Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]
Source Note
, Closing Argument, [, Hancock Co., IL], 29 May [1845], State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845); unidentified handwriting, possibly ; docket by , [, Hancock Co., IL, ca. 29 May 1845]; eight pages; Mormon Trial Notes, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, IL. Includes docket.
and return to with the conveyance he had come out in the day before Hamilton Stage— And being anxious to see his family who who were apprehensive about him he went to that night— During that excited time every man who was in possession of any news— was called upon to communicate it— this was all did on meeting the troops on his return from — s speech has been garbellled by to make out any thing from it against the def[endan]ts or of a seditious nature— You must take the whole of s Speech together and you must take into consideration the circumstances under which made his speech— There was a time when men charged with having used libellous or libellous <seditious> language could not infer [refer?] to the all things said for the purpose of showing that a wrong meaning had been given to some parts of their speech—
But that doctrine has been long exploded— thanks to the march of <the spirit of—> freedom and liberty—
Now what does Now what is the evidence of Mr [John] Peyton— He says he does not know <(remember)> or pretend to know all said at the Shanties— but he thinks he said he had just returned from , had heard a conve[r]sation with the & the said what [p. [3]]