| 58 of the wind, charging them with almost every crime known to the laws of our country; yet our feelings of kindness, and sympathy for human suffering, prevailed over every obstacle, and they were received with friendship and treated with toleration, and often with marks of peculiar kindness. They always declared that they looked not upon this county as their home, but as a temporary asylum, and that whenever a respectable portion of the citizens of this county should request it, they would promptly leave us in peace as they found us. That period has now arrived. Duty to ourselves, to our families, and to the best interests of our county, require at our hands to demand the fulfillment of that pledge.
"'They are charged, by those who are opposed to them, with an unfriendly determination to violate that pledge. Their rapid emigration, their large purchases and offers to purchase lands, the remarks of the ignorant and imprudent portion of them that this country is destined by heaven to be theirs, are received and looked upon by a large portion of this community as strong and convincing proofs that they intend to make this county their permanent home, the center and general rendezvous of their people.
"These are some of the reasons why these people have become objects of the deepest hatred and detestation to many of our citizens. They are eastern men, whose manners, habits, customs, and even dialect are essentially different from our own; they are non-slaveholders, and opposed to slavery, which, in this peculiar period when abolition has reared its deformed and haggard visage in our land is well calculated to excite deep and abiding prejudices in any community where slavery is tolerated and practiced. 1 In addition
1 That these fears were groundless will appear from the following extract published by Joseph Smith in April, 1836.
"Before closing this communication, I beg leave to drop a word to the traveling elders: You know, brethren, that great responsibility rests upon you, and that you are accountable to God for all you teach the world. In my opinion you will do well to search the Book of Covenants is which you will see the belief of the church concerning masters and servants. All men are to be taught to repent; but we have no right to interfere with slaves contrary to the mind and will of their masters. In fact, It would be much better and more prudent not to preach at all to slaves until after their masters are converted: and then, teach the master to use them with kindness, remembering that they are accountable
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