July 1st 1843 The Municipal Court opened at
8 oclock AM President Joseph Smith made
some remarks to the lawyiers his council, As he was
a prisioner before the court. President Joseph Smith
then called upon Hiram Smith, Brigham Young
P P Pratt Lyman Wight & Sidney Rigdon who
were duly sworn & gave in their testimony, which
occupied most of the day they went through the
whole scene of the persecution from Jackson
County to the time of their expulsion from the
state by force of Armes & it was certainly
the most heart rending scene or rehearsal of it that
ever saluted the ears of any tribunal in a cifilized
government it would have disgraced an arab or
Hotentot, not ownly theft, Arson, Burgalry, prisons
chains, expelsion rape & Murder were practiced
upon the Saints without any redress but even
President Joseph Smith with his companions in
prision loaded with chains were FED with nothing
for FIVE Days in succession but the Flesh of their
OWN BRETHREN which was actaully cooked &
given to them to eat & while hearing this part of the
testimony my Blood boiled within & the spirit of war
rested upon me for the space of two days. The
Lawyiers were shocked to the soul each one made
a speach at the close of the testimony & they exhort'd
us to stand for our rights stand or fall sink or
swim live or die the whole testimony will
be published to the world in pamphlet form &
probably other wise & will stand as a history to
future generations of the unparelled persecutions
of the state of Missouri against the Saints of
the last days
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