‘I am at this time persecuted the worst of any man on the earth, as well as this people here in this place: and all our sacred rights are trampled under the feet of the mob. I am now haunted as an hart by the mob, under the pretence or shadow of law to cover their abominable deeds. An unhallowed demand has been made from the of , on oath of that I made an attempt to assassinate him in the night of the 6th of May, when on that day I was attending the officer drill, and answered to my name when the roll was called. And on the seventh, it is well known by the thousands that assembled here in , that I was at my post in reviewing the in the presence of twelve thousand people; and the of the State of , notwithstanding his being known to all these facts, yet he immediately granted a writ, and by an unhallowed usurpation. has taken away our chartered rights, and denied the right of ; and has now about thirty of the most blood thirsty kind of men in this place in search for me threatening death and destruction, and exterminating upon all the Mormons, and and searching my house almost continually from day to day, menancing and threatening, and intimidating an innocent and children, and insulting them in a most diabolical manner threatening their lives, &c. if I am not to be found, with a gang of Missourians with them, saying they will have me dead or alive, and if alive, they will carry me to in chains, and when there, they will kill me at all hazards. And all this is backed up and urged on by the of this , with all the rage of a demon, putting at defiance the constitution of this , our chartered rights, and the constitution of the ; for not as yet have they done one thing that was in accordance to them. * * * *

The Legion would a[l]l willingly die in the defence of their rights; but what would this accomplish? I have kept down their indignation, and kept a quiet submission on all hands; and am determined to do so at all hazards.’ [p. [2]]