Show I 1 LIFE OF JOSEPH SMITH the book of mormon has hap made known who israel is upon this continent and while we behold the government of the united states gathering the indians and locating them upon lands land to be their own hw how sweet it is to think that they may may one day be gathered by the gospel our venerable president of these united states andrew jackson speaks of the indians as follows the plan of removing the aboriginal people I 1 who yet et remain within the settled portions of the ignited united states to the country west of the mississippi river approaches its consummation it was adopted on the most mature consideration of the condition of this race anil and ought to be persisted in till the object is is accomplished an and p prosecuted ted with as much vigor as acutt regard a r d to their circumstances will permit and as f far as a their consent can be obtained all preceding experiments for the improvement of the indians have failed it seems now to be an established fact that they cannot live in contact with a civilized community and prosper ages of fruitless endeavors have at length brought us ui to a knowledge of this principle of intercommunication with them thelast the past we w cani 1 not recall but the future we can provide for I 1 independently of the treaty stipulations into which we have entered with the various tribes for the rights ceded to us no one can doubt the moral mors duty of the government of I 1 the united states to protect and if possible to preserve and perpetuate the scattered remnants of this race which are left within our borders I 1 in the discharge of this duty an extensive region I 1 in the west has haa been assigned for their permanent residence it has be been divided into 1 districts and allotted among them many have already removed and others are preparing thaw to ad a with wa ith the eze exception eption of two t wo small bands band in ohio and in indiana aiana not exceed t i ing fifteen candied hundred persons and of the cherokees k L all the tribes on the east side of f the mississippi florit sissie sis sippi and extending from lake michigan to florida have entered into engagements which will lead to their transplant transplantation ati on the plan for their removal and reestablish establish re ment is founded upon the know knowledge lede we have gained ined of f their character and habits and has I 1 ga been een d dictated by a spirit of enlarged liberality A territory exceeding in extent that relinquished quia qui hed shed lifis has been granted to each tribe of its climate fertility and capacity to support an indian population latron the representations are highly favorable to these districts the indians are removed at the expense of the united states and with certain supplies of clothing arms ammunition and other indispensable articles they are also furnished bratu gratuitously with provisions for the period of a year 1 after their arrival at their new homes lathat in that time from the nature of the country and of the products raised ed by them they can subsist themselves by agricultural labor I 1 if they choose to resort to that mode of life if they do not they are on the skirts of the great prairies where countless herds of buffalo roam and a L short time suffices to adapt ai pt their own habits to the changes 7 which a change of the animals destined for their food may require ample arrangements have also been made for the support of schools in some instances council houses and churches are to he be erected dwellings constructed for the chiefs ano and mills for cotton use funds have beyn beun set apart for the th e maintenance of the poor the most necessary mechanical arts have been introduced and blacksmiths gunsmiths gun smiths wheelwrights wheel wrights millwrights ac are supported among them steel and iron and sometimes salt are purchased for them and ploughs 0 and other farming utensils domestic animals looms spinning wheels cards ac are presented d to them and besides these beneficial arrangements annuities are in all cases paid amounting in some instances to more than thirty I 1 dollars for each individual 0 fa the tribe and I 1 in i n all cases sufficiently great if jug justly aly divided and prudently expended to enable them in addition to their own exertions to live comfortably and as a stimulus for exertion it is now provided by law that in all cases of the appointment of interpreters or other persons employed for the benefit of the indians a preference shall be given iven to parsons of indian descent if such cart can L bo found who are properly qualified for the discharge of the duties such are the arrangements for the physical comfort cm fort and for the moral improvement of the indians the necessary measures for their political advancement and for their separation from our citizens have not been neglected the pledge of the united states has been given by congress that the country destined for the redi residence deuce of this people shall be forever secured and guaranteed to them 11 1 1 A countr country y west of missouri and ark arkansas a ns a s has been assigned to them into which the white settlements 1 1 are not to ito be pushed no political corn com 1 Ift infinities unities can be formed in that extensive region I 1 IN except too pt those that are established by the indians themselves or by the united states for them 9 and with their concurrence A barrier i ahas haa thus thin been raised for their protection against the encroachments encroach ments of the citizens and guarding 11 the indians as far as possible from those evils which hove have brought them to their present condition I 1 summary authority has been ban given b by y law to destroy all ardent spirits found in their country 1 without waiting the doubtful result and slow process of a legal isial seizure I 1 consider ider the absolute and unconditional interdiction ter of this article among these people as the first and great step in ia dwir amelioration half way measures will answer no purpose these cannot successfully contend against the cupidity of the seller and the overpowering e r I 1 n lf appetite of the buyer and the destructive v e e ef fecas of the traffic are marked in every page of the history of our indian intercourse some general le legislation isolation seems necessary for the regulation of of the relations which will exist in in this new state of things between the I 1 government and people of the united states and those transplanted indian tribes and for the establishment among the latter and with their own consent eon sent some of the principles prin cipley of intercommunication ter communication which their juxta huxta position will call for that moral may be substituted for physical force the authority of a few and simple laws for the tomahawk and that an end may mat be put to those bloody wars whose prosecution seems seem a to have made a part of their social system after the further details of this aTran arrangement gement are completed with a very genera beneral over them they ought to beleff be left to the progress of events these th ese I 1 indulge the hope will secure their prosperity and improvement and a large portion of the moral debt we owe them will be paid in addition to the above we extract the following from the report on indian affairs made to congress at the present session we add and arrange according to circumstances ac the united nation chippeway Chipp ewas ottoway Ott ewas and Pot mies about 1000 in number removed since september 1834 possess five millions of acres of land on the east side of the missouri and lying north west of the north west corner of missouri isso ari all these tribes may be rated at about the choctaws about in number have fifteen millions of acres lying between red river and the canadian A small band of Qua paws two or three hundred perhaps near acres between the western boundary of the state of missouri and the eastern boundary of the usages the creeks about 3 or have thirteen millions one hundred and forty thousand acres on arkansas and canadian rivers the seminoles Semi noles and other florida indians indiana to the number of ait say 20 5 included as the owners of the above acres the cherokees amounting to say have thirteen millions of acres near the 36 degree of north latitude the Kicka something less than 1000 have acres aares north of fort leavenworth 1000 the delawarek Dela wares nearly a thousand have acres west and south of the kicka 1000 the shawnees 12 or 1400 have acres south side of kansas river 1400 the ottomas Ot about have acres south of the shawnees shawnee the Pinke shaws teoria and kashas kiss kias say in all have acres south of the shawnees shawnee the and shawnees say have acres on the western boundaries of the state of missouri of the native tribes west of the mississippi the report is as follows sioux lowans 1 1200 sacs of the missouri 1400 and missourian Mis 1600 pawnees Paw nees manches Ca mandahs Man dans Mina tarea tares crees gros groa ventres cen tres crows f 1 Qua paws 1 i cardoes Cad does 2000 1 1 doncas Arick arees 2000 foxes 1600 Ane Kio ways fcc usages banzas 1471 sacs the py joy that we shall feel in common with every honest american and the joy that will eventually fill their bosoms on account of nationalizing them will be glory enough when it comes to show that gathering them to themselves and for themselves thein selves to be associated with themselves is a wise measure and reflects the highest honor upon our government may they all be gathered in peace and form a happy ha appy union among amon themselves to which thousands may shout shoat asto asto perpetua wt I 1 thursday ath attended a sumptuous feast at bishop i sho N K whitneys Whit this feast was after th the 0 o order of the son of god the lame the halt an and d blind were invited according to th the instruction st of the savior our meeting was opened by singing and prayer prayer by father smith after which bishop whitneys Whit father and mother and a number of others were blessed with a patriarchal blessing we then received a bountiful refreshment furnished by the liberality of the bishop the company w was large and before we partook we had some of the i songs of zion sung and our hearts were made glad while partaking of an anti past of those joys that will be poured upon the heads beads of the saints when they are gathered together on on mount zion to enjoy each others society socie forevermore even all the blessings of heaven when there will be none to molest or make us afraid returned home and spent the evening friday jtb spent the day in the hebrew sob school ool and made rapid progress in our studies the plastering and hard finishing on the outside of the lords house was commenced on the ad november 1835 5 and finished this day the job was waa let to artemas millet and lorenzo young at one thousand dollars jacob bump took the job of plastering the inside of the house throughout at fifteen hundred dollars and commenced the same on the ath of november last he is still conti continuing nain I 1 the work notwithstanding the inclemency ol 01 of the weather saturday ath attended school in the fora for A noon about 11 received the following note thus saith the voice of the spirit to me if thy brother joseph smith junior will attend the feast at thy house this day at 12 clock 0 2 the poor and the lame will rejoice at his presence and also think themselves honored yours in friendship friend shi and love jan 9 1836 T N K W whitney I 1 dismissed the school in order to attend to this polite invitation with tj my wife fat berand herand moth er A large congregation assembled a gumbir numbe the agent out has reported then theae indians at upwards of 2000 were bl blessed eseed under ander the hands of father smith and we had a good filae spent the evening at home sunday r i attended meeting at the hour iders elders wilber denton and J salisbury preached in the forenoon and brothers samuel and carlos smith in the afternoon they all ail did well considering their youth administered the sacrament during intermission elder martin harris baptized three spent the evenin evening at home moz monday ay I 1 ith there be being i n g n no 0 school I 1 spent the day at home many bre brethren t h ren called to see me among whom was alva beeman Bea manfrom fro m genesee co new york who had come to attend the solemn assembly I 1 delight in t the h e society of my mt brethren and friends and pray pra that the blessings of heaven and earth may u be multiplied upon their heads tuesday 3 I 1 called on the presidency of the church and made arrangements to meet tomorrow to morrow at 10 am to take into consideration sider stion the subject of the solemn assembly this afternoon a young man called to see the egyptian manuscripts which I 1 exhibited also brother joseph rose introduced to me rosael weaver a christian or Unita unitarian miau ko called from Camb cambray rayy new york we had bad some little controversy on pre prejudice jadice but soon came to an understanding he spoke oke of the gospel and said he believed it adding that it was good tidings of treat great joy I 1 replied that it was one thing to proclaim good tidings and another to tell what those tidings were he waived the conversation and withdrew wednesday at 10 I 1 met in I 1 council with the presidency of kirtland and zion namely joseph smith senior sidney rigdon hyrum smith david whitmer john whitmer and W W phelps also the twelve 1 apostles the high council of zion and the high council of kirtland the bishops of zion and kirtland the presidency of the seventies and many more of the elders some of the i counselors both of zion and kirtland were absent the council came to order sung song adam ondi ahman and opened by prayer offered up by joseph smith senior when I 1 made some remarks ii arks in my introductory lecture before the authority of the church in in general terms laying before ithem the business of the day which was to supply some deficiencies in the bishops council in this place also in the high council 1 I 1 after some query a upon on the most proper mannet manner I 1 of proceeding e elder der vinson knight was i no nominated misted by the bishop and seconded by the presidency the vote was then called from the presidency and carried next from the high council of zion and carried from the twelve and carried from the council of the seventy and carried from the bishop of zion and his council and carried and elder knight was received by the universal voice and consent of all the authority of the church as a counselor in the bishops council in kirtland to fill the place of elder hyrum smith who had been ordained to the presidency quey of the high council of kirtland elder knight was then ordained under the hands of bishop newel K whitney to the office of high priest and bishops counselor council adjourned for one hour by singing corny come let us rejoice ac and asse again at one pm john P green was nominated and seconded by the presidency a member of the high council of kirtland and carried by the unanimous voice of all the authority of the church to supply the place of president 0 cowdery who had been elected to the presidency of the high council of kirtland elder thomas grover was elected in like mani net ner a counselor in the high agh council to fill the be vacancy occasioned by luke uke johnsons having been ordained one of the twelve apostles elder noah packard was elected to supply the place of sylvester smith who had been ordained to the presidency of the seventy a member of the high council of kirtland elmerjohn elder Elde john rJohn E page was nominated but being absent his name was dropped elder joseph josepe kingsbury was unanimous unanimously tv chosen a high counselor in kirtland to supply the vacancy occasioned by orson pratts being ordained one of the twelve apostles elder samuel james was unanimously anani chosen a member of the high council of |