Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 2/Number 11/Editorial notices

PUBLIC MEETING
PUBLIC MEETING.

The citizens of Clay County met, persuant [pursuant] to adjournment. the Chairman and secretary, resumed their stations, when the committee appointed by a public meeting held at the Court House in the town of Liberty on Wednesday June 27 to confer with the Mormon Leaders and to present to them the Preamble and Resolutions passed by said meeting, Met according to the appointment at the House of Mr. Cowan and through the Chairman of the Committee Woodson J. Moss reported to the meeting the response of the Mormons to the Preamble and resolutions passed at the aforesaid Meeting on Wednesday, the 29th., which is as follows.

At a respectable meeting of the elders of the church of Latter Day Saints, held in Clay county, Mo. on Friday, the 1st day of July, 1836: W. W. Phelps was called to the Chair, and John Corrill appointed Secretary. The preamble and resolutions from a meeting of citizens was read and a committee of twelve, viz. E. Partridge, I. Morely, L. Wight, T. B. March, E. Higbey, C. Beebe, J. Hitchcock, I. Higbey, S. Bent, T. Billings, J. Emett and R. Evans, were appointed who retired, and after a short time reported the following preamble and resolutions:

That we (the Mormons so called,) are grateful for the kindness which has been shown to us by the citizens of Clay, since we have resided with them,and being desirous for peace and wishing the good rather than the ill—will of mankind, will use all honorable means to allay the excitement, and so far as we can remove any foundation for jealousies against us as a people. We are aware that many rumors prejudicial to us as a society are afloat, and time only can prove their falsity to the world at large. We deny having claim to this or any other county or country farther than we purchase with money, or more than the constitution and laws allows us as free American citizens. We have taken no part for or against slavery, but are opposed to the abolitionists, and consider that men have a right to hold slaves or not according to law. We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruptions of the world, but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond servants nor preach the gospel to, nor mettle with, or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situation in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men. Such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude. We deny holding any communications with the Indians, & mean to hold ourselves as ready to defend our country against their barbarous ravages as any other people. We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and unalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly. It is needless to enter into a further detail of our faith or mention our sufferings:—Therefore.

1st Resolved. For the sake of friendship, and to be in a covenant of peace with the citizens of Clay county, and the citizens of Clay county to be in a covenant of peace with us, notwithstanding the necessary loss of property and expense we incur in moving, we comply with the requisitions of their resolutions in leaving the county of Clay, as explained by the preamble accompanying the same; and that we will use our exertions to have the church do the same; and that we will also exert ourselves to stop the tide of emigration of our people to this county.

2d. Resolved. That we accept of the friendly offer verbally rendered to us by the committee yesterday to assist us in selecting a location and in removing to it.

3d. Resolved. Unanimous that this meeting accept and adopt the above preamble and resolutions which are here presented by the committee.

4th Resolved. That T. B. Marsh, L. Wight and S. Bent be a committee to carry these proceedings to the meeting of the citizens of Clay, to be held tomorrow at Liberty.

The above was unanimously adopted by the meeting.

W. W. PHELPS,

Chairman.

John Corrill, Secretary.

Resolved, That this meeting do accept and receive the reply of the Mormons to the resolution passed on Wednesday the 29th June as perfectly satisfactory.

Be tt [it] Further Resolved, by this meeting that we will use our utmost endeavors to carry into effect the object contained in the preamble and resolutions passed on Wednesday the 29th and as agreed to by the Mormons.

Be it further Resolved, That we urge it on our fellow citizens to keep the peace toward the Mormons as good faith justice, Morality and Religion require us.

Be it further Resolved, That a Committee of ten persons, two in each township be appointed to raise money by subscription to aid those of the Mormons who may from necessity require it to leave this county.

Resolved, That Samuel Tillery, Jeremiah Migner, and Abraham Shafer, be appointed a committee to receive the pecuniary aid by subscription for the purpose of aiding the poor persons that may belong to the Mormons in removing from this county to their place of abode and that the elders of the church be requested to report the above named persons to the aforesaid committee who will judge of the proofs and facts entitling the mormons to pecuniary aid and appropriate the funds accordingly.

Resolved, That said committee be authorised to employ some suitable person to accompany those that may wish to examine a new country, it is also understood that if the money which may be received by the committee is not appropriated for the purpose above named it shall be refunded back in proportion to the amount subscribed.

Resolved. That the chair appoint five persons in each township to carry the object to the above resolutions in to effect.

The following gentlemen were then appointed in the different Townships.

For Liberty Township. John Thornton. Joel Turnham, Peter Rogers, John Bird, David Atchison.

For Fishing River Township. Elisha Cameron, E. Price, G. Withers, M. Welton, James Kazey,

For Platte Township. T. C. Gordon, S. Harris, W. Owens, L. Rollins J. March.

For Washington Township. B. Riley, S. Crawford, T. Findley, G. McIlvaine, P. Y. G. Bartee.

For Gallatin Township. D. Dale, W. Nash. Wm. Todd, B. Ricketts, J. Forbion.

Be it further Resolved. That this meeting recommend the Mormons to the good treatment of the citizens of the good treatment of the citizens of the adjoining counties. We also recommend the inhabitants of the neighboring counties to assist the Mormons in selecting some abiding place for their people where they will be in a measure the only occupants and when none will be anxious to molest them.

Resolved. That the proceedings of this meeting be handed over to the publishers of the Far West with a request that it be printed.

Which was severally read, and unanimously adopted,

On motion the meeting adjourned.

JOHN BIRD, Chair.

JOHN F. DOHERTY, Sec.

Liberty, July 2d, 1836.

Marriages and Deaths
(By request.)

MARRIED—In Hickman Co. Tenn on the 23d June last, by Elder Warren Parrish, Mr. E. MATLOCK to Miss SUSAN K. FRY.

DIED—In this town on Sunday, the 17th ult. of an inflammation on the brain, GEORGE, son of br. JACOB BUMP, aged 12 years.