| 404 operatives, all which were lost to us; the managers of the war, acting under the direct authority of the chief magistrate, forced us, at the point of bayonets, to sign a treaty, the items of which would have disgraced the damning deeds of a Pharaoh or Antiochous. In this treaty we covenanted to part with all our lands to defray the expences [expenses] of the war; a war which they themselves had created, and which they, with a barbarity disgraceful to savage warfare, had hitherto prosecuted against us. Another article in the treaty provided that we should forthwith leave the state of Missouri, and never make any further attempt to raise crops, or to do any thing whereby the citizens might take offence [offense]; for, said one of the prosecuting generals, "if you do, my men will be upon you, and you will be destroyed, men, women and children:" and in whatever light we looked upon the proceedings of the governor, whether our cause was just or not, it was all the same with him; our final departure from the state was the grand object with him, and he would see it accomplished. A third article claimed, that all our leading men were to be given to him (General Clark) to be tried for high treason. Among the number was our beloved Prophet. A court martial was immediately instituted, in which it was decreed that the Prophet, together with a few others, should be shot at six o'clock the next morning. This, however, was prevented by the remonstrance of one or two of Clark's officers. They were immediately conducted to prison, where they suffered the greatest indignity. Many scores suffered the same fate. Yet not the least vestige of legal preferment was ever seen in the whole affair. No testimony was had; none called against them. It has been carefully estimated by our historians that not far from fourteen thousand persons were ejected from Missouri in that infernal affair, that should suffuse with tears the face of every American. The same historians compute that not far from three hundred were either directly slaughtered, or from extreme sufferings from imprisonment-from hunger-the chills of winter, being reduced to the necessity, in many instances, of braving the winter blasts in a naked situation, were subjected to various disorders, that hurried them to a premature grave.
One more case and one only will I relate, as our history has been pretty fully made known to the people of the United States. Near Haun's Mill, a company consisting of about forty men with their families, who had not yet participated in the turmoil of those times, being mostly strangers in that part of the country who being informed of the times in other counties entered into stipulations to live in peace with their new neighbors. It was solemnly agreed that if either party should afterwards discover any thing likely to come upon the other, injurious to them, the party having a knowledge should forthwith inform the other. Thus agreeing the delegates retired each to their respective party. The saints were busy about that time in preparing their dwellings for the approaching winter; and thought themselves perfectly secure under the treaty so sacredly formed. In a very few days, however, they discovered their mistake. The very same delegates who swore friendship to the saints, came upon them in an unguarded hour, with between two and three hundred men, and drove them from place to place, till at length they were driven into an old smith's shop, were they were slaughtered indiscriminately. In that massacre some eighteen of nineteen were butchered, who from the peril of the times found one common grave. Being promiscuously heaped together in an old excavation for water. Their surviving friends at the peril of their own lives, performed their last sad rites of sepulture.
Nothing now remains to point out their lowly sepulchure [sepulcher], but their shapeless mound fast hastening to decay. But they live in our tenderest regards. In the affection of every saint while the world shall survive, they shall have an imperishable mansion; an everlasting monument to perpetuate their name. We have sought for justice in the courts of that state; we have presented our memorial to the legislature, humbly praying for the restoration of our property and our rights as American citizens. We have expended thousands and thousands of dollars in various attempts to recover our just claims; but even to this time we have not a consoling hope that Missouri will ever do anything for us. Nay, they still hold the hand of persecution, raised, if possible, to cut off our name from under heaven. Every possible scheme that can be devised, is brought into requisition for our overthrow. They have from time to time kidnapped our brethren, citizens of the state of Illinois. Loud and frequent demands are made on the governor for the body of Gen. Joseph Smith. Several times, since leaving Missouri, he has been tried in the courts of Illinois and the federal courts, and has always been honorably acquitted.
We have also presented our memorial to Congress, accompanied with a schedule of claims, but the only consolation we have yet received from them is that 'our cause is just, but government has no power to redress us.' Preparations are being made at the present time to resume our memorial in the halls of congress. Should we fail of obtaining our rights from every
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