Editorial, 16–17 February 1844, William W. Phelps Draft
Source Note
JS, Editorial, [, Hancock Co., IL, 16–17 Feb. 1844]. Version drafted [17 Feb. 1844]; handwriting of ; docket and notation in handwriting of ; seven pages; JS Collection, CHL.
in June 1841, was tried at before <of the 5th circuit,> and as no exceptions have ever been taken to that decision, by this or , but did, soon <had previously> after, entered a on all the old indictmants aganst the Mormons in the difficulties of 1838, it is taken and granted thatthatdecisionwasJust.! The second, in December 1842, was tried at before in the U. S. District Court, and, from that honorable discharge, as no exceptions from any source have been made to those proceedings, it follows, as a matter of course, thatthatdecisionwasJust! And the third, in July, 1843, was tried at <the city> before the Municipal Court of said ; and, as no exceptions to that discharge, have been taken, and, as the says there is “evidence on the other side to show that the Sheriff of voluntarily carried (who had Mr Smith in custody) to the city of , without coercion on the part of any one,” it must be admitted thatthatdecisionwasJust!
But is any man still unconvinced of the Justness of these strictures relative to the two last cases, let the astounding fact go forth that, [p. [3]]