Part 3: 27 January–8 April 1840
In late January
1840, JS returned to from
and prepared to travel home to the , Illinois, area along with and . , still in poor health, remained in
Philadelphia and spent time in the Delaware River
Valley from early March to
mid-April. Meanwhile, stayed in the capital to manage the ’s petitioning efforts with the Senate. Before leaving
Washington, JS preached several sermons, but a description of the
content of only one sermon is extant. With Foster and
Rockwell, JS left in mid-February
and reached Commerce by 29 February.
Before JS left ,
Senator of presented to the Senate the church’s
memorial, which suggested $2 million as an appropriate
amount for reparations for the treatment the Saints received in . After some debate, the memorial was read aloud
in the Senate chamber and was subsequently tabled. On 12 February, the Senate
reconsidered the memorial and resolved that it would be sent to the
Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which consisted of five senators:
Garret D. Wall (a Democrat from
), Thomas Clayton (a Whig
from Delaware), Robert Strange (a Democrat from North
Carolina), John J.
Crittenden (a Whig from Kentucky),
and Oliver H. Smith (a Whig from
). Five days later, Young submitted to the Senate
several affidavits and pamphlets as supporting documentation for the
memorial. It appears that this committee was first supposed to
determine whether considering the church’s petition fell under the
jurisdiction of the federal government. To this end—and at
’s request—the committee held a special
hearing from 20 to 22
February. Higbee represented the church, while Senator
and Representative
attended on behalf of the
state of Missouri. According to its
report dated 4 March, the committee decided that
the church would have to seek redress and reparations through
Missouri or through the federal courts in that state. The Senate
approved the committee’s resolution on 23 March and subsequently ordered
the publication of the committee’s report. Higbee apprised JS and other church
leaders of these proceedings in a series of seven letters he wrote
in February and
March.
By early April 1840, news had
reached of the committee’s decision. In response, a
general of the church passed several
resolutions, one of which deemed the committee’s report
“unconstitutional.” The conference also
appointed and as missionaries to
visit the Jews in Europe and
Palestine. Meanwhile, JS delivered at least two
discourses in the Commerce area in which he expressed his
frustration with President ’s
unwillingness to assist the church in its petitioning efforts.
JS also reengaged in the effort to build up the planned town of , principally
by selling lots to church members.
This part comprises twenty-six documents. It includes the
memorial that the church presented to the Senate, several
letters between JS and various associates in the
eastern , records of a
land
transaction between Jane Miller and the , minutes of church meetings in which JS
took part, a
letter of recommendation for , and reports of discourses JS delivered in and in
the area.