“State of Missouri, Ray County May 13. 1839 To the Honorable , Judge of the Court of this and the adjoining Counties— Honorable Sir. Having been confined in prison near seven months, and the time having now arrived when a change of venue can be taken in order for the further prosecution of our trials: and the time having come, when I can speak my mind freely, without endangering the lives of any but myself, I now take the liberty of seriously objecting to a trial any where within the bounds of the , and of earnestly praying to your , and to all the authorities, civil and military, that my case may come within the law of banishment, which has been so rigorously enforced upon near ten thousand of our Society, including my and little ones, with all my witnesses and friends. [HC 3:352]

“My reasons are obvious, and founded upon notorious facts, which are known to you, Sir, and to the people in general of this Republic, and therefore need no proof. They are as follows: First, I have never received any protection by law, either of my person, property or family, while residing in this , to which I first emigrated in 1831, Secondly, I was driven by force of arms from , wounded and bleeding, in 1833; while my house was burned, my crops and provisions robbed from me or destroyed; and my land kept from me until now, while my family was driven out, without shelter, at the approach of winter. Thirdly These crimes still go unpunished, notwithstanding I made oath before the honorable , then Circuit Judge of that District, to the foregoing outrages, and I also applied in person to his Excellency, , then Governor of the , for redress and protection, and a restoration of myself, and about 1200 of my fellow sufferers, to our rights but all in vain. Fourthly my and children have now been driven from our house and improvements in , and banished from the on pain of death, together with about ten thousand of our Society, including all my friends and witnesses, and this by the express orders of his Excellency, , Governor of the State of , and by the vigorous of this order, by Generals and , and followed up by murders, rapes, plunderings thefts and robberies of the most inhuman character by a lawless mob, who have from time to time, for more than five years past, trampled upon all law and authority, and upon all the rights of man. Fifthly all these inhuman outrages and crimes go unpunished, and are unnoticed by you, Sir, and by all the authorities of the . Sixthly, The Legislature of the has approved of and sanctioned this act of banishment, with all the crimes connected with it, by voting some two hundred thousand dollars for the payment [p. 939]