[George Q. Cannon]
Bro. Lorenzo Snow ... hinted that we ought to have a First Presidency.
In connection with this subject Bro. John H. Smith made some remarks and said that he was averse to this knowledge of our affairs being confined to one or two individuals, and when trouble arose for them to fall back on the Quorum to come to the rescue. In this connection he alluded to Bro. James Jack and one other individual, intimating that this trouble had come upon us and they were the only two who knew anything about it. I inferred, of course, that he referred to me, and I asked him if his remarks had reference to me. I told him that his statement was not true; that Bros. Lorenzo Snow, F. D. Richards and H.J. Grant were present and knew all about the transaction and the sale of the stock. He disputed my statements. I told him that what I said was correct, and I appealed to Bro. Snow and Richards to confirm what I said, which they did very emphatically, Bro. Snow especially speaking out in response to my question with great promptness. Brother Smith manifested considerable feeling on this subject, and I was deeply wounded at the remarks. I afterwards told the brethren that I had felt exceedingly hurt by the remarks which had been made, and said that I was not to blame for anything of this kind; that I had all the time advocated a different policy to that which had been pursued in regard to our property; but I had obeyed the counsel of President Taylor and carried it out strictly, even though it was contrary in some instances to my own judgment. After we adjourned, Brother Smith and myself had conversation, and I told him that in saying his statement was untrue I did not mean to say that it was a lie; for I did not believe that he had told anything intentionally that was not true; but he was not acquainted with the transaction and was mistaken in making the statement. He said, though greatly aroused at my statement that what he said was untrue, he could distinguish the difference between that and stating that he had told a lie. I regretted exceedingly this episode; for it is most painful to me to have a spirit of this kind in our Council. I remarked to Bro. Lyman and him afterwards that I had been nearly 30 years connected with the Quorum of the Twelve and during that entire time I had never had a shadow of feeling between myself and any other member of the Quorum that I knew of, only since the death of President Taylor, and I mourned exceedingly that such should be the case.
[Source: The Journal of George Q. Cannon, Church Historian's Press, https://churchhistorianspress.org/george-q-cannon]
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