PHINEAS R. BIRD, PIERCE HAWLEY, JOHN YOUNG, Select Committee to write expressing the views of the branch of the Church at Black River Falls. Joseph Smith, Sen., P. C. Brigham Young, P. T. William Richards, Clerk. The brethren went into council on the subject matter of the letters during the evening. _Monday 11.--_At home till nine; then spent the day in council in the lodge room over Henry Miller's house. _Special Council Meeting on Wight and Miller Letters_. Present--Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, {261} George A. Smith, William W. Phelps, John M. Bernhisel, Lucien Woodworth, George Miller, Alexander Badlam, Peter Haws, Erastus Snow, Reynolds Cahoon, Amos Fielding, Alpheus Cutler, Levi Richards, Newel K. Whitney, Lorenzo D. Wasson, and William Clayton, whom I organized into a special council, to take into consideration the subject matter contained in the above letters, and also the best policy for this people to adopt to obtain their rights from the nation and insure protection for themselves and children; and to secure a resting place in the mountains, or some uninhabited region, where we can enjoy the liberty of conscience guaranteed to us by the Constitution of our country, rendered doubly sacred by the precious blood of our fathers, and denied to us by the present authorities, who have smuggled themselves into power in the States and Nation. Footnotes: 1. Nauvoo was unfortunate in being overrun with pettifogging lawyers at this time, and it was to these, doubtless, that the disparaging remarks of both the Prophet and Hyrum, respecting lawyers referred. It is unfortunate that they did not segregate the pettifoggers from the worthy men of the profession; than whom no class of citizens, and no other profession, render more valuable service to the state. {262} CHAPTER XI. ORSON PRATT SENT TO WASHINGTON AS AGENT OF NAUVOO--AMOS FIELDING TO ENGLAND, DITTO--COMMENT ON THE CANDIDACY OF JOSEPH SMITH FOR PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.--CONSPIRACIES OF THE LAWS, HIGBEES, FOSTERS, ET AL. AGAINST JOSEPH SMITH--THE PROPHET'S MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS==OCCUPATION OF THE WEST CONTEMPLATED. _Tuesday, March 12, 1844.--_At home in the morning. At eleven a.m., I told Brother Cole I wanted the room over the store for more important purposes, and wished him to remove the school to Henry Miller's house immediately; which he did. The brethren who were in council with me yesterday assembled there in the afternoon and evening. Gave the following recommend to Elder Orson Pratt. _Credentials of Orson Pratt as Agent for the City of Nauvoo_. CITY OF NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, March 12, 1844. TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:--