History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
Page 748
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will disperse, and you be left to enjoy peace, harmony and prosperity. <​July 25.​> With sentiments of esteem and profound respect, we are, gentlemen, your obedient Servants. , Joseph Smith Jr., . , .
28 July 1836 • Thursday
<​x 28​> The following letter was received, at “, Clay county, Mo,” on the 28th. of July.
“City of , July 18th. 1836”
<​’s Letter, to .​> “Messrs and others, Gentlemen. The treatment your people have, received and are now receiving, is of an extraordinary character, such as is seldom experienced in any country by any people As an individual I sympathize with you; and as the Executive of the , deeply deplore such a state of things. Your appeal to the executive is a natural one:— but a proper understanding of our institutions will shew you, that yours is a case not for the special cognizance of the Executive. It is a case, or, I may say. they are cases of an individual wrong. These, as I have before told you, are subjects for judicial interference: and, there are cases, sometimes, of individual outrage, which may be so popular as to render the action of courts of Justice nugatory, in endeavoring to afford a [HC 2:461] remedy. I would refer you to the charge of Judge Lawless, made to the Grand Jury of , Public sentiment may become paramount law; and, when one man, or society of men, become so obnoxious to that sentiment, as to determine the people to be rid of him, or them, it is useless to run counter to it. The time was when the people (except those in ,) were divided, and the major part in your favor;— that does not now seem to be the case. Why is this so? Does your conduct merit such censures as exist against <​you​>? It is not necessary for me to give my opinion. Your neighbors accuse your people, of holding illicit communications with the Indians, and of being opposed to slavery. You deny. Whether the charge, or the denial, is true, I cannot tell. The fact exists, and your neighbors seem to believe it true; and, whether true or false, the consequences will be the same (if your opponents are not merely gasconading) unless you can by your conduct and arguments, convince them of your innocence. If you cannot do this, all I can say to you, is, that in this Republic, the vox populi is the vox Dei.”
“Yours Respectfully, .” [HC 2:462]
25 July–6 August 1836 • Monday–Saturday
<​25. Joseph &c visit to the Eastern States.​> On Monday afternoon, July 25, in company with , Bro and , I left , and at 7 oclock the same evening, we took passage on board the Steamer Charles Townsend, S. Fox. Master, at , and the next evening, about 10 o clock we arrived at , N.Y. and took lodgings at the “Farmer’s Hotel.” Here we met with Elders and , the former on his way to , and the latter from that Province. To avoid the crowding, fisting, fighting, racing and rioting of the packets, we took passage on a line boat for Utica. where we arrived about 8 o clock A.M. of the 29th., just in time to take the Rail road car for Schenectady, the first passenger’s car on the new road. We were more than six hours travelling 80 miles. The Locomotive had hardly stopped before the cry was “Albany baggage;— the [p. 748]
will disperse, and you be left to enjoy peace, harmony and prosperity. July 25. With sentiments of esteem and profound respect, we are, gentlemen, your obedient Servants. , Joseph Smith Jr., . , .
28 July 1836 • Thursday
x 28 The following letter was received, at “, Clay county, Mo,” on the 28th. of July.
“City of , July 18th. 1836”
’s Letter, to . “Messrs and others, Gentlemen. The treatment your people have, received and are now receiving, is of an extraordinary character, such as is seldom experienced in any country by any people As an individual I sympathize with you; and as the Executive of the , deeply deplore such a state of things. Your appeal to the executive is a natural one:— but a proper understanding of our institutions will shew you, that yours is a case not for the special cognizance of the Executive. It is a case, or, I may say. they are cases of an individual wrong. These, as I have before told you, are subjects for judicial interference: and, there are cases, sometimes, of individual outrage, which may be so popular as to render the action of courts of Justice nugatory, in endeavoring to afford a [HC 2:461] remedy. I would refer you to the charge of Judge Lawless, made to the Grand Jury of , Public sentiment may become paramount law; and, when one man, or society of men, become so obnoxious to that sentiment, as to determine the people to be rid of him, or them, it is useless to run counter to it. The time was when the people (except those in ,) were divided, and the major part in your favor;— that does not now seem to be the case. Why is this so? Does your conduct merit such censures as exist against you? It is not necessary for me to give my opinion. Your neighbors accuse your people, of holding illicit communications with the Indians, and of being opposed to slavery. You deny. Whether the charge, or the denial, is true, I cannot tell. The fact exists, and your neighbors seem to believe it true; and, whether true or false, the consequences will be the same (if your opponents are not merely gasconading) unless you can by your conduct and arguments, convince them of your innocence. If you cannot do this, all I can say to you, is, that in this Republic, the vox populi is the vox Dei.”
“Yours Respectfully, .” [HC 2:462]
25 July–6 August 1836 • Monday–Saturday
25. Joseph &c visit to the Eastern States. On Monday afternoon, July 25, in company with , Bro and , I left , and at 7 oclock the same evening, we took passage on board the Steamer Charles Townsend, S. Fox. Master, at , and the next evening, about 10 o clock we arrived at , N.Y. and took lodgings at the “Farmer’s Hotel.” Here we met with Elders and , the former on his way to , and the latter from that Province. To avoid the crowding, fisting, fighting, racing and rioting of the packets, we took passage on a line boat for Utica. where we arrived about 8 o clock A.M. of the 29th., just in time to take the Rail road car for Schenectady, the first passenger’s car on the new road. We were more than six hours travelling 80 miles. The Locomotive had hardly stopped before the cry was “Albany baggage;— the [p. 748]
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