1844-06-15-Jeffersonian Meeting

Revision as of 04:00, 2 October 2011

The Prophet v1n5 15 June 1844 pg 3

JEFFERSONIAN MEETING.

At a meeting of the friends of General Joseph Smith convened in the Military Hall, (Bowery) pursuant to notice, June 11, 1844. Geo. T. Leach Esq. was called to the chair and Wm. H. Miles was appointed Secretary. Garry T. Newell, was called to act as Pres. Pro. Tem. until Mr. Leach should arrive at the meeting. Parley Pratt, Esq. then arose and said:

Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen and Ladies, we are met this evening for the purpose of serving God, and this is the service he requires, according to Isaiah, viz:

"THAT WE BREAK EVERY YOKE AND LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE."

As we have been in bondage in this country for about ten years, and without any Government as a general thing, is it not high time for the people to awake from their lethargy and begin to attend to the weightier matters of justice, judgment, right and protection, as well as to pay so much attention to "tythe," "mint" and "cummin." I again repeat that for some years past we have had no Government. My reasons are, that white men have been shot and hung, and negroes burned without trial, judge or jury; abolitionists have been mobbed and shot; Catholic churches, dwellings and convents burned, and fifteen thousand American citizens robbed of millions, and driven from a State, and many of them murdered, and this by executive and legislative authority, without shadow of law or justice, and still there is no redress or protection, though years have past since the perpetration of these horrid crimes: who then shall dare to say there is a Government? If we know it at all, it is only by having to pay taxes occasionally, and not from any protection we receive from it. Is not the Governor of Missouri a murderer and a robber? are not the legislators of Missouri murderers and robbers, in passing acts to pay the criminals for committing these crimes? Surely they would if justly administered. Is not Martin Van Buren a murderer by being accessory to these crimes while President of the United States, by fellowshipping Missouri and refusing redress when appealed to by thousands of the sufferers? He is a murderer in this respect, and we can prove it. Are not the members of Congress murderers and robbers, as accessories after the fact, when, after coming to the knowledge of these things of these things, they still fellowship Missouri and refuse redress? certainly they are murderers in this respect, and can be proved such in law, and so are all the people who knowing of these crimes still uphold such men, or hold their peace while their fellow-citizens are deprived of their rights. The fact is, the halls of Congress are stained with the blood of innocence, the chair of the presidency is stained with blood, and the officers of this Government, with a few exceptions, stand with their skirts stained and their hands dripping with the blood of innocent men, WOMEN and children, the saints and martyrs of this nation.

The cries of innocent blood, and the prayers and tears of the widow, the orphan, and the oppressed, have ascended into the ears of the Almighty, and, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin," is written on the capitol. Washington is a stink in my nose, and in the nostrils of God and all good men, and except this nation speedily reform and hurl down such men, and put in men who will execute the laws for the just and equal protection of all, their halls of congress and their thrones of pride, and the whole Capitol at Washington will soon be a fit and secure residence for the cormorant, the bittern, the owl and the bat.

Some will assert that the general Government had no jurisdiction in the case, that the matter belonged to Missouri only.

But I would ask whether a single State is more independent of the general government than a foreign power, for instance, Great Britain or France?

Had either of these powers committed a hundredth part of these outrages upon American citizens, the nation would have exhausted all its blood and treasure to obtain redress. But Missouri and Carolina are so independent! yes, Missouri is so independent that she may dissolve her political existence and become an organized banditti of murderers and robbers, and it is all just right. Poor little Presidents and Congressmen have no power over such big matters.