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Letter from Lewis Cass, 9 December 1843

Source Note

Lewis Cass

9 Oct. 1782–17 June 1866. Teacher, lawyer, soldier, author, politician. Born in Exeter, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. Son of Jonathan Cass and Mary Gilman. Attended Phillips Academy, 1792–1799, in Exeter, where he also taught. Teacher in Wilmington, New ...

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, Letter,
Detroit

Port city located between west end of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair. State capital and county seat. French first visited site, ca. 1610, and established settlement and fort, by 1701. Britain obtained possession, 1760. Became part of U.S. territory, 1783. First...

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, Wayne Co., MI, to JS,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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, Hancock Co., IL, 9 Dec. 1843; unidentified handwriting; signature of
Lewis Cass

9 Oct. 1782–17 June 1866. Teacher, lawyer, soldier, author, politician. Born in Exeter, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. Son of Jonathan Cass and Mary Gilman. Attended Phillips Academy, 1792–1799, in Exeter, where he also taught. Teacher in Wilmington, New ...

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; dockets in handwriting of
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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and
Leo Hawkins

19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...

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; two pages; JS Collection, CHL.

Page [1]

Detroit

Port city located between west end of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair. State capital and county seat. French first visited site, ca. 1610, and established settlement and fort, by 1701. Britain obtained possession, 1760. Became part of U.S. territory, 1783. First...

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Dec. 9th ’43
Sir
I received not long since your letter of the 5th ult, in which after referring to the difficulties, which the people called Mormonites have experienced, you ask me, “what would be my rule of action toward them as a people should fortune favor my ascension to the Chief Magistracy.[”]
The contingency to which you refer, is one which I have never sought, and never shall seek to attain, nor will the prospect of it whether near or remote, have the slightest influence upon my feelings or opinions. And without any affectation of humility, I may truly say that when I look to the able men whose names are now before the
Country

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

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, in connexion with that high office, I cannot but think that the selection will fall upon one of them, rather than upon me.
Still ordinary civility requires that I should answer you, and I do so with the less hesitation as your question involves neither doubt nor difficulty. I think then that the Mormonites should be treated as [p. [1]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Lewis Cass, 9 December 1843
ID #
1222
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:353–357
Handwriting on This Page
  • Unidentified

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