The article appeared in the Nauvoo Neighbor the following day and was described as written “in behalf of a general council of the authorities of the church,” with Willard Richards as the author. The article referenced reports in Hancock County and adjoining counties that the Latter-day Saints would “throng Carthage” during the trial of the men indicted for the murders of JS and Hyrum Smith “so as to procure a conviction.” Such “false, malicious, and envious reports,” the article continued, were “calculated to awaken an unjust prejudice against an innocent people” and had been used by their enemies as “a hobby to raise an excitement against us.” The article acknowledged that editorials in the Nauvoo Neighbor had also been used “to raise an excitement” but distanced church leaders from such editorials: “as a people and council, we have no knowledge of the ‘Neighbor’ until we read it, as do others, and therefore cannot be responsible for it and all we ask is the same consideration in the public mind, as is exercised towards the editorials of other papers in our land.” In addition, church leaders pledged to abide by the agreement they had made with Illinois governor Thomas Ford to allow the court system to administer justice to those accused of the murders. Therefore, the Latter-day Saints would “tarry at home, and attend to our own business as usual during the sitting of the court—except such as have lawful business with the court, and are required to be in attendance.” In conclusion, the article stated that church leaders hoped “that those whose business it is to keep the peace during court, should do it, and let us as a people alone, for we do not wish to be brought in collision with our neighbors, and we are determined to abide the law.” (“A Voice from Nauvoo,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 7 May 1845, [3].)

Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.