--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1845 to 1846. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 6 number: 4 published: 1845-03-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Copy of a Letter, to A. W. Babbitt Esq. at Springfield,” *Times and Seasons* 6, no. 4 (March 1, 1845): 822–823." printed_title: COPY OF A LETTER, TO A. W. BABBITT ESQ. AT SPRINGFIELD. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-03-01_6_4 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v6n04.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-03-01_6_4 start_page: 822 end_page: 823 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1845 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-03-01_6_4 publication_year: 1845 --- # Copy of a Letter, to A. W. Babbitt Esq. at Springfield Nauvoo, Jan. 30th, 1845. Honorable Sir: The interest that I feel in the welfare and prosperity of God's chosen people in this place, prompts me to take my pen at this crisis, and step beyond the bounds of a female accustomed to move in the humble and domestic circles of life; and address myself to the Representative of a people laden with sorrow and acquainted with grief. I claim not to be the mouth-piece of this community, for they have not appointed me that station; and therefore, I wish no one but myself, to be responsible for this communication yet, I feel myself safe in saying, that there are many bosoms in this place, burning with the same principles that recent legislative acts have kindled in my own. I am told that a letter has just been received here from Gen. Backenstos, in which the repeal of our city charter is confirmed. There seems to be not a single doubt entertained by your friends here concerning your diligence, ability, and faithfulness in the discharge of your duty. In fact, I do not hesitate to say, that the blessings of a grateful people rest upon you both, and also upon those other honorable gentlemen who took so able a part with you in defending our rights. May heaven bless you; and when the storms of life are past, may it be our happy lot to meet in that country where tyranny and injustice are not known, and where the oppressor's arm has no power. Had the courage of tigers armed your breasts and eloquence more lucid and burning than that which flows from an angel's tongue, escaped your lips, mingled with the sobs and tears of broken hearted widows and orphans, whose husbands and fathers have been cruelly and treacherously murdered when under the protection of a sovereign state, you could have made no more impression upon the flinty hearts of men bent on Mormon extermination, than the thunder of a '74' upon the fortress 'Gibraltar.' I cannot find language to express the utter contempt with which I regard the pretended liberality of Mr. Anderson. He says, "If the people of Nauvoo will respectfully ask for a new charter of limited powers, I am ready to grant it." Have the people of Nauvoo ever asked a favor disrespectfully of the legislature? If they have, I have it yet to learn. But to the point: What would Mr. Anderson think of that man, whose only right was his superior strength, that should forcibly take from his pocket a doubloon which he came honorably by, and which was all he had? Would he not consider him a high-way man? But further: Suppose the robber should afterwards turn to him and say, now if you will respectfully ask me for a new coin, I will give you a penny: Would Mr. A. accept the proffered gift, or thank the robber for his liberality? I wish you would ask him. I am not Nauvoo, nor the people of Nauvoo, and therefore, cannot say what they will do.-But my own feelings are: Sooner be the prophet's fate my own, than suffer the pride and dignity of my character to be so humbled as to ask any favor of those hands that are now reeking fresh with my brothers' blood, and by the strongest proofs in their power to give, have decreed my own ruin and extermination. They have not only acknowledged, but even justified the murderous deed, and have also fathered the crime, by wresting from the hands of the officer and retaining in the Senate, the man who stands indicted for killing the Lord's anointed. Had you, dear sir, been indicted for a like offence [offense] against an Anti-Mormon, how long would you have retained your seat in the House? I presume to say, that you would have been hurled from your seat, and that justly too, as quick as was Lucifer when he rebelled in heaven: For me to ask favors of the hands that have been raised to justify the shedding of my brothers' blood, would be a violation of every principle that dwells in my heart. Were I to do it, I should consider myself unworthy of my country and my God. You are the representative of a noble race. I am but one obscure person, and for you to be influenced in your capacity by the private views of a humble female, would not be to honor your high and responsible trust. If the legislature of Illinois are disposed to strip us of our covering, (the charter) and leave us naked, exposed to the chilling blasts of mobocratic fury which already begin to blow-if "it must needs be," we hope to die like noble spirits, and live again to see the robes of state dripping with the blood of innocence, and those who wear them appear before us to receive their final sentence, when "the saints shall judge the world" But I assure you, sir, that if the people of Nauvoo do not get a new charter till I ask for it, they will never have one, unless my mind should materially alter: for from past examples, I could go to the gates of perdition and ask mercy from that department, with just as much hopes of success, as I could go to the legislature of Illinois, to ask a favor for the Latter-day Saints. They very well know the wrong and injustice they have done us, and the evil and calamity to which they have exposed us by repealing our charter; and now if they have no more honor, feeling, or humanity, than to leave us in this situation, without our coming like abject slaves to plead and implore for that which every noble and generous spirit would scorn to with-hold, though never asked; namely, our just rights, let the consequences be on their heads. I would gladly have our people show to the legislature and to the world, that we possess feelings too exalted and spirits too noble to bow with deference to such unequal measures. Do they wish to secure our loyalty? Let them give us equal rights. Do they wish to drive us to desperation? Let them rob us of every inducement to honor our country's laws, that in after years when the elements of excitement and strife have retired within their own natural borders, let the disgraceful transactions be echoed from every state and civilized government under heaven, and then let them meet us face to face before that tribunal where truth and justice must have their claim. Very Respectfully, ELIZA R. SNOW. To A. W. BABBITT, ESQ.