First Presidency Letterpress: March 1887

First Presidency Letterpress Copy Books

1887—March

Distribution of personal Church property to stake corporations and trusted individuals prior to Edmunds-Tucker; taking test oath acceptable; John W. Young's lobbying; Constitution hanging by a thread; tithing has ceased; bishops accepting donations; channeling emigration business to railroads lobbying in behalf of Mormon cause.

	March 2, 1887 to James Jack, esq.
Sheep to Frank Armstrong	The enclosed documents prepared by the attorneys and signed by me namely, transfer of 32,590 head of sheep to Frank Armstrong. Power of attorney to James Jack.
Theater stock to Sharp and Little	Transfer of 1,200 shares of theater capital stock to John Sharp, Heramorz Little and for $20.000.00.
Copies of transactions	Transfer of personal property to Church association of the stakes of Zion. I desire to have carefully copied and the copies preserved in my office for future reference when needed.
Telegraph company stock	I have signed and transferred 4,730 shares of Deseret Telegraph stock, this will be distributed among the various stakes where the line is stretched. Brother George Q. Cannon mentioned to you and Brother Dougall and Brother Preston that you make the distribution as near as possible according to the proportion each stake furnished in building the line, which can be obtained from Brother Dougall's book. This arrangement will be satisfactory to me.
Street railroad stock	The street railroad stock you will deliver to Frank Armstrong upon the conditions agreed upon yesterday. That is he is to give his note for $45,000.00 for the stock.
Gas stock	The gas stock I am willing to sell to you upon the terms agreed upon 800 shares at $55.00 per share = $44,000.00 with the same conditions that I sell the stock of the street railroad.
Theater stock	The stock of the theater please deliver to John Sharp and Heramorz Little, and to Heber B. Clawson, if an arrangement can be made with the latter for his portion that will be satisfactory and that the attorneys will approve of.	Heber: Hiram
Jack's purchases	He mentioned your name as an associate in the purchase of this stock, with the view to having a company offering. This would suit me if it could be arranged; but your purchase of such a large block of gas stock will prevent you, I fear, from purchasing any of the theater stock. If any person who would be acceptable to myself and the leading brethren, and with whom Brother Clawson could work harmoniously, and who would not be objectionable as partners to Brothers Sharp and Little could be selected to purchase a portion of this stock it would meet my mind.
Deseret News stock	You will also deliver to the Salt Lake Literary and Scientific Association, or hold in your hands on behalf of the president of that association (President George Q. Cannon) so many shares of the thousand which I signed (of the Deseret News stock) as you can, without giving that association control of the stock and the company. The control of the stock and the company must be held outside of the association.
Provo Manufacturing Company	The Provo Manufacturing Company stock (1,024 shares) I wish you to divide equally, half to be paid to ZCMI to secure indebtedness against me in that institution, and the remaining half to be sold the Brother John C. Cutler at $25.00 per share on his note for the amount.
Rio Virgin Manufacturing Company	The shares in the Rio Virgin Manufacturing Company I desire to have transferred to the ecclesiastical corporation of the St. George Stake of Zion.
Sheep bill of sale	Of course before you deliver the bill of sale which I have signed for the sheep in favor of Brother Armstrong, you will obtain his note in proper shape, and it must be understood that if there should be any failure to deliver the quantity named, it will be satisfactory to him for me to endorse any differences there may be on the note to his credit. With kind regards.
	Your Brother John Taylor
	March 3, 1887 to Elder J. C. Rogerson, Moncos, La Plata
Plural marriage necessary	In answer to your letter of the 23rd I may quote a line or to which the children sing sometimes:– "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again." The revelation on the subject of plural marriage makes plain the necessity of obeying this law pertaining to the celestial kingdom. With kind regards, your brother,
	John Taylor
	March 5, 1887 to Franklin S. Richards, Salt Lake City
Test oath: not improper to take Affirm rather than swear	We see no impropriety, under the circumstances in our people, who can taking the test oath. As they have the privilege of either, would it not be well for them to affirm instead of swear?
	John Taylor George Q. Cannon
	March 8, 1887 to Franklin D. Richards
Stop sending wives to Hawaii with underground husbands	Brother Enoch Farr in a recent letter asks for the appointment of two missionaries this spring for the Sandwich Islands. President Joseph F. Smith in a recent letter says, that the mission is weighted down with sisters from Zion, wives of missionaries who have gone over there; the expense of maintaining them there and paying their passages home is very heavy, and we think with him that the practice or sending women there with their husbands should be discontinued, except in some special cases.
	John Taylor
	March 8, 1887 to James Jack
Allowance for Henry Grow family	Brother Henry Grow has requested that his family be allowed to draw $100.00 per mo. during his incarceration in the penitentiary. Will you please permit his family to receive that amount.
	John Taylor
	March 7, 1887 to President Marriner W. Merrill, Logan temple
David H. Cannon coordinating temple work	Bishop David H. Cannon visits Logan at our request to converse with you upon the subject which you mentioned in your letter of March 8th. His visit will enable the authorities of both temples to arrange a similar course of action.	Next related excerpt
	John Taylor.
	March 25, 1887 to Hon. John W. Young
	Your letter of the 12th inst. has been received and carefully perused. Our letter to you of the same date, we learn by telegraph, had reached you. It will convey to you our feelings respecting the labors of yourself and brethren in your efforts to defeat the Tucker bill and to accomplish other objects favorable to Zion.
Important to get a good prosecuting attorney Current officials are terrible	We think it very important, as you suggest, that a good man should be selected to fill the position of prosecuting attorney before the present one is removed, though we are quite desirous to see this merciless ruffian turned out. The whole crew of office holders, that is, Zane, Boreman, Dickson, Varian, Hiles and McKay are men of the worst character, who take delight in inflicting misery and doing the most horrible things.
Your work appreciated Even if only keeping negative articles out of press	Your labors with the newspapers are appreciated. They may not make so good a showing in publishing favorable articles, but an important result is reached when articles misrepresenting or assailing us are kept out. We do not see much bitterness exhibited through the newspapers.
	We are exceedingly busy at the present time. We are doing all in our power to get our affairs into good shape to withstand attacks upon us. With love and praying the Lord to bless you and preserve you from the hands of your enemies. We are, your brethren,
	John Taylor, George Q. Cannon
	March 25, 1887 to President Marriner W. Merrill Logan temple
Stop marrying couples yourself	The plan you are pursuing is unsafe and should be stopped, or you are in danger of trouble. The law is express upon this point. It mentions every ceremony of marriage, or in the nature of a marriage ceremony of any kind, shall be certified by a certificate. This is so plain that it cannot be misunderstood.
No need to break law Sealer can certify marriage himself	There is no need to evade the law. As we directed Bishop D. H. Cannon to inform you the law can be complied with and not interfere with our marriages. The man that performed the ceremony should certify to it, and not do it under cover of any one else. If it is not safe for you the certify, someone must be selected who can do so without danger. The brother whom you have mentioned to attend to the other work will be satisfactory, and you can appoint him.	Previous related excerpt
	John Taylor
	March 29, 1887 to Elder Erastus Snow, Juarez, Chihuahua
Difficult to protect property against Edmunds-Tucker	We are doing our best by the aid of that light which God grants unto us to protect the property of the Church from the anticipated raids that will be made upon it under the provisions of the Edmunds Tucker act. The defence is bristling with difficulties, as it is no ordinary cunning that has been used in the framing of the bill. The men who did that work understood the situation and with their deep seated antipathies to our people, have not failed to make use of that knowledge in framing provisions whose enormity is only realized when examined by those acquainted with the law and with judicial procedure.
No surrender Constitution hanging by a thread	But though there may be difficulties in the way we have no thought of surrender, but will contend inch by inch for the preservation of our rights and the protection of our property. It would appear that we have reached that era in our history, so long since foretold, when the constitution of the United States would hang by a single thread and the elders of Israel alone would contend for its preservation.
Loyal League	Notwithstanding its possibilities to the Latter-day Saints, the "Loyal League" and its sympathizers are not satisfied with the new law. They already perceive that it will not accomplish what was intended and what they anticipated.
Will still control territorial politics People taking the oath	It is improbable that we shall lose the political control of the territory under it. The way our people have taken the oath has been a surprise and a disappointment to them; and their scheme to have all the offices declared vacant has been "nipped in the bud" by the various territorial county and municipal officers taking it, unnecessary and uncalled for under the act as it seems to us to be.
People's Party urged people to take oath	But as the U.S. judges had themselves taken it, and caused the officers of the courts to do so also, it was evident that if a case were ever brought before them they would decide it was necessary; in other words their action amounted virtually to a judicial decision, and with this in view, the central committee of the People's Party prudently advised those holding office who could consistently do so to take the oath, and thus prevent a coup-d'etat by the U.S. courts.
Transferred personal property to stake corporations	Before the bill became a law we transferred all personal property belonging to the Church in the various stakes to the stake incorporations. Where there were stakes without incorporations the property therein was transferred to an adjacent stake having such a body organized.
Tithing has stopped Bishops can receive donations	From that time the payment of tithing ceased, but the bishops are authorized to accept voluntary donations or offerings from the people, and to hold them subject to the order of the rest of the Church as they formerly held the tithing subject to the direction of the trustee in trust.
Court battles not yet begun	Of course it is impossible as yet to say what our line of defence will be; that cannot well be decided until we learn the mode of the enemies attack and the points assailed. We are, however, informed that the attorney general is preparing the papers in the case so it will probably be but a short time before the legal warfare is inaugurated.
Expect a receiver	It is quite possible that one of their first moves will be the appointment of a receiver who will take possession of all the real and personal property he can find that is supposed to belong to the trustee in trust. He certainly will not find as much as he anticipates, if his anticipations, have been based upon the conjectures, suppositions, and romancing of our enemies.
John W. Young effective in obtaining removal of Dickson, otherse	Elder John W. Young still remains in the East, spending much of his time at Washington. He has done a good work, much of which from its nature can never be known but to a few. We hope, and we believe we have reason for the hope, that it will not be long before Mr. Dickson and others will be removed, and if so, we trust that better and juster men will fill their shoes.
	John Taylor, George Q. Cannon
	March 31, 1887 to President Abraham O. Smoot, Provo
Apostles to ordain Brimhall a patriarch	Brother George Brimhall may be ordained a patriarch by the brethren of the Twelve who shall attend the general conference.	George Brimhall biographical sketch
James Jack and Presiding Bishop act for President Taylor	You ask upon whose order, other than my own, you are expected to make appropriations from the funds which have been transferred to the stake organization. There is one class of orders which are drawn under my direction by Brother James Jack; there is another class of orders which are issued by the Presiding Bishop to keep up the supplies necessary to have for disbursement from the Bishop's General Store, as the general Tithing Office is now called. The Presiding Bishop keeps advised as to where the various kinds of produce are, which he needs for his supplies and he knows where they can be best obtained, therefore he will have the liberty of drawing upon you, he doing this by authorization from me as President of the Church, and Brother James Jack, my chief clerk, drawing also at my instance.	Presiding Bishop: William B. Preston
Provo granary	Respecting the work in the erection of offices and granary at Provo, you can continue appropriations from the funds in your possession as an association. These expenditures however, should not exceed in amount, nor be different in kind from the arrangements made by Bishop Preston.
	John Taylor
	March 31, 1887 to Elder James H. Hart, New York
Interstate Commerce law increases immigrant travel You have done well	Your letter of the 23d inst. has been received and perused with interest. The inter state commerce law has evidently interfered in a serious manner with your arrangements and plans, and has made the cost of emigrant fares much higher. We hope that when everything gets into working order under it, you will find less difficult in obtaining cheap rates. We do not see from your statement that you could do any better than you have done, under the circumstances.
John W. Young recommending business connections	Brother John W. Young who has been laboring very assiduously to defeat hostile legislation, and to bring about an amelioration of our condition in the territories, has telegraphed and written upon the subject of concentrating all our influence in business circles in channels that will be most favorable to us. He appears to think that our patronage should be so valued by those who receive it that they will help us politically to the extent of their influence and power. There is considerable force in this idea. If we can use our patronage in such a way as to create friends and arouse friendly effort in our behalf, it would be a consummation worthy of our effort.
Your railroad contracts	He telegraphed us upon this subject and spoke particularly in reference to your railroad contracts to this we replied as follows: Understand Hart has closed contracts with railroads. If not is advised to consult with you.
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