sulting the governors to draw out their feelings in relation to our objects in the Western Mission.
said as he understood the subject it was touching the letter sent by and that the object was to show them what had been proposed to us and what they felt on the subject. We want to keep them dark of our intentions by this means and keep down excitement, and have them use their influence to allay the excitement and put down mobs that we may go away in peace. We want to give them to understand that we are in favor of the project and see what they will do.
Coun. said he had some views of other objects which might be accomplished in the same letter. If to keep them in the dark was the only object he would have sent s answer to letter and let it end there. He looks at things as really about to transpire which are important. [p. [72]]
Richards had proposed that the Mormons be granted a “reserve” by the federal government in Wisconsin. The church’s published response also suggested possible locations in Oregon or Texas. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 4 Feb. 1845; “Great Western Move,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 26 Feb. 1845, [1].)
On 28 January 1845 William Clayton similarly claimed that upon receiving Richards’s proposal, the leaders of the church decided to “set the think [thing] in aggitation in order to turn off the attention of the mobocrats until we can finish the Temple.” (Clayton, Journal, 28 Jan. 1845; see also the editorial note preceding the entry for 4 Feb. 1845.)
At an earlier meeting of the council, Spencer was assigned to write an introduction to the correspondence between George Miller and Richards, under Miller’s name. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 4 Feb. 1845.)