Whereas the saints in all ages of the world, have suffered persecution and death; by wicked and corrupt men under the garb of a mor[e] holy appearance of religion; and whereas the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints from the moment that its first “truth sprung out of the earth” till now, has been persecuted with death, distruction and extermination; and whereas men, to fulfil the scriptures, that [“]a man’s enimies are they of his own household,” have turned traitors in the church and combined and leagued with the most corrupt scoundrels and villians that disgrace the earth unhung, for the heaven daring and damnable purpose of revenge on account of disappointed lust; disappointed projects of speculation, fraud, and unlawful designs, to rob and plunder mankind with impunity; and whereas such wicked and corrupt men have greatly facilitated their unlawful designs; horrid intentions and murderous plans by polluting, degrading and converting the blessings and utility, of the press, to the sin-smoking and blood stained, ruin of innocent communities, by publishing lies false statements; coloring the truth, slandering men, women, children, societies and countries, by polishing the characters of black legs, high way men and murderers, as virtuous, and whereas a horrid, bloody secret plan, upheld, sanctioned, and largely patronized by men, in and out of it, who boast that all they want for the word “go,” to exterminate or ruin the latter day saints, is, for them to do “one” unlawful act, and the work shall be done, is now fostered cherished, and maturing in , by men too, who help’d to obtain the <​very​> charter they would break; and some of them drew up and voted for the very ordinances they are striving to use as a [p. [1]]