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

have Been a peaceable citizen but their has been a great hugh & cry about 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 mankind 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 Missouri & 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 independant 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 officiers 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 myself, 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