I wish you to say to the Mormons for me that I regret very much so much excitement and hatred against them should exist in the public mind.
Nevertheless it is due to truth to say that the public mind every where is so decidedly hostile to them that Public opinion is not inclined to do them common justice— Every bad report against them is greedily swallowed, whilst nothing can be heard which really ought to be heard in their favor— Under these circumstances I fear that they will never be able to live in peace with their neighbors of & the surrounding counties. [p. [51]]
The original copy of this dispatch is apparently not extant. The document was published in the Nauvoo Neighbor on 29 October 1845. (“Copy of a Part of a Dispatch from the Governor,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 29 Oct. 1845, [1].)