<​February 7.​> to have their prayers granted: and give liberty to the captive; by paying the southern gentlemen gentleman a reasonable equivalent for his property, that the whole nation might be free indeed! When the people petitioned for a national bank, I would use my best endeavors to have their prayers granted <​answered​>; and answered <​establish​> one on national principles to save taxes, and make them the controllers of its ways and means; and when the people petitioned to possess the territory of or any other contiguous territory: I would lend the influence of a chief magistrate to grant so reasonable a request, that they might extend the mighty efforts and enterprize of a free people from the East to the West sea; and make the wilderness blossom as the rose; and when a neighboring realm petitioned to join the union of the sons of liberty, my voice would be, come: yea come : come Mexico: come ; and come all the world— let us be brethren; let us be one great family; and let there be a universal peace. Abolish the cruel custom of prisons, (except certain cases,) penitentiaries,—— court-martials for desertion; and let reason and friendship reign over the ruins of ignorance and barbarity: yea I would, as the universal friend of man, open the prisons; open the eyes; open the ears and open the hearts of the all [HC 6:208] people, to behold and enjoy freedom, unadulterated freedom: and God, who once cleansed the violence of the earth with a flood; whose Son laid down his life for the salvation of all his father gave him out of the world; and who has promised that he will come and purify the world again with fire in the last days, should be supplicated by me for the good of all people.