friend of man, to introduc Intelligene & wisdom into the world, To raise a standard of light & truth as a Baner to the Nations of the Earth that time nor man Canot extinguish or destry. He has thus far by the Help of God outrode the storm of persecution heaped upon him by his enemis who have sought to take away from <​him​> evry right that the Laws & Constitution garantee unto him as well as evry Americn Citizen, his course has been onward in the midst of evry difficulty untill he has erected one of the largest Cities of the west <​containing a population of some 18 or 20,000 souls​> & is surroudd not ownly with the <​best​> intelligenc & wisdom of the Earth as his council but with thousands of friends who would in a moment <​if necssary​> lay down their lives in his defenc aganst opp[r]essors & mobs, & as the time has arivd when we deem it no longer necessary to put men in Office to use our influene in promoting man to the highest offiics of this government who will not act for the good of the people but for their own aggrandizement & parts purposes, And we as a people have come to the Conclused <​Conclusion​> to run a candidate for president of the at the next Election And that Candidate is General Joseph Smith. And sirs the request I wish to make of you is to know if you are willing to permit us to use your name as a candidate for vice president at the next Ele[c]tion & also to invite you to favor us with a visit at I make this requst of your honor according to the Co[u]ncil of the Authorities of the City of , & We should be Happy to see you & you will meet with a welcome reception in our midst & I think Sir you would Be amply [p. [3]]