Declaration, 21 June 1834, as Published in Howe, Mormonism Unvailed
Source Note
JS, John Lincoln, , C. K. Morehead, , , John Sconce, , James H. Long, , and James Collins, Declaration, , MO, 21 June 1834. Version published [not before 2 July 1834] in , Mormonism Unvailed, Or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion, from Its Rise to the Present Time, Painesville, OH: By the author, 1834, 166–169. The copy used for transcription is held at CHL.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Declaration, 21 June 1834
Page 167
ly, and being requested by the Hon. to meet the Mormons under arms, and obtain from the leaders thereof the correctness of the various reports in circulation—the true intent and meaning of their present movements, and their views generally regarding the difficulties existing between them and the citizens of —I did, in company with other gentlemen, call upon the said leaders of the Mormons, at their , in ; and now give to the people of their written statement, containing the substance of what passed between us.
.
Propositions of the Mormons.
Being called upon by the above named gentlemen, at our camp, in , to ascertain from the leaders of our men our intentions, views and designs, in approaching this county in the manner that we have: we, therefore, the more cheerfully comply with their request, because we are called upon by gentlemen of good feelings, who are disposed for peace, and an amicable adjustment of the difficulties existing between us and the people of . The reports of our intentions are various, and have gone abroad in a light calculated to arouse the feelings of almost every man. For instance, one report is, that we intend to demolish the printing office in ; another report is, that we intend crossing the , on Sunday next, and falling upon women and children, and slaying them; another is, that our men were employed to perform this expedition, being taken from the manufacturing establishments in the East that had closed business; also, that we carried a flag, bearing peace on one side, and war or blood on the other; and various others too numerous to mention. All of which, a plain declaration of our intentions, from under our own hands, will show are not correct. [p. 167]