Part 3: 17 December 1842–18 January 1843

On 9 December 1842, , , , and other associates of JS traveled from , Illinois, to , Illinois, to attend to several legal matters. The men hoped to meet with , the attorney for , to dispel his objections to JS’s bankruptcy petition, for which a hearing was scheduled for 15 December. The men also sought Butterfield’s legal assistance regarding the requisition and the ongoing attempt by Illinois officials to arrest JS and extradite him to Missouri to face charges related to the attempted assassination of former governor . After the traveling party spent several days lobbying Illinois governor for support, Ford, Butterfield, and member each wrote to JS imploring him to come to Springfield so that the matter of the ongoing extradition efforts could be resolved. In addition to assuring him that he had a strong case for dismissal, they promised him safety and a fair hearing in the state capital.

Acting on this advice, JS determined to travel to and have the matter adjudicated by either the Supreme Court or the Circuit Court for the District of Illinois. On 26 December, JS submitted to a prearranged arrest by , the major general of the . JS then sent church members and to , Illinois, to obtain a writ of for the arrest, thereby setting up the need for a hearing in Springfield. That same day, Law and JS departed for Springfield in the company of several other friends. After their arrival in the capital, they met with and state officers over the next several days. As part of the legal process preceding the planned habeas corpus hearing, JS created several documents, including petitions to and the United States Circuit Court for the District of Illinois as well as an affidavit. Based on ’s advice, the affidavit argued that extradition was illegal because JS had not been in at the time of the assassination attempt. Accordingly, JS stated that he was not a fugitive from justice and that his case did not fall within the purview of extradition law. On 4 January, JS’s case was heard by United States circuit court judge , with Butterfield representing JS. The next morning, Pope decided in favor of JS and ordered his release. After a celebratory journey back to Nauvoo, on 10 January JS arrived at home, where the Saints were also jubilant about his discharge.

Part 3 of this volume consists of seventeen documents, including several associated with the habeas corpus hearing. The part also features letters that JS sent to and received from several church members and business associates, the copyright for a map of , songs church members wrote to commemorate ’s decision, and an invitation to a party to celebrate JS’s release.