, Letter, , to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 26 Apr. 1844; handwriting of ; dockets in handwriting of Jonathan Grimshaw and unidentified scribes; seven pages; JS Collection, CHL.
our gov. from extending her jurisdiction over that territory which God designs to give to his saints. says he would equally as soon go to that country without an act of Congress as with; “and that in 5 years a noble state might be formed, and then if they would not receive us into the , we would have a government of our own.” He is decidely of the opinion that Congress will pass no act in favour of any particular man going there, but he says if any man will go, and desires that privilege, and has confidence in his own ability to perform it, he already has the right, and the sooner he is off, the better for his scheme. It is the opinion here among politicians, that it will be extremely difficult to have any bill pass in relation to the encouragement of emigration to ; but much more difficult to get a bill passed designating any particular man to go; but all concur in the opinion that we are authorized already.
In case of a removal to that , is the place of general rendezvous— Our course from thence would be westward through , leaving a little North, until we come to the , leaving the State of on the left, thence onward till we come to the Platte, thence up the North fork of the Platte to the mouth of Sweet water River in Long. 107° 45" w. and thence up said Sweet water river to the South pass of the about 11 hundred miles from . And from said south pass in in lat. 42.° 28" North [p. 3]