, Letter, , to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 9 June 1844; handwriting and signatures of ; dockets in handwriting of and unidentified scribe; seven pages; JS Collection, CHL.
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me if the subject of the memorial had been discussed by and among the people generally, and if we had obtained an expression from them favourable to the measure? If I had answerd him in the affirmative, he would [have?] immediately written home and ascertained that the people were ignorant of the move. This answer he would have received before an action would be had; and this would have thrown me into the shade, far upon the back ground of falsehood. I must therefore say unto him that it has not. I could see the drift of his mind and will give it in my own language as I cannot recollect his verbatim.
I am sent here to protect the rights of all people, and execute their wishes. If the prayers of one are granted without the knowledge of others, it would be a cause of jealousy on their part, and they would have cause to censure me for acting without their knowledge or consent. By this memorial, Congress is called to act in a matter which involves the interest and fate of the many when indeed the many have not been consulted; and how can a representative execute the wishes of the people when the people have not acquainted him with their wishes by forwarding to him their names in black and white, or at least, a respectable majority of them? It is the people that are the Sovreign and not one man. Congress, by this memorial, is called to act in a matter of general interest upon the prayer of one man <person>. You say that the bill is not exclusively for the Mormons, but for the Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians [p. 2]