Monday 29. At 10 a.m. the Twelve Apostles, together with my brother Hyrum [Smith] and J[ohn] P. Green[e] met at the Mayor’s office to take into consideration the proper course for this people to pursue in relation to the coming Presidential Election. The Candidates for the office of President of the United States at present before the people are Martin Van Buren and Henry Clay. It is morally impossible for this people, in justice to themselves, to vote for the re-election of President Van Buren, a man who criminally neglected his duties as chief Magistrate, in the cold and unblushing manner which he did, when appealed to for aid in the Missouri difficulties. His heartless reply burns like a firebrand in the breast of every true friend of liberty “your cause is just but I can do nothing for you.” As to Mr. Clay his sentiments and cool contempt of the people’s rights are manifested in his Reply “You had better go to Oregon for redress”— which would prohibit any true lover of our constitutional privileges, from supporting him at the Ballot Box.

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It was therefore moved by Willard Richards and voted unanimously “that we will have an <​independent​> electoral ticket and that Joseph Smith be a candidate for the next Presidency; and that we use all honorable means in our power to secure his election.” I said,

“If you attempt to accomplish this you must send every man in the city who is able to speak in public, throughout the land to electioneer and make stump speeches, advocate the Mormon religion, purity of election, and call upon the people to stand by the law, and put down mobocracy. David Yearsl[e]y must go. Parley P. Pratt to New York. Erastus Snow to Vermont and Sidney Rigdon to Pennsylvania. After the April Conference we will have general Conferences all over the nation, and I will attend <​as many as convenient​> them. Tell the people we have had Whig and democratic Presidents long enough; we want a President of the United States. If I ever get into the Presidential chair, I will protect the people in their rights and liberties. I will not electioneer for myself— Hyrum, Brigham [Young], Parley, and [John] Taylor must go. [William] Clayton must go or he will apostatize. The Whigs are striving for a king under the garb of democracy. There is oratory enough in the church to carry me into the Presidential chair the first slide.”