enjoy more liberal principles under that government that [than] colonists under other governments”. He then went on to state concerning some laws which the Legislature have passed which will be for our benifit, one in particular to legalize the sales of property by the late Trustee in Trust.
If we should come to the conclusion to change our location, the question arises, should we make it known what our intentions are. The brethren seem willing to go any where rather than tarry in . It seems as though we were weaned from the other citizens entirely, and I believe if the idea was to go abroad that we designed to leave it would produce a reaction and prevent the prosperity & upbuilding of this . If we want to make another trial here I believe it would not be best policy to let the information go abroad what our intentions were in regard to the West but let two or three go & explore the country, seek out a location and report [p. [16]]
On 18 January 1845 Babbitt introduced legislation to “legalize” earlier transactions in which JS had sold property as the church’s trustee-in-trust. After passage by the Illinois house on 11 February and the senate on 19 February, the bill was signed into law on 28 February. Willard Richards wrote that Babbitt said the “Legislature had confirmd the doings of Prest Joseph Smith as Trustee in trust &c.” (An Act to Legalize the Sale of Property Made by Joseph Smith [28 Feb. 1845], Laws of the State of Illinois [1844–1845], p. 134; Journal of the House of Representatives . . . of Illinois, 18 Jan. 1845; 6 and 28 Feb. 1845; 1 Mar. 1845, 230, 359, 401, 471, 579, 586; Journal of the Senate . . . of Illinois, 17, 18, 19, and 28 Feb. 1845, 327, 337, 341, 408; Richards, Journal, 1 Mar. 1845.)
Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Fourteenth General Assembly, at Their Regular Session, Began and Held at Springfield, December 2nd, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters and Weber, 1845.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the Fourteenth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Regular Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 2, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters & Weber, 1844.
Journal of the Senate of the Fourteenth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Regular Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 2, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters & Weber, 1844.