| 257 the conference, in compliance with the recommendation of this last committee, voted as follows: "That it is the sense of this conference that he (J. W. Briggs) be relieved from the odium attached to his name as an officer of the church, that he may labor in his exalted calling."
Now, therefore, I respectfully demur to the act of the late semiannual conference, aforesaid, on the following grounds:
First. That it is unjust, and subversive of the elements of all just government, to put in jeopardy twice for the same cause, or alleged offense.
Second. That it ignores, or violates a rule and usage of the church, in respect to quorums, that their members ought to first, in case of grievance or accusation, be heard by their respective quorums.
Third. That the First Presidency are not authorized to appoint a court to try the said case, the church being governed by law, and not by the viva voce order of a conference.
Fourth. That the aforesaid charges, based upon published articles (except the last), in which the several questions embraced were discussed, from a Bible, Book of Mormon, and book of Doctrine and Covenants standpoint, are in antagonism to the declared liberality of the church, before the world, and tends to repress investigation, and thus block the way of progress in the discovery of new truth.
Fifth. That the added charge to the revised list before mentioned, of denying "the law of tithing," is based upon remarks upon a resolution on that subject in open conference, and violates parliamentary rules, forbidding the calling in question elsewhere, words (or sentiments) spoken in debate.
Without multiplying further objections to the act of the semiannual conference in my case, I respectfully request at your hands, the consideration due the subject involved, and to myself the simplest justice. I ask first, that the act of the semiannual conference, before mentioned, be by you rescinded, and an affirming the act of the late annual conference, before mentioned; or, second, so far modify said act of the semiannual conference as to refer the whole subject to the Quorum of the Twelve, in their capacity of a presiding high council. To this high council I appeal, and from church usage, might and do demand, as a right, to be heard before that council.
While I do this, I am sensible that the action of the quorum in this case is not final, necessarily, I feel it to be the first legitimate step toward such a finality, a consummation equally desirable to me and the church.
It is not inconsistent with the foregoing to further represent to you upon the whole matter, that for twenty-six years I have watched the germinating and progress of the Reorganization with an interest exceeding that of any other subject, and have sustained a relation to it, in some respects unshared by any, and during this whole period up to the present, I have sought to promote its best interest, by a thorough canvass of all subjects relating to it, and especially in respect to the published articles
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