March 8 Very heavy rain all night, accompanied by thunder.

arrived from the .

at 10 a m my scribe called to tell me that was a native of Ireland and therefore could <​was​> not <​constitutionally eligible to be​> be the Vice President— he wanted to know who should be nominated for Vice President. I told him to Council with others on that point; when he said he would call a Council this evening.

at 7 p m The , the , , , , & assembled in the Mayor’s , when read the following <​pacific communication which I had, previously, instructed <​dictated​> him to write​> A friendly hint to ” <​see T & S. page 473 & 4 [(red)] Joseph Smith (rev)​>

bro brought the information that bro Farnham had just returned from , & said the people in <​that City place​> were saying things have come to a strange pass, if Jo Smith is elected President he will raise the Devil with , <​&​> if he is not elected, he will raise the Devil any how”.

It was agreed that Col , <​living at​> Parris, Henry Co. Tenn: should be written to, on the subject of the Vice Presidency, and that should write the letter; & invite him to visit us, & see if— he would suffer his name to run for the <​that​> Vice Presidency <​office​>.

March 9 Met in City Council & gave my reasons in favor of the repeal of the hog law— that I was afraid there were but few men who would ever make a fence round their gardens unless the hogs are suffered to run at large—. & if the people think there is a hog law, they will not fence; and consequently will be eat up by Hogs & other animals from the Country. The Hog law has made more contention than all the Hogs would, if they had been let alone— let the hogs run in the Streets and the people make good fences to secure their gardens. <​Some​> <​Many​> Physicians have given it as their opinion that a hog mud hole in the Streets is the most healthy of any damp place. If we do not let the hogs run at large <​in the ,​> the Hogs & Cattle from the Country will <​come into the Corporation &​> eat the grass &c in the , & we suffer all the evils, & loose all the benefits. Empound the Country hogs & the owners will damn the empounded & the , and fight against us. I say to the City Council let the Hogs & Dogs Laws alone. A man that is afraid of a dog and grumbles a great deal about a dog’s barking at him is a coward. This <​it​> is one reason why God withdrew his Spirit from the Earth. & because the people were so ready to take the life of Animals.

It was the principles of democracy that the people’s voice, should be heard, when their voice was just; but when it was not just, it was no longer democratic; but if the minority’s views are more just then Aristarchy should be the governing principle i.e. the wisest and best laws should be made. When : & will call causes <​caucuses​>, & explain the subject to them, then we will hear them [p. 22]