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Source: Church History Vol. 2 Chapter 30 Page: 707 (~1843-1844)

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707 until he was taken to Nauvoo; and although he was taken to that city against his will, and was by that means compelled to take his prisoner there, yet was he taken by lawful process; by an authorized officer who acted, so far as I have any evidence, freely and voluntarily in so doing. In no one aspect of the case can I consider the present an extreme emergency, warranting a call for the militia according to the provisions of law in this State.

"Thus, sir, I have stated to you the principal reasons which have influenced me in refusing to order a call of the militia. To my mind they are entirely satisfactory; and I hope they will meet with approval of your Excellency, and the citizens of Missouri.

"I have the honor to be your Excellency's most obedient servant,

"THOMAS FORD."

-Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pp. 292-294.

On July 29, 1843, Mr. M. Brayman, Esq., the special agent referred to in the above document, wrote a private and confidential letter to Joseph Smith, which gives expression to convictions high]y creditable to Joseph Smith and the people of Nauvoo. 4

Governor Ford in his history of Illinois agrees with this account in regard to his refusal to call out the militia. (See Ford's History of Illinois, p 317.)

4 On my return from Nauvoo I found Governor Ford absent on public business at Rock Island, from whence he did not return for a week after I arrived. I presented him a detailed report of my investigations, in which the fact is fully established that neither you nor your people were guilty of any violence or disorderly or unlawful conduct whatever; but that throughout the whole of the unpleasant scene connected with your arrest, and the ill treatment which you received, your and their conduct was that of peaceful, law-abiding, and good citizens. He is perfectly satisfied on that point. . . .

As to the other points, I can assure you with perfect confidence, that with the evidence now before him, he will issue no more writs-that he will be perfectly satisfied that the demand of Missouri is not only unjust, (as he before believed it to be,) but so palpably illegal and contrary to the meaning of the Constitution as to release him forever from all obligation to give you up, and enable him to justify himself before the world in refusing to do so. (From original in our possession.)

(page 707)

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