"I want you to learn, O Israel! what is for the happiness and peace of this city and its people. Our enemies are determined to oppress us and deprive us of our rights and privileges as they have done in the past. If the authorities on earth will not give us that protection which the laws and the constitution of the United States and of this state guarantee, then we will appeal to a higher power, to heaven, to God Almighty, for our constitutional rights.
"The Lord, in my past troubles has raised up friends to me, though they were strangers, and they would have lost their lives to deliver me from my enemies and to protect my rights in this state. I have told them to do no violence for I should be delivered by the power of God. I have brought the men who arrested me to Nauvoo, and I have treated them kindly. I have had the privilege of rewarding them, good for evil. They took me unlawfully, treated me rigorously, strove to deprive me of my right and would have carried me into Missouri to be murdered had not Providence interposed. Now they are in my hands. I took them into my home, set them at the head of the table, and placed before them the best that my home afforded. They were waited upon by my wife whom they deprived of seeing me when I was taken.
"There is a time, however, when forbearance ceases and when suffering longer without resistance is a sin. I shall not bear it any longer, I will spill the last drop of blood I have rather than endure it; and all who feel that they will not bear it any longer say, 'Aye.' The vast assembly shouted, 'Aye.' Whatever may be your feeling about the heavy hand of oppression I wish you to restrain yourself from violence against those men who have arrested me. My word is at stake, a hair of their heads shall not be harmed.
"My life is pledged to carry out this great work, I know you are ever ready to do right, you have done great things and you have manifested your love for me in rushing to my assistance on this occasion, and I bless you in the name of the Lord. I know the Almighty will bless all good men, and may you not have to suffer as I have suffered heretofore. However, I shall restrain you no longer, from this time forth. If occasion require I will lead you to battle, if you are not afraid to die and to spill your blood in your own defense you will not offend me. Be not the aggressor. Bear until they strike you on one cheek and then offer the other. They will be sure to strike that also; then defend yourself and God will bear you off victorious. If I am under the necessity of giving up our chartered rights, privileges, and freedom for which our fathers fought and bled, and which the constitution of the United States as well as this state grants to us, I will do it at the point of the bayonet and sword.
"Many lawyers contend for that which is against the rights of men, and I can only excuse them because of their ignorance. Go forth, O ye lawyers! and advocate the rights of the people, for we shall rise up Washington-like and break off the fetters which bind us and we shall not be mobbed."
After discussing at some length the charter of Nauvoo and the writ of habeas corpus, he gave an interesting account of his recent arrest and of the return to Nauvoo. He explained that he had prophesied to his wife the day before his presence in the neighborhood, where the people befriended him, that they were a good people, and that he knew it by the spirit of God. "When Mr. Cyrus Walker, an attorney, came to me, those who had arrested me said that I should speak to no man and they would shoot any man who spoke to me. An old man came up and said that I should have counsel and told them he was not afraid of their pistols. My freedom began from that time."
Speaking of the law, the Prophet said: "Almighty God has taught me the true principle of law and the true meaning of the writ of habeas corpus. It is to protect the innocent and to prevent innocent men from being dragged into other states and from being punished by the avowed enemy.
"It did my soul good to witness the manifestation of your feelings and love toward me. I thank God I have the honor to lead so virtuous and honest a people, to be your law-giver as Moses was to the children of Israel. Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! to the most high God! I commend you to His grace and may the blessings of Heaven rest upon you, I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
July 1st the trial of the Prophet came off. There were present Brigham Young, Hyrum Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight, and Sidney Rigdon. They were all called as witnesses and duly sworn. They recounted the history of the Missouri persecutions from the time they were driven from Jackson County until their expulsion from Far West by force of arms. "The recital of these scenes," says President Woodruff, "caused my blood to boil and the spirit of war was awakened in me, even the Gentile lawyers were shocked, and in their speeches counseled the people to stand by their rights whatever the issue might be."
The Fourth of July was at hand and great preparations had been made for its celebration. About fifteen thousand people assembled in the grove. Orson Hyde addressed the vast multitude. He had lately returned from Palestine, and was then under appointment to carry the gospel to Saint Petersburg, Russia. In the afternoon the multitude of Saints was greatly augmented by three steamboat loads of visiting ladies and gentlemen from St. Louis, Quincy, and Burlington. As the visitors arrived they were escorted to the stand by the Nauvoo band, and their presence welcomed by the firing of cannon. Parley P. Pratt spoke at some length, and was followed by the Prophet Joseph, who took this occasion to speak of himself. Elder Woodruff quotes him as follows: