“I, , certify that I have been a resident of the State of for six years, and upwards, and that I have suffered many things by a Lawless Mob; both me and my family having been driven from place to place and suffered the loss of much property, and finally — — expelled from the ; I further Certify that I belong to the Church of the Latter Day Saints, commonly called Mormons. and I certify that in the year eighteen hundred and thirty eight, both me and my people, suffered much by the People of the State of ; and I further certify that in this same year, in the month of November, between the first and sixth, were surrounded by a soldiery of the State of [HC 4:49] , in the City of , in Caldwell County — — — — — both me, and many of my Mormon brethren, and were compelled by their Soldiery, which were armed with all the implements of War to shed blood, by a public declaration of our entire extermination to sign away our all, our property, personal and real Estate, and to leave the State of immediately; I certify I had at that time one hundred and sixty two acres of land, the same which I held the Certificates for,I further certify that I was obliged to give up my duplicates, to help me to a small sum to carry me out of the — I further certify not— — Territory of Iowa, — sworn to and subscribed before me a Justice of the Peace for said County this 2nd. day Jany. 1840 . J.P.”

“— Hancock County— Illinois— January 2. 1840— To President Joseph Smith Jr. and — Dear Brethren— It is with feelings of no ordinary kind that I write to you at this time, in answer to the letters with which we were favored; your letters were truly interesting, and were read with great interest by the Brethren here, as well as — — — myself— We were truly glad to hear of your safe arrival in the City of — Your interview with his Excellency the , and the steps you have since taken for the furtherance of the object you have undertaken to accomplish, and for which you have left the endearments of home, and the Society of your Friends— The Mission on which you are engaged is certainly an important one, and which every Saint of God, as well as every one whose breast beats high with those patriotic feelings which purchased our national freedom, must take a deep interest in. And although [p. 1005]