History of the Church, Volume VI (p. 550)
Letter: Joseph and Hyrum Smith to Governor Ford – Consenting to go to Carthage.
BANK 0F THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI,
Sunday, June 23rd, 1844, 2 p.m
His Excellency Governor Ford:
SIR.-I wrote you a long communication at 12 last night, expressive of my views of your Excellency's communication of yesterday. 1 thought your letter rather severe, but one of my friends has just come to me with an explanation from the captain of your posse which softened the subject matter of your communication, and gives us greater assurance of protection, and that your Excellency has succeeded in bringing in subjection the spirits which surround your Excellency to some extent. And I declare again the only objection I ever had or ever made on trial by my country at any time, was what I have made in my last letter- on account of assassins, and the reason I have to fear deathly consequences from their hands.
But from the explanation, I now offer to come to you at Carthage on the morrow, as early as shall be convenient for your posse to escort us into headquarters, provided we can have a fair trial, not be abused nor have my witnesses abused, and have all things done in due form of law, without partiality, and you may depend on my honor without the show of a great armed force to produce excitement in the minds of the timid.
We will meet your posse, if this letter is satisfactory, (it not, inform me) at or near the Mound, at or about two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. which will be as soon as we can get our witnesses and prepare for trial. We shall expect to take our witnesses with us, and not have to wait a subpoena or part at least, so as not to detain the proceedings, although we may want time for counsel.
We remain most respectfully, your Excellency's humble servants,
JOSEPH SMITH.
HYRUM SMITH.
Letter of Joseph Smith to Governor Ford in Response to the Governor's June 22 Letter (June 22, 1844)
Report of Abraham C. Hodge (The Smiths plan to flee to the West)(June 22, 1844)
Account of Arrest and Imprisonment of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, by Willard Richards (June 22-25, 1844)
Letter from Joseph Smith to Governor Ford: Offer to Surrender (June 23, 1844)
Warrant for Arrest of Joseph Smith on the Charge of Treason (June 25, 1844)
Order of Judge R. F. Smith, Sending the Smiths to Jail (June 25, 1844)
Elder John Taylor Confronts Governor Ford About Broken Promises (June 25, 1844)