| Show THU THE repudiation in ili the day of march 1882 1 V iford woodruff and joseph F S si lib ith the following es d with reference ference le to the action 11 heir As rumors have been circulated I 1 published puLli sheil mccurin m the first of tho the church of fenix abt of latter day saints with it ur reference in political afra affairs irs so BO a 0 control ea elections chions and to direct orrt ibers of the church as to which 1 party tofy abey should bupp I 1 t we hereby declare these iun P to be false and without foun 1 n I ion in fact we emphatically d di y v that we or either of us au i riz iriz d mr georgo george F gibbs or i other person or persons to use I 1 names so as to influence citi I 1 e s to vote the republican ticket a ai logan copti or elsewhere elsen else here if our 0 i laes Ine slave have been used in any such it has been entirely without i mission from us and we hereby wdean it as rong and depre it sible iffe if we hare any desire in i it is ia that hat tire the people of this i atory shall study well the les es of both the great national i L ties ant and then choose which i v will join freely voluntarily i 1 honestly from personal cou con tion lion and then stand eland by it in all lor and pincer sincerity i ty E each ach party uld have the same rights uri es and as the r if any roan man claims that it i hj lit wish wih of the first presidency t ta democrat t hali chall vote the re its licad ticket or a republican th tb democratic Democrat id ticket let all know he is ia endeavoring to de e the public and has no anity of that kind from us ve jre e no disposition to direct in e matters mattera but pro proclaim claira that i ir as we are concerned the i ableros ablers of this church are ell cir ly and perfectly free in all i affairs af faira burthey but they should shoula indulge in ill feeling or beroll ies ice president george Q canis an absent but we are sure that i r e were here he be would sign the i with us WILFORD wilfurd josepn F SMITH the presidency of the church of taus christ day saints eaphe this authoritative dee dec i ilion men inen prominent in the neils of the mormon church hout restraint or repudiation it t through this territory advis I 1 i the be people in private and in strood meetings that the wel of the mormon people demand 1 that hat there should be more re iii means ili cans and that the people mid be beabout abut equally divided nhen en the gibbs letter wap ted to the first presidency i lord iford woodruff dec declared laed that lie he 0 i 1 never heard of the letter lefter bed and that lie he disapproved it 11 eph P F smith also claimed that i 1 was innocent in n regard to it oui fill in anater to questions propounded to him refused to digap this action of the secretary i n october 1892 there were for w ded to the hie bishops of the u D church a circular containing 0 o eris from joseph F smith one 1 he be first presidency and thomas i stevens evens bishop of the fifth it ard rd of ogden the residence of I 1 ft J can cannon non the republican indi indicate date for congress that year 1 li letteron letter lette if joseph ir smith was i lollo follow itt salt lale lake city utah oct 26 iia i ia bishop on learning certain influential persons oilive in public and in private at ed edalie tile moral character of bro eliet frank J cannon the republican candidate for delegate to con greo greeg for the purpose of defeating his bis election I 1 took occasion to tc communicate with bishop stevens stevena of ogden in regard to the matter ile he sent cent me the following reply which I 1 send you yon for your information with the request that you in in the interest of fair fairness riess give it proper Dubli publicity city leaving the people to judge ar an to the woi phiness of brother cannon to be benta tentative tive in the congress of the united states state JOSEPH P F SMITH it is known of all men that joseph F smith is a member of the republican party devoted to advancing its interests in season land and out of season the letter of biship stevens stevena referred to bv by president smith smith is as follows follow president joseph F smith dear brother in answer to questions regarding the standing of prank fran k J cannon wi will I 1 1 i hay ay that some years ago a charge was preferred against him the wording of which I 1 do not cof now remember but I 1 do remember that we had to rely lar largely gelyon on his hisomu own confession iosub said charge his contes sion was all t that hat we ave could ask he making a clean breast of it concerning his transgression the decision rendered by the bishops court was that he be confess his pill sin before the ward in public meeting and ask forgiveness which he did to the best of my recollection the following sunday and a more humble penitent spirit I 1 never witnessed in any person than that which chich was with him upon that occasion casion the people of ta the le war ward d freely forgave him there be being ing not one dissenting vote at this time lime I 1 was not bishop but was a counselor in the bishop ic which tried ilia his case I 1 have rare been his bishop for four years past during this time he be has manifested upon many occasions his bis devotion to the work of the lord his tithing has been settled to our c satisfaction each year his hia donations have been liberally paid to help the poor erecting na meeting house ward school etc in fact he has clone more than his share in these directions when 13 financial compared with others ile he has confessed to roe me twice since my being his bis bishop of his being guilty of taking too much strong drink drini and being intoxicated intoxicate il upon thee thee occasions he hat hai shon unmistakably his respect for those who preside over him in ill the priesthood and volunteered the information conc concerning eining ins his transgressions I 1 know for a long tiar time e he has been working hard bard to overcome T e b his 1 s appetite for st strong rong av 00 drink w and ad 1 I tully fully believe ill that at he be has succeeded I 1 will further say that if brother frank J cannon should apply to me for a recommend to join any ward I 1 would give him one certifying that he is in good standing and fellowship as I 1 I 1 consider him to he be worthy of such signed |
