Petition to the Missouri Legislature, 24 January 1839

Your memorialists, having a few days since, Solicited  your attention to the same subject, would now respectfully submit to  your Honorable body a few additional facts in support of their prayer.

They are now in imprisonment imprisoned Under a charge of Treason against the  State of Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

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, And their lives and fortunes and characters being  suspended upon the result of the trial on the criminal charges preferred against them,  your Hon. body will excuse them for manifesting the deep concerns  they feel in relation to their trials for a crime so enormous as that of treason

It is not our object to complain— to asperse any one. All we ask  is a fair and impartial trial. We ask the sympathies of no one, we ask  sheer justice– tis all we expect– and all we merit, but we merit that—  We know the people of no county in this State

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

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to which we would ask our  final trials to be sent who are prejudiced in our favour. But we believe  that the state of excitement existing in most of the upper Counties is  such that a jury would be improperly influenced by it. But that exci tement, and the prejudice against us in the counties comprising the fifth  Judicial court circuit are not the only obstacles we are compelled to meet.

We know that much of that prejudice against us is not so much to be attributed  to a want of honest motive among the citizens, as it is to wrong information

But it is a difficult task to change opinions once formed, The other [p. 66]