Memorial to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, circa 16 December 1843–12 February 1844, Draft
Source Note
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , JS, , and , Draft of Memorial, , Hancock Co., IL, to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, , 21 Dec. 1843; handwriting of , , and ; docket in handwriting of ; twenty-four pages; JS Office Papers, CHL.
relieve the fears of a persecuted and injured people by enacting <ordaining> for their protection the following ordinance namely
An ordinance for the protection of the people Styled the residing on the western borders of the state of .
Preamble
Whereas many thousands of the people Styled “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” have been forcibly expelled from the state of with great loss of life and property by the authorities of said and are now living in exile in the state of where also they are unlawfully and unconstitutionally threatened with expulsion by some of the authorities and citizens of that
And whereas The Legislature of said have granted unto the citizens of the city of in (the population of which <chiefly> consists of the aforesaid injured people) certain chartered rights and privileges for their peace and protection in which they have power to make their own laws both civil and military not being limited by the statutes of the nor by the general military law only as expressly provided for in the law authorizing their organization but expressly limited by the constitution of that and of the
And whereas they as injured American citizens have appealed to Congress imploring us also to enact some ordinance for their further protection & safety to <and thus> prevent a repetition of the injuries inflicted upon them in .
Therefore Be it ordained by the in Congress assembled [1/4 page blank] [p. 8]