JULY 4^th 1843

[FIGURE] As the Romans took particular notice of any
singular event as ominous of Good or evil so I
will record a small circumstance that took place
in my house this morning. Soon after I arose
in the morning on this 4^th Day of July my
sword while hanging in its usual place unsheathed
of itself & the scabbard droped upon the
floor leaving the bear blade suspended from the
peg upon which it hung

As this is the 4^th we call it a happy day for
Nauvoo. At a vary early hour people began to
assemble at the grove & at 11 oclock near 13000
thousand persons had congregated, who were
addressed in a vary able and appropriat
manner by Elder Orson Hyde lately from
Palestine, and who has recently been appointed
on a mission to St Petersburgh, Russia. A
constant accession of Numbers swelled the
congregation to 15,000 as near as could be estimated
& at 2 oclock they were again addressed by
Elder Parley P. Pratt in a masterly discourse
followed By President Joseph Smith upon
the subject of the late arest & persecution
who clearly vindicated his innocence &
showed the corruption of his pursueers in
a tru light. Three steamers arived in the
afternoon—one from St Louis one from
Quincy & one from Burlington—bringing altogether

about 900 visitoring ladies and gentlemen
to our city. On the arival of each boat they
were escorted to the stand by the Nauvoo
band and the escort companies whare convenient
seats were provided & whare they were
welcomed by the firing of cannon which brought
to our minds the last words of the patriot
Jefferson: Let this day be celebrated by the
firing of cannon &c. The legion was not
out.

The following is a
synopsis of the Address of President Joseph Smith
while speaking in his own defence before about
15,000 souls

If the people will give ear a momen[t]
I will address them, with few words in my own
defence as touching my arest. In the first
place I will state to those that can hear me
that I never spent more than six months
in Missouri except while in prison, while I
was there I was at work for the suppor[t] of
my family. I never was a prisioner of war
during my stay for I had not made war, I
never took a pistol, a gun, or sword & the much
that has been said on this subject is false I
have been willing to go before any governor
Judge or treibunal whare justice could be done
& have the subject investigated. I could not
have committee treason in that state while
there I had no controll any whare in temporal
things while there but in spiritual I was
driven from that state by force of
arms under the exterminating order of
Govornor Boggs. I have never commited
treason the people know vary well I

have Been a peaceable citizen but
their has been a great hugh & cry about
Jo Smith Govornor Bogs being shot, No
crime can be done but what it is laid to
Jo Smith. Here I was again dragged to
the United States court, & was cleared
& now it comes again, But as often as
God sees fit for me to suffer I am ready
But I am as innocent of these crimes as the
Angels in heaven. I am not an enemy to manki-
nd I am a friend to Mankind. I ^am^ not an enemy
to Missouri nor any any governors or people
As to the military station I hold & the cause
of my holding it is as follows. When we came
here the state required us to bear arms & do
military duty according to law, & as the Church
had just been driven from the state of Missou-
ri & robed of all their property & arms they were
poor & destitute of armes: they were liable to
be fined for not doing duty when they had not
arms to do it with, they came to me for advice
I advised them to organize themselves into inde-
pendant companies, & demand arms of the
state, this they did. Again their were many
Elders having licence to preach which by law
exhonorated them from Military duty but the
officers would not release them on this ground
I then told the Saints that though I was clear
from Military duty by law in consequence
of lameness in one of my legs, yet I would
set them the example & would do duty my-
self, they then said they were willing to do duty
if they could be formed into an independant
company & I could be at their head & upon
this ground came the Nauvoo Legion & I

holding the office of Lieutenant General
not that I seek for power, & with regard
to elections some say we all vote together &
vote as I say: But I never tell any man how to vote
or who to vote for. But I will show you how
we have been situated by bringing a comparison
Should their be a Methodist society here &
two candidates running for office: one says
if you will vote for me & put me in governor
I will exterminate the Methodist take away their
charters &c. The other candidate says if I am
Govornor I will give all an equal privilege, which
would the Methodist vote for, of course they would
vote in mass for the candidate that would give
them their rights; thus it has Been with us
Joseps Duncon said if the people would elect
him he would exterminate the mormons & take
away their charters. As to Mr Ford he made no
such threats, but manifested a spirit in his spea-
ches to give every man their rights; hence the
Church universally voted for mr Ford &
he was elected govornor, But he has
issued writs against me the first time the
Missourians made a demand for me & this is
the second one he has issued for me which has
caused me much trouble & expense. President
Smith Also rehearsed the account of his being
taken By Reynolds & Wilson & the unlawful
treatment he received at their hands

The multitute gave good attention
& much prejudice seemed to be removed