too; but the Almighty God has taught me the principle
of law; and the true meaning of the Writ of Habeaus
Corpus is to defend the inocent and investigate the subject—
go behind the writ and even if the form of the writ
should be right but issued against an inocent man
he should not be dragged to another State and there
put to death or in jeap[ardy] of life or limb because of
prejudice when he is inocent.

The benefits of the Constitution and
law is for all alike and the great Eloihiem or God has given
me the privilege of having the benefits of anf the Constitution
and writ of Habeaus Corpus. I am bold to ask
for this privilege this day and to ask you to carry
out this principle and all who are in favour of this
great principle make it manifest by raising the
right hand."

-[The^re^ was a perfect sea of hands—a
universal vote. It was truly a committee of the
whole. After this strong demonstration of the feelings
of the vast multitude present Joseph continued]-

"In speaking of my journey to
Nauvoo I will relate a circumstance.

"When Mr Cyrus Walker came
to me they said I should not speak to any man
and they would shoot any man who should speak
to me. An old man came up and said I
should have council and said ^told them^ he was not affraid of
their pistols. I was delivered from them

[five lines blank]

My freedom commenced from the time the
old man came to me and would talk to me. We
came direct from Papa Grove to Nauvoo. Our writ
was directed to the nearest court having authority to
try the case and we came to Nauvoo

too; but the Almighty God has taught me the principle of law; and the true meaning of the Writ of Habeaus Corpus is to defend the inocent and investigate the subject— go behind the writ and even if the form of the writ should be right but issued against an inocent man he should not be dragged to another State and there put to death or in jeapardy of life or limb because of prejudice when he is inocent.

The benefits of the Constitution and law is for all alike and the great Eloihiem has given me the privilege of having the benefits of af the Constitution and writ of Habeaus Corpus. I am bold to ask for this privilege this day and to ask you to carry out this principle and all who are in favour of this great principle make it manifest by raising the right hand."

—There was a perfect sea of hands—a universal vote. It was truly a committee of the whole. After this strong demonstration of the feelings of the vast multitude present Joseph continued—

"In speaking of my journey to Nauvoo I will relate a circumstance.

"When Mr Cyrus Walker came to me they said I should not speak to any man and they would shoot any man who should speak to me. An old man came up and said I should have council andtold them he was not affraid of their pistols.

My freedom commenced from the time the old man came to me and would talk to me. We came direct from Papa Grove to Nauvoo. Our writ was directed to the nearest court having authority to try the case and we came to Nauvoo