| 408 his certain knowledge, passed a law whereby they had right to choose any county in the State to be tried in; to which I replied that I understood such a law was passed, but notwithstanding, they could not get their trials in the county wherein they desired; for they were forced to go to Boone, whereas they desired to have their trials in Palmyra, where they could get their witnesses, as that was only sixteen miles from the river, and the other was a great distance. He said that Judge King certainly would not go contrary to law. I told him there were some affidavits in those documents that would tell him some things very strange concerning Judge King. Mr. Linn then wished to know if the affidavits were from anybody else save 'Mormons.' I replied that there were some others, but how many I knew not. He then wanted to know how they were certified, whether any clerk's name was attached in the business. I told him they were well authenticated by the courts of record, with the clerk's name attached thereto.
"After these things and some others were said, the committee refused to consult on the subject. Only the same three attended that were in yesterday. The chairman observed that they had not expressed any opinion relative to the subject, but observed his mind was made up in relation to the matter. I think, from all I have discovered, Mr. Smith, of Indiana, will be on the side of justice; but how the thing will terminate I cannot tell. Mr. Crittenden and Mr. Strange are the two absent members of the committee.
"Yours in the bond of love,
"ELIAS HIGBEE."
-Millennial Star, vol. 17, pp. 599, 600.
On the 22d Mr. Higbee again wrote:-
"WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 22,1840
"Dear Brother:-I have just returned from the committee room. The committee being present to-day, a Mr. Corwin, of St. Louis, formerly a Democratic editor, emptied his budget; which was as great a bundle of nonsense and stuff as could be thought of; I suppose not what he knew, but what gentlemen had told him; for instance, the religious General Clark and others. I confess I had hard work to restrain my
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