George Q. Cannon Journals

By January 11, 2017

This morning’s guest post comes from Richard Dilworth Rust, a missionary at the LDS Church History Library and who has worked on the George Q. Cannon project for the last several years.

On George Q. Cannon?s 190th birthday, January 11th, 2017, the Church Historian?s Press issued online George Q. Cannon?s journal for the period of 1876 to 1880.

The following are some of the events/topics that can be explored. Links to events are provided in the online list at the beginning of January each year.

Hatred against Zion
?My contestant, Baskin, is here and as busy as he can be in arousing hatred against Zion by his slanders and calumnies. He doubtless poisons every man?s mind that he can reach, his object being to have us stripped of our rights and placed at the mercy of himself and associates and to destroy us? (25 February 1876).

Constitutional rights
Gave a ?copy of my printed argument? to Peter D. Wigginton, one of the sub-committee ?to whom bill for admission of Utah was referred. ?I said it was a very serious thing to say to a people that they could not have their rights under the Constitution? (16 April 1876).

St. George Temple
?We were all eager to get a glimpse of the temple as we were crossing the hills, and when we saw it, it stood out in bold relief and in marked contrast with the black and red hills which surround the little valley in which St. George stands. The temple is pure white, and is a massive, unique building. It excited peculiar emotions in all the party to witness once more a temple erected to the Most High God? (9 November 1876).

Reflections on Brigham Young
?On my part, he was in my eyes as perfect a man as I ever knew. I never desired to see his faults; I closed my eyes to them. To me he was a prophet of God, the head of the dispensation on the earth, holding the keys under the prophet Joseph, and in my mind there clustered about him, holding this position, everything holy and sacred and to be revered? (29 August 1877).

Response to reports of division at home
?Division at home makes me feel heartsick. While we are united I have no fears of our enemies; but when we quarrel among ourselves I know there is danger? (11 February 1878).

U.S. Supreme Court decision
?The U. S. Supreme Court rendered a decision yesterday upon the case of Bro. Geo. Reynolds. They sustained the constitutionality of the law ? against Polygamy? (11 January 1879).

Bitter feelings between the two political parties
?The spirit which has been exhibited towards us in years past ? can be seen now exhibited by one section towards another. The feeling is as bitter between the two political parties as it ever was towards us? (7 May 1879).

Low opinion of members of Congress
?The entire proceedings of yesterday and to-day are altogether unworthy of a deliberative body of barbarians, much more a body of enlightened statesmen, such as the Representatives of the American people profess to be. Wisdom and a sense of propriety seem to have fled? (24 March 1880).

?The Lord has been my rock of refuge?
?How wonderful are the ways of the Lord! He has laid his hand upon these measures. Prejudice has been kept quiet. The angry elements have been stilled, and notwithstanding all the fury that was aroused or sought to be aroused, the session, so far as we are concerned, has been remarkably peaceful. It is a blessed thing to know that the Lord hears and answers prayer when offered aright. This has been my comfort and support here [in Washington D.C.]. I have never applied to him in vain. No matter how thick the clouds of darkness have been, or how much Satan and his servants have raged, the Lord has been my rock of refuge. He has given me peace, joy and happiness and my life has been a great pleasure to me? (16 June 1880).

Article filed under Miscellaneous


Comments

  1. Great insights. Thank you for all your hard work!

    Comment by Hunter Cannon — January 11, 2017 @ 10:39 am

  2. Thanks for the update. The 1877 St. George Temple entries are great, and the October 9, 1880 entry on succession in the FP, is really interesting. Thanks to the CHL for making this available, and thanks to the JI for the highlight.

    Comment by J. Stapley — January 11, 2017 @ 11:33 am

  3. My wife Miriam Diane Hardie Baguley is a direct descendant of President George Q. Cannon. She was a bit jealous that I became more knowledgable of him than she. I love the man and his mission and his message…He was much good for the Lord, the church and those who surrounded him…both in Utah and in Congress…He was a great communicator…He even had audience with President Lincoln. If a Congressman wanted to know how things worked he would go to George for direction…Even a building was named after him in D.C.

    Comment by Kenneth W. Baguley — January 11, 2017 @ 12:32 pm

  4. These are fascinating. Happy Birthday, GQC!

    Comment by Tona H — January 11, 2017 @ 2:16 pm

  5. George Q. Cannon was a delegate to the House of Representatives, but no building was named after him. The Cannon House Office Building was named after Speaker Joseph G. Cannon, not George Q.

    Comment by Mike Cannon — January 11, 2017 @ 3:38 pm

  6. Happy to see the next addition to an important source. Thanks to Richard and the Church Historian’s Press.

    Comment by wvs — January 11, 2017 @ 11:13 pm

  7. Absolutely love this series! Keep it up!

    Comment by Cameron — January 12, 2017 @ 10:52 am


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