_Friday, 9_.--I chopped wood all day. My Brother Hyrum started for Springfield to attend to his case of bankruptcy, with Benjamin Covey as witness. Willard Richards, William Clayton, Henry G. Sherwood, Peter Haws, Heber C. Kimball, Alpheus Cutler, and Reynolds Cahoon accompanied them to attend to my case, present testimony to the government that I was in Illinois at the {201} time Boggs was shot--consequently could not have been a fugitive from the justice of Missouri, and thus procure a discharge from Governor Ford, on Governor Carlin's writ for my arrest. The weather was very cold, and the traveling tedious; yet my messengers traveled thirty-four miles, and stayed with my Brother Samuel Smith, who kept a public-house at Plymouth. [Sidenote: Agitation as to Nauvoo Charters.] Mr. Davis, of Bond county, introduced a resolution to the house of Representatives at Springfield, concerning the charter of Nauvoo, and urged its repeal. Mr. Hicks was in favor of having the state arms taken from the Mormons. Mr. Owen thought they had no more than their quota. [The arms referred to consisted of three cannon, six-pounders, and a few score of muskets, swords, and pistols, which were furnished by the United States to Illinois, for the supply of her militia for common defense, of which the Nauvoo Legion had received but a small portion of that to which it was entitled.] My Brother, William Smith, representative of Hancock county, colleague with Mr. Owen, made the following speech in the House, in reply to Mr. Davis:-- _Speech of William Smith, Brother of the Prophet, on the Chartered Rights of Nauvoo_. MR. SPEAKER.--I beg the privilege of making a few remarks on this subject. This, sir, seems to be a question which has excited, to a very considerable extent, the attention of members who compose this honorable body. But, Mr. Speaker, it does really appear to me that this is a question that has been gotten up quite prematurely; for I doubt not many members here have not yet had the opportunity of learning what privileges are granted in the Nauvoo City Charter. The subject which the gentleman has raised is only an assumption. I doubt not that if the subject had been fairly investigated, and weighed equally in the balance by every candid individual in the community, that prejudices of this kind would not have obtained such a hold upon the public mind. In the estimation of genuine democracy, the rights of the people of Nauvoo are just as sacred as those of any {202} other people. The people that live there should have just the same privileges extended to them as are awarded to Springfield, Chicago, Quincy, or any other city in the state.