[Francis M. Lyman]
Before entering into our [apostles'] meeting I took bro[ther] Moses [Thatcher] to one side and labored to get him to see that he was in error in striking out in politics on his own hook. He would not see with me on that matter. ... Pat Lanan's request to see the Presidency, to get assurances from them as to whether gentiles and particularly our enemies would receive fair treatment if Utah is admitted as a state in the union. It was decided on motion of Pres[ident] [George Q.] Cannon as follows: 'I move that these brethren, F[rancis]. M. Lyman and John Henry Smith be authorized to say to Mr. Lannan for the Presidency and Apostles that we are willing to make and pledge which honorable men could be asked to give, or honorable men be willing to receive that whatever influence we may have will always be exerted in favor of the equal rights of all classes of citizens before the law. and that we feel fully warranted in giving the strongest pledge that no non Mormon whatever his past attitude towards the Mormon people may have been shall ever be disturbed in his person of business in any way whatever in the event of our territory being admitted into the Union.' Armed with a copy of the above with Bro[ther] Smith and B[isho]p [Hiram B.] Clawson met Mr. Lannan in ZCMI office and deliberately talked the situation over. Lannon was not satisfied with the above so concluded to formulate a list of questions to be answered concerning the 'Kingdom of God,' which he will let us have later on. He says statehood is coming and no mistake and he and his friends are very much frightened. He says they will pack up their means and get out of the country. We reported to Pres[iden]ts Cannon & [Joseph F.] Smith the result of the interview. They were pleased.
[Source: Francis M. Lyman Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
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