Nauvoo March 19th 1844 Col Solomon Copeland Dear Sir I take this method to break that silence which hath prevailed for a length of time between us And also to make a request of you of an important nature The following reasons are some among the many that promps me to this course. When I was a stranger in a strange land Advocating principles of the fulness of the– everlasting Gospels of the Son of God Although as true as any principle that ever emenated from the tr^h^rone of Jehovah yet the most ...

intelligence & glory that was ever designed for man by the God of heaven that it would strike a cord & vibrate your soul as with the rapidity of light[n]ing yea the silent Language of which was, this is congenial with my spirit & the sentiments of my heart. And whenever in my perigrinations I have met with any master spirits of this kind I have marked it in my mind & laid it up in my memory for a future day, permit me Sir to say that inasmuch as you are one of the most prominant ones with whi[c]h ...

friend of man, to introdu[c]e Intelligence & wisdom into the world, To raise a standard of light & truth as a Ban[n]er to the Nations of the Earth that time nor man canot extinguish or destroy. He has thus far by the Help of God out- rode the storm of persecution heaped upon him by his enemies who have saught to take away from ^him^ evry right that the Laws & Constitution garantee unto him as well as evry Americ[a]n citizen, his course has been onward in the midst of evry difficulty untill he has erected one of the largest ...

^repaid^ in your feelings for taking a journey of this kind; I trust Sir you will favor me with an answer to this the earliest opportunity. I will forward you with this Letter a copy of General Smith views of the powers and policy of the gover[n]ment Un[i]ted States With sentiments of respect I subscrib[e] myself your Friend Wilford Woodruff Col Solomon Copeland P.S. please give my respects to Mrs Copeland & all enquiring friends Elders Smoot and Allexanders & all the ...