| 1072 TIMES AND SEASONS.
"TRUTH WILL PREVAIL."
VOL. NO. 20.] CITY OF NAUVOO. ILL. JAN 1, 1846. [WHOLE NO. 128.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
CONTINUED.
The brethren in Missouri again wrote the governor as follows,
"Liberty, Clay county, Mo.,
April 24th, 1834.
Dear Sir,-In our last communication of the 10th inst., we omitted to make enquiry [inquiry] concerning the evidence brought up before the Court of Enquiry [Inquiry] in the case of Col. Pritcher.-The Court met pursuant to adjournment on the 20th February last, and, for some reasons unknown to us, we have not been able to obtain information, concerning the opinion or decision of that court; we had hoped that the testimony would have been transmitted to your Excellency before this, that an order might be issued for the return of our arms, of which we have been wrongfully dispossessed, as we believe will clearly appear to the Commander in Chief, when the evidence is laid before him.
"As suggested in your communication of the 4th of February we have concluded to organize according to law, and apply for public arms, but we feared that such a step, which must be attended with public ceremonies, might produce some excitement, and we have thus far delayed any movement of that nature, hoping to regain our arms from Jackson, that we might independently equip ourselves and be prepared to assist in the maintenance of our constitutional right and liberties as guaranteed to us by our country, and also to defend our persons and property from a lawless mob, when it shall please the Executive, at some future day, to put us in possession of our homes, from which we have been most wickedly expelled. We are happy to make an expression of our thanks for the willingness manifested by the Executive to enforce the laws, as he can consistently "with the means furnished him be the Legisiature [Legislature]," and we are firmly persuaded that a future day will verify to him whatever aid we may receive from the Executive, has not been lavished upon a band of traitors, but upon a people whose respect and veneration for the laws of our country, and its pure republican principles, are as great as that of any other society in the United States.
"As our Jackson foes and their correspondents are busy in circulating slanderous and wicked reports concerning our people, their views &c., ws [we] have deemed it expedient to inform your Excellency that we have received communications from our friends in the East, informing us that a number of our brethren, perhaps two or three hundred, would remove to Jackson county in the course of the ensuing summer, and we are satisfied that when the Jackson mob get the intelligence that a large number of our people are about to remove, into that country, they will raise a great hue and cry, and circulate many bugbears through the medium of their favorite press, but we think your Excellency is well aware that our object is purely to defend ourselves and possessions against another unparalleled attack from the mob, inasmuch as the Executive of this State cannot keep up a military force "to protect our people in that country without transcending his power." We want, therefore, the privilege of defending ourselves and the Constitution of our country, while God is willing we should have a being on his footstool.
We do not know at what time our friends will arrive, but expect more certain intelligence in a few weeks. Whenever they do arrive, it would be the wish of our people in this country, to return to our homes, in company with our friends under guard, and when once in legal possession of our homes in Jackson county, we shall endeavor to take care of them, without further wearying the patience of our worthy Chief Magistrate. We will write hereafter, or send an express. During the intermediate time, we would be glad to hear of the prospect of recovering our arms.
With due respect, we are, sir,
Your obedient serv'ts,
(Signed) A. S. GILBERT.
EDWARD PARTRIDGE,
JOHN WHITMER,
W. W. PHELPS,
JOHN CORRILL.
P. S. Many of our brethren who are expected on, had made arrangements to emigrate to this State, before the outrages of the mob last fall. We hope the painful emergency of our case, will plead an excuse for our frequent communications."
About the last of the month I received, by letters from friends in the East, and of brethren in Kirtland &c., the sum of two hundred and fifty one dollars and sixty cents towards the deliverance of Zion.
May 1st 1834. More than twenty of the brethren left Kirtland for Missouri, according
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