I believe Reed [Smoot] will go through all right but from the spirit here [in Washington, D.C.] the fight later on the Church will become intense. On the ground that we have conived at or actually taken part in later [plural] marriages. Reed has talked to no one but [George] Sutherland in regard to the [John W.] Taylor [Matthias F.] Cowely situation. Reed and most of the brethren object to my talking to the Senators. Your mother and I called upon the President he received us warmly, but only shook hands and said a few kind works to each other.
I feel certain that our only danger lies in the fact we have not cut [apostles] Cowley and Taylor right off of the church. These men demand that we do something heroic. They say that if we cant and wont act they will finish the matter completely by our disfranchisement. (1)
-- February 20, 1906; Tuesday
Since writing a few lines to you Bro[ther]. [Reed] Smoot has introduced me to some of my old friends and I have had some very pleasant conversations. They all seem to feel that we must do something to convince the public and also the Senators that we are not coniving in these later cases [of plural marriages]. One man [i.e., Theodore Roosevelt] told me that [John W.] Taylor [Matthias F.] Cowley and [Joseph M.] Tanner must be disciplined by the Church, not cast out but drooped [sic] from their positions, and that it must be done at a conference. (1)
-- Thursday, March 8, 1906
[Diary of John Henry Smith (apostle and father of George Albert Smith)] Salt Lake City
At 10 a.m. I met in Council at the Temple. All of the First Presidency and F. M. Lyman, myself, Rudger Clawson, Hyrum M. and George Albert Smith, C. W. Penrose and Patriarch John Smith and Secretary Geo. F. Gibbs.
Routine business gone through with Benediction by A. H. Lund.
The apostles met and had a long talk over the situation of John W. Taylor, M. F. Cowley and J. M. Tanner. We came to the conclusion to suspend the[m] or rather to accept their resignation. (2)
-- Wednesday, April 4, 1906
[Diary of John Henry Smith (apostle and father of George Albert Smith)] Salt Lake City
I met with the Directors of the Utah National Bank. We held our dividend in abeyance for a time.
At 11 a.m. Prest. Francis M. Lyman, Myself, Rudger Clawson, Hyrum M. Smith, George Albert Smith and Charles W. Penrose met in their Quarterly Conference.
At 4 p.m. all of the First Presidency and all of the Twelve in the City met in the office of the Presidency with the Auditing Committee and went through the reports of the condition of the finances. They are in good shape. (2)
-- Thursday, April 5, 1906
[Diary of John Henry Smith (apostle and father of George Albert Smith)] Salt Lake City
At 10 a.m. all of the First Presidency, Francis M. Lyman, Myself, Rudger Clawson, Hyrum M. Smith, George Albert Smith, Charles W. Penrose, John Smith and George F. Gibbs met in Council.
Reports. Routine business. We administered the Sacrament and had a trying day.
[General conference began Friday, April 6.] (2)
-- April 7, 1906; Saturday
Attended forenoon meeting and at close of the meeting when Pres[iden]t [Joseph F.] Smith concluded making announcements Pres[iden]t [Francis M.] Lyman requested him to announce that Pres[iden]t. H. S. Gowans and Counselors were wanted at the stand after close of that meeting which announcement was made. We met Pres[iden]t Lyman who requested me to meet him in about 30 minutes at the Historians office. This I did and there met Elders John Henry Smith, George Albert Smith with Pres[iden]t Lyman also B[isho]p Orson F. Whitney and David O. McKay. Then Pres[iden]t Lyman made known the intended action of the Conference to release from the Quorum of Apostles Jno [John] W Taylor and M[atthias]. F. Cowley which with the vacancy occasioned by by [sic] the death of Apostle [Marriner Wood] Merrill would leave 3 vacancies which would have to be filled and we were asked as to the manner of our living and our faith in all the principles of the Gospel &c. Pres[iden]t Lyman said the Spirit ha
d indicated that we were the men--Each of us expressed our feelings & faith. I first then Bro[ther] Whitney & then Bro[ther] McKay after which we separated. I attended the General Priesthood meeting in the evening. (3)
Footnotes:
1 - John Henry Smith, letter to George Albert Smith, George [Albert] Smith Family Papers, Marriott Library
2 - White, Jean Bickmore, 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
3 - George F. Richards, Diary
LDS History Chronology: George Albert Smith
Mormon History Timeline: The life of George Albert Smith
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
