135 years ago today - Tuesday, Mar 14, 1882

[John Henry Smith]
Washington, D.C.

... The yeas for the [Edmunds] bill were 199. All the republicans, Independents and Greenbackers and some few democrats voted for the bill. 42 democrats voted no.

There are 51 who did not vote at all. The democrats who voted yea were opposed to the bill but their constituents had petitioned them to act and they could not in their judgement vote against the bill without ruining their chances for reelection.

The Republicans were filled with venom and were bent upon the acomplishment of their purpose. Haskell acted like a fiend, and I felt while he was talking down in front of the speakers desk, I should have been pleased to have been turned loose with him and fought in words or in a manly fight. God our father must judge these men for their evel design and doubt not he will do so in his own due time. I did not get excited or worried but felt I would like to fight it out with Mr. Haskell and the Republicans single and alone.

The work is done and all polygamists are disfranchised and turned out of office. Now we must wait and see whether persecution and all kinds of trickery is to follow this bill. Father thy will be done.

[Source: Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith]

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