[1]. The above resolution was offered by Mr. William M. Campbell in the Senate, and the three resolutions of the 18th of December were in Mr. Turner's report to the Senate of that date, and are as follows:
Resolved. That it is inexpedient at this time, to prosecute further the inquiry into the causes of the late disturbances and the conduct of the military operations in suppressing them.
Resolved, That it is inexpedient to publish at this time, any of the documents accompanying the governor's message in relation to the late disturbances.
Resolved, That it is expedient to appoint a joint committee composed of —— Senators, and —— Representatives to investigate the cause of said disturbances, and the conduct of the military operations in suppressing them, to meet at such time, and to be invested with such powers as may be prescribed by law." See the whole report of Mr. Turner's, at pp. 235-8.
[2]. The previous document here referred to, does not appear in this history as heretofore published, nor is it to be found in any of the manuscripts in the historian's office.
[3]. Whom these initials represent cannot be ascertained, or whether they represent one person or three. They evidently represent secret friends or a friend of the Prophet at Liberty, Clay county, willing to urge this matter upon the attention of Mr. Hughes and also upon the House.
[4]. At any rate Mr. Turner's bill providing for an elaborate investigation was never taken from the table. In the legislature, however, which convened in 1840-41, the subject of the "Mormon" difficulties was again taken up on recommendation of Governor Boggs, who concludes what he had to say in his message in this language. "To explain the attitude which we have been made to assume I would recommend the publication of all the events relating to the occurrence, and distributing the same to the chief authorities of each state." In pursuance of this recommendation the joint committee appointed from the senate and house made a collection of documents on the subject covering 162 pages. In the collection, however, there are none of the statements, petitions, or representations made to the public or the legislature by the Saints. The documents consist in part of the action of the respective houses in the appointment of committees and reports of those committees recommending investigations, etc.; of the reports and military orders of the militia generals; while the remainder of the pamphlet is made up of the ex parte testimony taken before Judge King at Richmond, concerning which testimony the Turner senate committee in reporting to the senate, under date of December 18, 1838, said: It "is manifestly not such evidence as ought to be received by the committee:
"First, because it is not authenticated; and,
"Second, it is confined chiefly to the object of the inquiry, namely, the investigation of criminal charges against individuals under arrest."
The action of the legislature in the matter was a "white-washing affair," to use a phrase common in such cases. It was an attempt to vindicate the state of Missouri in her treatment of the Latter-day Saints. The effort, however, was in vain. The truths in relation to those transactions, in spite of all the efforts of the legislature, were known, and the state's attempt to deny them by a publication of documents giving a hearing to but one side of the case, only emphasized the crime.