Whereas the church of Christ, recently styled the church of the Latter Day Saints, contumeliously called Mormons, or Mormonites, has suffered many privations, afflictions, persecutions and losses on account of the religious belief and faith of its members, which belief and faith are founded in the revealed word of God, as recorded in the holy Bible, or the Book of Mormon, the Revelations and Commandments of our Savior, Jesus Christ; and whereas the said church, by revelation, commenced removing to the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, where lands were purchased of the Government, and where it was calculated to purchase of those who were unwilling to reside with the church as a society, all lands that could be bought, for the purpose of building up a holy city unto God, a New Jerusalem, a place where desirous to call Zion, as we believe a place of refuge from the scourges and plagues which as so often mentioned in the Bible by the prophets and apostles, that should be poured out upon the earth in the last days; and whereas the inhabitants of Jackson county, Missouri have leagued and combined against said church, and have driven the saints from their lands and took their arms from them and turned down many of their houses, without any provocation, and whereas we have petitioned the Governor of this State, and the President of the United States, for redress of wrongs (the law being put to defiance in Jackson county.) and for redemption of rights, that we might be legally repossessed of our lands and property; and whereas the said inhabitants of Jackson county, have not only bound themselves to keep us out of that county, but have armed themselves, cap-a-pie, and even with cannon, for war; and whereas our people, residing in the upper Missouri, have recently armed themselves for military duty and self defense, seeing their arms taken from them by the inhabitants of Jackson county, were purposely kept from them; and whereas a number of the members of the church in the east, have emegrated to this region of country to settle and join their brethren, with arms to answer the military law, which has created some excitement among the inhabitants of the upper counties of this State; whereupon, to show that our object was only the peaceable possession of our rights and property, and to purchase more land in the regions round about, we met a committee from Jackson county for compromise and our emigrating brethren met some gentlemen from Clay and other counties to satisfy them that their motives were good, and their object peace, which they did; and whereas the propositions of the Jackson committee could not be accepted on our part, because they proposed to "buy or sell," and to sell our land would amount to a denial of our faith as that land is the place where the Zion of God shall stand, according to our faith and belief in the revelations of God and upon which Israel will be gathered according to the prophets;--And, secondly, the propositions were unfair, notwithstanding they offered double price for our lands, in thirty days, or sell theirs at the same rate, for this plain reason, that the whole large county of Jackson would be as thirty to one, or nearly so, in comparison with the matter in question, and in supposition, for one thousand dollars, two thousand dollars to our people, was asking for three hundred thousand dollars, the exorbitant sum of six hundred thousand dollars, taking the land, rich and poor, in thirty days! with the reproachable, vicious, unamerican and unconstitutional proviso, that the committee on our part bind themselves "that no Mormon should ever settle in Jackson County," and whereas our committee proposed to the said Jackson committee, (if they would not grant us our rights otherwise,) that our people would buy the land of those that were unwilling to live among our people, in that county, and pay them in one year, they allowing the damage we have sustained in the loss of a printing office, apparatus, and book work, houses, property, &c., to come out of the purchase money, but no answer returned; and whereas, to show our honest intentions, and awaken the friends of virtue, humanity to equal rights, it becomes our duty to lay our case before the world, to be weighed in the balances of public opinion:--

Now, therefore, as citizens of the United States, and leading elders in the church of the Latter Day Saints, residing in the State of Missouri, in behalf of the church, we, the undersigned, do make this solemn appeal to the people and constitutional authorities of this nation and to the ends of the earth, for peace; that we may have the privilege of enjoying our religious rights and immunities, and worship God according to the dictates of our own consciences, as guaranteed to every citizen by the constitution of the National and State Governments. Thus, although the laws have been broken, and are defied in Jackson county, we may be enabled to regain and enjoy our rights and property, agreeable to law in this boasted land of liberty.

Since the disgraceful combination of the inhabitants of Jackson County, has set the law in defiance, and put all hopes of criminal prosecution, against them in that vicinage beyond the reach of judge or jury, and left us but a distant expectation of civil remuneration for the great amount of damage we have sustained, necessity compels us to complain to the world, and if our case and calamity are not sufficient to excite the commisera

tion of the humane, and open the hearts of the generous, and fire the spirits of the patriotic, then has sympathy lost herself in the wilderness, and justice fled from power; then has the dignity of the ermine shrunk at the gigantic front of a mob, and the sacred mantle of freedom been brought up to heaven where the weary are at not, and the wicked cannot come.

To be obedient to the commandments of our Lord and Savior, some of the leaders of the church commenced purchasing lands in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, according to the revelations of God, for the city of Zion; in doing which no law was evaded, no rights infringed, nor no principle of religiou neglected, but the laudable foundation of a glorious work begun, for the salvation of mankind in the last days, agreeable to our faith, and according to the promises in the sacred scriptures of God, we verily believe, knowing that the national and state constitutions and the statute laws of the land, and the command

ments of the Lord, allowed all men to worship as they pleased--that we should be protected, not only by all the law of a free republic, but by every republican throughout the realms of freedom.

The holy prophets have declared, "that it should come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house should be established in the top of the mountains and should be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people should go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for our of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." And again it was said by Joel, seemingly to strengthen the faith of the Latter day Saints in the above, "that whosoever should call on the name of the Lord should be delivered, for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." The Book of Mormon, which we hold equally sacred with the Bible, says "that a New Jerusalem shall be built up on this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for the which things there has been a type."

In fact all the prophets from Moses to John the revelator, have spoken concerning these things, and in all good faith, by direct revelation from the Lord, as in day's of old, we commenced the glorious work, that a holy city, a New Jerusalem, even Zion might be built up, and a temple reared in this generation, whereunto, as saith the Lord, all nations should be invited: Firstly the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble; and after that cometh the day of his power; but the inhabitants of Jackson county arrayed themselves against us, because of our faith and belief, and destroyed our printing establishment, to prevent the spread of the work, and drove men, women and children from their lands, houses and homes, to perish in the approaching winter; while every blast carried the wailing of women and the shrieks of children, across the wide spread prairie, sufficiently horrible to draw tears from the savage, or melt a heart of stone!

Now, that the world may know that our faith in the work and word of the Lord is firm and unshaken, and to shew all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, that our object is good, for the good of all, we come before the great family of mankind for peace, and ask their hospitality and assurance for our comfort, and the preservation of our persons and property and solicit their charity for the great cause of God. We are well aware that many slanderous reports, and ridiculous stories are in circulation against our religion and society, but as wise men will hear both sides and then judge; we sincerely hope and trust, that the still small voice of truth will be heard, and our great revelations read and candidly compared with the prophecies of the Bible, that the great cause of our Redeemer, may be supported by a liberal share of public opinion, as well as the unseen power of God.

It will be seen by a reference to the book of Commandments, page 135, that the Lord has said to the church, and we want to live by his words: "Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God, hath no need to break the laws of the land," therefore, as the people of God, we come before the world and claim protection, by law, from the common officers of justice, in every neighborhood where our people may be; we claim the same at the hands of the governors of the several States, and of the President of the United States, and of the friends of humanity and justice in every clime, and country on the globe.

By the desperate acts of the inhabitants of Jackson county, many hundreds of American citizens are deprived of their lands and rights; and it is reported we mean to regain our possessions and even Jackson county, "by the shedding of blood," but if any man will take the pains to read the 153rd page of the book of Commandments, he will find it there said:

Wherefore the land of Zion shall not be obtained but by purchase, or by blood, otherwise there is none inheritance for you. And if by purchase behold you are blessed; and if by blood, as you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you, and you shall be scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand to receive an inheritance.

So we declare, that we have ever meant, and now mean, to purchase the land of our inheritance, like all other honest men, of the government and of those who would rather sell their farms than live in our society; and, as thousands have done before us, we solicit the aid of the children of men, and of government, to help us to obtain our rights in Jackson county, and the land whereon the Zion of God, according to our faith, shall stand in the last days, for the salvation and gathering of Israel.

Let no man be alarmed because our Society has commenced gathering to build a city, and a house for the Lord, as a refuge from present evils and coming calamities; our fore-fathers came to the goodly land of America, to shun persecution and enjoy their religious opinions and rights, as they thought proper; and the Lord, after much tribulation, blessed them, and has said, that we should continue to importune for redress and redemption by the hands of those who are placed as rulers, and are in authority over us, according to the laws and constitution of the people, which he has suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; that every man may act in doctrine and in principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which he has given them; that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgement; and for this purpose he has established the constitution of this land by the hands of wise men whom he raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.

Now we seek peace, and ask our rights, even redress and redemption, at the Lands of the rulers of this nation; not only our lands and property in Jackson county, but for free trade with all men, and unmolested emigrations to any part of the Union, and for our inherent right to worship God as we please. We ask the restoration of these rights because they have been taken from us, or abridged by the violence and usurpation of the inhabitants of Jackson county; as a people we hold ourselves amenable to the laws of the land, and while the government remains as it is, the right to emigrate from state to state, from territory to territory, from county to county, and from vicinity to vicinity, is open to all men of whatever trade or creed, without hindrance or molestation; and as long as we are justifiable and honest in the eyes of the law, we claim it, whether we remove by single families, or in bodies of hundreds, with that of carrying the necessary arms and accoutrements for military duty, and we believe that all honest ment, who love their country and their country's glory, and have a wish to see the law magnified and made honorable, will help to perpetuate the great legacy of freedom, that came unimpaired from the hands of our venerable fathers to us, but they will also protect us from insult and injury, and aid the work of God, that they may reap a reward in the regions of bliss, when all men receive according to their works.

In relation to our distress, from the want of our lands in Jackson county, and for the want of the property destroyed by fire and waste, rather than do any act contrary to law, we solemnly appeal to the people with whom we tarry, for protection from insult and harm, and for the comfort of life by labor or otherwise, while we seek peace and satisfaction of our enemies through every possible and honorable means, which humanity can dictate, or philanthropy urge, or religion require. We are citizens of this republic, and we ask our rights as republicans, not merely in our restoration to our lands and property in Jackson county, Missouri, but being considered honest in our faith, honest in our deal, and honest before God, till by due course of law, we may be proved otherwise; reserving the right of every man's being held amenable to the proper authority for his own crimes and sins.

"Crowns won by blood, by blood must be maintained," and to avoid blood and strife, and more fully satisfy the world, that our object is justice and good will to all mankind, we hereby APPEAL for peace to the ends of the earth, and ask the protection of all people, while we sue every fair means in our power to obtain our rights and immunities without force; setting an example for all true believers that we will not yield our faith and principles for any earthly consideration, whereby a precedent might be established, that a majority may crush an religious sect with impunity; knowing that if we give up our rights in Jackson county, farewell to society! farewell to religion! farewell to rights! farewell to property! farewell to life! The fate of our church now, might become the fate of the Methodists next wekk the Catholics next month, and the overthrow of all socities next year, leaving nation after nation a wide waste where reason and friendship once were!

Another, and the great object which we mean to accomplish, is the salvation of the souls of men and to bring to pass a glorious work, like many other religious denominations, in all ages, we shall license elders to preach the everlasting gospel to all nations according to the great commandments of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as recorded in St. Matthew, "lGo ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bapotising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

Thus we shall send laborers into the Lord's vineyard to gather the wheat, and prepare the earth against the day when desolations shall be poured out without measure; and as it now is and ever has been considered one of the most honorable and glorious employments of men to carry good tidings to the nations, so we shall expect the clemency of all men, while we go forth, for the last time, to gather Israel for the glory of God, that he may suddenly come to his temple; that all nations may come and worship in his presence, when there shall be none to molest or make afraid, but the earth shall be filled with his knowledge and glory.

We live in an age of fearful imagination, with all the sincerity that common men are endowed with, the Saints have labored, without pay, to instruct the United States, that the gathering had commenced in the western boundaries of Missouri, to build a holy city, where, as may be seen, in the eighteenth chapter of Isaiah, "the present should be brought unto the Lord of Hosts, of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts the mount Zion;" and how few have come forth rejoicing that the hour of redemption was night! and some that came have turned away, which may cause thousand to exclaim, amid the general confusion and fright of the times, "remember Lot's wife."

It would be a work of supererogation to labor to shew the truth of the gathering of the children of Israel in these last days; for the prophet told us long ago, "that it should no more be said, the Lord liveth that brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North, and from the lands whither he had driven them;" and so it must be for the honor and glory of God.

The faith and religion of the Latter-day Saints are founded upon the old Scriptures, the Book of Mormon, and direct revelation from God, and while every event that transpires around us, is an evidence of the truth of them, and an index that the great and terrible day of the Lord is near, we intreat the philanthropist, the moralist, and the honorable men of all creeds and sects, to read our publications to examine the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Commandments, and listent to the fulness of the gospel, and judge whether we are entitled to the credit of the world, for honest motives and pure principles.

A cloud of bad omen seems to hang over this generation, men start up at the impulse of the moment and defy and outstrip all law, while the destroyer is also abroad in the earth, wasting flesh without measure, and none can stay his course; in the midst of such portentous times, we feel an anxious desire to prepare, and help others to prepare, for coming events; and we candidly believe that no honest man will put forth his hand to stop the work of the Lord, or persecute the Saints. In the name of Jesus Christ, we intreat the people of this nation to pause before they reject the words of the Lord, or his servants: these, like all flesh, may be imperfect, but God is pure hear ye him!

While we ask peace and protection for the saints, wherever they may be, we also solicit the charity and benevolence of all the worthy on earth to purchase the righteous a holy home, a place of rest, and a land of peace, believing that no man who knows he has a soul, will keep back his mite, but cast it in for the benefit of Zion; thus, when time is no longer, he with all the ransomed of the Lord, may stand, in the fulness of joy, and view the grand pillar of heaven, which was built by the faith and charity of the Saints, beginning at Adam, with his motto in the base, "Repent and live." surrounded with a beautiful sign, supported by a cross about mid-

way up its lofty column, staring the world in letters of blood, "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand," and finished with a plain top towering up in the midst of the celestial world, around which is written by the finger of Jehovah, "Eternal life is the greatest gift of God."

Although we may fail to shew all men the truth of the fulness of the gospel, yet we hope to be able to convince some, that we are neither deluded, nor fanatics; but like other men have a claim on the world for land and for a living, as good and as great as our venerable fathers had for independence and liberty; that though the world has been made to believe, by false reports and vague stories, that the Saints, (called Mormons) were meaner than the savages, still God has been our help in time of trouble, and has provided for us in due season; and to use the language of Pope, he has let the word "spread undivided," and "operate unspent."

For the honor of our beloved country, and the continuation of its free government, we appeal for peace; for an example of forbearance, and the diffusion of the everlasting gospel, we appeal to the humanity of all nations; and for the glory of God, before whom we must all answer for the deeds done in life, and for the hope of holiness hereafter, we mean to remain faithful to the end, continuing to pray to the Lord to spare us, and the people, from whatever is evil, and not calculated to humble us, and prepare us for his presence and glory; at the same time beseeching him in the name of Jesus to extend his blessings to whom he will, and his mercy to all, till by righteousness, the kingdoms of this world become fair as the sun, and clear as the moon.

Missouri, U.S. July, 1834.
Signed: W. W. Phelps,

Edward Partridge,
Parley P. Pratt,
Thomas B. Marsh,
David Whitmer,
John Corrill,
Lyman Wight,
Simeon Carter,
John Whitmer,
Isaac Morley,
Newel Knight,
Calvin Beebe