“Dear Sir, It is with sensations of deep regret and poignant grief that I sit down to dictate a few lines to you, this morning, to let you know what my feelings are in relation to yourself, as it is against my principles to act the part of a hypocrite, or to dissemble in anywise whatever, with any man. I have tried for a long time to smother my feelings, and not let you know, that I thought, that you were secretly and underhandedly, doing all you could, to take the advantage, and injure me: but whether my feelings are right or wrong, remains for Eternity to reveal. I cannot any longer forbear throwing off the mask, and let you [HC 5:312] know of the secret wranglings of my heart; that you may not be deceived, in relation to them, and that you may be prepared, Sir, to take whatever course you see proper in the premises. I am, sir, honest, when I say that I believe, and am laboring under the fullest convictions that you are actually practicing deception and wickedness against me and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and that you are in connection with , and , in the whole of their abominable practices in seeking to destroy me and this people, and that , is as deep in the mud, as you, sir, are in the mire, in your conspiracies, and that you are in the exercise of a traitorous spirit against our lives and interest by combining with our enemies, and the murderous Missourians, my feelings, sir, have been wrought upon to a very great extent, in relation to yourself, ever since soon after the first appearance of in this place, there has been something dark and mysterious hovering over our business concerns that are not only palpable but altogether unaccountable, in relation to the Post Office, and Sir, from the very first of the pretensions of , to secure to me the Post Office, (which by the bye I have never desired, if I could have justice done me <​in that department​> without my occupancy.) I have known, sir, that it was a fraud practiced upon me, and of the secret plottings and connivings between him and yourself in relation to the matter the whole time, as well as many other things which I have kept locked up in my own bosom but I am constrained at this time, to make known my feelings to you. I do not write this with the intention of insulting you or of bearing down upon you, or with a desire to take any advantage of you, or with the intention of even laying one straw in your way, detrimental to your character or influence, or to suffer anything whatever that has taken place, which is within my observation, or that has come to my knowledge to go abroad, betraying any confidence that has ever been placed in me but I do assure you most sincerely that what I have said I verily believe, and this is the reason why I have said it, that you may know the real convictions of my heart, not because I have any malice or hatred, neither would I injure one hair of your head, and I will assure you that these convictions are attended with the deepest sorrow. I wish to God it were not so, and that I could get rid of the achings of my heart on that subject: and I now notify you, that unless something should take place to restore my mind to its former confidence in you, by some acknowledgements on your part, or some explanations, that shall do away my jealousies, I must, as a conscientious man, publish my withdrawal of my fellowship from you to the Church, through the medium of the Times and Seasons and demand of the Conference a hear[HC 5:313]ing concerning your case; that on conviction of justifiable grounds, they will demand your license. I could say much more but let the above suffice for the present.