Show I 1 I 1 copyright secured HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH SKIT H I 1 FEBRUARY 1839 A it this gentlemen is a brief outline of the difficulties difficult z s that we ha have v e labored under in I 1 consequences of the repeated persecutions that have been heaped upon us and as the governors governors exterminating order has not been rescinded we as a yi people ople were obliged to leav leave eithe Ahe state and with it our lands corn wheat pork ac that we had provided for ourselves selves and families together with our fod 09 fler er which we have collected for our ea cattle atle Ifor horses ses ac those of them that we have be beefs able to preserve from the wreck of that desolation which has sli spread read itself over davies and Cald caldwell counties in consequence of our breth rens being obliged to leave the state and as a sympathy and has been manifested by the citizen ancy numbers of our brethren breter glad to 40 obtain an asylum from the hand of I 1 persecution have come come to this place we cannot but express our feelings of gratitude to the inhabitants of this place for the friendly feelings which have be been eu manifested and the benevolent hand band which has been stretched out to a poor op pressed oppressed injured and persecuted people Andas and as you gentlemen lemen of the democratic association grit have ave felt interested in our welfare and have desired to be put in possession of a knowledge of our situation our present want sand what would be most conducive to our present good to together geher with what led to those difficulties we thought that those documents memorial order of extermination and gen clarks clarka address Ad dressl would f furnish you with as correct information of ouri difficulties les and what led to them as anything we are ip in possession of I 1 if we should say what our present wants are it would be beyond all calculations calculate one a as we have been robb robbed edof of our corn wheat horses cattle cows hogs bogs wearing apparel houses and homes and indeed of all that I 1 renders life tolerable we do noti not we cannot expect to be placed in the situation that we once were nor are we capable of ourselves of supplying the many wants of those of our poor brethren who are daily crowding here and looking to us as for relief in consequence of our property as well as theirs being in the hands of a ruthless and desolating mob it is impossible to 6 give ve an exact account of the widows and t those se I 1 that are entirely destitute as there axe are so many coming here daily but from inquiry the probable amount will be something near twenty besides numbers of others who are able bodied men both able and willing to work to obi tain a subsistence yet owing to their peculiar situation are destitute of means to supply the immediate wants that the necessities necess i of their families call for we would not prop propose 10 se gentlemen what you vou shall do but af after ter mal making tinz these state and generosity As ABU to what we think would be the best bast means to promote our permanent good we think that to give us employment u ent rent us farms daims and allow us the protection tec tion and privileges of other citizens would raise us from a state of dependence liberate us as from the iro iron grap op OF poverty put us in possession of 0 f a competency com V and aid deliver us from the ruinous effects of persecution se despotism and tyranny written in behalf of a committee of tithe the latter day saints E HIGBEE prest J P GREENE clerk to the democratic association mr rigdon then made a statement oi of the wrongs I 1 rec received dived I 1 by the mormons cormons Mor mons from a portion of the geiple people of missouri and of their present an suffering condition on motion of mr bushnell the report and resolutions were laid upon the table until tomorrow to morrow evening on motion of mr bushnell the meeting m adjourned to meet at this thi place c tomorrow to morrow evening evenin at seven sev en 11 stephen ste pi en markham M left far west for illinois ill to fulfill fulfil his appointment of the instant i thursday evening feb met pursuant to adjournment the meeting was called to order by bv the chairman on motion of mr air morris a committee of three was appointed to take up a collection J T holmes whitney and morris were appointed the committee subsequently reported that 48 25 had bad been collected on motion the amount was paid over to the committee on behalf of the mor mons 1 on motion mation of mr holmes a committee of three consisting of S holmes bushnell and morris were appointed appoint 0 to draw up u p subscription papers and circulate them am among the citizens for the purpose of receiving contributions in clothing and provisions on motion six were added to that committee on motion of J T holmes J D morgan amorgan DM organ was appointed a committee to wait upon the he quincy greys for the purpose of receiving repe iving ri g subscriptions mr morgan subsequently reported that twenty dollars had been subscribed by that company the following resolutions were then offered eaby by mr J T holmes resolved that we regard the rights of conscience as natural and ad inalienable and the most sacred guaranteed by the constitution of our oar free government ern ment resolved that we regard the acts of all mobs as flagrant violations of law and those who com compose ose them individually responsible both to tae the laws of god and man for every depredation committed upon the property rights or life of any citizen oi ei resolved that the inhabitants upon the western frontier of the state of missouri in their late persecution of the class of people denominated cormons mormons Mor bilor mons have violated v the sacred rights of conscience and every law of justice and humanity resolved that the governor of missouri in atef refusing using protection to this class clas of people when pressed upon b by y a heartless mob and turning upon them a band of unprincipled militia with orders encouraging their extermination as brought a listing lasting disgrace upon the st state ate over which he be presides the resolutions were supported support id in a spirited manner by holms morris and whitney on motion the resolutions were adopted on motion the meeting then adjourned jour ned SAML leaff chin J D MORGAN secy be 0 y I 1 tuesday ath March quincy til ill beloved brother having an opportunity to send direct to you by br rogers I 1 feel to write a few lines to you yoa prest rigdon ju juge dge higbee israel barlow and myself web to see dr galland week before last bra rigdon higdon higbee and myself are ai e of opinion that it is not wisdom to make a a trade with the doctor at present possibly it may be wisdom to effect A 9 trade hereafter the people here receive us kindly they have contributed near cash besides other property for the relief of the suffering buffering among our people brother josephs wife lives at judge Clevela Clev elands tills I 1 have not seen her bu eisent I 1 sent her word of this opportunity to send to you yon br hyrams wife lives not far from me ah I 1 have ave been to see her a number of times her health was very poor when she arrived but she has been getting better she knows of this opportunity to send I 1 saw sister wright T soon after her arrival here all were well I 1 understand that she has haa moved out about two miles with father and john higbee who are fishing this spring sister mcrae is here li living with br hen henderson derson and is well I 1 believe q she knows of this opportunity I 1 to send er br Bald baldwin wins family I 1 have not seen and aad do not know that she has got here as yet she however may be upon the other f side jide of the river the ice has run these three days past so that there has been no crossing t the e weather is now mode moderating moderation ratin g and the crossing will soon commence again this place is nearly full of our people yet they are scattering off nearly all the while I 1 expect to start tomorrow to morrow for pittsfield pike county illinois about 45 miles S E from this place br geo W robinson Eo binson told ane this morning that he expected that his father in law judge higbee and himself would aro sro on a farm 20 miles N E from this place some of tho the leading men have given us that is our people an invitation to settle in arid about this place many no doubt will stay here brethren I 1 hope that you will bear patiently 0 the privations that you are cabell called t to o endure the lord will deliver intili in bis own due time I 1 your letter respecting the trade with galland was wa 8 no not t received here until af after ter our return from his reside residence at the head bead of the shoals or rapids if br rigdon were not here we might I 1 after receiving receiving your letter come to a different conc conclusion lusi on respecting that trade there arfi am some here that are sanguine that we ought to trade with the dr bishops whitney and knights are not here and have not been as I 1 know of bra morley and billings have settled some 20 or 25 miles north of this place for the present A br lee who lived near hauns mill died on the opposite side of the river a few days d ays since br rigdon preached his funeral sermon in the court house it is a general time of health here we greatly desire to see you and to have you en enjoy loy your freedom the citizens here are willing that we should enjoy the privileges guaranteed to all civil people without molestation I 1 remain your brother in the 1 3 id L a J josepn m I 1 1 others r confined plied in liberty jail ma quincy ill march fth 1839 brethren ayr hyrum m and joseph having an opportunity qa 1 to send a line to you I 1 do not feel lis disposed to let it slip unnoticed Ta fathers bathers family have all arrived in this state except you two and could I 1 but see your faces this 1 side l d 0 of the mississippi and know and realize ize that you had been delivered from your enemies it would certainly light up a n new ew gleam learn of hope in our bosoms nothing could be mo more r 1 e satisfactory nothing could give us more joy emma and children are well they live three miles milea from here and have a tolerable god p place lace hyrams children and mother grinolds Uri are living at present with father they are all well mary marv has not got her health yet but I 1 think it increases increases slowly she lives in th the house eliouse with old father dixon likewise br thompson and family they are arc probably a half mile from fathers we are trying to get a house and to get the family together we shall do the best we can CAA f for or them and that which we consider to be most in accordance with ayr hyrams f feel eel ather father and mother stood their journey remarkably mar kably they are in tolerably tole 3 health samuels wife has been sick ever since they arrived william has removed forty miles from here but is here now and siyi says he is anxious to have you liberated and see you e enjoy nj oy liberty once more my family 1 is well my m health has not been good for about ab out two w weeks e and tor for two or three days the tooth ache has been my tormentor it all originated I 1 with a severe cold dear br brethren ethien we just heard that the governor says that he is going to set you all at liberty I 1 hope its au true e other ether letters that you will probably receive will give you information concerning the warm feeling of the people here toward us after whitin writing these these hurried lines in misery I 1 close by leaving leaving the blessings of god with you and praying for your health prosperity and restitution to liberty this from a true friend and brother DON 0 SMITH 11 br hyrum and joseph 1 I should have called down to liberty to have seen bouhad it not have been for the multiplicity of business that was on my hands and again I 1 thought that perhaps the people might think that the cormons mormons would rise up to liberate you consequently too many going to see you 0 U might wake make it worse for y you bat we all T long ong to see you and have you come out of that lonesome place I 1 hope you will be permitted ermit ted to come to your families before bedfor e long long do not worry about them thein for they will betoken betaken be taken care of all we can do will be done I 1 aone furt further furtner ber than this we can only wish hope desire and pray for your deliverance WM SMITH H to J smith jr and 11 smith 5 friday ath the committee met at T Tu deys W huntington in the chair alanson ripley made a report of his i journey bourney to liberty and said that president joseph smith jr counseled to sell all the land I 1 in i 11 jackson and all other lands in the state whatsoever r resolved that the names of those of the brethren w ho bo havo have subscribed to our covenant and have done nothing be sought for and a record made of them that they may iney be had in remembrance resolved that an extra exertion be made to procure money for removing the poor by I 1 visiting those who have bonev money and laying the necessities of the committee in ia then their business of removing the poor out of the th state before them and solicit their assist ance I 1 voted that the clerk write a letter to bishop partridge laying before him the advice of president joseph smith jr concerning selling the jackson lands eind and requesting a power of attorney foell to ddll them W saturday ath at a meeting held at the committee room in the city of quincy illinois at 2 pm on the aw march 1839 pursuant to previous appointment it was moved by president rigdon and seconded that judge higbee be called to the chair and ho he was unanimously appointed james sloan was then appointed clerecy cle rEby Uby I 1 1 vote I 1 1 president rigdon spoke as to the members of the committee being absent who had called the meeting and proposed that other b business u siness be proceeded in in in the meantime and left aitto the chairty cha irto to decide on the propriety pr bety thereof to which the tha chair assented president rigdon then applied for far a paper which had b been een prepared rand and si signed 9 by several of the citizens of quincy describing i our situa situation ti on I 1 a as I 1 a people a and callei calling upon the hum humane ane jim ini st louis and aliew elsewhere ereie to assist them in aft affording riling us relief the pa per b being tag presented by br ephraim 0 loweff w ed was I 1 then read and president rig rigdon don spoke at length upon the subject and proposed that thai a committee of two of the brethren be appointed by the voice of the meeting to go to st louis ac on such business busine sg themo the motion was th then en put and carried and brother mace appointed as one of said committee and br ephraim owen the other 1 it wet was proposed that br bi orson pratt fratt who dynow in in st louisy louis be appointed as assistant assi stadt after afele r the motion was put end and before it was seconded president rigdon spoke 0 of f it its inconsistency inconsistent y and stated as aff a s a better mode that all the saints in st louis or such of them as the committee may think proper bo called upon by them to assist them the motion was then withdrawn and this busness business n ess bl closed ased I 1 I 1 1 some of the committee who called this meeting being now present president big don spoke of two lett letters erB which had been received ived here by the brethren from iowa territory respecting lands in said placed place and containing sentiments ments of sympathy on account of our grievances es arid and distressed situation ac ao c one of these letters lettera have been mislaid millaid mi and the other from isaac Or alland to br rogers was read it was wag then proposed that a committee be appointed to visit the lands and confer with the gentlemen who had so written and declared themselves interested for our welfare elder t I 1 greene moved that a committee be appointed for that |