove & Mount Pisgah. He said He was vary familiar with the members from Ioway & Illinois And that Thomas Benton of Mo came to him just before he left & shook hands with him in A vary familiar manner. He Also read me the printed correspondance between him And Elder O Hyde comprising their difficulties And After Hearing all of his subjects through Embracing his whole course Expectation of office in the general surveyorship of that country, & in the Territorial & State Government &c &c I come to the following conclusion in my meditations that He was at work upon his own hook that he was not counciled by the Presidency of the Church to Engage in this Government matter, And considering the course the Government had taken towards us As A People I felt no disposition as An individual to Petition them for Any thing, But let them take whatever course they felt disposed And trust ourselves And Affairs in the Hands of the God of Israel. yet whatever course the combined council & wisdom of the Church thought proper to persue in that channel I would throw my labour And influence But As their is danger of mens trying to perform more then they are sent to do, And whareas I was sent to Preside over the Eastern churches Preach the gospel to them & gather out as many of them As I could to Zion, Therefore Resolved that my Present state of Health, Duty, calling, inclination And the spirit within me will not permit me to leave the business I was sent to do And go to Washington to form An acpuaintance & gain influence with wicked & corrupt men to lay A plan to assist in governing the Saints in the Valley for with the grace of God I believe they are Able to govern themselves Yet when called upon to go to Washington By the Presidency Im on hand